With the requisite number of U.S. representatives signing on to a letter asking for a public outreach campaign sponsored by the U.S. Department of Transportation that explains the safety and environmental benefits of school buses, the American School Bus Council has turned its attention to a companion letter that is circulating in the Senate.

Forty-nine House members signed a letter from Reps. Dan Lipinski (D-IL) and Howard Coble (R-NC) designed to increase school bus ridership nationwide. It was addressed to Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and requested a two-year, $5 million public education and awareness campaign that was developed and aimed at parents and driving-aged students and supports school busing across the United States as the safest way for students to get to and from school. The letter also recognizes school bus service as reducing emissions, fossil fuel consumption,  traffic congestion and transportation costs as well as benefiting the nation's energy infrastructure.

Now, ASBC is asking pupil transportation professionals to contact their senators to support a similar letter penned by Sens. Ben Cardin (D-MD) and Jim Inhofe (R-OK). The Senate letter, similar to the one from the House, says that school buses remove an estimated 17.3 million cars from the road each weekday during during rush hour commutes.

"Getting more kids riding school buses, instead of travelling separately in multiple vehicles, reduces parents’ and teens’ transportation costs, reduces fossil fuel consumption by billions of gallons and dramatically reduces traffic congestion around schools making communities safer for kids who walk and bike to school," the letter states. "Across the country, school districts face financial strains forcing school systems to choose between school bus service and other educational priorities."

Both the House and Senate letters identify existing DOT programs that address air quality or highway safety that would "serve as an appropriate funding mechanism" for the public outreach committee.

ASBC said it hopes to obtain additional signatures from Senators by April 16. Both NAPT and NSTA made available on their respective Web pages links to contact legislators as well as their aides.