First diesel school bus retrofitted in Puerto Rico
4 June 2007
Puerto Rico unveiled its first school bus retrofitted with diesel emission control technology. The retrofitted diesel school bus was presented during a ceremony at the Polytechnic University in San Juan on May 11th, which was attended by the Regional Administrator of the EPA.
The bus has been refitted with a diesel oxidation catalyst provided by CleanAIR Systems working in conjunction with emissions reduction consultant, Emisstar.
The retrofitted bus is the start of a Puerto Rico-wide initiative aimed at cleaning up school buses in a joint effort between the US EPA and the Puerto Rico Clean School Bus USA Workgroup. Launched in 2003 by the EPA, Clean School Bus USA is a voluntary partnership with the goal of reducing children’s exposure to diesel exhaust through the reduction of unnecessary bus idling, providing funding to retrofit buses with emissions control technology, and replacing older buses with less-polluting models.
Puerto Rico has also joined the Northeast Diesel Collaborative, allowing it to compete for future EPA grant money in order to purchase air pollution control equipment to retrofit the rest of their bus fleet.
Source: CleanAIR Systems