noted that SCR as well as cylinder deactivation are not currently in production for heavy-duty vehicles at the necessary emissions levels, “so considerable effort is still needed to develop, package and validate the new com- ponents, especially considering the more diverse drive trains and vehicle configurations, duty cycles, applica- tions, and much longer useful life of heavy-duty vehicles.” Even so, concerns remain about option two, as it relies
on “optimistic assumptions,” added Melina Kennedy, Cummins’ vice president of product compliance and regulatory affairs, during a public hearing in April. She noted significantly increasing the useful life of engines at the same time as introducing new technology will further increase purchase prices for customers and “will likely impact” adoption. “We would like to work with EPA and other stakeholders
to agree on alternative solutions that ensure low in-use emissions yet avoid high initial purchase prices,” she said. If the proposal goes through, some in the industry
have questioned the ability to continue manufacturing diesel-powered school buses. One could argue that’s largely the point. The latest CNG and propane engines already meet
the EPA proposal requirements of 0.02 g/bhp-hr. But with so many diesel school buses on the road and
amid escalating new prices, OEM and dealer support will continue to be paramount for decades to come, especially as renewable diesel—as well as renewable CNG and propane—becomes more widely available.
The Maintenance Option Savvy fleet managers for years have encouraged data
analysis to drive decisions on when to continue operating an older bus or cutting bait of a depreciating asset and buying new, the latter which brings the added benefit of introducing the latest safety technology. But amid out- of-control new purchase costs, the industry is now being advised to double-down on maintenance, no matter the fuel or energy, to keep buses in operation longer. “You’re going to end up having to maintain your vehi- cles better than maybe you’ve done in the past because you’re going to have to make those vehicles last longer than they used to,” commented Robert Williams, the assistant director of fleet services for Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District in Houston, which operates the largest student transportation operation in Texas. “Even if you do have funds, and you’re able to buy, rather than 20 buses you are only able to buy 10. Well, that’s only 10 you are replacing. You really need to get rid of 20. You better maintain that fleet and take care of it.”
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www.stnonline.com 15
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