SCAQMD Bans Diesel School Buses in Southern California

[wxman]

My objection to the SCAQMD ruling is that they ban a category of engine (i. e. , diesel), regardless of how well the emissions can be cleaned. Setting emission limitations is one thing, banning a certain type of engine is another.

 

[Doc Tinker]

A diesel engine running on CNG is still a diesel engine. They didn't ban diesel engines, did they?



Doc

 

[JohnE]

Reminder: this applies to medium duty vehicles including school & transit buses and municipal vehicles.



One of the big problems in southern California is the older diesels such as the Detroit Smokers. GM just donated a bunch of scrubbers (particulate traps) to retrofit on school buses so they can keep the diesels in service.



THEY HAVE NOT BANNED DIESEL ENGINES! They are using a quota on clean vehicles to offset the old stuff still in service. CNG, LNG, & LPG powered vehicles make up the bulk of the clean vehicles. Clean burn diesels (without EGR or catalytic mufflers) are still heading to California and many places around the US. The new nationwide air standards on diesels start in 2003 and should be fully implemented by 2007. Cummins was a big factor in getting the tighter standards implemented starting in 2003. The others wanted to delay a few more years. The new standrard require EGR on all diesls at a minimum. As I stated prior, Pennsylvania reguires catalytic mufflers.



BTW

CNG & LNG are not diesels or compression ignition engines. The Cummins 8. 3 liter gassers and the Detroit gassers all have spark plugs making them spark ignition engines. Compression ratio is in the 10:1 neighborhood. They do share the same block as the ISC and Series 50. The similarity stops there.



I'm fully expecting biodiesel to be the next political fuel. Mark Dayton from Minnesota is really trying to ride this bandwagon. It has merit, but not on the tax payer's expense account.



John

 

[Dkevdog]

My wife drives them every day. She usually drives a Cummins powered Gillig with 40-60 kids on board. She also drives smaller "juniors" which are handicapped equipped buses. Usually 6 - 10 wheelchairs. She says the CNG buses (they have a few) are gutless bombs on wheels. The company she used to drive for is scraping up the older buses because it's my understanding that they will be grandfathered. They have more than 300 diesels in their fleet now. Based on the longevity of the engine and the fact they will run em til they die, revive em and run em again... ... ... They'll be around for a long time. If they're so worried about emissions- why don't they start messing with commercial transportation?? (Planes, trains, ships, etc. )



Kev