NSTA Green School Bus Fleet Certification
NSTA's Green School Bus Fleet Certification is the only fleet certification program of its kind to recognize school transportation companies for their efforts in working towards a cleaner environment through the use of EPA/CARB verified technologies and new bus technologies. This is the only program in the industry to be endorsed by the EPA Clean School Bus USA program. Participation is open to NSTA contractor members only.
This program offers NSTA contractor members the opportunity to promote their efforts to provide environmentally friend school bus transportation. You can learn more abou tthe program by reading the program overview. The Green School Bus Fleet Certification is presented annually at NSTA's Annual Meeting & Convention.
New Certifications -- How to Participate
- Fill out the required 15 question survey for each site your company wants to certify or for your entire fleet. You can fill out the survey at www.surveymonkey.com/s/nsta-green-fleet. If need additional information about the survey questions, please see the reference sheet.
- NSTA staff will score the survey. Scores of less than 40 are not qualified. Those achieving scores of 40 - 59 will qualify at the Bronze Level, 60 - 79 at the Silver Level, and 80 or higher a Gold Level.
- NSTA staff will notify the submitting company of the scoring results and, if qualified, the contractor will be asked to receive their certification plaques at the Annual Awards Banquet on July 17, 2012 in Milwaukee, WI.
How to Re-certify Your Company’s Previously Certified Fleet
Recertification for NSTA contractor members that received either Bronze, Silver, or Gold certification in 2011 will need to submit a letter on company letter stating that the fleet at the previously certified site has not been modified in such a way that it would change the certification criteria point total originally submitted. Upon receipt of this letter, NSTA will send you the appropriate materials to display your recertification status. The letter must be submitted by 5 PM ET on May 11, 2012.
If a previously certified site or company wishes to advance from Bronze to Silver or Silver to Gold, then a new survey must be filled out and submitted by the deadline.
NSTA’s Go Yellow, Go Green committee will distribute updated certification criteria for future years, including advancing from a lower to higher level at the 2013 NSTA Annual Meeting and Convention.
Background
NSTA and its members, as leaders in the school bus and diesel communities, have been working towards positive solutions that will help reduce emissions from school buses that are both good for the environment and cost effective. A major area of emphasis, by agencies like the EPA Clean School Bus USA, has been to promote 'retrofit' technologies to reduce harmful emissions from diesel powered school buses. These technologies are highly cost effective in reducing pollution but often do not reduce the cost of operating a school bus and can slightly increase costs. Nonetheless, many school bus contractors have embraced the new technology as another way to demonstrate a commitment to the community and differentiate their fleets in a positive way from older, public sector, or competitor fleets.
While school buses have always been the safest mode of transportation for school children, they have also been the focus of efforts to reduce soot and smog that was inherent with older diesel engines. The
NSTA Green School Bus Fleet Certification program will promote your company's efforts to provide environmentally responsible school bus operations.
NSTA Green School Bus Fleet Certification will be announced once a year at the NSTA Annual Meeting & Convention.