The result has been an upsurge in idling by-laws and policies, yet, idling buses remain a common sight. Plausible explana- tions are offered, such as the need to keep vehicles warm and to avoid problems with restarting the engines, particularly when it is cold. The good news is that there are now rela- tively low-cost heaters that can be installed on board buses to keep the vehicles warm and defrosted so that engines can be switched off while buses wait for their passengers. These require a fraction of the fuel that would be required to keep the bus engine running (OPHA, 2005), and some versions use electricity instead of diesel (US EPA, undated). Particularly for school districts where the financial resources to replace existing older diesel buses remain out of reach, this can be a practical option to reduce children’s exposures in the near term. The practice of bus caravanning — buses lining up
‘nose to tail’ with little space between them — can increase onboard levels of pollutants. The California Air Resources Board recommends increasing spaces between buses by stag- gering departure times to reduce children’s exposure to diesel emissions (CARB, 2016). Bus driver education is another relatively low-cost and
near-term action that can help cut back on the level of diesel emissions exposure for children riding on buses. In addition to minimizing idling and caravanning, drivers can reduce the infiltration of diesel emissions into the cabin by simple means such as keeping the door and windows closed when in traffic and especially when near other diesel-powered vehi- cles, if weather conditions permit. Regular inspections and preventive maintenance of bus fleets, as well as smart driving practices, such as avoiding rapid acceleration and maintain- ing a steady speed, can reduce emissions of air pollutants and improve fuel efficiency (Natural Resources Canada, 2018). The location and logistics of bus loading/unloading zones
can be another element of a school’s diesel emission exposure reduction game-plan. If the loading zone is located adjacent to a playground, or if students congregate outside in areas close to bus tailpipes, avoidable exposures may be occurring. School administrators may consider reconfiguring or relo- cating loading zones, altering traffic flow (Are there ways to speed up the process so that buses are in and out more quickly?), and encouraging the use of outdoor spaces by students and waiting parents to keep people as far away as possible from the pollution emitted by school buses and other vehicles. School board maintenance staff also have a role to play.
A recent study led by Health Canada researchers in Ottawa schools demonstrated the potential value of adjusting the tim- ing of the ventilation system so that large air intakes during morning rush hour are minimized (MacNeill et al, 2016).
This can reduce the amount of air pollution drawn inside the school, thereby reducing exposure for students and staff throughout the school day. This common-sense and virtu- ally cost-free concept was adopted by the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (OCDSB) since, according to Clem Laferriere, “there was a benefit to do so and it was an easy fix that didn’t come with a high price tag” (Ontario School Plant Manager, 2015). This strategy can also be applied to a school’s diesel bus emissions exposure reduction strategy by ensuring that high-volume air exchanges do not occur during busy bus loading/unloading times. All of these actions — idling reduction measures, avoid-
ance of bus caravanning, fuel-saving and exposure-reducing driving practices, reconfiguration of loading zone location and logistics, and adjustment of school ventilation systems to reduce pollution intake — are practical means to reduce children’s diesel emission exposures today. Parallel to such efforts, administrators, school boards, and governments need to attend to the longer-term objectives of fleet upgrades to reduce or eliminate diesel emissions and reduce the carbon footprint of school transportation services. School boards typically carry responsibility for opti-
mizing bus routes to minimize travel and, by extension, reduce emissions. In addition to finding the shortest and least fuel-consumptive routes, avoiding routing school buses through areas with high traffic density and/or other pollution sources can also help ensure better on-board air quality. Another simple way of reducing exposure to all sources of
traffic-related air pollution associated with school travel (both diesel buses and gasoline and diesel passenger vehicles) is to promote active school travel: walking or biking to school. There are multiple health benefits from active school travel, including healthier children, less traffic and pollution, safer school zones, and better academic performance (Green Com- munities Canada, 2018). Programs like the Walking School Bus support schools and communities to set up programs to walk children from home to school and back (Canadian Can- cer Society, 2019). Procurement policies can be another point of leverage for
improving the human health and environmental sustainabil- ity profile of school bus transportation. Some school boards set requirements around the age of the bus fleet, the use of emission control devices, as well as driver training and idling reduction requirements (Clean Air Partnership & OPHA, 2010). Over the longer term, expect to see greater uptake of electric bus technologies, which, although bearing a higher initial price tag, may have attractive pay-back periods to accompany their public health benefits. We all want healthy learning environments for our kids. Given what we know about the health risks posed by die-
Electric buses on the road
La Compagnie Électrique Lion (The Lion Electric Co.) in Saint-Jérôme, Québec manufactures electric buses. To date, Lion has shipped over 200 buses across North America—including 100 within Canada — which have cumulatively driven four million kilometres. To learn more, visit
https://thelionelectric.com/en.
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