Clean and Green School Buses

The document highlights the role of school buses in reducing overall transportation emissions compared to private vehicles, while warning that diesel engine idling consumes significant fuel and poses severe health risks to children. It promotes an idle reduction curriculum developed by the Utah Clean Cities program to mitigate these impacts.

• School buses significantly reduce air pollution and resource consumption compared to private automobiles; assuming one bus replaces 20 private vehicles, oil consumption and carbon emissions are reduced by 80 percent, carbon monoxide by 60 percent, and nitrous oxides by 50 percent.
• Diesel engine idling in trucks and buses consumes approximately 2.4 billion gallons (56 million barrels) of diesel fuel annually, representing 2-3 percent of total annual U.S. diesel consumption.
• Diesel exhaust, particularly particulate matter, is linked to various health issues including decreased lung function, asthma triggers, and is identified as a possible human carcinogen.
• Children are more vulnerable to diesel exhaust than adults because they inhale 50 percent more air per pound of body weight and have developing lungs that are less capable of defending against fine particulates.
• Effective idle reduction strategies include educating drivers and officials, using auxiliary heaters to remove the incentive to idle, and routing bus traffic away from school buildings and gathering areas.

APA

Mueller, J. (2008). Clean and Green School Buses. Environmental and Energy Study Institute. https://www.eesi.org/files/school_bus_factsheet_102108.pdf

Chicago

Mueller, Jan. Clean and Green School Buses. Environmental and Energy Study Institute, 2008. https://www.eesi.org/files/school_bus_factsheet_102108.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Mueller |first1=Jan |title=Clean and Green School Buses |publisher=Environmental and Energy Study Institute |date=21 October 2008 |url=https://www.eesi.org/files/school_bus_factsheet_102108.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{mueller2008clean, author = {Mueller, Jan}, title = {{Clean and Green School Buses}}, institution = {Environmental and Energy Study Institute}, year = {2008}, month = oct, url = {https://www.eesi.org/files/school_bus_factsheet_102108.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }