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by Sara 

Seattle Public Schools misses deadline for DOE funded technology

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November 3, 2011 in Latest News in Magnolia

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Courtesy of Seattle Public Schools.

Eight school districts in eight counties in Washington have jumped on the chance for state funding for technology that would reduce diesel emissions on buses. But Seattle Public Schools is not one of them.
The state Department of Ecology had solicited grants that would help districts pay for devices that would reduce diesel emissions on buses during the cold months. Often school buses have to idle for several minutes to warm up the cabin and defrost windows. Attaching the devices would eliminate that need. Specific costs and numbers of buses for each district are still being determined. They will depend on which technologies are chosen for installation. The DOE set aside $500,000 for the work. Over the past 10 years, the DOE has provided close to $30 million to help school districts add emission-reduction technology. With the new devices, the DOE is estimating that each bus will use on average 125 fewer gallons of gas per year.

The participating counties and school districts are:
Adams: Lind
Chelan: Entiat
Ferry: Curlew
Island: Oak Harbor
King: Snoqualmie
Klickitat: White Salmon
Okanogan: Methow Valley
Yakima: Wapato

Seattle Public Schools transportation manager Tom Bishop was unaware of the DOE?s grant until a week before it was due, said SPS spokesperson Teresa Wippel. She said should there be another round of grant funding that Bishop would pursue it. She added that beginning with the 2012/13 school year, SPS will convert 15 percent or about 60 buses in its fleet to cleaner burning propane. In 2010, SPS began its student reassignment plan whereby students would attend the schools closest to their homes. A by-product of the plan, aligned with the district?s streamlined bus scheduling, has resulted in a significant reduction in transportation costs.

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Sara

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    1. It’s not the?Board’s fault.? How about the district leaders — employees of SPS?? And, they currently have more important things to think about than efficiency of the buses,? Iwould think.? (Looks like the State might take those away anyway.? See Governor’s new recommendations.)? Why doesn’t the company who owns the buses try to make them more friendly for the environment?

  19. 今天辛卯年(兔)十月初十 2011-11-5过来就为了看这篇，5nd5rh评论还要审核

  41. SPS, in its infinite wisdom, has slashed funding and staffing in its Grants office.? Guess they figure they can just ask Daddy Gatesbucks and Norm Rice for $$$ to spend on ineffective experiments like replacing experienced teachers with TFA.

  42. I started to get all indignant about this in a “How about some accountability?” kind of way, but then I realized I don’t have all the facts.? I believe some (all?) of Seattle school buses are operated by First Student, so it could be more a factor of a private sector company not doing their job, rather than a SFS failure.? Don’t know.

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