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Lane Transit District to Stop Using Biodiesel Due to Cost
19 July 2008
The Register-Guard. After a year-long trial in 10 buses, Lane Transit District, which provides mass transit for the Eugene-Springfield, Oregon area, will stop using biodiesel, primarily due to cost issues.
The transit district, which began testing biodiesel in May 2007, found its cost was an average of 5 to 16 cents more per gallon than conventional diesel. Given LTD goes through 1 million gallons of fuel annually, the extra cost adds up quickly, officials said: An increase of a penny adds $10,000 to fuel costs, for example.
The district blames the rising cost of conventional gas for plans to cut service substantially later this year. It can ill afford to experiment with even pricier alternative fuels at riders’ expense, spokesman Andy Vobora said. “We want to have practices that are sustainable—in the sense they’re economically sustainable as well as environmentally,” he added.
The district also said that buses running biodiesel lost about 2% in fuel economy.
July 19, 2008 in Brief | Permalink | Comments (10) | TrackBack (0)
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Comments
I hate to say it, but this is so representative. To switch back to fossil fuel to save less than 4% on the fuel bill.
How are we going to reduce consumption of imported fossil fuel (oil) and reduce GHG if we are not prepared to pay as little as 4% more?
A small e for effort may be too high a rating in this case.
Posted by: HarveyD | Jul 19, 2008 1:50:53 PM
A better argument couldn't possibly be made for removing the long-standing and extensive subsidies from petroleum fuels.
Posted by: BlackSun | Jul 19, 2008 1:52:03 PM
Why don't they run the buses slightly more slowly, and design an "eco-driving" course for the drivers.
I'm sure they could make savings with the buses and fuel they have now, if they looked at the problem from this end.
They would have to get buy-in from the drivers, and maybe tweek the timetables to allow for it, but if 1 penny = $10K, there is a lot to be saved.
There should be a state or federal level program to slow up buses a little, and train drivers to save fuel, and probably drive in a more relaxed fashion.
Posted by: mahonj | Jul 19, 2008 3:16:20 PM
You can try guilt, you can try enviro-scorn, you can even try manipulating people into buying biodiesel using Americana like the domestic automakers (Buy American!).....ultimately, the fuel MUST be able to compete on its own in the marketplace.
Posted by: ejj | Jul 19, 2008 4:51:08 PM
Well said ejj. I wish the governments would just level the playing field (no subsidies to anyone) and just let the market decide. In the long term the market will pick the cheapest option.
Posted by: | Jul 19, 2008 9:52:37 PM
Andy Vobora “We want to have practices that are sustainable—in the sense they’re economically sustainable as well as environmentally,”
Voters should toss this dirt bag.
Sending money overseas and out of the country for oil vs Using home grown home produced bio-oil ... with taxes gained by the country and the money spent staying in the country.
economically sustainable?
The 4 cents comes back many times over, and encourages a more competitive price structure on bio-fuels as the supply is ramped up.
Posted by: J T | Jul 20, 2008 7:01:55 AM
ejj:
Giving all (or too much) powers to the market place is no guarantee that USA and all Americans would survive for another century.
We could all go back to coal, for heating, because it is cheaper than cleaner NG and electricity.
All NG, Wind, Solar, Nuke power plants should be closed or converted to dirty coal fired plants (without any environment restrictions) because it would be much more economical.
All national parks could be abolished because they are not needed for the market place.
Everbody with under-average performance should be thrown overboard to reduce cost and satisfy the maket place. Stop treating people over 65 because it is not economical to do so. Privatize Justice and
hang everybody with a 20+ year sentence because it would be much more economical.
Why not bring back unpaid forced labour while we're at it.
A world run by the market place would not be that pleasant to live in.
Posted by: HarveyD | Jul 20, 2008 12:52:24 PM
I drove public transit buses for decades. With few exceptions feather footing is simply not practical. Peak power is needed just to get the bus up to speed in a reasonable amount of time. Even at full power acceleration is underwhelming. The best way to save fuel is via some heavy duty hybridization.
Posted by: tom deplume | Jul 20, 2008 5:12:29 PM
The problem is the Biofuel people are keeping the price of fuel above regular diesel. Stupid, they should discount it and drive up demand.
Posted by: Paul | Jul 21, 2008 6:22:09 AM
Chuckle, chuckle. Reality dawns on even the most fervent true-believer.
More than likely, a cynical politician has milked all the press coverage he can from bio-diesel.
Now back to figuring out mundane things, like how to manage the budget.
Posted by: stas peterson | Jul 21, 2008 1:37:05 PM
