Cleaner School Bus Fuel Is a ’Breath of Fresh Air’ for Chicago Area Children

Lt. Governor Announces Chicago School Transit to Implement Soy-Based Biodiesel Fuel

Starting today on Earth Day, many Chicago area school children will be breathing easier as they get on and off their school buses, thanks to a blended fuel that contains soybean oil.

Chicago School Transit is the first school bus service in the Chicago Metropolitan Area to use the soy-based biodiesel fuel, which reduces the hazardous exhaust emissions by 15-20 percent. Illinois Lt. Governor Pat Quinn will make the announcement today at a press event at 9:00 AM the Andrew Jackson Language Academy, 1340 W. Harrison St., Chicago.

"Starting today, thousands of Chicago students will breathe easier thanks to soy biodiesel fuel in their school buses, an All-American fuel produced from Illinois soybeans," said Lt. Gov. Quinn. "I salute Chicago School Transit for reducing our children’s exposure to pollution."

Studies have shown that children riding school buses are exposed to higher level of emissions than other children. Exhaust emissions inhaled on a consistent basis, from petroleum diesel fuel exhaust, have been linked to the causes of asthma and other respiratory conditions.

"Every day, families entrust us with the safety of their children," says John Benish, Jr., COO of Chicago School Transit parent company, Cook-Illinois Corp. "As a Chicago leader in alternative fuels, we wanted to be the first to improve the air quality and provide a cleaner and safer atmosphere for school children."

Chicago School Transit is using soy-based biodiesel fuel as part of the "Illinois Clean School Bus Program," developed and administered by Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (Illinois EPA). The purpose of the program is to provide a healthier environment for children by reducing the emissions from diesel-powered school buses and improve the air quality in local communities.

"By using biodiesel fuel in their fleet, Chicago School Transit is an exemplary model of how to provide a healthier environment for our children and communities," said Illinois EPA Director, Renee Cipriano. "Promoting the use of cleaner biodiesel fuel is a top priority of Governor Blagojevich, and we are pleased to have them join the Illinois Clean School Bus Program."

Fourteen other community school bus fleets, owned and operated by Cook- Illinois Corporation, will follow suit making it the largest bus fleet in the country to use the healthier alternative and environmentally-friendly fuel. Cook-Illinois is a leader in the national effort toward cleaner fuels.

"This is a significant step in the right direction," said Peter Dreyfuss, Director of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Midwest Regional Office. "Part of our stated mission at the Department of Energy is to ’bring clean, reliable and affordable energy technologies to the marketplace.’ This shift to biodiesel shows a real commitment by Cook-Illinois and schools in Illinois to promote viable alternatives to fossil fuels."

Cook-Illinois Corporation, which operates 1,400 school buses in more than 15 Chicago area communities, is based in Oak Forest, Illinois.

Biodiesel fuel, a soy-based product distributed by BioEnergy Supply, LLC based in Frankfort, Illinois, in conjunction with Hartney Fuel Oil Company, is a clean, renewable fuel alternative for diesel engines that reduces exhaust emissions, minimizes black exhaust smoke, odor, carbon monoxide, and other pollutants.

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