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TTC’s Green Bus Program: Final Results of TTC’s Head-to-Head eBus Evaluation (For Action)​

See report at this link.

It is recommended that the TTC Board:
1. Receive for information the results of the TTC’s eBus Head-to-Head Evaluation as outlined in this report; and
2. Delegate authority to the TTC Chief Executive Officer to:
a. Enter into contribution agreement(s), where required, with government partners to receive any net new funding / financing for the TTC’s Green Bus program; and
b. Subject to commitment of matching funds from provincial and/or federal government partners, amend existing and pending contract(s) to increase the eBus procurement quantity and associated infrastructure works in proportion to the additional funds committed.

Implementation Points
The TTC’s Green Bus Program identifies a procurement strategy to transition the fleet to become zero-emissions by 2037, three years ahead of the City’s Net Zero target of 2040 and three years ahead of the international target set through C40’s Fossil-Fuel-Free Streets Declaration.
When the entire fleet is zero-emissions, the following benefits are expected to be realized:
1. Greenhouse gas emissions will be reduced by approximately 250,000 tonnes of CO2 annually;
2. Diesel emissions will be eliminated from bus operations thereby improving local air quality for employees, customers, and the public;
3. Vehicle reliability and availability will have increased by an estimated 25%; and
4. Total life cycle cost of zero-emissions buses is estimated to be lower than any currently available fossil-fuel propulsion alternative.
On February 28, 2022, the TTC awarded the following contracts for buses to be delivered by the end of 2023.
1) Nova Bus (LFS Hybrid Platform) – 40 foot hybrid electric buses (quantity 134)
2) New Flyer (Xcelsior Hybrid Platform) – 40 foot hybrid electric buses (quantity 134)
3) New Flyer (Xcelsior Hybrid Platform) – 60 foot hybrid electric buses (quantity 68)
The TTC’s Green Bus Program includes the procurement of only zero-emission buses by 2024, with a target of having the whole fleet zero-emissions by 2040, which is aligned to the City of Toronto’s Transform TO target of zero emissions by 2040.
 
This is a cool concept that has been explored in the US. Now MTB Transit Solutions is offering a conversion service to battery-electric. The process takes about six months and is supposed to cost up to half as much as a brand new electric bus.

The bus on display was formerly a Hamilton bus built in, I believe, 2006.

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My view based on our Europe Trip with other correcting me or adding to my posting.

How many buses have been lost due to engine fires in diesel buses that have been around for decades???

I saw 4 types of charging stations that were setup at the end of routes or at the main terminal and they were all different types. They were power with either attachment dropping from the top to the bus roof or a bracket going up to the charger. There were a few others, but no idea where they charger or how or when. 5 minutes was the longest time I saw for charging.

Rome: Unknown with a small amount and the removal of the OS for trolley buses from the train station as well the routes to it. Buses are duel power and run on battery with some routes not going to the train station anymore. Was going to take a ride on the trolley bus, but never made it as I wanted to see where the OS begin/end.

Milano: Attachment comes down to the bus and only saw a few of them at different locations for 40' buses. 100% trolley buses on the OS still exist.

Zurich: Trolley buses still exist with 40' and 60' E buses of unknow charging or where.

Stockholm: Only a few buses and no idea for charging with most 60' being hybrid.

Copenhagen: Charging take place at the end of the route for all 60' buses and a fair number of 40's at the end of the route. Backet comes down from the top.

Hamburger: Small number of 40's and 60's and no idea for charging or where.

Frankfurt: Airport buses are charge unknown as well local buses that was a small number that were mainly 60's.

Amsterdam: All 60's charge from the top the top of buses at the end of the route or train station with a bracket. The bracket goes up to a V bracket like trolley buses found in Boston and SF that have duel buses.

Rotterdam: All 1400 and 1500 series 40's buses charge at the train station that I saw.

Brussels: Small amount of 40's and 60's buses that I saw and unknown how or where charge, but could be plug in.

Paris: Only saw a few buses as well hybrid with mostly still diesel of all things and unknown for charging or where.

Bulk of buses are mainly 60's with some 40's and 45's buses. Saw next to no double deck buses in cities that I saw in 2010 where DD were standard fleet buses.

While post photos and videos once I get to them since I am real back log before going away and the 5,000 I shot on the trip. Had no time to work on them this trip like I did in 2010.

Personally, TTC and other system should have charging stations at terminals in the layover area or at the stop to keep buses on route longer than deadhead to/from the garage for charging. Deadheading is costly.

The first on street charging I every saw was in Louisville KY around 2014 on the street at the end of the test route. Still exist as well a few other routes as of 2019 that are mainly 40'.
 
RFI for Accessible Battery Electric Buses

The purpose of this Request for Information (RFI) is to identify bus manufacturers who would be interested in participating in future bus procurements, testing and evaluation of paratransit BEBs as well as small conventional transit BEBs with the TTC. The project would place a small fleet of paratransit BEBs and a small fleet of small transit BEBs into scheduled service within a sufficient timeframe to allow the TTC to begin developing technical and operational experience with this technology. This experience would then allow the TTC to better prepare for a wider deployment of this technology in future years, assess the feasibility of using small conventional transit BEBs to deliver regular bus service and ultimately inform steady state procurement.

There are now a number of manufacturers who offer battery-electric minibuses and cutaways, so this seems like a good time to explore.
 
RFI for Accessible Battery Electric Buses



There are now a number of manufacturers who offer battery-electric minibuses and cutaways, so this seems like a good time to explore.
May depends on the "standards" and "regulations" that Canada allows for transit buses. There are European buses that cannot be used in Canada because of that.

How about 3 sets of doors on transit buses? However, only good on routes that have "frequent" headways, since seats would be taken away.

 
RFI for Accessible Battery Electric Buses



There are now a number of manufacturers who offer battery-electric minibuses and cutaways, so this seems like a good time to explore.
All the large manufactures of buses in NA offer ebuses today and they have + or - when comparing apples to apples. NA is way behind Europe in converting to ebuses that a large number of Europe bus systems will be 100% converted by 2025-30 wit a few hanging around to 2035 for completion.

May depends on the "standards" and "regulations" that Canada allows for transit buses. There are European buses that cannot be used in Canada because of that.

How about 3 sets of doors on transit buses? However, only good on routes that have "frequent" headways, since seats would be taken away.

The extra doors on European buses have been there since I first saw them in 2012, but you do find a system or 2 with standard doors like NA. Some systems have both types of doors in the same fleet, but the extra door is standard for most systems regardless of ridership.
 

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