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Technical Assessment of Advanced Transit Bus Propulsion Systems
8/1/2002
This report provides the results of a technology assessment developed as part of Phase I of the Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) Zero Emission Program (ZEP). The scope of this report explores the advanced propulsion technologies feasible for bus ordering by DART in 2007 (replacing the model year 1998 and prior standard bus fleet) and capable of adequate performance for DART service, while meeting the emissions standards.
United Parcel Service (UPS) CNG Truck Fleet: Final Results
8/1/2002
In cooperation with UPS, a selection of Freightliner CNG delivery vehicles from the company's original 1996 order were evaluated as part of the U.S. Department of Energy/National Renewable Energy Laboratory (DOE/NREL) Truck Evaluation Project. The plan for this evaluation was to test as many as 15 CNG package delivery cars and 3 diesel package delivery cars operating in the Hartford, Connecticut area from UPS's Waterbury, Hartford, and Windsor facilities. This report included a technical review of data collected for the UPS CNG package delivery car operations in Hartford and Waterbury, Connecticut, compared with UPS diesel truck operations in Windsor, Connecticut. The objective of this project was to provide transportation professionals with quantitative, unbiased information on the cost, maintenance, operational, and emissions characteristics of CNG as one alternative to conventional diesel fuel for heavy-duty trucking applications.
Authors: Chandler, K.; Walkowicz, K.; Clark, N.
Battery-Powered Electric and Hybrid Electric Vehicle Projects to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions: A Resource Guide for Project Development
7/1/2002
This report provides national and international project developers with a guide on how to estimate and document the GHG emission reduction benefits and/or penalties for battery-powered and hybrid-electric vehicle projects. This primer also provides a resource for the creation of GHG emission reduction projects for the Activities Implemented Jointly (AIJ) Pilot Phase and in anticipation of other market based project mechanisms proposed under the United Nations Framework Convention of Climate Change (UNFCC). Though it will be necessary for project developers and other entities to evaluate the emission benefits of each project on a case-by-case basis, this primer will provide a guide for determining which data and information to include during the process of developing the project proposal.
The Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program: Assessing 10 Years of Experience
6/1/2002
The Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement (CMAQ) program was enacted as part of the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) of 1991 and reauthorized by the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21) of 1998. After nearly a decade of the program's operation, congressional sponsors were interested in knowing whether it has been effective and whether its projects were cost-effective relative to other strategies for reducing pollution and congestion. Their questions were summarized in a request to the National Academy of Sciences for a study to evaluate the CMAQ program.
Notes: Book available for sale.
U.S. Climate Action Report 2002: Third National Communication of the United States of America Under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
5/1/2002
This report identifies existing and planned U.S. policies and measures toward greenhouse gas reduction and global warming. It also indicates future trends in greenhouse gas emissions, outlines expected impacts and adaptation measures, and provides information on financial resources, technology transfer, research, and systematic observations.
Notes: Copies of this document can be downloaded from the U.S. EPA Web site at: http://yosemite.epa.gov/oar/globalwarming.nsf/content/ResourceCenterPublicationsUSClimateActionReport.html#toc. To purchase copies of this report, visit the U.S. Government Printing Office Web site at http://bookstore.gpo.gov. Phone orders may be submitted at 1-866-512-1800 or 1-202-512-1800.
Alternative Fuels in Public Transit: A Match Made on the Road
3/1/2002
As alternative fuels compete with conventional fuels for a place in public awareness and acceptance, one of their most visible applications is in public transportation. Vehicles, particularly buses and shuttles, that carry people in large numbers, stand to gain much from using alternative fuels. Such high-demand fuel users can help sustain a fueling infrastructure that supports private autos and other smaller vehicles.
Resource Guide for Heavy-Duty LNG Vehicles, Infrastructure, and Support Operations
3/1/2002
This Guide is designed to assist decision makers and fleet managers, in considering the use of liquefied natural gas (LNG) in heavy-duty vehicles. The objective of the Guide is to answer questions regarding implementation of LNG fuel in the fleet, e.g., getting started, likely costs, benefits, and lessons others have learned. This Guide also provides you with contact information for representatives of companies now using these fuels, manufacturers and suppliers of the fuels, and technical and governmental reference materials. The information in the Guide is intended to be useful for both new and existing end-users of heavy-duty LNG vehicles, so that operations can be initiated or conducted in a cost-effective manner with minimal disruptions related to the new fuel technology.
Authors: Chandler, K.L.; Gifford, M.T.; Carpenter, B.S.
Children's Exposure to Diesel Exhaust on School Buses
2/1/2002
In the United States nearly 600,000 school buses transport 24 million students to school daily. Each year buses travel 4.3 billion miles as children take nearly 10 billion school bus rides. If rides average 30 minutes in each direction, students will spend 180 hours on buses each year. Collectively, U.S. children spend 3 billion hours on school buses each year. More than 99 percent of U.S. school buses are powered by diesel fuel. Diesel exhaust is comprised of very fine particles of carbon and a mixture of toxic gases. Federal agencies have classified diesel exhaust as a probable human carcinogen. Benzene, an important component of the fuel and exhaust, is designated to be a known human carcinogen. Components of diesel exhaust are genotoxic, mutagenic, and can produce symptoms of allergy, including inflammation and irritation of airways. There is no known safe level of exposure to diesel exhaust for children, especially those with respiratory illness. This study concludes that the laws intended to control air pollution in the U.S. must be strengthened to protect the health of children in several important respects. First, fixed monitoring facilities do not capture the variability in air pollution experienced by children. Second, air quality inside buildings and vehicles is not regulated by the EPA. Third, tougher diesel regulations adopted by the EPA last year are insufficient to protect health. Fifth, routine emissions testing for school buses is not required by federal law.
Authors: Wargo, J. Ph.D.; Brown, D. Sc.D.
Technical Barriers to the Use of Ethanol in Diesel Fuel
11/1/2001
The objectives of this study are to examine the status of ethanol-diesel blends and to identify barriers and technical gaps that hinder rapid introduction of these fuels into the market. The results of this assessment and planning process will allow the Department of Energy (DOE) to understand the issues facing the industry and to determine if and how DOE involvement might assist in overcoming the identified barriers. This document includes a brief description of ethanol production, distribution, and storage as background information. This is followed by a description of ethanol-diesel blends (e-diesel) and the properties of these fuels. Engine performance and regulatory requirements are also described. Potential technical barriers are noted in each of these areas and summarized at the end.
Authors: McCormick, R. L.; Parish, R.
UPS CNG Truck Fleet Final Data Report DOE/NREL Truck Evaluation Project
10/1/2001
This is the final data report for the United Parcel Service compressed natural gas (CNG) truck fleet evaluation project in which selected Freightliner CNG delivery vehicles were evaluated as part of the DOE/NREL study. The plan for this evaluation was to test up to 15 CNG package cars and three diesel package cars operating in the Hartford, Connecticut, area from UPS's Waterbury, Hartford, and Windsor facilities. The trucks were all Freighliner Custom Chassis built with Cummins engines. The diesel vehicles had B5.9 engines, and the CNG vehicles had B5.9G engines. The data collection for the DOE/NREL program required a minimum of 12 months of operations data. Based on the age of the CNG and diesel package vehicles (model year 1997) and UPS's extensive data tracking system, the actual evaluation provided here was chosen to be a two-year data evaluation period.
UPS CNG Truck Fleet Start-Up Experience Alternative Fuel Truck Evaluation Project
8/1/2001
UPS currently operates 140 Freightliner Custom Chassis compressed natural gas (CNG)-powered vehicles with Cummins B5.9G engines. Fifteen are participating in the Alternative Fuel Truck Evaluation Project being funded by the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Transportation Technologies and the Office of Heavy Vehicle Technologies. DOE's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is conducting the study in collaboration with federal and state agencies and industry partners such as UPS.
