Consulting Air Districts on Transportation Service Plans

AB 181 Info for Valley School Districts

School districts that receive and consider the information provided on this page are considered to have consulted adequately with the Air District. You may also print this letter for consideration.

California Assembly Bill 181 requires school districts to develop transportation service plans in consultation with air quality management districts. “SEC. 14. 39800.1. (b) (1) The Plan shall be developed in consultation with classified staff, teachers, school administrators, regional local transit authorities, local air pollution control districts and air quality management districts, parents, pupils, and other stakeholders.”

The District recommends Transportation Plans include clean air measures that will further improve air quality for the residents of the Valley. As feasible, each plan should include mobile source-related clean-air measures. To assist with these goals, the District offers numerous strategies and incentive-based programs, as noted below.

If you have any questions or require further information, please contact District staff by phone at (559) 230-6000 or at healthyairlivingschools@valleyair.org.

  • School Bus Replacement

    This program provides funding for the replacement of existing yellow school buses that transport public school children to and from school with zero-emission school buses in disadvantaged or low-income communities within the District boundaries. The goal of this program is to reduce emissions from school buses that operate within the Valley. Eligible applicants are public school district’s Joint Power Authorities (JPA), and privately owned yellow school buses that are contracted with a public school to transport public school children.

  • Zero-Emission School Bus Infrastructure

    Program provides funding for the purchase and installation of charging equipment and renewable power generation systems to power covered sources. Eligible applicants are public school districts, JPAs, and privately owned yellow school buses that are contracted with a public school to transport public school children.

  • Charge Up! Electric Vehicle Charger Incentive Program

    Program funding for the purchase and installation of electric vehicle supply equipment, which supports non-residential applicants to deploy plug-in vehicles throughout the Valley. The program assists in funding the purchase and installation of new level 2 and level 3 chargers. Eligible applicants for the program are private entities or public agencies such as school districts intending to install electric vehicle chargers. Public agencies must be located within the District boundaries.

  • Public Benefits

    Program provides funding for the purchase of new alternative fuel passenger vehicles such as zero-emission electric or plug-in hybrid electric vehicles or equipment.

  • Commercial Clean Green Yard Machines

    Commercial lawn and garden equipment have the potential to result in an increase of NOx and PM2.5 emissions. As such, this Program provides funding, per calendar year for the replacement of their gas or diesel powered landscape maintenance equipment with new electric options. Public agencies and private entities such as school districts, businesses, and non-profit organizations that have commercial-scale, in-house landscape maintenance operations are eligible to apply. The program provides incentives for the purchase of a variety of zero-emission landscape equipment such as edgers, trimmers, chainsaws, blowers, pole saws, mowers (walk-behind and ride-on), and additional batteries and chargers.

  • Clean Air Centers Pilot Program

    Program provides funding for the cost of portable air cleaners and replacement filters in order to create a network of publicly accessible facilities with high-efficiency air filtration systems for valley residents who may not otherwise have access to clean air during wildfire events. Eligible participants include, but are not limited to, public entities such as schools and libraries and private entities such as community centers, senior centers and sport centers.

  • Reduce Idling of Heavy-Duty Vehicles

    The goal of this strategy is to limit the potential for localized PM2.5 and toxic air contaminant impacts associated with the idling of heavy-duty vehicles (e.g school buses). The diesel exhaust from idling has the potential to cause significant adverse health impacts. As such, the District recommends the Plan consider a measure for compliance of the state anti-idling regulation (13 CCR § 2485 and 13 CCR § 2480) and discuss the importance of limiting the amount of idling, especially nearby and within the boundaries of a school.

  • Heavy Duty Vehicle Routing

    The District recommends the Plan consider evaluating heavy-duty vehicle (e.g. school buses) routing patterns, with the goal of this strategy limiting exposure of residential communities to diesel exhaust emissions. This evaluation would consider the current heavy-duty vehicle routes, the destination of each trip, traffic volume correlation with the time of day or day of the week, and overall vehicle miles traveled. The heavy-duty vehicle routing evaluation would also identify alternative heavy-duty vehicle routes and their impacts on vehicle miles traveled and air quality.

  • Drop Off & Pick Up No Idling Policy for Schools

    Schools are encouraged to adopt no idling campaigns and communicate to students and parents about the hazards of idling vehicles. Among other adverse effects, engines left idling generate a large amount of harmful pollution into the air, which poses a threat to student health, and can affect asthma and various long-term health effects. The District has free “no idling” signage available in Spanish and English for display at school sites.

  • School Designs and Active Transportation

    For new school developments, there may be opportunities to reduce traffic-related pollution exposure through careful school site design. Incorporating active transportation, such as safe walking trails and bike lanes to and from schools, can help reduce traffic-related pollution by reducing the number of buses and passenger vehicles nearby. When safe alternatives exist, biking and walking to school along routes with lower traffic volumes may help reduce exposure to pollution and safety hazards.

    The Safe Routes to School National Partnership provides many resources on promoting safe walking and biking

  • Adopting Real-time Outdoor Activity Risk (ROAR) Guidelines

    Schools are encouraged to supplement their Transportation Plans with air quality mitigation strategies that protect student health. Toward that end, the Real-time Outdoor Activity Risk (ROAR) Guidelines provide schools with suggestions on what type of outdoor activity level is appropriate based on the five different air quality levels within the Real-Time Air Advisory Network (RAAN). The District recommends that schools adopt policy that includes the ROAR guidelines and chart to provide activity recommendations based on the amount of time students are outside, the intensity of their exercise, and the current air quality level.