The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Fueling station unveiled
Agency shows infrastructure investment, eco-friendly propane Dial-a-Ride fleet
Elected officials, community representatives and Laketran officials gathered on May 9 to commemorate the new 30,000-gallon propane fueling station and public transit bus fleet making its debut on Laketran’s Dial-a-Ride service.
The public transportation system will be saving green and going green — the $1.6 million infrastructure investment project will bring longterm environmental and economic benefits to both Laketran and Lake County.
According to a Laketran news release, in comparison to gasoline and diesel fuels, propane is a clean-burning fuel because of its lower carbon content, significantly reducing smog-forming hydrocarbons and greenhouse emissions. Additionally, propane is American-made, reducing independence on foreign oil.
Laketran Deputy General Manager Ben
Capelle, who led the effort to transition the Dial-aRide fleet to propane, said the agency is always looking for more efficient ways to reduce costs.
“A couple years ago, we started the process to look for a new fuel. After quite a bit of research, we decided on propane. Tightening standards for emissions and shrinking budgets have been driving the transportation industry toward alternative fuels now more than ever before. Right now, it costs about $64 a day per vehicle to fuel a Dial-a-Ride bus on diesel. We will reduce the cost to about $40 a day per vehicle running on propane.
“We have 80 Dial-a-Ride buses and we’re moving to 85 to keep up with the continuing increase and demand,” he said, adding the new fleet will save the agency about 35 percent in fuel costs. “The last three years, we’ve seen a 14 percent increase in trips on Dial-a-Ride, which is pretty significant, so as we move to a bigger fleet, propane buses will help us keep operational costs in line.”
To date, the 2017 Dial-aRide ridership is up 3 percent over 2016 ridership. Dial-a-Ride provides doorto-door demand response service for seniors and people with disabilities.
In addition to the fuel savings, a propane bus costs about $6,000 less than a current diesel model, and maintenance is less expensive compared to other alternatives. The new ecofriendly fleet is expected to serve nearly 300,000 annual Dial-a-Ride riders, the release stated.
The three-phase capital project included engineering, construction of the fueling station and installation of indoor propane detectors for safety inside Laketran’s 122,000-squarefoot vehicle storage and maintenance area. Mentorbased CT Consultants led the engineering effort. The construction of the fueling station was completed by Superior Energy Systems, based in Columbia Township in Lorain County.
“Superior Energy Systems is pleased to play an integral role in Laketran’s transition to propane autogas, which has a lower total cost of ownership than other alternative fuels,” said Vice President of Safety and Training Mike Walters. “Superior Energy Systems is the industry leader in state-of-the-art propane autogas dispensers, which incorporate mass flow meter technology that delivers more accurate long-term fuel measurement than mechanical meters.”
Through the process, Laketran was able to capitalize on federal funding opportunities that provide incentives to transit systems using alternative fuels to help the community attain air quality standards. In Northeast Ohio, the Northeast Ohio Areawide Coordinating Agency administers Federal Transportation Administration grant funds and tracks air quality to build sustainable transportation infrastructure throughout the region that enhances air quality.
According to the release, Laketran would be unable to make the transition or maintain its Dial-aRide fleet without the support of federal funding. A $416,000 federal investment from the FTA’s Bus and Bus Facilities grant, and a $754,000 Congestion Mitigation Air Quality federal grant, paid for 80 percent of the cost of the fueling station and vehicles. Laketran provided a local 20 percent match funded by the agency’s 0.25 percent local sales tax revenue.
The new fleet, made up of VT3 and Terra Transit buses that seat either 8 or 10 passengers, can accommodate up to three wheelchairs. The entire fleet is ADA accessible, with each bus equipped with a wheelchair lift, fold-up seats to accommodate wheelchairs, slip-resistant flooring, an electronic transit door and a central heating and cooling unit.
To assist with operations, each bus contains an automatic vehicle locator system and an electronic farebox, along with additional safety amenities, including retractable seat belts, clearance lights and safety cameras.
“We’re really proud of this investment,” said Laketran Board President Brian Falkowski. “Not only do the fuel savings allow us to recover the initial infrastructure (project) costs in just 4 ½ years, but we are putting a clean and healthier product on the streets for the residents of Lake County.”
Jerry Cirino, president of the Lake County Board of Commissioners, called the commemoration of the new fueling station and fleet a tremendous accomplishment.
“Dial-a-Ride is a very important and critical service for all the residents of Lake County,” he said. “Laketran’s proactive approach to reducing costs is also tremendous. This activity is vital to the community and the environment.
“Dial-a-Ride focuses on seniors, particularly, and seniors are very near and dear to my heart, since I’m one of them. We’re going to have more and more of us requiring opportunities to be mobile and to be able to get out and do things to remain active, and Dial-aRide is going to be a very important part of that as the senior population grows, certainly within the next 10 to 20 years.”
Laketran General Manager Ray Jurkowski said the arrival of new buses makes the entire family happy.
“I’ve been in this business for 43 years and I can honestly tell you when we receive new buses like this, we’re all like little kids. I think that’s no surprise because in your own families, when you get a new vehicle, you know the feeling that I’m talking about.
“To many of us, a bus is a bus, but in reality that bus is more than a vehicle, it’s actually access to opportunity,” he said, adding that services for people with physical disabilities, developmental disabilities and seniors remains paramount.
“Laketran provides those opportunities for senior citizens who may not be able to afford to be in assisted living or nursing homes. It provides for seniors who live independently, in their own homes, who can still be able to get to a bank, to a pharmacy, to the grocery store. So, next time you’re at a red light and you see that Laketran bus go by, ask yourself where that bus is going and who it might be picking up. In the end, these vehicles create opportunities to improve the quality of life here in Lake County.”
“Not only do the fuel savings allow us to recover the initial infrastructure (project) costs in just 4 1⁄2 years, but we are putting a clean and healthier product on the streets for the residents of Lake County.” — Brian Falkowski, Laketran board president