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Air conditioning requirements for buses transporting students with disabilities

1:53:34

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Council Member Rita Joseph inquires about air conditioning requirements for buses transporting students with disabilities, referencing local law 79 of 2023. Glenn Risbrook provides information on current compliance and future plans.

All students with climate control requirements in their IEPs are provided with air-conditioned buses
Newly ordered electric buses (Type A and B) come with climate control
Larger Type C electric buses do not all have air conditioning, as there is no current mandate for bus companies to order them with this feature
The department aims to route all students with disabilities on air-conditioned buses during summer, but some without specific IEP requirements may end up on non-air-conditioned buses
New contracts with EPP changes could allow for mandating air conditioning on all buses

Rita Joseph

1:53:34

We know that we passed the law thus transporting students with disability requiring to have air conditioners as well.

1:53:40

As per local law, 79 of 2023, will all electrified bus have air conditioning?

1:53:46

If not, how does the New York City plan New York City Public School plan on meeting the requirement by the deadline of 2035.

Glenn Risbrook

1:53:53

First off, all our students who have climate control requirements in their IEP do have busing that provides that.

1:54:02

The electric busing that we we currently on order the the type a, type b buses, which is a traditionally smaller buses.

1:54:10

Those buses, those electric buses are coming with climate control.

1:54:13

The larger buses, the type c buses, just like the the combustion type c buses, not all of them are coming with climate control because there is nothing to mandate that the bus companies order that, those buses with air conditioning.

1:54:28

So again, this is another aspect of trying to get a new contract with EPP, so we can then mandate that.

1:54:37

But as far as the law is concerned, making sure that all students who with disabilities who require air conditioning, we are in compliance.

1:54:46

And

Rita Joseph

1:54:46

what about the ones that's not required on their IEPs, but have a disability?

Glenn Risbrook

1:54:51

We we do everything possible to to in the summertime, especially to route all our students on buses that can accommodate.

1:54:57

But but, admittedly, there are students that do not have an IP that requires air conditioning or climate control.

1:55:04

They may find themselves on a bus that does not provide.

1:55:06

That.

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