Getting to BRT: An Implementation Guide for U.S. Cities

While momentum in recent decades has elevated bus rapid transit (BRT) as more than an emerging mode in the U.S., this high-capacity, high-quality bus-based mass transit system remains largely unfamiliar to most Americans. In the U.S., lack of clarity and confusion around what constitutes BRT stems both from its relatively low profile (most Americans have never experienced BRT) and its vague and often conflicting sets of definitions across cities, sectors, and levels of government. As a result, many projects that would otherwise be labeled as bus improvements or bus priority under international standards have become branded in American cities as BRT. This leads to misperceptions among U.S. decisionmakers and the public about what to expect from BRT. Since its inception in Curitiba, Brazil, BRT has become a fixture of urban transport systems in more than 70 cities on six continents throughout the globe. Just twelve BRT corridors exist in the United States so far.This guide offers proven strategies and insights for successfully implementing BRT within the political, regulatory, and social context that is unique to the United States. This guide seeks to illuminate the upward trends and innovations of BRT in U.S. cities. Through three in-depth case studies and other examples, the guide shares the critical lessons learned by several cities that have successfully implemented, or are in the midst of completing, their own BRT corridors. Distinct from previous BRT planning and implementation guides, this is a practical resource to help planners, and policy makers specifically working within the U.S. push beyond the parameters of bus priority and realize the comprehensive benefits of true BRT

Meta-Analysis of Transit Bus Exhaust Emissions

This paper presents a comparative analysis of bus emissions associated with a variety of fuel types, specifically for developing countries. A large data set of in-use transit bus tests is compiled for commonly regulated transportation emissions including carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter. Carbon dioxide is included to help in understanding greenhouse gas emissions. A meta-analysis technique is used with 25 studies to find a range of emissions values for various fuel and exhaust aftertreatment combinations to determine which combinations provide the greatest emissions reduction. The fuels considered are diesel with various concentrations of sulfur, biodiesel (100% and 20% blend with diesel), compressed natural gas, liquefied natural gas, and ethanol. The standard internal combustion engine, the internal combustion engine-electric hybrid, and a variety of exhaust aftertreatment technologies are considered. The analysis shows that no single fuel is best for reducing all emissions if the appropriate exhaust aftertreatment technologies are used. The technologies showing the lowest emissions in important categories (nitrogen oxides, particulate matter, and carbon dioxide equivalents) are compressed natural gas with a three-way catalyst, 100% biodiesel, and ultralow sulfur diesel with selective catalyst reduction. Other factors, such as altitude, drive cycle, and mileage, also affect emissions values. A wide range of emissions values is found, even for the same fuel and technology. The variations and factors should be understood for accurate evaluation of results from further emissions testing

Exhaust emissions of transit buses: Brazil and India case studies

In order to aid fleet fuel choices, specifically in Brazil and India, this report compiles emissions testing data from in-use or real world drive cycle tests. The data is used to compare the range of emissions for four emissions that are commonly regulated by emissions standards (CO, THC, NOx, PM) and CO2 emissions. The combined results of the analysis show some of the best performing fuel options in Brazil and India are 20% blend Biodiesel with Diesel Particular Filter and Selective Catalytic Reduction (B20 + DPF + SCR) and Compressed Natural Gas with Three Way Catalyst (CNG + 3WC). However, other fuel or technology options provide meaningful results – CNG fuels or Hybrid buses can provide significant PM reductions or CO2 reductions, respectively. For fleet decisions, further aspects of the local context should be considered as well, such as the impact of maintenance practices, altitude, and local driving cycles on emissions when making vehicle decisions. Also, the usual practice of covering the capital costs out of user fares may not be applicable for the introduction of cleaner buses; the use of national and international funds may be applicable, as the cleaner technologies help achieve energy consumption or emissions reduction targets

Scoping Post 2012 Climate Instruments: Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs): Case Study for Opportunities in Urban Transport in Brazilian Cities

Developing countries offer great climate change mitigation potential through enhanced transport systems that also support local environmental, economic, transport, social and urban development objectives. One of the instruments to support GHG mitigation efforts and development goals by developing countries are the Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs). NAMAs are actions voluntarily proposed by developing countries that significantly reduce emissions below business-as-usual levels. This study explores needs, methodological and practical issues of application of NAMAs in the urban transport sector. The main questions addressed are: What would an Avoid-Shift-Improve oriented NAMA for integral mobility look like? How would it be organized? How would it be financed? How would it be monitored/reported/verified? How would it be scaled up? Which are the GHG mitigation and co-benefit potentials of sustainable, low-carbon transport in a mid-size Brazilian city?Climate Change, Infrastructure & Transport, Urban Development, urpan transport, brazil, NAMAs, GHG mitigation, pollution, Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions