City of Ashland Review of current purchasing practices Pros and - PDF document

City of Ashland Fleet • Overview of our city fleet City of Ashland • Review of current purchasing practices • Pros and cons of alternative technologies Fleet • Our potential use of these technologies • Options for future purchasing strategies City of Ashland - Fleet City of Ashland - Fleet • Large fleet for a city of this size • 129 Vehicle in service – Three departments other cities this size do – 60 Light duty vehicles not usually operate – 46 Heavy duty/ Specialized vehicles • Electric Department – 23 Heavy equipment • Fire Department- Ambulance service • AFN Light Duty Vehicles Heavy Duty / Special Use Vehicles • 60 Vehicles in this class • 46 of these vehicles in operation – 52 Gas Powered – 29 Diesel Powered • Including 4 hybrids – 17 Gas Powered – 7 Diesel Powered – 1 Natural Gas 1

Heavy Equipment Vehicle Replacement • 23 Units • Vehicle use – 15 Diesel powered • Efficiency and safety – 5 Gas Powered – Job efficiency – 2 Electric Powered – Fuel economy – 1 Propane Powered – Correct vehicle size for the application • Cost Vehicle Use • Department using the vehicle – Intended use – What type of loads will it carry, and how much do the loads weigh – How many people will the vehicle need to carry – Will the vehicle be used in more than one application Efficiency & Safety Vehicle Size • Adequate breaking for typical terrain • In a heavy duty application, larger vehicles will do the job more efficiently • Correct engine size for expected load • Correct weight carrying capacity for anticipated application • Vehicle size vs. application – Go smaller whenever possible – Can a smaller vehicle safely do the required tasks – Will a smaller vehicle be overworked 2

Why We Use 1-Ton Trucks • Needed for weight carrying capacity • Used for trailer towing • Used in specialty applications – Small dump trucks – Ambulances – Snow plow/sanders – Brush fire fighting units – Sewer rodding/cleaning – Electric department bucket truck Future 2 yard dump truck 3

Vehicle Cost Light Duty Vehicles • Alternative technologies available in this • Is the replacement vehicle available on a class include- state contract? – Hybrids • Will added cost for alternative – Biodiesel technologies be offset by fuel savings? – Natural Gas • What is the priority, cost or “green”? – Electric – Ethanol (Dual fuel or E-85) – Diesel particulate filters – Diesel oxidation catalysts Heavy Equipment Heavy Duty / Special Use Vehicles • Alternative technologies available in this • Alternative technologies available in this class include- class include- – Biodiesel – Biodiesel – Diesel particulate filters – Diesel particulate filters – Diesel oxidation catalysts – Diesel oxidation catalysts Alternative Technology – Alternative Technologies - Hybrids Natural Gas • Cons • Pros • Pros • Cons – Limited models available – Improved fuel – Very large fuel tanks – Reduced emissions reduce cargo economy – Significantly more – Operation very capacity expensive than a non- similar to a – Reduced emissions – Very few models standard vehicle hybrid equivalent – Similar to standard available – Maintenance very – Only available in light vehicles in range and – Still relies on non- similar to standard duty and smaller vehicles renewable fuel operation vehicles – Only two fueling – Expensive battery that stations in Jackson has a life expectancy of 7 County to 8 years • Butler Ford • Battery cost $7,000 • RVTD 4

Alternative Technologies – Alternative Technologies- Flex Fuel Electric Vehicles (Ethanol – Unleaded) • Pros • Cons • Pros • Cons – Reduced emissions – Limited number of models – Zero emissions – Limited range of 40 available miles per charge – Can be used with – Low operating cost either Ethanol or – Reduced power, E85 has – Limited speed of 40 Unleaded roughly 75% the power of MPH maximum unleaded – Similar operation – Currently, only one and maintenance – Of the 171,000 fuel stations manufacturer offering as standard in the US, less than 1,000 all electric vehicles in offer Ethanol vehicles the USA – Ethanol currently available at – Very small and not only two stations in Oregon crash tested • Eugene and Portland Alternative Technology- Biodiesel Alternative Technology- Biodiesel • For this discussion, the Biodiesel being • Pros discussed will be the commercially – Reduced CO 2 , Co, HC, and Particulate Matter available soy based product. • The atmosphere net gain of CO 2 is zero as the • Although many types of Biodiesel can be plant matter used to produce the fuel absorbs as much CO 2 as the fuel releases as it burns produced, the soy based product will most suit our needs. – Made in the USA – Most vehicles that can run on Diesel, will run • This is the only type available in large on Biodiesel quantities, and the soy based product is thoroughly tested and meets the most stringent quality control standards. Alternative Technology- Biodiesel Alternative Technology- Biodiesel • A special consideration is that the city operates only • Cons one fueling station – Will void engine warranty if used at a higher concentration than 5% Biodiesel 95% conventional • If we switch those tanks to Biodiesel, all City vehicles Diesel will have to operate on Biodiesel – Slight increased NOx emissions • Or develop a new fuel • One of the leading contributor to visible smog point – Cold weather gelling – Reduced power as compared to conventional Diesel • Or continue to use the – Poor storage due to bacterial growth Grange Co-op – Can harm some engine components especially in older vehicles – Can not be used in 2007 or later vehicles or vehicles equipped with a particulate filter 5

Diesel Particulate Filters and Alternative Technology- Biodiesel Oxidation Catalysts • Installed on existing diesel fleet • Concern for the yet untested use of biodiesel under all situations in Ashland has prevented staff from recommending full implementation of the switch to Biodiesel until it has been proven in our fleet. • Staff has been unwilling to switch the emergency vehicles to Biodiesel until proven • Inline with vehicles exhaust system, will convert harmful with our use in cold emissions to non-harmful emissions, and trap particulate matter weather and with our • Particulate matter can then be cleaned from the filter and terrain. disposed of in a less harmful manner Alternative Technology- Diesel Our use of Biodiesel Particulate Filters- Oxidation Catalysts • We have received a CMAQ grant from • Options ODOT to install these components on our – Stay with conventional diesel fuel use. existing Diesel equipment. – Monitor manufacturer recommendations and use • These filters and converters are concentrations that will not void vehicle warranties. completely passive and will reduce the – Use biodiesel in our entire fleet, and be willing to emissions from 10 to 70% depending on pay for any warranty issue attributed to that fuel. the application and the filter used. Engine cost in some of our vehicles can be as high • This retrofit will take place during the as $30,000. 2008-09 fiscal year. (CIP FY09) – Fuel our out-of-warranty fleet at the Grange Co-op. Heavy Truck Emissions Standards Heavy Truck Emissions Standards • Emissions of large trucks largely unregulated until 1988 • A general rule for vehicle emissions is the • The emissions standards were very minimal until 2001 newer the vehicle, the stricter the • The emissions standards have now become very stringent emissions standards that vehicle must • Particulate matter as of January 1, 2007 is less than 2% meet. of what was allowed in 1988 • 2007 and later heavy trucks will be factory equipped with particulate filters and oxidation catalysts The new emissions laws will • NOx emissions now less than 2% of 1988 prevent any truck built after 2004 from polluting like this. • Emissions standards become even more strict January 1, 2010 6