COUNTYWIDE : Car-Pool Law’s Effect on Schools Discussed

A task force of education and county officials met Thursday to discuss how school districts can comply with a county law requiring businesses to reduce the number of employees who commute to work alone.

The Simi Valley and Conejo Valley unified school districts were among county businesses that received notices in November that said they must comply with the rule. District offices and individual schools across the county will receive notices over the next few months, said William Mount, manager of planning at the county’s Air Pollution Control District.

The law, called Rule 210, gives schools and businesses 120 days to submit plans for reducing the number of school employees who drive to work alone between 6 and 10 a.m. Agencies are asked to set a goal of 1.35 employees per car in the first few years. Although there is no penalty if the goal is not met, a fine of $25,000 per day will be assessed for failure to file a plan.

School officials have questioned whether the rule will work for schools, especially in large districts, because they operate differently from businesses. For example, elementary and high schools usually start and end at different times, making it difficult for teachers to ride in car or van pools, officials said. Also, some teachers arrive early or stay after school for coaching and other activities.

Mount said the Air Pollution Control District would work with school districts to help them create plans. There is a possibility that one plan per district could be submitted rather than separate plans for individual schools, he said. Several districts also are considering forming a transportation association to coordinate van pooling and to look for funding for trip-reduction programs, he said.