Facility Planning for
Tomorrow’s Fleet
As fuel types continue to change, agencies must adapt their
facilities to support the needs of the new vehicles.
By Maile Bucher A
S THE TRANSIT INDUSTRY
expands to accommodate a
wider range of fueling and
technology options, the infrastructure
must change
as well. Each option has
different requirements
from diesel, compressed
natural gas (CNG), liquefied natural
gas (LNG) and renewable
natural gas (RNG) to the emerging
technologies of electric and
hydrogen fuel cell. An agency
must factor in the space within
their fueling facilities and yards
and determine what adaptions
need to be made to their maintenance
departments for safety
and operation.
From Diesel to CNG
Rick Mendoza, director facility
modifi cation services at Clean Energy,
explained that agencies need
further discussion on the choice to
update, construct or modify current
infrastructure when housing
alternative fuels as opposed to current
petroleum fuels.
Mendoza said, “We also let
them know the practicality of
those components and how to
implement them on a cost-savings
basis. Th ere is a tendency because
of the lack of knowledge in the
industry, if they go directly to an
engineering fi rm and ask them to
modify their shop ,there is the tendency
for that engineering fi rm to
overdesign. We really go in there
and use their existing infrastructure
and reduce costs and give
them a safe and reliable system.”
Clean Energy has a FIT service
program: a facility testing and inspection
program. Mendoza said
the manufacturers of the equipment
like agencies to go out there
30 | Mass Transit | MassTransitmag.com | JULY/AUGUST 2018
and inspect it every six months
and provide recalibration of the
gas centers, so they provide periodic
maintenance and do a full
functional test. If a gas plume is
detected, you turn on exhaust fans
and roll up garage doors to let air
fl ow in. Th e full function of the
system also includes alarms. Th e
program detects, distracts, dilutes
and notifi es the staff . Mendoza
stressed, “We don’t see enough of
that happening in the industry.”
“What I say is that we have seen
a material amount of transit fl eets
move toward compressed natural
gas for fueling infrastructure in
the last ten years. As we continue
to see that, Trillum has had recent
opportunities to convert facilities,”
said Bill Cashmareck, managing director
for Trillium.
Cashmareck said that agencies
need to take on the perspective
that one size doesn’t fi t all.
Cashmareck explained that
Trillium worked to implement
fueling infrastructure for VIA.
“If you look at VIA who is fueling
hundreds of buses at one depot,
that takes a higher investment in
infrastructure. We would customize
the infrastructure to fi t their
needs to make sure that they are
using their funds appropriately
and responsibility.”
Encompassing
electric vehicles
The San Joaquin Regional Transportation
District (RTD) was
awarded a pilot program with
Pacific Gas and Electric Company
(PG&E) to study the agency’s
Regional Transportation Center
in east Stockton to handle the installation
of depot chargers and
infrastructure.
This is the second time RTD
is venturing into electric vehicles.
RTD debuted the first electric
bus rapid transit (BRT) route
in 2017 as part of a pilot program
with Proterra.
WHEN
CONSIDERING
facilities,
safety must
be taken into
account; proper
ventilation
systems are
necessary.
IN 2017, San Joaquin RTD
revamped its maintenance
facility as part of a pilot with
Proterra.
RTD
Clean Energy
/MassTransitmag.com