TEHACHAPI SCHOOLS TO GET SAFE, CLEAN-POWERED BUSES State Senator Pete Knight (R-Palmdale) announced that the Tehachapi Unified School District will receive two new school buses to be ordered in April by the California Energy Commission for use by local schools. These buses could be on the road as early as this fall. The buses are part of 49 compressed natural gas (CNG) buses to comprise phase four of the state's Bus Clean Fuel Efficiency Demonstration Program. Local educational agencies in Southern California will receive 22 of the buses; their counterparts in Northern California will receive 27. "Compressed natural gas vehicles are the thing of the future, and will benefit a school district such as Tehachapi which has a tight operating budget," said Senator Knight. "With this means of transportation, the district encompassing 530 square miles, will better serve the 5,000 students of its high school, continuation school, junior high and four elementary schools." The safe school bus program purchased these energy-efficient buses to help rid the air of pollutants, while saving energy bills and promoting the use of state-of-the-art safety features in school buses. The CNG buses are expected to be delivered between October and December this year. The program allows school districts to upgrade their fleets in a cost effective manner and diversify their transportation fuels. It has replaced buses built before 1977 when the federal government passed Motor Vehicle Safety standards. According to Knight the buses' safety features "include fully- padded flame retardant seats, natural gas leak detectors, automatic fire suppression systems, automatic parking brakes, anti-lock braking systems, four emergency exits plus two roof vents and a transit style design to enhance driver visibility." - 30 - | Homepage | Commission Info | Site Index | Search Site | Links | E-mail us about our Web Site at: energia@energy.ca.gov "Energia" means ENERGY in Greek and Latin. Energy used to create this page was produced by California's electricity providers... the most diverse in the world. Page Uploaded: April 3, 1998