Illinois Department of Transportation Summer 2009 Traffic ... - Caution

COMMERCIAL VEHICLE SAFETYThornridge Biodiesel Club Teams up with DTSWins $50,000Being environmentally friendly paid off for theBiodiesel Club of Thornridge High School in Dolton,Illinois. Earlier this year, the club joined 775 othermiddle and high schools from across the countryin a contest aimed at countering environmentalissues. Thornridge chose to focus on air andclimate issues involving diesel emissions.Their project was to build a biodiesel processorto convert used vegetable oil into biodiesel fuel.With the cooperation of area restaurants thatdonated their used oil, the club converted the oilinto biodiesel fuel. The students built a vehicleand filled it with their fuel. However, the emissionstill needed to be tested. This dilemma was soonsolved at the South Holland Illinois Official TestingStation which is part of the Illinois Department ofTransportation’s Division of Traffic Safety (IDOT/DTS). Steve Kurvers and Ron Kooima, of RelianceSafety Lane, met with the students, explained theprocess of emissions testing and performed therequired tests on their vehicle. The results werevery positive as the vehicle emissions releasedvery few particulates.When judging was complete, Thornridge HighSchool’s Biodiesel Club won 1st place and receivedan award of $50,000. In addition to scholarships,the school will use the award for laptops aswell as equipment for their physics and sciencedepartments. Congratulations to Thornridge HighSchool Teacher Brian Sievers and students GarrickBradley, Darryl Chavers, Terry Harris, Lamar Israel,Tramel Jones, Jay Woods and Gabby Yates.Their ingenuity and teamwork opened a door forresearch into clean alternate fuel sources.By Jason Ashmore, Safety & Claims ManagerCAUTION!-Summer 2009 21