HOLT CAT, the largest Caterpillar dealer in the United States, is partnering with Caterpillar Inc. to install emissions-reduction technology in older school buses in four Ellis County, TX, school districts. The retrofit installations are part of a Caterpillar $250,000 donation to the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean School Bus USA initiative. The four school districts include Ennis, Midlothian, Red Oak and Waxahachie.

The Ellis County districts, along with District 150 in Peoria, IL, and the Unified School District in Tucson, Arizona, were named as recipients of the Caterpillar donation. The donation will enable more than 240 school buses around the country –– 75 in Ellis County -- to be retrofitted with the Caterpillar environmentally-friendly technology.

"In our commitment to cleaner air, we are proud to help contribute to the EPA’s Clean School Bus USA program. We are especially grateful to the efforts of U.S. Congressman, Joe Barton, and Ellis County officials who helped to make this possible," said Allyn Archer, President and COO of HOLT CAT. "The Caterpillar environmentally-friendly technology, combined with its on-going research and development, provide cost-effective solutions for a better quality of life today and for the future."

"Ellis County is happy to have this opportunity to ’do our share to clean the air,’" said Ellis County Judge Chad Adams. "We appreciate the generosity of Caterpillar and HOLT CAT, and are honored to have been chosen to be among the first in the nation to have this innovative equipment installed on our school buses."

In April 2003, Caterpillar announced its support for Clean School Bus USA, a major initiative by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency designed to substantially reduce emissions from school buses across the nation. Founded in 2003, the EPA’s Clean School Bus USA program will help school districts and school bus fleet operators either replace older buses with newer models or install emissions control devices on existing buses.

About HOLT CAT

This year marks the 100-year anniversary of the invention of the first practical track-type tractor, coined as the "Caterpillar," credited to Benjamin Holt, great-grandfather of Peter Holt, CEO of HOLT CAT. HOLT CAT sells and services Caterpillar machines and engines in a 118-county Texas territory spanning from the Red River to the Rio Grande. Holt also offers total machine rebuild capabilities and sells used equipment around the world.

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