Business

EPA Forces Bus Contractor to Pay Thousands for ‘Excessive Idling’

EPA Goes After School Bus Contractor for Excessive Idling, Fines & Penalties Amounting to $500KAs a part of their ongoing crusade to reduce everyone’s carbon footprint, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has come down hard on the nation’s second largest school bus contractor with fines and “mandatory environmental projects” amounting to approximately $500,000 as punishment for “excessive idling.”

“As part of a settlement for alleged excessive diesel idling in Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island, Durham School Services will commit to reduce idling from its school bus fleet of 13,900 buses operating in 30 states,” an EPA press release stated on Tuesday.

The case started two years ago when one of the unelected environmental watchdogs noticed buses of the Durham School Services would idle for what they felt were “excessive” amounts of time.

“State rules limit idling to three minutes in Connecticut and five minutes in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, where the infractions occurred,” writes CNS’ Elizabeth Harrington.

According to the EPA report, the buses would idle for up to two hours before disembarking to go pick up schoolchildren.

“Durham reached a settlement for the violation and agreed to pay $90,000 in penalties. It also agreed to pay for $348,000 worth of environmental projects, including implementing a national training and management program ‘to prevent excessive idling from its entire fleet of school buses,’ [emphases added]” Harrington writes.

Which means Durham has agreed to require its supervisors to “monitor idling in school bus lots, post anti-idling signs in areas where drivers congregate, and notify the school districts it serves of its anti-idling policy.”

As mentioned in the above, the EPA’s enforcement of these fees and mandatory projects is part of a larger campaign to cut back on idling, thereby offsetting carbon footprints.

“By reducing the idling time of each bus in its fleet by one hour per day, Durham would reduce its fuel use by 1.25 million gallons per year and avoid emitting 28 million pounds of carbon dioxide per year,” the EPA release stated, adding, “Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change.”

But wait, this gets better. Harrington writes:

According to the EPA, as of 2006, 30 states plus the District of Columbia had either state, county or local anti-idling regulations in place, with the city of Philadelphia setting the maximum allowable time for diesel powered motor vehicles at two consecutive minutes.

The EPA Web site even provides a “do it yourself kit” for those wishing to bring the anti-idling campaign to their school district, providing brochures, posters, a “Teacher’s Guide for use in reinforcing key messages of the Idle-Reduction campaign,” and pledge cards for drivers that read, “I’m doing my share for clean air.”

Also available for order are bus driver key chains “that can be used by bus drivers daily to remind them that they hold the key to a healthier ride,” and a five-minute training video entitled “Reducing School Bus Idling: The Key to a Healthier Ride.”

Also referenced is California’s 2003 anti-idling regulation that bus drivers must to turn off their vehicle within 100 feet of a school and must not turn the bus back on more than 30 seconds before beginning to depart – or face a minimum penalty of $100.

Diesel fumes pollute the air, waste fuel, cause “excess engine wear,” and are harmful to children’s health, the EPA claims.

“Children, especially those suffering from asthma or other respiratory ailments, are particularly vulnerable to diesel exhaust,” said Curt Spalding, regional administrator of EPA’s New England office.

“EPA is pleased with this settlement, which will dramatically limit school bus idling and help protect the health of school children in dozens of communities across the country,” he said.

Comments (124)

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  • CommonSenseTalk
    Posted on April 11, 2012 at 4:09pm

    Who do you think pays for the buses? Do you think the bus company is going to take that loss from the bus company owners? It will be charged back to the schools… Who pays for the schools? So the EPA Just spent over 400,000 dollars that should have gone to the schools. We need more Federal Government. How about not giving the bus company all the gas it can use? Pay bus company by the mile. I know the buses will only run when needed if that hurt company profits. Problem is, companies are working like the government, with these great contracts to friends of friends. “wink wink”

    Report Post »  
    • joehanx2
      Posted on April 11, 2012 at 4:17pm

      nudge nudge

      Report Post »  
    • HKS
      Posted on April 11, 2012 at 4:18pm

      If a democrat had a brain it would probably rattle like a child’s toy, all of these ridiculous fines are just passed on to the tax payers and the schools are shorted again. The government can’t run anything right, they should just close the doors and go home.

      Report Post » HKS  
    • Jaycen
      Posted on April 11, 2012 at 4:25pm

      Yep, it’s a way to extort more money from the tax payers.

      I’m very interested to find out when the EPA plans to fine all the diesel-powered public transportation buses around the country for the same thing.

      Report Post » Jaycen  
    • Patrick Henry II
      Posted on April 11, 2012 at 6:31pm

      I believe that Man Made Global Warming education is more dangerous to society than pornagraphy and heroin combined.

      Report Post » Patrick Henry II  
    • MAMMY_NUNN
      Posted on April 11, 2012 at 6:33pm

      Sounds like union tactics of arm twisting does it not get cold in those states ?
      Have you ever purchased a starter for these buses they cost big bucks but you have to keep the unions employed now don’t you.

      Report Post »  
    • Rollo2
      Posted on April 11, 2012 at 9:30pm

      I just did a little math, one US Gallon of gasoline weighs 6.073 lbs. Multiplied by 1.25 million Gallons = 7.59125 million lbs?

      How can burning 7.59125 million lbs exhaust 28 million lbs? Atmospheric CO2 is only a little over 2%, and it’s there whether you burn the air or not!

      I know the EPA can’t be wrong, so can somebody tell me where they got these numbers?

      Report Post »  
    • SgtB
      Posted on April 11, 2012 at 10:33pm

      @ Rollo, I haven’t done the math for you, but to help you out I’ll explain it a little. Gasoline is made up of chains of carbon with hydrogen attached. Carbon is number 6 on the periodic table with a mass of ~ 12 amu. Hydrogen is the first element and has no neutrons making it have a mass of ~1 amu. Now, we have to add atmospheric oxygen (which is for all intents and purposes weightless, but not massless) with a mass of ~16 amu. Now, lets say that gasoline isn’t made up of a ton of different length carbon chains and focus on octane which has 8 carbons (hence the oct), no double bonds between carbon (hence the ane as opposed to ene or yne), and 18 hydrogen (3 bonded at each end and 2 on every other carbon). Now, to fully burn (oxidize) that fuel, we need to add enough oxygen to end up with only CO2 and H2O. That means we need 2 oxygens per carbon (8*2=16) and 1 oxygen per 2 hydrogen (18/2=9). this means that we are adding a total of 16+9 = 25 oxygen atoms to burn a single molecule of octane.

      Now, comparing the mass of the molecule octane with the molecules of CO2 which we create…

      C8H18 = (8*12)+(18*1) = 114amu
      8* CO2 = 8 * [(1*12)+(2*16)] = 352 amu

      So to answer your question shortly, it is because air has mass!

      But never fear! Because this whole no idling buses thing is a farce. Diesel engines (like what power 95% of large vehicles the world over) are the most efficient idling engines. They can idle with a air to fuel ration of 200:1, unlike a gas engine’s

      Report Post » SgtB  
    • WeekendAtBernankes
      Posted on April 11, 2012 at 11:15pm

      “I believe that Man Made Global Warming education is more dangerous to society than pornagraphy and heroin combined.”

      Wow. Someone rides the short bus.

      Report Post » WeekendAtBernankes  
    • Printmeister
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 6:38am

      Now all the little kiddies will have to dress warm because of this regulation. Northern climate states will have COLD bus rides cause it takes more than 3 mins to get HEAT out of them.

      Report Post » Printmeister  
    • old white guy
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 7:53am

      park the buses and let the kids walk or let the parents drive them. a few days of that and things would be sorted out real quick.

      Report Post »  
    • Zipit
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 9:33am

      Common sense would be a drastic cut to the operating budget, size, and scope of the EPA. If more people in this country would simply realize that a tax increase includes anything that the government does, either directly or indirectly that takes money out of your pocket. It doesn’t need to be called a tax to have the same effect on your bottom line! In the end, the taxpayers in these school districts are the ones who will foot the bill for the EPA’s overreach.

      Report Post »  
    • drbage
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 9:51am

      Wonder what the One thinks about another group of “unelected” making this decision??!! “Nudge, nudge” is correct, because if the EPA is allowed to get away with this on school busses which group might be next? Think about it for a moment, you are on a trip to D.C. in the summer and it is a balmy 95 with matching humidity. How cool will your bus get if the driver is only allowed to turn on the engine five minutes prior to your boarding? How about truckers? Will they now be forced to get hotel rooms and not sleep in their trucks? What about refrigerated trucks carrying fresh produce? How about taxicabs including those brand new foreign made taxis in NYC? Oxymoron of the day: common sense and Washington, D.C.

      Report Post »  
    • scjeff
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 10:59am

      Their next target will be over the road truckers who idle even more. These unelected bureaucrats will kill what remains of our economy and make Ayn Rand’s prophecy complete.

      Report Post » scjeff  
    • Zipit
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 12:46pm

      EPA fines the truckers! Truckers pass on the cost of the fines. Voila ! Another tax on anyone who consumes anything!!!!!!

      Report Post »  
    • johnjamison
      Posted on April 13, 2012 at 1:39pm

      Last time I checked only Congress has the ability to impose a tax. The EPA is imposing taxes on U.S.
      Business and citizen and creating new ones every other day. Time to enforce the Constitution and remove these agencies that tax with congressional approval.

      Report Post »  
  • sguild
    Posted on April 11, 2012 at 4:07pm

    What are they going to do in the Winter when it is below zero? Not warm up the busses?

    Report Post »  
    • SingerGuy
      Posted on April 11, 2012 at 4:34pm

      Why do environMENTALists hate children so much? The bus drivers were only trying to bring the internal temperature of the bus up high enough that the little ones wouldn’t have to suffer with a chilly bus ride. I‘ll bet if that bus was full of animals they’d make sure the bus was warm! It would probably be federally mandated that the interior was a certain temperature before the animals were brought on board.

      Report Post » SingerGuy  
    • semper vigilans
      Posted on April 11, 2012 at 9:53pm

      Funny you should mention the animals.. When i was driving a truck OTR we had to deal with the same BS Idling rules. Keep in mind the truckers live in their trucks. The engine running (unless you have an expensive APU installed) Is your source of Heat, Air conditioning, and Electricity. They dont care about that. But… If you have your dog with you that changes the whole situation. See, leaving your dog in an vehicle without heat or air is illegal. So, that often was the way around those ridiculous. rules.

      Report Post »  
    • lukerw
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 12:48am

      If it’s not Running Right… then Shut it Down… Repair it… and Start it up, all over again: Do this to the EPA!

      Report Post » lukerw  
  • jrs_cinci
    Posted on April 11, 2012 at 4:05pm

    When did we become Europe? Oops, that was around 2008… Silly me.

    Report Post »  
  • sirsurfer
    Posted on April 11, 2012 at 4:01pm

    The report did not mention that the EPA found a situation that could be corrected and notified the company so that changes could be made.

    NOPE.

    The EPA like OSHA are penalty organizations, not oriented to prevention.

    Notice that the company was not ever able to avoid the fine by changing it’s behavior. And the EPA seems to be acting based on STATE laws? Odd in so many respects.

    Report Post »  
    • teamarcheson
      Posted on April 11, 2012 at 4:08pm

      Not on GOPer is interested in shutting down the EPA. When asked questions about things like this, GOPers just roll their eyes and walk off.

      Report Post »  
    • arty6164
      Posted on April 11, 2012 at 8:41pm

      I posted this a short time earlier re: another EPA travesty;

      arty6164 says:
      April 11, 2012 at 5:14 pm
      Their name says it all. They feel this gives them the right to insert themselves into every aspect of our society. Therefore if they are not constantly making up inane rules and regulations then they are not doing their “job”. The same thing could be said of OSHA. This is just another left-wing, eco-terrorist agency dedicated to bring the U.S. down to 3rd world standards. They certainly do nothing to promote the “general welfare” of our country. This agency needs to be shut down and their henchmen scattered to the four winds.

      Report Post »  
  • SandyfromChesterfield
    Posted on April 11, 2012 at 4:00pm

    If an EPA official wants to give a warning to the school because they are wasting gas that is one thing but because of climate change is a scam.

    Report Post »  
  • warr9553
    Posted on April 11, 2012 at 3:58pm

    i thought the skool buses are government property,did they fine them selves

    Report Post » warr9553  
  • SilentReader
    Posted on April 11, 2012 at 3:58pm

    It would be far more preferrable to make it mandatory to shut down the EPA, by defunding it!

    Report Post » SilentReader  
  • NotPoliticallyCorrect
    Posted on April 11, 2012 at 3:52pm

    I’m so sick of these non-elected jack bags!

    Report Post » NotPoliticallyCorrect  
  • progressiveslayer
    Posted on April 11, 2012 at 3:51pm

    How did our republic survive before the jack booted thugs ie EPA we’re inflicted on us? EPA needs to be eliminated along with several other unconstitutional departments.

    Report Post » progressiveslayer  
  • bassist237
    Posted on April 11, 2012 at 3:50pm

    Go away e-p-a!

    Report Post » bassist237  
  • freedom4ever
    Posted on April 11, 2012 at 3:50pm

    when are they going to go after truckers? next they will be fined and up goes cost of food and everything else! robbers that’s what they are

    Report Post »  
  • justangry
    Posted on April 11, 2012 at 3:48pm

    Hey, I know a guy who would get rid of the EPA.

    Report Post » justangry  
    • progressiveslayer
      Posted on April 11, 2012 at 3:54pm

      I know the same guy but he‘s always talking about the constitution freedom and liberty and these things haven’t been taught in our public school monopolies for decades.

      Report Post » progressiveslayer  
    • TIME_2_END_THE_PAUL_CAMPAIGN_IN_12
      Posted on April 11, 2012 at 6:29pm

      I would like to get rid of most of the EPA’s nonsense too. But someone who isn’t Anti-amercan like Ron Paul will have to take a crack at it eh?

      Get off Ron Paul’s idling bus anti-American bus tour and join the team… you Obama voters you…

      Report Post » TIME_2_END_THE_PAUL_CAMPAIGN_IN_12  
  • Stu D. Baker-Hawk
    Posted on April 11, 2012 at 3:46pm

    If I were King of the United States, the first thing to go would be the EPA and all the enviro-freaks who work for her. Evil, evil agency.

    Report Post »  
  • thegreatcarnac
    Posted on April 11, 2012 at 3:45pm

    The US government has turned into a tyranny. We need to get a grip on it and turn it around…or else. We are losing freedom by the minute and they fine us for nothing.

    Report Post »  
  • grimmy
    Posted on April 11, 2012 at 3:45pm

    Anyone who is a mechanic, especially a diesel mechanic knows,you do not idle diesel engines “excessively”. Idling a diesel engine for long periods causes the engine to actually cool off, thereby causing excess unburned fuel to build up,washing down the cylinders,and causing premature ring and cylinder wear,it also causes the unburned fuel to saturate the engine oil, thinning it out,causing excess wear on the lubricated engine parts.The damage is less to the enviroment that it is to the engine,and diesel consumption.But lets not use common sense around the EPA, it may make them crazy……

    Report Post »  
    • love the kids
      Posted on April 11, 2012 at 4:23pm

      Grimmy,
      You stated “anyone who is a mechanic”, well, I know you aren’t. The reason that you idle a diesel engine is to keep the heat up. Because a diesel engine uses the compression to get ignition, a cold engine will cause the burn to be incomplete, resulting in more pollution during warm-up. Also, because the fuel on a diesel engine is an oil, it actually lubricates the engine while running. Do you really think that a driver would let his engine run that long at the crappy salrery that they make if there wasn’t a reason to do it?
      I did think myself that the schools are a government entity though, so aren’t they actually fining themselves? Has anyone looked into Obama’s bus tour???

      Report Post »  
    • old white guy
      Posted on April 12, 2012 at 8:10am

      love the kids, grimmy is right. there is a point where excess idle causes the engine to cool and the wear he mentioned is also fact.

      Report Post »  
  • Gonzo
    Posted on April 11, 2012 at 3:43pm

    In a related story, the EPA is fining the school system for allowing white students to sit in the front of the bus.

    Report Post » Gonzo  
    • T-2
      Posted on April 11, 2012 at 3:53pm

      in another related story. Asian kids will not receive any grades higher than a B

      Report Post »  
    • T-2
      Posted on April 11, 2012 at 4:00pm

      Steven Chu’s kids not included

      Report Post »  
  • EndTheFedNOW
    Posted on April 11, 2012 at 3:38pm

    If you people only knew what our government has allowed the UN to do in America. Over the next few years things will take shape. They will corner off much of America. We will all be cramed into micro cities. We wont be allowed to travel into the country side. Meat will only be able to be eaten by the eliet. It will look like the hunger games. Art imitates reality. Not the other way around. The future will look alot like planed opolis.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1W-_lpLk0Y

    Report Post » EndTheFedNOW  
  • Ruler4You
    Posted on April 11, 2012 at 3:37pm

    ALL of their claims are “speculation.” Not one single ‘study’, not one ‘fact’, not one metric was offered for such claims.

    If the EPA “IS” allowed to succeed in this “defacto” subjective claim of unmeasurable harm there will be no end to them in the future. For ANY ONE. This makes the EPA the judge, jury and executioner.

    Soundly unconstitutional and decidedly communistic. Prove it with quantifiable reproducible metrics and peer reviewed science.

    Report Post » Ruler4You  
  • Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
    Posted on April 11, 2012 at 3:35pm

    We see once again the master thieves of Obama admin 101 working hard to destroy the nation as per his plans. The EPA is out of control, like Mr Obama and needs to be reigned in.

    Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
  • JACKTHETOAD
    Posted on April 11, 2012 at 3:34pm

    What the hell happened to the Republicans controlling The House, and being able to defund the EPA? Did I miss something, am ill-informed or am Rip Van Winkle? (maybe all three?)

    Report Post » JACKTHETOAD  
    • Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
      Posted on April 11, 2012 at 3:42pm

      This is how the EPA is making up for the shortfall. Extortion. Pay the fine, or we will take you to court and you could rack up hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines per month until the court rules, for us of course.

      Report Post » Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra  
    • JACKTHETOAD
      Posted on April 11, 2012 at 3:52pm

      What an UNHOLY racket they’ve got going, DARMOK, especially after Prezbo had the colossal STONES to criticize the SCOTUS for not being ‘elected officials’. This is truly the Administration of Outrages!

      Report Post » JACKTHETOAD  
  • Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
    Posted on April 11, 2012 at 3:32pm

    They aren’t admitting guilt. The problem is the EPA threatens them with thousands per day that they fight it, so the company will pay this amount, which equates to less than a month of daily fines. The EPA is just extorting people now.

    Report Post » Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra  
  • Seagal45
    Posted on April 11, 2012 at 3:30pm

    Pass the duct tape please.

    Report Post »  
    • lordjosh
      Posted on April 11, 2012 at 3:41pm

      The worst thing you can do(in every day operations) to a diesel engine is start it up. The second worse thing is to shut it off, because you’ll have to restart it. That is why all the trucks at the rest stop are idleing.

      On another note, only a business who’s sole purpose is to be contracted by government could afford to waste the diesel fuel spent idling for 2 hours!

      Report Post » lordjosh  
    • grimmy
      Posted on April 11, 2012 at 3:48pm

      @LordJosh.
      Um, i hate to disagree with you, (read my post),but you are wrong.And btw, i was a light and heavy duty truck mechanic for many years,including diesels……

      Report Post »  
  • Seagal45
    Posted on April 11, 2012 at 3:30pm

    Oh my aching head…..only in the USA does this kind of bull happen.

    Report Post »  
    • johnjamison
      Posted on April 11, 2012 at 3:40pm

      Last time I checked only Congress has the ability to impose a tax. The EPA is imposing taxes on U.S.
      Business and citizen and creating new ones every other day. Time to enforce the Constitution and remove these agencies that tax with congressional approval.

      Report Post »  
  • IndyGuy
    Posted on April 11, 2012 at 3:30pm

    If this doesn’t scream “ABOLISH EPA”…I don’t know what does…

    Report Post » IndyGuy  
  • JACKTHETOAD
    Posted on April 11, 2012 at 3:30pm

    Shakedown artist bastids!

    Report Post » JACKTHETOAD  
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