Health Department to Provide Bus Idling Signs

The Allegheny County Health Department will provide signs to local school districts to remind their bus drivers of the 2004 Bus Idling Law which sets the limit at 5 minutes for diesel school bus idling. The law was enacted to protect children from the harmful emissions of diesel exhaust. ACHD spokesman Guillermo Cole says children are more susceptible to the dangerous emissions because they have a higher rate of respiration than adults. Cole says children take in 50 percent more air per pound of body weight than adults. 15 Allegheny County school districts already have the signs in place and others have requested they be installed on their campuses, as well. Citizens are encouraged to help enforce the Bus Idling Law by reporting violations to the Allegheny County Health Department at 412-687-ACHD.