By Larry Laxson

It seems every day brings some new scare, hyped supposedly in the public interest. Frightening parents about the safety of their children is the most popular tactic nowadays to advance agendas that can't pass muster on their own merits.

Californians and the nation awoke recently to just such a scare when environmental groups blitzed the airwaves and newspapers with this sensationalized claim-a new study found that riding in a school bus increases the likelihood of developing lung cancer.

The reality is that school buses are the latest victim of a colossal battle in the State-a political campaign to reduce the use of diesel engines. Never mind that the "study" itself is very questionable. The damage still gets done.

Those of us who operate California's pupil transportation system don't have a dog in this fight. We are not physicians or environmental scientists skilled in fighting public debates that involve complex medical or technical issues. Our job has a singular focus-to transport nearly 1 million children riding in 25,000 California school buses as safely and efficiently as possible.

There is considerable uncertainty within the scientific community on the relationship between exposure to low concentrations of diesel exhaust and lung cancer risk. Indeed, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) concluded that low concentrations may post no cancer risk.

The four buses used in the "study" were 13 to 15 years old and not equipped with the latest emission control features. Newer diesel school buses have emissions levels that are reduced by 95 percent.

But enough about the allegations. Let's talk about the record of school buses in California. Over the last decade, we have averaged zero fatalities to children who ride with us. Getting more youngsters on school buses is our biggest challenge. California has the dubious distinction of the lowest school bus ridership in the nation-only 17 percent, compared to 54 percent nationally.

That challenge becomes even more elusive when political agendas that have nothing to do with school buses frighten parents into losing confidence in our pupil transportation system.

If the subject is risk to children, the biggest one in California and elsewhere is not anything in the air. It's their school transportation decision. Six hundred children are killed nationally every year, including 34 California youngsters, because they decide-or someone decides for them-to use some other form of transportation than a school bus.

Riding in a California school bus is nearly 100 times safer than riding in any other vehicle. Consider that the next time you think about driving your child to school or, more importantly, allowing them to drive themselves or ride with others.

Our industry is not deaf to environmental concerns and believes we all must do our part to conserve resources and improve air quality. Because of collective efforts to date, the EPA says the air is vastly improved in southern California. After smog choked the region since as far back as World War II, we can now see the San Gabriel Mountains.

As part of the effort to make even more progress, new regulations are being proposed that would require school districts to buy buses that run on alternative fuels, mostly natural gas (CNG), as they replace old buses or expand fleets.

We support this new direction. But buses fueled by CNG cost up to 30 percent more than new, cleaner-burning diesel engines. The latter have emissions levels that are as good as, or even better than, other alternatives.

It all comes down to financial priorities. The Legislature needs to weigh the costs and benefits, and then make decisions. School bus districts then follow those decisions.

Since the early 1990's our industry has participated in alternative fuel demonstration programs. With $100 million funded by the California Legislature, 826 older diesel-powered buses were replaced with cleaner-burning diesel and alternative fueled models. In the Kern High School District, 44 of the 120 school buses are powered by CNG-the second largest natural gas school bus fleet in the nation.

Earlier this year, Governor Davis approved a $50 million grant to purchase more low-emission diesel and CNG school buses. Included is money to retrofit existing diesel buses with equipment to further reduce emissions. The grant would provide 375 new school buses, and retrofit 1,875 existing ones. The school bus fleet is changing in California. Newer generation diesels and alternative power sources are being phased in and, importantly, we are buying buses with the latest safety equipment. In the meantime, let's not lose sight of the fact that the big yellow school bus remains a great American success story. Regardless of what power source is under the hood, it's the safest way for children to get to school.

Larry Laxson is former president of the California Association of School Transportation Officials (CASTO).

Article first appeared February 2001.

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