Truly Alternative Fuel Buses

I recently came across two kinds of buses that truly use alternative energy sources.

(Photo: fta.dot.gov)

The first one was tipped to me by a friend who administers transit programs. CALSTART will soon roll out the first fuel-cell, full-size transit bus in the U.S., in partnership with the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), bus manufacturer New Flyer, and several other vendors. Officials refer to this accomplishment as a 'major milestone.' Typical bus usage may exceed 500 miles a day. CALSTART promotes and commercializes clean transportation technologies.

(Photo: Wessex Water)

The second kind of buses was relayed by Engadget. This bus built in the U.K. converts the energy contained in human waste into mechanical energy, by means of 'anaerobic digestion' that produces methane. The bus can travel up to 180 miles/300 km. The bus is built by Scania and get its biomethane from a biowaste plant near Bristol. Engadget also has a video that explains how this bus works.

In conclusion, there are always sparks of innovation in the energy and transit industries. Let's see how soon we may get to enjoy them!

Fw: What It Would Really Take to Reverse Climate Change

Via IEEE Spectrum

Image: Alfred Palmer - Library of Congress

At the current technology and policy progress rate, it will too late to reverse human-made climate change. At least that is the conclusion of this very interesting article from IEEE Spectrum Magazine. Read more how the authors are taking a retrospective on an aborted Google project that aimed at delivering technology to curtail carbon emissions. They say that despite carbon cutting measures, continued use of fossil fuel will cause CO2 levels (and temperatures) to rise for the foreseeable future.

MPG Tracker is back and Fuel Drop

Announcing the return of my MPG tracker on the side pane of this page!! My old website featured an MPG tracker showing my car's MPG along with the price I paid for gas. I left it out when I switched to Blogger. It is back and up to date now with three years of consumption.

Not as dramatic, you can also see the price of fuel sharply declining in recent weeks - from $3.70/gal to $2.99/gal and less (read more about it here for example).

Fw: Three Interviews on Utility Analytics

Via greentechmedia.com

At this page, you will find videos of executives at three competing companies explaining their vision on utility analytics during the SoftGrid conference:

• Landis+Gyr's Soorya Kuloor (former GRIDiant CTO)
• Space Time Insight's Steve Ehrlich (VP Marketing)
• TempoIQ's John Cronk CEO

It just happens that greentechmedia.com placed links to these videos on the same page.
Disclosure: I am now an employee of Landis+Gyr INC.

[Update: Funded!] Trick Out My Trip with TimelyTrip (Crowdfunding Bus Stop Signs)

Like the TimelyTrip project at facebook.com/timelytrip and ioby.org/project/timelytrip

Note: This post has also been published at saportareport.com/leadership/transit

It just started one night on my way back from Atlanta's Music Midtown event. 10th Street was closed to traffic, and MARTA posted plastic holders at three bus stops with a sheet inside telling riders about bus deviations. The plastic holders were not removed immediately after the street was reopened, so that was my opportunity to try something bold. In startups, this would be the minimum viable product (MVP).

I created a timetable, with QR code access to real-time arrivals, and placed it in the plastic holder, and voilà, here is my first TimelyTrip sign! Also, I created a Facebook page and posted a picture of the feat.

(Picture credit IOBY/Transit Center)

TimelyTrip signs address very simple issues. With signs that just say "MARTA Bus Stop", most stops lack the most basic information: destinations, route numbers, and not least, time. Buses remain a mystery for most without that basic information obviously displayed.

Around the same time, MARTA and IOBY announced "Trick Out My Trip", a citizen-driven, crowdfunded bus stop improvement challenge. I submitted the concept to IOBY, and to my surprise, they accepted it! Initial contact with MARTA has also been very encouraging.

So, this week (Oct. 20-23), I am fundraising to expand TimelyTrip signs to around 20 popular intersections (see map below). My budget is modest and is around $530 (Well, that's $10+ per bus stop). IOBY will do a one-day public challenge on October 23 (Thursday) and donation links will be provided then. IOBY will also match donations. Pending funding availability, implementation is slated for mid November (final IOBY completion date is Nov. 25 - just before Thanksgiving).

Unlike timetables found at MARTA shelters and CCT stops that show departure times at a few "timepoints" along each bus route, TimelyTrip introduces two key useful improvements:

• Combined timetables by destination for a particular stop.
• Guessing arrival times at a stop between time points is no longer necessary.
• If multiple routes have the same final destination, no need to consult multiple timetables. All departure times are combined into a single sheet.
• QR codes for smartphone users to access real-time arrivals for a particular stop.
• Real-time arrivals complement timetables.
• It is typically faster and fewer actions are needed to access real-time arrivals using the QR code than via a smartphone app. 

Of course, one different TimelyTrip sign has to be printed for each bus stop.

Updates will be posted to the TimelyTrip Facebook page.  Crowdsourcing of bus stop signage has been tried in Brasil, and volunteers have set up ad-hoc city signage around the U.S., so why not combine those two initiatives here?

In conclusion, I am excited to see how fundraising goes and look forward to posting TimelyTrip signs around Atlanta, and hopefully this will help make MARTA buses easier to discover!

Fw: These stunning driverless trains are the future of London's Tube network

Via Engadget, PriestmanGoode

The London Underground trains are getting a makeover! Engadget has the story, and it looks like design firm PriestmanGoode has some nice tricks under its belt. I'm embedding their YouTube concept video below, enjoy.

IEEE Electrification Magazine

The IEEE Electrification Magazine fits perfectly at the crossroads of electric power and transportation. It contains technical content that bridge both energy and transportation. How good does that feel to read that sitting on the train on the way home?

 
If you are an IEEE member, you might have received an email link for a complimentary copy of the September 2014 issue, which features:

• Power-Quality Improvement in AC Railway Substations - The concept of chopper-controlled impedance.
• A Catenary-Free Electrification for Urban Transport - An overview of the tramwave system.
• Stray-Current Corrosion and Mitigation - A synopsis of the technical methods used in dc transit systems.
• Riding the Rails to DC Power Efficiency - Energy efficiency in dc-electrified metropolitan railways.
• Energy Harvesting for the Electrification of Railway Stations - Getting a charge from the regenerative braking of trains.
• Railway Electrical Smart Grids - An introduction to next-generation railway power systems and their operation.

These topics are not that new to be honest. Metros had regenerative braking since the 1980s, and some cities have been operating streetcars without overhead catenaries. Nonetheless, the time is right to talk about these topics again as cities and countries embrace rail transport, or are about to upgrade existing equipment.  

If you are not an IEEE member, you may still read the first issue of the magazine at this location.

First Self-Powered Atlanta Streetcar Test

The Atlanta Streetcar is currently undergoing tests before it can begin passenger service later this year. For the first time, late night on October 1st, a train set went out at 5 mph under its own power along the 2.7-mile tracks between the MLK Center and Centennial Park.

Doors opened at all stops along the route. The crew could be seen measuring gaps between train and platform. Rods were also mounted to ensure proper clearance between vehicle and surrounding infrastructure.

Here is a summary of recent tests:

• August 15: vehicle towed on the tracks (first "dynamic" test). 
• October 1: first self-powered test.

More tests, on the electric power side, are scheduled, according to the Atlanta Streetcar Facebook page:

• October 6: speed ramps (electric power required for one train accelerating to 25 mph).
• October 9: full load conditions (electric power required to move three trains loaded with 28,000 lbs bags at 25 mph full speed).