Glenn Avery of BANI opposes bus inclusion in idling enforcement
Avery says private motor coaches are subject to citizen enforcement while public transit buses are not. He argues modern coaches need engines for safety and passenger comfort and opposes Intro 11-A's higher fines.
Yes, thank you, Chair Gennaro.
Yeah, I'm Glenn Avery.
I'm president of the Bus Association of New York.
We're also known as BANI.
And we've been around as an organization since 1938.
And we're proud to advocate on behalf of private bus operators and the public.
The riding public that they serve.
Banning is opposed to the inclusion of motor coaches under the anti-idling restrictions under the Citizens Air Complaint Program.
Unlike the buses operated by our members, public transit buses are not subject to enforcement under the Citizens Air Complaint Program.
They use the same equipment.
They have the same compliance difficulties that our members have.
So the net result is that private operators who have far fewer buses on New York City streets than public transit are the only target of enforcement against buses.
This is revenue generation, not sound environmental policy.
Modern motor coaches are designed with a main diesel engine that only provides for the propulsion of the vehicle, but also power safety,
the HVA system, environmental, electrical, and other systems that are necessary for the safe operation of the vehicle, the health and well-being of passengers, and the protection of the environment.
Until technology develops to the point where that fundamental design can be changed, compliance with the three-minute rule can be very difficult.
We are not advocates for unlimited or unnecessary idling.
To the contrary, our members, they don't want to waste fuel.
They don't condone that.
I would like to just kind of jump off my script if I could.
Yeah, sure.
To address a specific request that you made that we talk about specifics about 11.
We are opposed to intro 11A.
The increasing of fines is of little additional deterrence value.
The fines are already at a level where motor coach operators are choosing to avoid New York City.
May I continue?
I just said two other points.
Sure.
Why don't we just finish the panel, and I'm formulating a question for you.
Thank you.
Sure.
Patrick, right?
Patrick.