LAUSD TRANSPORTATION SERVICES EXPANDS GREEN SCHOOL BUS FLEET

Los Angeles – Officials from the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) Transportation Branch announced today they will be adding 160 new environmentally friendly school buses for the new school year. Sixty (60) of the buses were made possible by a grant from the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD), the second allotment awarded this year. These funds will replace diesel-fueled transit buses with Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses. Additionally, one hundred (100) ultra low emission vehicle (ULEV) gasoline-powered buses are being purchased with Measure Y Bond funds previously approved by voters in 2005, and will serve primarily special education students.

“We have one of the oldest school bus fleets in the nation and 60 percent our buses are in need of replacement,” said Transportation Branch Director Enrique Boull’t. ”There are approximately 1300 school buses used for school to home programs, including Special Education and Magnet schools, as well as for fieldtrips. Although a vast majority of District buses already include particulate trap filters and run on low sulfur diesel, we are thankful to the public and to partners like SCAQMD for helping us towards our goal of providing new energy efficient, lower-emission and safe school buses for our children.”

The 60-bus award completes an entire original grant application totaling 100 CNG school buses. Earlier this year, the SCAQMD awarded the District funds to purchase 40 CNG buses. The new bus award is valued at $9.1 million. This expansion further solidifies the District as having the largest Compressed Natural Gas school bus fleet, comprised of 233 CNG school buses, in the State of California and promotes the District’s continuing effort of protecting children’s health and ensuring environmental stewardship with the adoption of the strictest possible emission standards. For more information on the LAUSD CNG School Bus Fleet, please visit www.lausd.net, click “Offices” and select “Transportation Branch.”