School Buses
The National Transportation’s Safety Board’s move to get serious about the unsafe school buses nationwide is welcomed but overdue (Part I, March 29).
Last year I authored legislation which appropriated $60 million to replace school buses built before 1977. This initial legislation creates enough funding to replace a quarter of the entire California fleet with safe, fuel-efficient school buses, which is literally all that bus manufacturers can produce in the next three years.
Monies for this project have and will continue to come from the Petroleum Violation Escrow Account, which California received as part of a settlement for oil company overcharges when federal price controls were in force.
It’s hard to imagine a better investment than the safety of our children. I am hopeful this new attention on the national level will free up additional monies so we are able to replace all pre-1977 California school buses before we experience another school bus accident.
RICHARD KATZ
State Assembly
D-Sylmar
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