TARTA buses in Toledo, Ohio testing biodiesel and hydrogen blends
This is the first time I've actually been able to write about something on AutoblogGreen that is happening right in my hometown. I see TARTA buses every day of my life, which makes sense because TARTA stands for Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority. According to their website, TARTA is running tests using low-sulfur diesel fuels and B20 biodiesel blends in their standard buses. Additionally, a system developed by H2 Engine Systems is being tested which injects a small amount of hydrogen into the air intake of a bus running B20. According to this article, drivers can feel the difference in performance when the hydrogen is being pumped in and when it's not. On a side note, isn't it kind of funny to think of a bus lapping a test track at relatively high speed? Anyway, the city has also installed a biodiesel filling station near where the buses are kept and the University of Toledo is assisting with the testing. I'll be sure to be on the lookout for the funny-colored buses running around town.
[Source: TARTA]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Scott 10:57AM (7/02/2008)
Why do we not have b100 available to the public yet here in toledo? I would love to run it, it should be 1/2 the price of current ulsd, 60% less emissions, and still provide proper lubricity for my older powerstroke ....
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Tony 1:23AM (7/19/2009)
I'm also from Toledo and as everyone who lives in the area knows that Toledo is hurting for money, as well as others city's in the country. So here is my idea if the president wants to green and create jobs this would be a no brainier. Take some of that money that we haven't seen from the sim. bill and give a contact to GM, Ford and Chrysler to build public buses that run on eletric batteries and solar panels. They already have cars that can go 90 mph and go without recharging for 100 miles. Now most buses don't drive for then a 100 miles but if they did that's what the solar panels would be for they would be continulys recharge the batteries which would mean longer trips. So not only would you create jobs for the atuo companies which would put people back to work but the city's that use these bus would save millions of dollar on the gas that they wouldn't need. Plus we would cut down on the Co2 that each bus now puts in the air. Everyone says that green jobs are a joke they are if just like everything else are done wasteful but if you do it right and correctly they can prove the jobs and savings that we want.
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A.Brien 7:57PM (9/20/2007)
I think that if they inject some hydrogen with a direct injector placed inside the cylinder head instead of the air intake track they can inject more of it. i'll like to have hydrogen injection on my car . I looked for a kit here in canada but didn't find one.
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Dave 11:33PM (9/20/2007)
I'm a Toledo resident and go to UT, so I also see the TARTA buses ALL the time. I haven't seen one like the one pictured, but I'm excited to hear that their trying new technologies. God know Toledo needs it.
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David 7:21AM (9/21/2007)
I was a bus driver for UT for 4 years as a student. We ran a biodiesel blend for 3 of those 4 years. The exact number slips my mind, but I want to say it was B100 or B200 or the like.
The biggest thing I remember is that the fuel smelled really bad when pumping.
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