Tacoma gets the early bus
What happened, then, when Tacoma, Washington and Seattle each set about choosing an alternative bus fuel in the interests of clean air Not what you'd think. In a major role reversal, Seattle got headaches, while Tacoma got the distinction of being a national pioneer. That's because it was Tacoma that chose natural gas. Ron Shipley is director of maintenance for Pierce Transit, the 11-year-old municipal corporation that runs buses in Tacoma's Pierce County. He remembers getting a call from a representative of Washington Natural Gas (WNG) in the mid-1980s. WNG was trying to cultivate interest in natural gas vehicles. The two busses were placed in service in November 1986. After a three-year initial evaluation period, Pierce County Transit drew up a report indicating it was pleased with the results this far and optimistic about the use of natural gas as a motor fuel. The company calculated a break-even of 68 cents per gallon, meaning that when diesel was at the price or above, natural gas used in its place was a money-saver. By January of this year, diesel was at $1.10 per gallon. This paper reports that emissions were not tested because of the expense involved and the fact that future conversions would use a different technology. Shipley doubted, anyway, that the 60-40 combination would quite meet the emissions standards then in effect for 1991. But is was clear at a glance that particulate matter - the biggest pollution threat from diesel buses - had been significantly reduced. And that good start encouraged Pierce Transit management to plan for a fleet of vehicles that could burn 100 percent natural gas.
- OSTI ID:
- 5837606
- Journal Information:
- AGA Monthly; (United States), Vol. 73:10; ISSN 0002-8584
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Superfund Record of Decision (EPA Region 10): Commencement Bay - South Tacoma Channel, Tacoma Landfill Site, Tacoma, Washington (final remedial action) March 1988. Final report
Public health assessment for Commencement Bay, South Tacoma Field, Tacoma, Pierce County, Washington, Region 10. Cerclis No. WAD980724173 (A/K/A Commencement Bay, South Tacoma Channel, Tacoma, Pierce County, Washington, Region 10. Cerclis No. WAD980726301). Final report
Related Subjects
03 NATURAL GAS
32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
BUSES
AIR POLLUTION CONTROL
NATURAL GAS
DIESEL FUELS
FUEL SUBSTITUTION
USES
AUTOMOTIVE FUELS
COMBUSTION
ENERGY SOURCES
FUEL CONSUMPTION
PARTICULATES
PLANNING
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CONTROL
ENERGY CONSUMPTION
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUEL GAS
FUELS
GAS FUELS
GAS OILS
GASES
LIQUID FUELS
OXIDATION
PARTICLES
PETROLEUM
PETROLEUM FRACTIONS
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
POLLUTION CONTROL
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS
VEHICLES
330800* - Emission Control- Alternative Fuels
034000 - Natural Gas- Combustion
320203 - Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization- Transportation- Land & Roadway