2006 Lower-Emission School Bus Program

This page last reviewed March 25, 2011

2006 Guidelines

This page includes the 2006 Lower-Emission School Bus Program Guidelines and the Allocation of 2005/2006 Fiscal Year State Budget Funds for the Lower-Emission School Bus Program. The Guidelines and allocation were approved by the Board at the February 23, 2006, Public Meeting. This page also includes the supporting Staff Report and the notice for the Public Meeting on February 23, 2006.

2005/2006 Fiscal Year Funding

State Legislature appropriated and Governor Schwarzenegger approved $25 million in the 2005/2006 fiscal year State budget for the Lower-Emission School Bus Program. Of this $25 million, $12.5 million is to be spent on new bus purchases and $12.5 million to retrofit in-use diesel buses with Level 3 particulate filters.

List of California's Oldest School Buses (pdf- 47 KB)

Of the 2005/2006 fiscal year funding, $12.5 million is to be spent on new bus purchases. A diverse group of legislators representing a cross section of regional and political interests has directed ARB staff to use the $12.5 million in new school bus purchase funds to replace the oldest of the pre-1977 model year buses. The letter from the legislators is posted below. Based on data from the California Highway Patrol school bus safety certification program and ARB staff calls to school districts, the staff has confirmed the public school districts throughout California with the oldest buses. The list of the oldest school buses (as of January 2006) in California is posted below. The new bus purchase funds will be distributed by the CEC and local air districts to replace the identified buses. The current year's funding will replace about 90 of the buses on this list of 121 buses. Starting the week of September 11, 2006, the staff of the California Energy Commission (CEC) will begin contacting the public school districts that own the 90 oldest school buses in California (in regions other than the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District, and the South Coast Air Quality Management District) to solicit applications to replace these pre-1977 model year school buses. These buses are to be replaced in order of oldest bus first with 2005-2006 fiscal year Lower-Emission School Bus Program funds. Depending on actual bus prices, the funds will replace approximately 90 buses, possibly all 1972 and older models. School districts owning any of the 90 oldest school buses to be replaced that are located within the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District, and the South Coast Air Quality Management District should contact their local air district for more information. All other school districts owning any of the 90 oldest school buses should contact Mr. Mike Trujillo of the CEC at 916-654-4566.

CEC to Solicit Funding Applications for 2005-2006 Fiscal Year Program Funds (added September 8, 2006)

Starting the week of September 11, 2006, the staff of the California Energy Commission (CEC) will begin contacting the public school districts that own the 90 oldest school buses in California (in regions other than the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District, and the South Coast Air Quality Management District) to solicit applications to replace these pre-1977 model year school buses. These buses are to be replaced in order of oldest bus first with 2005-2006 fiscal year Lower-Emission School Bus Program funds. Depending on actual bus prices, the funds will replace approximately 90 buses, possibly all 1972 and older models. School districts owning any of the 90 oldest school buses to be replaced that are located within the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District, and the South Coast Air Quality Management District should contact their local air district for more information. All other school districts owning any of the 90 oldest school buses should contact Mr. Mike Trujillo of the CEC at 916-654-4566.

2006 Guidelines and Staff Report Links

Final Guidelines (pdf - 237 KB)
Errata for Staff Report and Appendices F and G (pdf -72 KB)

Staff Report (pdf - 3.93 MB) Includes the Proposed Lower-Emission School Bus Program Guidelines

Public Meeting - February 23, 2006

Public Workshop - October 14, 2005

Clean School Bus Allocation Plan

The allocation plan for the $25 million dollars budgeted for clean school buses in the 2005/2006 fiscal year was submitted to Agency Secretary Dr. Alan C. Lloyd and has received his approval.  Please click on the links below for the plan and Secretary Lloyd's response.
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