Government Links
Non-Government Links
Government Links
Canada
FleetSmart - Natural Resource Canada's Office of Energy Efficiency maintains this resource for energy-efficient vehicles and business practices. The FleetSmart program offers rebates on vehicle purchases, and the web site provides the information and forms for doing so. The site also contains all the basic information on SmartDriver for Transit training, although you must contact the program directly for detailed information. Joining the FleetSmart membership grants access to workshops and SmartDriver training, and this can be done for free on-line. The site also has a variety of reports and case studies, though not too many from transit. Vehicle Fuels This resource on alternative fuels and fuel technologies is provided by Natural Resource Canada's Office of Energy Efficiency. Battery-electric and hybrid vehicles, Biodiesel, Ethanol, Fuel cells and hydrogen, Natural gas and Propane are all listed, each with an explanation of the technology, its benefits, safety and performance, vehicle and fuel availability, research and programs and web links. The site is not focused on transit or buses - providing information on cars and light trucks as well - but much of the technological information is general and therefore relevant. A further section on the Canadian/U.S. Motor Vehicle Fuel Efficiency Initiative is also provided.
Vehicle, Engines and Fuels - Environment Canada provides this site that outlines the Canadian Emission regulations for on-road vehicles. The regulations are in-line with the United States Environmental Protection Agency's regulations. The site has a useful FAQ section, as well as publications and links sections. The pages on 'Actions' do not really apply to transit. Urban Transportation Showcase Program Transport Canada initiative is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through the implementation of showcase demonstrations in communities across Canada and through the dissemination of information. Three out of the eight current showcases involve hybrid bus pilots, details of which can be viewed here. There are also many other detailed transit and alternative mode projects to review in the site's case study library. The relevant studies are broken down into Public Transit - Service and Operations and Public Transit - Promotion and Support. There is a useful section on past and upcoming events and conferences, as well as an Urban Transportation Directory with links to government, resources and initiatives, organizations and more transportation studies.
Europe
Clean Urban Transport - The European Union's Directorate General Energy and Transportation provides this central portal to its many energy and transit initiatives. There is content on policies and long-term European energy conservation and emission targets. Activities directly related to transit include:
European Local Transport Information Service (ELTIS) - A guide to current transport measures, policies and practices implemented in cities and regions across Europe.
Citizens' Network Benchmarking - The initiative was carried out in 1998-99 and developed a set of indicators to compare one local passenger transport system with another.
European Platform on Mobility Management (EPOMM) - An international partnership to promote and develop the concept of Mobility Management in Europe and to fine-tune its implementation.
People with reduced mobility (PRM) - A series of initiatives aiming to facilitate and improve the accessibility to public transport for PRM.
The CIVITAS Initiative - A radical strategy to support Clean Urban Transport actions across Europe.
The CUTE project - The first volume production test of this scale for fuel cell buses conducted anywhere in the world. The European Commission has awarded 18.5 million Euro to nine European cities for the introduction of hydrogen and fuel cell buses.
Zero and low Emission vehicles in Urban Society (ZEUS) - The Society involves a consortium of eight organizations in the procurement of at least 1200 Zero and Low Emission Vehicles in 8 different European cities.
United States
Transit Bus Niche Market Toolkit - Developed for the US Department of Energy's Clean Cities, the Transit Bus Niche Market Toolkit is a great introduction to alternative fuels and their application in transit buses. Containing 11 modules, it is structured like an online seminar. You can go through the toolkit individually or use it to make educational presentations to board and council members and employees. It is fact-based and well researched, covering mainstream technologies in the market (CNG, LNG, Propane, Biodiesel, Hybrids and Fuel Cells). One issue to remember, though, is that there is no mention of Kyoto, however the toolkit still recognizes global warming and climate change issues. If you want to customize the contents of the toolkit by accessing the original PowerPoint files, you can order a CD through the National Alternative Fuels Hotline. One very useful tool is Module 9b, the transit Bus 1.0 Cost Model. It helps compare different technologies based on a variety of inputs. Excel based, it is easy to use and should help you navigate between scenarios. Be aware that it does not use metric units, and some assumptions in the General Inputs section reflect the US funding and political context. Make sure you update them to your specific local and provincial/territorial realities.
Transportation Technology Office - The California Energy Commission hosts this portal to the many programs it runs under its Transportation Energy Division. The site provides links to contacts and projects related to alternative fuels, fuel efficiency and advanced technology. Visitors to the site can register for a listserv, however many of the postings tend to be request for proposals or meeting announcements irrelevant to Canadian transit systems.
Alternative Fuels Data Centre - Hosted within the U.S. Department of Energy's Alternative Fuels Data Center, this is a comprehensive tool for learning about alternative fuels and getting to know some of the vehicle models on the market. The heavy-duty vehicles section only lists North American original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), and although Nova Bus is listed in the Manufacturers sections, its alternative fuel buses are not included with the other Canadian manufacturer models. Also, the site only lists CNG, LNG and LPG heavy-duty vehicles. The site has an extensive breakdown for each fuel type, including a definition, how it is made, its market, benefits, R & D, infrastructure resources, legislation, publications, industry contacts and related links. The energy sources covered are biodiesel, electricity, ethanol, hydrogen, natural gas and propane. The section on resale is not very useful, and does not relate to buses - only cars. The section on alternative fuel training lists quite a few government and educational institution programs focussing on the maintenance of alternative fuel vehicles.
Bus Technologies and Testing Information Operating under the U.S. Department of Transportation - The Federal Transit Administration maintains this site to report on a variety of demonstration projects around the U.S. that test alternative fuels and new technologies in public transit.
Advanced Vehicles & Fuels Research under the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory - This is a very extensive site containing a huge amount of information. Much of this information is provided through links to other government sites, but it serves as a very good central portal to access and reference this material. The site has a unique section on heavy hybrid propulsion systems and quite a bit of data on how new fuels and technologies are tested (e.g. for fuel efficiency and air emissions).
Vehicle Buyer's Guide for Fleets - Another site under the U.S. Department of Energy's Clean Cities initiative. Visitors can browse alternative fuel vehicle models, searching by fuel type, manufacturer (only North American OEMs - Nova Bus is not listed), vehicle application or a combination of categories. Like the Alternative Fuels Data Center, this site only lists CNG, LNG and LPG vehicles in its search, although the additional listing of hybrid buses is useful. There is information on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's regulations, other laws and financial incentives, although these are mostly irrelevant to Canadian transit systems. There are quite a few American case studies in the site's Success Stories section. Visitors can also submit electronic questions to a fleet expert.
Energy Information Administration under the U.S. Department of Energy - This site hosts the official energy statistics from the U.S. government, as well as international data. Current and historical data, charts and tables are provided. The site is very detailed and at first it feels quite user unfriendly, simply because of how much information is contained on the site. Data can be selected by country, by type of energy and by sector. Particular energy market updates, prices, forecasts and analysis are included. There is also a well put together sub-site for kids that presents information on fuels, uses and conservation in an easy-to-understand and visually attractive manner.
Heavy Trucks, Buses, and Engines - Hosted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, this web site presents general information on heavy-duty engines and vehicles, and their emissions. The site focuses on the EPA's diesel programs, regulations, and retrofit/rebuild programs (similar to Environment Canada's retrofit program). There is little on alternative fuels - the focus is on clean diesel and after treatment technologies.
General
TransportEnergy - A division of the Energy Saving Trust, TransportEnergy works to help the UK meet its Kyoto targets in transportation. The site is a good resource for purchase decisions relating to cleaner fuels and vehicles. A useful breakdown of engine after treatment options is provided, including: Particulate traps; Oxidation catalysts; Conversion to natural gas; Conversion to LPG; Re-engining; Exhaust gas recirculation; and Selective catalytic reduction. Each alternative fuel has a detailed page, covering: What the fuel is; What are the environmental benefits of using the fuel? How much does it cost to buy and maintain a vehicle? (mainly car statistics); Benefits; Where can I refuel? (only UK locations); and What else do I need to know? There is a helpful Technical Library with reports and case studies on each fuel. The news section is updated regularly and is quite complete with news pieces from around the world.
Urban Transport Options for Propulsion systems and Instruments for Analysis (UTOPIA) -This is an extremely confusing site to navigate; but if you can get by this fact, it does have a good variety of useful information. The UTOPIA project reports on alternative propulsion test projects mostly in Europe, but also international. The site is mainly structured as a final report for this project, which will be a tool for decision-makers when choosing appropriate transportation solutions. Since the project is on-going and thus the report incomplete, this makes for an indirect and difficult site to explore. The â??Chart' section provides all the main contacts for different aspects of the project. To find demonstration projects go to the â??Experiments' section. If you are able to spend a little more time to find what you are looking for, this site can be quite informative.
Alternative Fuel Vehicle Group - This is mainly a central site for subscribing to news services, including AltFuels Advisor, Hybrid & Electric Vehicle Progress, and e-mail news alerts. The site also has books and reports to order, some of which are available to view free on-line. The site is not too useful itself, but the publications may be valuable with regards to new industry developments.
WestStart-CALSTART - This site is dedicated to supporting and accelerating the growth of the advanced transportation technologies industry and its related markets. The site provides regular updates and published reports on WestStart-CALSTART's on-going projects, including BRT propulsion systems, Heavy Duty Hybrids and Clean Heavy Duty Vehicles. WestStart-CALSTART also offers services in Clean Transportation Consulting; Strategic Brokering that connects partners; and a Technical Advisory Committee that can provide feedback and analysis on projects. The site is useful if your needs relate to one of WestStart-CALSTART's on-going projects. However, the organization itself can be very useful as they are very well connected to the transportation technology industry.
Hydrogen Fuel Cells
Fuel Cell Bus Club - This is the main resource for updates and incident reporting for the European fuel cell bus demonstration projects: CUTE, ECTOS and STEP. It lists and reports progress and any issues that have arisen as the test projects follow their course. The site does not actually have that much information, but it is worth taking a look if you are researching fuel cell buses in operation. The ECTOS project may be of particular interest to Canadian transit, since it involves testing in Reykjavik, Iceland, where cold temperatures compare with the Canadian climate.
Diesel
DieselNet is the definitive source for up-to-date information on clean diesel engines and emissions. There is quite a detailed business directory for products, research laboratories, consultants and technical information/report sources. The section on emission standards around the world is easy to consult. A few useful calculators are provided, as is a discussion forum. The technical reports are not transit-focussed for the most part, but are still relevant. Some content or access to reports requires a subscription.
Biofuel
Biodiesel.org, hosted by the National Biodiesel Board, provides a good section on the basics of biodiesel, including a very extensive list of fact sheets - everything you could need to know about the fuel. The site has a few reports on bus technology that can be found by searching the reports database. There is an entire page devoted to Biodiesel for Transit that includes an EPA report on emission reductions from B100 and B20, and a U.S. Department of Energy life cycle report. The guide to buying biodiesel provides links to suppliers, petroleum distributors that deal in biodiesel, and retailers. There is a unique multimedia section with audio and video clips, complete with a clip of home-grown rock and roll icon Neil Young touting the benefits and voicing his support for biodiesel. Canadian Renewable Fuels Association This site covers the basics of Ethanol and Biodiesel in an easy to read and well-organized format. Each fuel has a section on history, production, benefits, disadvantages and various studies that have been conducted. The association produces a newsletter, which is not currently being updated - the last issue on the web site is from 2002.
Natural Gas & Propane
NGV Global - The International Association for Natural Gas Vehicles maintains this site. Most of the information and links relate to cars, but some bus information is also provided. The case study section is quite bare, and the site in general is somewhat patchy. The site is most focused on NG news, so as a news resource it is useful. The link section lists all the NGV associations around the world, and they complement the shortcomings of this 'central' site. Visitors can subscribe to the association's weekly industry news e-mail updates.
Canadian Natural Gas Vehicles Alliance - The Canadian Natural Gas Vehicles Alliance works to develop and sustain the natural gas for vehicles market in Canada. The site provides a fuel efficiency savings tool, but it only allows the visitor to compare gasoline to CNG. The site contains mainly car-oriented information regarding vehicle conversions and refueling centres. The site is actually not that useful.
International Association for Natural Gas Vehicles - The IANGV site is a good resource for international NG statistics, including number of vehicles and refueling stations. The site also reports statistics on NG buses in the U.S. There are a variety of research reports, including a CNG-Diesel bus comparison report put out by the California Air Resources Board. There are other reports that do relate to public transit and they are linked through this site. The site also has a discussion forum where visitors can post questions or opinions on purchasing or converting vehicles, and other industry issues.
Gas Technology Institute - The GTI site hosts a wealth of technical information and data related to NG research. However, only a very small portion relates to transportation. The Alternative Fueled Vehicles page provides information and links to current research projects on NG, hydrogen fuel cell and biofuels. The majority of this site relates to large-scale NG industry projects and issues that are not directly relevant to transit.
Propane Gas Association of Canada - The central site also hosts the LPGERC and PTI arms of the PGAC. The Liquid Petroleum Gas Emergency Response Corp. (LPGERC) responds to incidents and provides emergency training for the handling, storage and transportation of LPG. The Propane Training Institute (PTI) provides courses that meet federal and provincial requirements for the handling of propane. The site's news section is not regularly updated. There is a very user-friendly unit conversion tool that could come in handy when doing fuel comparison calculations. There are brief but informative sections on propane in general, its local and global market and economics. A contact to answer legal and regulatory questions is provided on the site.
Disclaimer
The information found on this page have been provided by external sources. The Canadian Urban Transit Association is not responsible for the accuracy, reliability or currency of the information or services provided by external sources. Users wishing to rely upon this information or services should consult directly with the appropriate source
