MTA Bus © Chris Day/The Commercial Appeal / USA TODAY NETWORK
© Chris Day/The Commercial Appeal / USA TODAY NETWORK
(New York, NY) – Four school bus companies have agreed to invest up to $2 million toward electrifying their vehicles and cutting down on pollution — in particular while idling. New York Attorney General Letitia James says this will help communities of color and low-income individuals.
This is the result of a settlement with Consolidated Bus, Logan Bus Company, Pioneer Transportation Co., and Total Transportation Corp. AG James says the companies illegally idled and caused excessive pollution in spots across Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island.
The Office of the Attorney General says pollution caused by emissions from buses and cars are the area’s biggest contributor to lower air quality. Officials say electric buses are a benefit in this respect given they don’t emit air pollutants. In addition to the companies’ investments into curbing air pollution, automatic devices will be installed that time running busses and automatically shut them off if need be.
