Get on the (Corn) Bus

By Joanna Miller in News on Nov 14, 2006 8:46PM

Chicagoist never liked riding the bus to school, but maybe if we’d had a cool ethanol-powered bus, we would have felt a little better about it. Actually, that probably wouldn’t have mattered.

But we digress.

Chicago Public Schools and Falcon Transportation have announced that they’ve converted 27 school buses from diesel fuel to an ethanol-diesel blend.

The cost per bus is between $500 and $600, paid for by the national CityHome program, which promotes the reduction of diesel fuel emissions. The group says it will offer more sponsorship dollars if the pilot program expands.

CPS planned to unveil the new fleet today at Louisa May Alcott School in Lincoln Park.

So some students can look forward to a friendlier bus ride to school, at least as far as the environment is concerned. It probably won’t reduce noogies, wedgies or name-calling.

Ethanol via swanksalot