CASTO OPPOSES FLEET RULES PROPOSAL

Group Urges CARB to Reject Policy that would
jeopardize children's safety, restrict school choice

(August 9, 2005) -- The California Association of School Transportation Officials (CASTO) today announced its opposition to a proposal for a new set of statewide fleet rules mandating the use of compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles, saying the proposal puts children's safety at risk, keeps older buses on the road, and violates the state's commitment to fuel neutrality.

The proposal has been placed before the California Air Resources Board (CARB) by the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD), which has already mandated that schools purchase CNG vehicles. CASTO is urging the Air Resources Board to reject the proposal.

“The SCAQMD experience is a case study for why CARB should reject this proposal,” says Alexandra Robinson, CASTO President. “Clearly, the school bus replacement rate under the CNG-only regulation in the SCAQMD has not been what officials had predicted. As a result of their rule, many districts in the south coast are keeping older buses on the road or cutting back on service, meaning more students are driving to schools; this in turn , increases emissions and congestion and creates transportation conditions which are less than safe.”

According to CASTO, 32 children are killed in passenger cars during school transportation hours in California each year while no fatalities occur on school buses. With nearly 1 million California students riding buses to school, Robinson says expanding the CNG-only regulation statewide would place transportation for thousands of school children at risk.

“ California is already last in the nation in the percentage of students riding buses to school,” Robinson says. “Budget cutbacks and counterproductive regulations are driving that number even lower.”

While CNG technology may be considered state-of-the-art there are other state-of-the-art technologies that may be more cost effective that provide virtually the same environmental benefits.

“CASTO is a very strong supporter of lowering emissions on school buses,” Robinson says. “We need to get kids into newer and cleaner buses. Therefore, fleet managers should have the option of going with the best technology that meets their needs and clean air requirements, rather than being bound by a mandate that forces difficult financial choices, puts the emphasis on technology instead of cleaner air and may have an adverse safety effect on our children.”

CASTO was founded in 1968 to promote safe pupil transportation for all California children. The organization is dedicated to the safety of all children through education and training in every avenue of transportation. CASTO is recognized by State and Federal agencies and other professional organizations as the leader of school transportation safety in California.

For additional information contact Doug Snyder at 949-494-7576