Jenna Bush Hager Advodate For Safe, Quieter & Cleaner Propane School Buses

With back-to-school season now in full swing, parents are super-focused on shopping for school supplies and helping kids adjust from summertime fun to homework. But what about school bus safety? This is something Jenna Bush Hager, daughter of former President George W. Bush, mom to Mila and Poppy, NBC News correspondent and the founder of UNICEF’s Next Generation, wants parents to think more about.

To do so, Hager recently partnered with the national nonprofit Propane Education & Research Council (PERC) to share school bus safety tips and create awareness about the safety and environmental benefits of propane autogas school buses.

Like all parents and teachers, we want to make sure kids get to school safely and that they start their day on the right foot. When I was a teacher in inner city Washington, D.C., we often took buses on field trips and those bus rides were loud because most buses are powered by diesel. The louder the bus, the more kids can’t hear themselves talk so they scream over each other. That and waiting in line while diesel exhaust gets in their faces isn’t the best way to start a day.

Propane-fueled buses are quieter, our kids can hear themselves talk and they don’t need to scream at each other to be heard. Best of all, propane buses are better for our environment and they save money for schools at a time when budgets are shrinking.

Most parents aren’t aware of this. As parents we need to advocate for our children, especially when we’re talking about buses which kids are taking daily around this country.

I always recommend taking the time to talk about bus safety, like always sitting down immediately and staying seated throughout the ride. There are lots of tips like this on Betterourbuses.com, an online site sponsored by the Propane Education & Research Council. (A video that features Jenna Bush Hager discussing the benefits of propane autogas school buses can also be found at Betterourbuses.com)

I always recommend talking to the head of your school district or PTA president. I rode a propane bus in Boston last month and they’re so much quieter. Even better, since the Boston Public Schools started using these buses, they’ve saved $1,000 per day on transportation costs. That adds up!

(SOURCE: Lambeth Hochwald interview of Jenna Bush Hager for Parade.com. PHOTO: Propane Education & Research Council)