INDUSTRY CONNECTIONS EPA to Grant $2M in School Bus Second Edition of School Bus
Replacement Funds Te U.S. EPA is granting a total of $2 million to fund the re-
placement of older, diesel-powered school buses in a new pilot program that is part of the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act. Re- bate amounts are $20,000 for Class 3 through 5 buses, $25,000 for Class 6 and 7 buses and $30,000 for Class 8 buses. EPA said applications will be accepted this fall for a 30-day period. Te agency said one “significant change” is the ability to
award rebates to targeted fleets, the first of these specifically for newer bus purchases. Eligible applicants include school districts, private contractors and regional, state, municipal/ local and tribal agencies. School buses eligible to be replaced must be operational
and equipped with 1994 to 2003 model-year diesel engines with at least 10,000 miles or had to be used at least three days per week to transport 10 or more students on routes or field trips in the most recent school year. Successful applications will receive school bus re-
placements with model-year 2011 or newer diesel or alternative-fuel engines (battery-electric, hybrid diesel- electric or CNG). Older school buses that are replaced must be scrapped, but non-engine or chassis equipment such as seats and tires may be be salvaged. Awards were scheduled to be announced this fall.
BIZ BITES: ROUSH Enterprises Inc. is expanding its global
headquarters in Livonia with the acquisition of a 60,000-square-foot building for growth of its liquid- propane fuel systems subsidiary, Roush CleanTech LLC … GO Riteway Transportation Group of Oak Creek, Wisc., purchased Degnitz Bus service, which has served the Random Lake School District for 40 years … National Express Corporation, made up of Durham School Services and Petermann in the U.S. and Stock Transportation in Canada, reported its safety perfor- mance improved by 13 percent for the first half of 2012 compared to 2011 … Remy International Inc., which manufactures and distributes starters, alternators and hybrid motors, received the 2012 Category Manage- ment Award from the National Pronto Association … Student Transportation Inc. and its employees showed their support of National Bullying Prevention Month in October with a company-wide “Bullying STOPS Here” campaign … Eaton Corporation said it has aligned with the California Hybrid Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Project to help California fleets purchase low-emission medium- and heavy-duty hybrid vehicles … Te Alliance AutoGas Network expanded service to international fleets with new Canadian partner Caledon Propane … School bus contractor First Student recognized four locations where mechanics received the Blue Seal of Excellence certification from the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence. Tose locations are: Glen Carbon, Ill.; Pittsburgh and New Castle, Pa.; and Andover, N.J.
Student Transportation Inc. employees participated in National Bullying Prevention Month in October.
18 School Transportation News Magazine November 2012
Maintenance Manual Released Industry veteran Brad Barker, retired shop manager for Park
City (Utah) School District, recently released a new edition of his manual on school bus preventive maintenance, which he told STN he spent the past year updating. Barker said the new manual features “more detail” as well as
three new sections: shop layout and design recommendations, electrical/electronic tips and tools, and issues related to specif- ic chassis areas. Orders may be placed online at schoolbuspm.
sharepoint.com. An ASE-certified master school bus technician with 40-plus
years in the school bus industry, Barker has worked on Blue Bird, Tomas Built and IC buses. Currently, he works as a bus specialist at Rush Truck Center of Salt Lake City, the IC Bus dealer in Utah. In addition, he has served on several committees in Utah and
represented school bus technicians on the writing committee for the 2010 National Congress for School Transportation Specifica- tions Sub-Committee. Barker said he is also trying to complete his Diamond Certifica-
tion through Navistar as a certified IC bus tech. “All of this just helps me become better at what I have done all
my working life,” he added. “I need to do this so I can help my peers and customers work through and resolve mechanical issues.”
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