| June 24, 2010 VANDERHOOF – The Nechako Lakes School District will receive $855,500 in funding for the purchase of seven new diesel school buses as part of a $12.5-million investment by the Province. “We are a largely rural school district and our families depend on having safe, comfortable, and dependable transportation for students getting to and from school,” says Nechako Lakes MLA John Rustad. “We are investing in newer, more efficient and environmentally clean buses with much lower exhaust emissions.” Funding for the new buses includes four 76-passenger buses and three 84-passenger buses. The Government has invested $12.5 million for 106 new buses across the province. These new buses reduce exhaust particulate emissions by 90 per cent compared to the previous 1994 standard. Clean diesel buses also produce 30 to 60 per cent better mileage than gasoline-fuelled buses and provide longer service. Approximately 1,200 buses are owned and operated by school districts, and another 600 buses are operated by bus companies under contract. Currently, school districts individually contract to buy buses from manufacturers. “Student transportation services cost more than $90 million annually,” says Minister of Education Margaret MacDiarmid. “Over the coming months, we will be looking for new ways to provide bus transportation for students that will save money that can be reinvested in classrooms.” Bulk purchasing and a variety of other cost-saving options are being studied. Some districts like Prince George, Surrey, and Maple Ridge contract out transportation services to private companies and benefit from reduced labour costs. Other school districts provide BC Transit bus passes to students where it makes more sense for them to travel by city bus. In order to qualify for replacement, a bus needs to be on a regular route to school, and have met or exceeded the following criteria regarding age and kilometers:
All B.C. public sector organizations are required to publicly report on their emissions levels, on the actions they have taken to reduce these levels, and their plans to minimize emissions. Visit John’s website at www.johnrustadmla.bc.ca -30- | |
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