ing Green’
Closed Crankcase Ventilation filters to more than 440 buses for added emis- sion reduction. HISD is also partnering with the University of Houston’s Texas Diesel Testing and Research Center to test emerging emission reduction tech- nology. HISD has a total of 27 buses in three projects working with the center. The technology that is being tested is emerging technology on the EPA test- ing list. The University of Houston is performing the installation, testing and monitoring
in partnership with the
Houston Independent School District’s Transportation Fleet Department. “We are also offering tours and informa-
tion on the testing to our science classes to increase the awareness of emission con- trols and the possibility of future careers in this field,” Swackhamer added.
GREEN SHOPS Over
the past seven years, the four
district bus garages have worked hard to minimize the waste stream coming from the servicing of the buses and vehicles, a total of 2,000 pieces of equipment. Te reduction in waste stream has included rags and oil absorbent material. All of the shops have parts washers that recycle us- ing a distillation process allowing for the continued use of the fluid. All the oil fil- ters and batteries are recycled, the filters are crushed, removing any remaining oil,
years or that fail any one of several tests, including an X-ray, is retreaded. The re- treaded tires are also only used on the drive tires for both buses and non-bus vehicles per National School Transpor- tation Specifications and Procedures. While it takes 22 gallons of oil to make a new tire, retreading a truck tire uses only seven gallons of oil. Retreaded tires can also help divert scrap tires from dis-
GREEN GPS During the summer of 2008, HISD
installed telematics (GPS) in all of its school buses, student safety and shop service vehicles to track on time perfor- mance and other operational activities. The system is used to track on time per- formance to each school and bus stop, report idling in excess of five minutes, dispatching and monitoring of service
www.stnonline.com 67
and the metal is recycled. Te batteries have the lead and plastics removed and recycled. Te used engine, transmission and rear end fluids are also picked up by a recycling company for refining. Swackhamer said school bus tires are
removed and sent to a contract tire vendor for inspection and retreading, if the casings pass a rigorous inspection process. No casing over the age of four
❝
posal each year. According to the EPA, retreaded tires are successfully used on Air Force One. HISD also has a strict tire inspection program where tires are in- spected by the drivers twice a day and weekly by the shops. Random inspec- tions are also performed by both shop and fleet managers, and quarterly by the contract tire vendor.
We are also offering to our [high school]
science classes a tour and information on the testing to help increase the awareness of emission controls and the possibility of
future careers in this field. ❞ — Mark Swackhamer, Senior Manager of Fleet Operations
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