First Student receives DEP grant
The First Student bus garage in Venetia will be receiving four new clean diesel-powered buses.
First Student has been awarded $896,175 for the conversion of 35 older diesel-powered buses to new clean diesel-powered buses. Four of those buses will replace fleet at the Washington County location. The other First Student facilities to benefit from the grants are in Montgomery and Dauphin counties.
“At First Student, we long have been in the forefront of developing and implementing innovations in transportation,” said Jen Biddinger, First Student corporate communications manager. “We embrace eco-friendly practices, including the use of clean diesel-powered buses. We want to play a critical role in helping improve air quality and environmental health for our student passengers and the communities we serve.”
Biddinger said a timeline is still being determined as to when the buses will arrive at the Washington County facility.
Funding for the buses comes from $3 million in grants from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection through the Driving PA Forward – Truck & Bus Fleet Grant Program.
Driving PA Forward is an initiative designed to improve air quality in Pennsylvania and drive transformation from older, high-polluting diesel engines to clean transportation technologies.
DEP is fully funding First Student’s project due to the transportation company’s efforts in meeting energy, environmental and economic development goals.
“We are excited to assist our school district partners with modernizing their buses, reducing emissions and ensuring communities have cleaner transportation options,” Biddinger said.
The new vehicles lead to air quality benefits in high-priority, high-population density and high-traffic density areas.
First Student was one of five companies throughout the commonwealth to be awarded the grants.
“We are grateful to the awardees for their commitment to converting their vehicle fleets to clean diesel-powered vehicles, which decrease air pollutants, making Pennsylvania’s air cleaner,” said Patrick McDonnell, DEP secretary.
Conversions to clean diesel trucks and buses reduce large amounts of nitrogen oxide pollution from these vehicles, leading to less fine particulate matter and ozone formation. The recommended projects also will reduce hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide.
Other companies receiving funding are Pennsylvania Coach Lines in Allegheny County, Carlisle Carrier in Cumberland and Northampton counties, Fullington School Bus in Centre County and Upper Darby Township in Delaware County.