County Executive Ken Ulman has pledged to buy more environmentally friendly buses to replace some of the aging Howard Transit bus fleet, some of which have more than 400,000 miles.
However, he will have to make a case for this change to low-emission or hybrid fuel buses, especially since Howard could be funding the buses.
The buses are costly ? a difference of roughly $80,000 to $100,000 a bus, Ulman said Tuesday after speaking at a Transportation Advocates meeting.
“I think it?s essential that we replace some of the vehicles, because if we don?t, the maintenance costs go up substantially,” said Carl Balser, transportation chief at the Howard County Department of Planning and Zoning, in a phone interview.
Thirteen of the county?s 50 buses are past the seven-year or 200,000-mile lifespan, which Ulman said was “unacceptable.”
Because of the lack of funding, Howard hasn?t bought replacement vehicles for two years, but Ulman said the county will buy several new vehicles this year.
Howard has not received state transportation funding for the last couple of years, Ulman said. He said he is pursuing funds and hopes to be reimbursed for bus purchases, but budgets are tight at the state level.
County officials want to purchase diesel electric hybrid buses, which have costs “substantially higher” than regular buses, Balser said.Hybrid vehicles use less fuel, which means cost savings, and federal tax credits can ease the cost burden, said Matt Kittell, a fleet vehicle expert at the New American Dream?s Responsible Purchasing Network, which helps local jurisdictions implement green technology.
Hybrid vehicles are a newer technology than other so-called green vehicles, such as buses that run on natural gas, which require new infrastructure and maintenance procedures, Kittell said.
“One of the advantages of hybrid technology is there is very little change to the user experience,” said Chris O?Brien, director of the Responsible Purchasing Network. “The bus drivers don?t have to change any behavior, which is nice when you are adopting a new technology.”
BY THE NUMBERS
» Cost of a smaller diesel electric hybrid bus: about $260,000
» Cost of a larger hybrid bus: about $300,000; nonhybrid vehicle, about $200,000
» Cost of maintenance for the current aging fleet: $270,000 per year
» Howard Transit budget for fiscal 2007: $8.2 million. Budget includes the fixed route buses, paratransit, operations and maintenance.
Source: Howard County officials
