A group of neighbors is looking for volunteers to help determine if school buses idle too long outside schools; in Spring Valley, NY. The concern is that diesel fuel burned by idling buses could threaten the health of children inside the vehicles.
The Spring Valley Concerned Citizens Coalition wants to monitor the amount of time that buses idle when dropping off or picking up students, said Steve White, vice chairman of the group.
The group was formed several years ago to fight the efforts of the Monsey Trails bus company. Coalition members expressed concerns to village officials after the company said it wanted to create a bus depot in Spring Valley and use residential streets to travel through the village. Variances were needed to pursue both activities, but the village declined to issue them in 2004.
The coalition has also worked to end NJ Transit’s practice of idling 10 trains overnight at the Woodbine Yard, which is on both sides of the tracks that cross Maple Avenue near Parker Street. The trains also burn diesel.
The coalition has created a simple report log and is looking for volunteers who can help monitor school bus activity weekly or monthly, White said. If the results show that idling is an issue, there is a remedy, he said, because several laws prevent the buses from idling for more than three minutes.
(The Journal News)
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6 Responses
I want to keep my eye on this one. It is difficult to tell if the plan is being launched by someone who is truly concerned or is an Anti-Semite. I want to keep an open mind about this.
when it is cold outside the bus needs to be warmed up for the children & the driver.
maybe electric heaters could be carried on the bus and be plugged in at the school?
flatbush bubby – i was wondering the same thing — I guess we will know if the monitoring happens only at Yeshivas or if it happens at the public schools also.
in the last couple of years Satmer purchased new buses that I are probably safer for the children and the environment.
It’s clearly anti semitism. Do you have any idea how many thousands of hours and millions of dollars go into the design of school bus? You think they don’t test the exhaust to make sure in wind, in tunnels, in snow, in rain, up hills, down hills, windows up, windows down, etc, the exhaust doesn’t back up into the bus? When was the last time (except for Nazi Germany) that you heard of some one suffocating in a bus from exaust fumes? Have these concerned citizens presented scientific data from the CDC showing that idling for more than “X” minutes produces higher levels of CO inside the bus? Googling “suffocated bus” Produced the following results:
Stinky smells (not exhaust) on bus;
3 Zambians suffocate sleeping on bus with charcoal brazier;
Bicyclist complaining about bus fumes outside the bus;
2 suffocate in mud after bus crash;
5 die while sleeping in converted bus, “The five were overcome as they slept when the heater’s gas fumes filled the bus, in which every crack had been plugged to prevent outside air from entering,”;
2 year suffocates after being confined in a school bus for 7 hours when temperatures topped 34 degrees Celsius.
and a review of a movie.
OK, a little update. First, YW editor should leave a link to the original JN story. Second,according to serconline.org, there is such a state law in NJ and CT. There is no such state law in NY. There is a Rockland County sanitary code section XII, listed below. The law applies to ALL INTERNAL COMBUSTION POWERED VEHICLES, not just diesels. That means these bastards are going to call the police to ticket parents waiting to pickup up their children in Yeshiva. It does not apply to buses in traffic, i.e., when picking up and letting off children. It does not apply in situations were the engine must be kept on to maintain passenger comfort, i.e., airconditioning or heating in Taxis. In short, the law applies to cars and buses waiting in school parking lots to pick up children. We will see how many public schools they visit. I’m willing to place a wager on it now.
Rockland County Sanitary Code
ARTICLE XII
AIR POLLUTION CONTROL
No person who owns, operates or leases a motor vehicle propelled by an internal combustion engine, except for a marine internal combustion engine, or who owns, leases or occupies land and has actual or apparent dominion or control over the operation of a vehicle propelled by an internal combustion engine, except a marine internal combustion engine, which is
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4/19/06
Rockland County Sanitary Code
present on said land, shall operate, allow or permit the internal combustion engine of such motor vehicle to idle for more than three (3) consecutive minutes when the motor vehicle is not in motion, except as otherwise permitted by Subsection 12.12.2 of this Article.
12.12.2 Exceptions
12.12.2.1 When a motor vehicle, the motive power for which is provided by an internal combustion engine, is forced to remain motionless because of traffic conditions over which the operator thereof has no control, the idling time may exceed the limitation set forth in Subsection 12.12.1.2 of this Article.
12.12.2.2 When regulations adopted by a federal, state or local agency having jurisdiction requires the maintenance of a specific temperature for passenger comfort, the idling time set forth in Subsection 12.12.1.2 of this Article may be increased, but only to the extent necessary to comply with such regulations.
12.12.2.3 When an internal combustion engine is being used to provide power for an essential auxiliary purpose, such as: loading, discharging, mixing or processing cargo; controlling cargo temperature; construction; lumbering; oil or gas well servicing; farming operations; or when operation of the engine is required for the purpose of maintenance, it shall not be considered to be idling within the meaning of Subsection 12.12.1.2 of this Article.
12.12.2.4 The idling provisions of Subsection 12.12.1.2 of this Article shall not apply to fire trucks and other emergency vehicles while performing essential services.
If you’ve ever lived right next to a school and experienced the exhaust from an idling bus, you might not be so quick to claim anti-semitism. I used to live right next door to the Yeshiva of Central Queens. On the occasions I was home sick from work, and a window in my 3rd story apartment was open, I must admit I became physically ill from the exhaust of the school buses which would be running, idling, for over an hour both in the mornings and afternoons. I started looking at the clock, really trying to be dan l’chaf zchus, as it was a Yeshiva and I am observant. I’m not hypersensitive and I really was ill. I called the school to complain and they basically shrugged. This went on for weeks, months, etc. I don’t understand why the buses can’t be turned off while waiting. Don’t jump to the conclusion it is anti-semitism, it may just be backed by a physically ill zealous neighbor who merely wants to keep their health!