Selected Citation

8061

Design Guidelines for Bus Transit Systems Using Electric and Hybrid Electric Propulsion as an Alternative Fuel

U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Transit Administration, Washington, D.C.

03/01/2003

March 2003

1

REPORT

U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Transit Administration, Washington, D.C.

At present, there are no available comprehensive facility guidelines to assist transit agencies contemplating converting from diesel to electric of hybrid electric propulsion. This document addresses that need. This guidelines document presents various facility and bus design issues that need to be considered to ensure safe operations when using electric or hybrid electric propulsion. Fueling facility, garaging facility, maintenance facility requirements and safety practices are indicated. Among the issues discussed are electric storage device properties, potential hazards, requirements for specified level of service, and applicable codes and standards. Critical fuel related safety issues in the design of the related systems on the bus are also discussed. A system safety assessment and hazard resolution process is also presented. This approach may be used to select design strategies which are economical, yet ensure a specified level of safety. This report forms part of a series of published by the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Transit Administration DOT/FTA on the safe use of alternative fuels. Documents similar to this one in content have been published for CNG, Hydrogen, LPG, LNG, and Methanol/Ethanol.

DOT-FTA-MA-26-7071-03-1

This document is posted on the U.S. Department of Transportation's FTA Safety and Security Website at: http://transit-safety.volpe.dot.gov/Publications/cleanair/DesignGuidelines/HTML/DesignGuidelines.htm

N - Not copyrighted,

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