Auto Safety House Helps Arizona School Districts Lower Diesel Emissions

Nov. 9, 2010
Auto Safety House LLC (ASH), along with one of Arizona's largest power utility companies, Salt River Project (SRP), is providing six Arizona school districts with emissions-reduction equipment for their school buses

Auto Safety House LLC (ASH), along with one of Arizona's largest power utility companies, Salt River Project (SRP), is providing six Arizona school districts with emissions-reduction equipment for their school buses.

A grant from the Salt River Project will allow six Arizona school districts and its buses to be more green this year while saving some money. The awarded districts received funds through the SRP A+ Bus Program, which gave out a total of $1.25 million to retrofit recipients' school buses with emission-control equipment. School districts that received grant money are Mesa Public Schools, Chandler and Santa Cruz Valley Unified School District, Cartwright School District, Fowler Elementary, and the Tempe Union High School District. Tempe Union's share totals about $228,680, which will be used toward retrofitting 22 buses.

As part of the new grant program, the SRP fund will also be used to pay for the maintenance of the retrofit equipment through 2015, saving the district on maintenance costs. The program also includes educational materials for teachers so students can learn about how pollution affects their community.

"The revamped buses fit in with the district's effort to be more environmentally conscious by emitting less nitrogen oxide and diesel matter,” said Tim Snow, director of transportation for Tempe Union district. "Each day, district buses travel just over 3,600 miles. The SRP grant allowed us to do something in transportation that coincided with the district's Go Green Initiative without spending extra tax dollars. I think the students and community will see our efforts and will join in and do what they can to assist in those efforts."