TRAINER NOTES: TOPIC: FUEL CONSERVATION FOR: DRIVERS TIME: 30 MINUTES Lesson plan should be handed out prior to or after presentation. In light of the publicity school buses are getting regarding exhaust emissions, many school districts are developing anti-idling policies. Fuel prices are also high and taking a big bite out of Transportation budgets. This lesson plan is designed to remind drivers what practices they should be using to help conserve fuel and cut down on exhaust emissions by avoiding unnecessary idling. You have 30 minutes so you may need to move quickly through the material but please do encourage discussion of any of the material. Included at the end of the plan is a fact sheet, H-1, to share with your class. The Washington Department of Ecology is an excellent resource for any additional information you may wish to acquire. This Lesson Plan may be distributed at the beginning or the end of your presentation. You decide which works best for you.
WORKING LESSON PLAN 2004/2005 SCHOOL BUS DRIVER INSERVICE TITLE: FUEL CONSERVATION EQUIPMENT: Handout OBJECTIVES: At the conclusion of this lesson, the student will be able to: A. Describe procedures and techniques that school bus drivers can use to help save fuel on a daily basis. B. Explain the term zero miles per gallon is the result of running the school bus engine in place after the three to five minute warm up period. C. Identify the leading source of hazardous air pollution in Washington State. I. INTRODUCTION: Fuel appears to be in plentiful supply, but no one knows for how long this will continue. The cost of fuel also continues to be high. School bus drivers need to drive fuel efficiently. Any amount of fuel a school bus driver saves is a savings in the transportation budget and a savings to the taxpayer. Recently, school buses have had an unfavorable light cast on them regarding the effect of diesel exhaust fumes on children. Our industry is not deaf to environmental concerns and is doing our best to conserve resources and improve air quality. We will discuss some procedures and techniques that all drivers can use to assist in this conservation process. As always, review and use your district policy concerning warm-up and idling procedures. The fact is that school bus drivers in Washington do an excellent job. Education, Alertness, and Awareness are the keys to promoting school bus safety and continuing to keep our students safe. II. PRESENTATION: Did you know vehicle exhaust is the leading source of hazardous air pollution in Washington State? 1
In the past ten years, residents have increased the amount they drive by more than 70%. Diesel exhaust contains microscopic soot, about 200 times smaller than the period at the end of this sentence Let us discuss some practical procedures and techniques for increased fuel efficiency, which will also help limit the amount of exhaust emissions. A. Limited Warm up Time Remember, during the warm up time, school buses are getting zero miles per gallon. Three to five minutes is adequate. Wear warm clothing or dress in layers when outdoor temperatures drop. Decreasing the warm up time during the colder months of the year can save fuel and wear and tear on the vehicle s engine. When reaching the first bus stop, the bus is typically warm enough for the students and the driver. Drivers can complete a good part of their pre-trip inspection without the engine running. The additional pre-trip time with the engine running should allow drivers to complete the electrical portion of their inspection and should take no more than 5 minutes. B. Continue Warm Up Time Driving At Low Speed A cold engine does not get the fuel mileage it would when warm; however, more than zero miles per gallon will be achieved by driving. The heater and engine will get hotter with longer idle time, but the rest of the vehicle s parts can only warm up when the vehicle is moving. Drive at low speeds for the first few blocks to warm the rest of the bus. C. Acceleration Accelerating too gently or too hard wastes fuel. As a bus begins to move, a great deal of fuel is required as much as three times the amount needed to maintain a cruising speed. Lower gear ranges used in acceleration and low speeds, use the most fuel. When getting underway, the most fuel-efficient thing to do is accelerate briskly and steadily, without flooring it. Shift up through the gears to cruising gear as soon as possible without lugging the engine. A bus in higher, more fuel efficient gear is your goal D. Moving Up Hills Moving from a stop on level ground to ascend a hill requires two acceleration techniques. The greater the degree of slope the vehicle has to climb, the more power needed to maintain speed. By accelerating LEGALLY just before ascending a hill, better momentum is gained for 2
less fuel than if one accelerated against the resistance of the grade. By easing off the accelerator near the top of the hill, one allows the bus momentum to carry it over the crest and use less fuel. E. Maintaining Fuel Efficient Speed All vehicles have a speed range in which they can achieve their best fuel economy. Most vehicles are more efficient at speeds between 25 and 45 miles per hour of smooth and steady driving. Braking or accelerating, more than necessary, wastes time and fuel. F. Tire Pressure Tires should always be properly inflated. Under inflation can reduce miles per gallon by three to five percent. Tires should be checked when they are cold. G. Pupil Management Students could be instructed to load from the rear of the bus filling all seats. The last stop will load the front seats. Students could also be ready to leave at their bus stop. Instruct students to gather their belongings ahead of time, not delay coming down the aisle or crossing the street. These procedures can help to avoid prolonged waiting at bus stops. H. Idling Control Measures Many school districts have developed policies regarding school bus idling. In addition to pre and post-trip inspection idling, drivers must turn off the bus upon reaching a school or other destination and must not turn on the engine until necessary to depart from the school or destination. As always, review and use your district policy. Do not ignore safety to save fuel. 3
III. SUMMARY: Fuel appears to be in plentiful supply, but no one knows for how long this will continue. The cost of fuel also continues to be high. School bus drivers need to drive fuel efficiently. Any amount of fuel a school bus driver saves is a savings in the transportation budget and a savings to the taxpayer. Recently, school buses have had an unfavorable light cast on them regarding the effect of diesel exhaust fumes on children. Our industry is not deaf to environmental concerns and is doing our best to conserve resources and improve air quality. We discussed some procedures and techniques that all drivers can use to assist in this conservation process. As always, review and use your district policy concerning warm-up and idling procedures. IV. EVALUATION: Q. Describe procedures and techniques that school bus drivers can use to help save fuel on a daily basis. Q. Explain the term zero miles per gallon. Q. Identify the leading source of hazardous air pollution in Washington State. A. Limited warm up time Continue warm up time driving at low speed Acceleration Moving up hills Maintaining fuel efficient speed Tire pressure Pupil management Idling control measures A. This is the result of running the school bus engine in place after the three to five minute warm up period. A. Vehicle exhaust. 4
Reference Materials: Washington State Department of Ecology CM, DH, March 20, 2004 5
No Idle Zone Dare to Care about the Air Department of ecology Anti-Idling Sheet Air Quality Vehicle exhaust is the leading source of hazardous air pollution in Washington State. (National Transportation Library) In the past ten years, residents have increased the amount they drive by more than 70%. (National Transportation Library) Diesel exhaust contains microscopic soot, about 200 times smaller than the period at the end of this sentence. (Oregon DEQ) Vehicle Operation Passenger cars in Washington State idle a combined total of more than 1,992 hours every day that adds up to more than 727,000 hours every year. One hour of idling burns up to a gallon of fuel. (Fuelmax Fuel saving Tips) Drivers who shut off their engines, rather than idling for 30 seconds, benefit from both fuel savings and improved air quality. (An average of recommended times from the US EPA, Natural resources Canada, and Programs Europe) Frequent restarting has little impact on engine components like battery and starter motor. Wear caused by restarting is estimated to add $10 per year to the cost of driving, money likely recovered several times over in fuel savings. (Natural Resources Canada) Excessive idling can be hard on your engine because it isn t working at peak operating temperature. Fuel doesn t under go complete combustion, leaving spark plugs dirty and contaminating engine oil. (Oregon s Clean Air Action Day fact sheet) Idling isn t an effective way to warm up your vehicle in cold weather. Modern engines need no more than 30 seconds of idling on winter days before starting to drive. (Natural Resources Canada) Idling buses tested higher had higher concentrations of particulates and carbon than moving buses. (EHHI) Queued idling buses had the highest levels of particulates and black carbon measured. Idling buses tend to accumulate diesel exhaust, which may be retained during the ride, depending upon bus ventilation rates. (EHHI) A bus idling for one hour a day during the school year adds the equivalent of 1,260 miles of wear on the engine. (Oregon DEQ) Impact on Health Each of us takes 20,000 breaths each day. (American Lung Association) The average American breathes 3,400 gallons of air a day. (American Lung Association) Asthma is reaching epidemic proportions in Washington. More than half a million Washington residents have been diagnosed with asthma, including one out of every 10 children in the state. (American Lung Association) H-1 6