SALT LAKE CITY — Utah Transit Authority is taking steps to help paratransit vehicles reduce emissions and save fuel.
Using funds from a Federal Transit Administration grant, UTA will outfit two of its existing paratransit buses with hybrid-drive systems that capture energy when the buses decelerate.
The energy will be used to help power the vehicles and run the climate control systems, lights, ramps and wheelchair lift while the buses are stopped, eliminating the need for idling.
Currently, paratransit vehicles spend up to 30 percent of their on-road time idling while riders board and exit the bus. Paratransit operators keep the buses’ engines running during this time to ensure that other passengers have light and heating or air conditioning.
The change will reduce wear and tear on vehicle parts and decrease vehicle emissions. The hybrid-drive systems are expected to bring a 10 percent to 15 percent fuel savings, said Hal Johnson, UTA’s manager of project development.
Johnson said the prototype buses could be on the road as early as spring 2016. The University of Utah and University of Texas will analyze the buses’ fuel and emissions savings. If the pilot program is successful, UTA may consider purchasing additional paratransit vehicles with built-in hybrid systems.
The project will be done in conjunction with the Center for Transportation and the Environment, a research facility at the University of North Carolina that focuses on ways to improve transportation while mitigating environmental impacts.