Innovation and Partnership

Beginning in 2007, federal rules require newly manufactured diesel engines to be much cleaner; however, the long-lived diesel-powered vehicles currently on the road will continue to pollute our air for decades.

Our number one goal is to partner and collaborate with local corporations and businesses, establishing a precedent that will lead by example. It’s time to be proactive, and by joining the steering committee of the Adopt-A-School Bus Program, communities will take note. Not only will this partnership boost local morale by creating a forward-thinking attitude about air quality, it will put your company at a whole new level—a level that will help children breathe easier every day. To know your name will be side by side with such a ground-breaking program in Ohio is truly a one-of-a kind investment for the future.

Two notable organizations have helped the program reach this point—the Ohio Environmental Council (OEC) and the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC).

As one of the Midwest’s top state environmental advocacy organizations, the OEC has developed innovative projects and programs. Thousands of kids are breathing easier on their bus rides to school this year thanks to their pre-existing Clean School Bus Program.

This precursor to the large scale Adopt-A-School Bus Program was able to develop cleanup plans by working with school districts and secure more than $1 million in funding to retrofit over 160 school buses with state-of-the-art diesel emission controls. When paired with ultra low sulfur fuel, the diesel particulate filters reduce emissions by up to 90%.

MORPC, along with the OEC, became a key component of the Adopt-A-School Bus Program by completing a comprehensive strategy to reduce diesel emissions in central Ohio, called the Mid Ohio Diesel Project.