Health & Fitness
New Canaan School Buses Start To Go Green
Leading the way with innovative solutions once again, the New Canaan Public Schools District is going to start using "green" school buses — and at no cost to the town.
Whether it's televising board meetings, holding budget workshops in public or negotiating favorable work rule changes, our school district has developed a well-deserved reputation for being the agency in town government that often takes the lead in finding innovative solutions. Now, it's school buses.
At our last meeting, the Board of Education approved an effort to secure the first "green" school bus for our town. Our participation in the 2011 Connecticut Clean Fuel Program, which was formally endorsed by the on Thursday, will secure a grant of $63,584 to be used to purchase a hybrid bus.
The deal works like this: Because the grantee under the program can only be a public entity and such grantee must own the bus for at least two years, the town will initially purchase the 71-passenger vehicle for $145,000. At the same time, DATTCO, the District's transportation provider, will enter into a two-year lease of the bus, with a contractual obligation to repurchase it at a set price at the end of the lease.
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The deal will be revenue-neutral for the town, as DATTCO will cover maintenance, insurance, interest and other costs for the full two-year period. Use of the vehicle will result in lower emissions, reduced noise, and — best of all — lower diesel fuel consumption, which should lead to a savings of at least $4,000 per year.
Much of the credit should go to Superintendent David Abbey and , who had the foresight to identify the state program and encourage our participation in it. The fact that our district also enjoys a good working relationship with DATTCO also was helpful.
