Action: Tr_BusesCNG
ACTION PLAN DETAIL SHEET
Action Full Name: Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Buses
Date: _November 2009___ Work Group: _TLU_____
Recommended Action: Replace diesel bus fleet with compressed natural gas (CNG)
powered busses.
Action Overview
Interrelationships:
• Related Actions from other groups which this group could contribute to:
Goal/Effect: Reduce particulate matter (PM) within urban centers.
Reduce NOx and CO2 emissions. Utilize less expensive, locally available fuel. Eventual cost savings due to lower
projected cost of CNG vs. diesel. Natural gas is a cleaner burning alternative to gasoline and diesel for municipal and
private fleet vehicles due to natural gas having lower carbon emissions.
Use of compressed natural gas (CNG) buses
CNG is a fossil fuel substitute mainly composed of methane and can be mixed with biogas from landfills and
wastewater treatment, which offers the potential for a closed loop fuel production development. CNG still produces
GHG emissions, yet it is more environmental friendly due to the absence of lead and benzene and produces less
harmful emissions such as nitrogen oxides, particulate matter, toxic and carcinogenic pollutants as well as GHG
emissions than conventional diesel and gasoline fuels. CNG use would introduce a more diversified fuel economy that
would help serve as a transition away from pure gasoline and diesel dependence.
Strategies:
Research types of CNG busses available for purchase and various approaches in conversion and financing:
o
o
The Clean Fleet Guide
Alternative Fuels & Advanced Vehicles Data Center
2. Identify number of diesel buses in use within county.
3. Prioritize phase-out of diesel busses.
4. Identify existing local CNG fueling centers and/or work with private sector to create CNG fueling centers.
5. Discuss creation of locally produced CNG stations with Oil & Gas industry.
6. Hire and or educate existing mechanics with CNG certification.
7. Upgrade service centers to accommodate CNG busses.
8. Purchase CNG buses to replace highest priority diesel buses.
9. Phase out diesel bus fleet incrementally.
10. Measure Performance of CNG Bus Fleet:
• Compare CNG fuel savings vs. diesel.
• Extrapolate PM, CO2, NOx reduction from CNG fuel burned vs. diesel
• Solicit feedback from transit users/ cyclists/ pedestrians.
• Monitor for increased rider use of modern fleet vs. older fleet.
Coverage: La Plata County Bus Fleet
Roles and Responsibilities
Responsibility: La Plata County government, City of Durango government, 4CORE
Page 1 of 3
File: Tr_BusesCNG.pdf
Action: Tr_BusesCNG
ACTION PLAN DETAIL SHEET
Action Full Name: Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Buses
Coordination/Support required to implement Action Plan:
Entity / Function
Phone
Date contacted to discuss feasibility of action
plan and response
County Commissioners: 382.6216
Need county backing to pass an RTA, also
key to development patterns
Road Runner Transit
563-4517
Roadrunner Coordinator
City Multi-modal
375-4949
Has a great understanding of pieces of
Coordinator
coordination that need to occur, as well as
funding
County Planners
382-6267
Planners are attempting to implement smart
growth principals in the new Comprehensive
Plan
Implementation Opportunities, Barriers, Strategies, and Benefits
Educational Strategies:
Implementation Mechanisms:
•
Adopt City and County (sometimes State) policies and codes supportive of CNG Buses.
•
Pass resolution to replace diesel busses with CNG busses.
Potential Barriers to Consensus and Suggested Alternative Solutions:
Lack of understanding and technical knowledge of solutions is potential barrier. There is a lot of misinformation
regarding CNG cost and actual benefit available online.
Potential Implementation Barriers and Suggestions to Overcome Barriers: Gather and disseminate credible data
and guidance as well as practices that model efficient CNG transit systems.
Suggested Funding Mechanism: Utilize and build upon existing funding streams (mostly grant driven). Create
partnership with local oil and gas industry to offset costs.
Collateral Benefits:
•
Modernize bus fleet to promote transit use.
•
Create better environment for bicycle and pedestrian commuters.
•
Create employment for CNG bus mechanics/ specialists.
•
Create local CNG fueling stations.
•
Encourage CNG as alternative fuel for private sector and other public transportation.
Precedent(s) of Successful Implementation
Example/Story of Successful Precedent of Implementation:
New York City provides funds to convert taxis to natural gas. 300 taxis have been converted under the program.
For more information, see www.nyserda.org/Programs/transportation/AFV/NYCFuelTaxi.asp
Sun Line transit, serving Palm Springs, CA, was one of the first to have an all-CNG bus fleet, and is experimenting with
mixing hydrogen with CNG to further reduce emissions.
For more information, see www.sunline.org/home/index.asp?page=7
Santa Monica uses 161 CNG vehicles in its municipal fleet, including 36 heavy duty vehicles that run on CNG.
For more information, see: http://santa-monica.org/epwm/Maintenance_mgmt/fleet.htm
Page 2 of 3
File: Tr_BusesCNG.pdf
Action: Tr_BusesCNG
ACTION PLAN DETAIL SHEET
Action Full Name: Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Buses
Documentation of CAPPA Input (Dick White 11/1/10)
• Number of CNG vehicles. 9-R has 42 buses, with target of replacing 2/yr – not going to happen in the
immediate future owing to the budget situation. Durango Transit has 18 on a 4-year replacement cycle; DMR
leases 8 diesel buses for the winter (forget the 4 in summer); Roadrunner has 5, replaced every 200,000 miles.
For 20,000 mi/yr (below) this would yield one replacement every other year. For simplicity, ignore DMR.
There are 55 vehicles, to be replaced at a rate of 4-6 per year. Supposing 2012 start:
2015: 20±4; 2020: 36±9.
•
•
•
•
•
•
Price of gasoline. Standard.
Price of natural gas (per gal Gsl equivalent). Take gasoline price/1.66. This is the ratio of the averages for
the Rocky Mountain region between 11/2000 and 7/2010 .
(http://www.afdc.energy.gov/afdc/price_report.html)
Miles per gallon of vehicle replaced. 6 mpg, from the CDPHE data (see Emissions Testing); 6-10 mpg from
9-R information; 10 mpg for Durango Transit; 14 for DMR. Take 8 mpg for 9-R. Weighted average is 8.8;
adopt 9 mpg
Average annual miles per vehicle. 9-R gives 524,357 miles total; Dgo Transit, 466,610 miles; DMR < 80,000
miles. For 9-R & DT, 19,800 miles/yr; adopt 20,000 mi/yr.
Incremental cost of CNG vehicle. $3000 from CAPPA default.
Evaluation Criteria values.
o Initial Implementation Cost:
o Operation and Maintenance Costs:
o Return on Investment:
o Implementation Timeframe:
o Level of Effort Required by Local Government Staff:
o Degree of Implementation Control Held by Local Government:
1
5
1
3
3
2
2 ($120k)
5 (after training)
5 (0.8 yr)
2 (2-5 yr)
5 (none)
2 (cheerleading)
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File: Tr_BusesCNG.pdf