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The
London Green Directory! |
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| Transportation |
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In
our busy, largely suburban city, the automobile
has become the primary means of transportation.
To improve our local air quality and contribute
towards a sustainable climate, we need to reduce
our dependence on cars.
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What
are the numbers nationally?
Stats Canada tells us:
On average, 20.1 million road motor vehicles
were registered in Canada in 2006. Of these,
18.7 million (93%) were passenger cars and light
vehicles such as pickup trucks and minivans.
The remainder consisting of 80,000 buses, 485,000
motorcycles and mopeds, and just under 761,000
truck tractors and trucks (weighing at least
4,500 kilograms). In addition, 5 million trailers
and 1.7 million off-road, construction and farm
vehicles were registered.
326 billion kilometres were logged in 2006,
a 3% increase from 2005, the highest annual
amount ever recorded. The average number of
kilometres driven per vehicle of 17,009 kilometres
in 2006 has declined since 2000’s survey,
when the average was 17,958. This is because
the number of vehicles increased 11% since
the survey began.
Light vehicles, which weigh less than 4.5
tonnes and include all cars, sport-utility
vehicles, minivans and pickup trucks, were
driven more than 296 billion kilometres, an
average of 16,015 kilometres per vehicle,
or 44 kilometres per day, during 2006.
Trucks (4.5 tonnes and over) were driven more
than 29 billion kilometres (an average of
45,012 kilometres per vehicle) in 2006. Drivers
aged 65 and older spend more time behind the
wheel accounting for a 13% share of all kilometres
driven in the provinces during 2006, compared
with a 9% share in 2001.
Vehicle fuel efficiency has improved over
the last few years, as all vehicles driven
consumed approximately 12.7L/100km in 2006
compared to 13.0L/100km in 2004. For light
vehicles using gasoline, fuel efficiency improved
from 11.1L/100km in 2004 to 10.8L/100km in
2006, a 3% improvement.
Locally?
2007 estimates from the Financial Post’s
Markets - Canadian Demographics 2007 data
show 255,811 adults (London Census Metropolitan
Area) are in the labour force and 129,370
are not representing half the labour force.
266,115 vehicles were on the road as of 2004
with an increase of 25,978 new vehicle registrations
in 2005, an increase of 10%.
What are the trends nationally involving
our dependency on vehicles?
Stats Canada states in 2006:
57% who work outside the home drive to
their jobs in the warmer months, with numbers
rising to 65% as
temperatures fall.
More than 10% of households had three or
more vehicles.There is more transit use
in bigger centres, but driving is still the
dominant form of commuting. Time seems to
be
a factor; almost two-thirds of transit
users spent 30 minutes or more to get to work,
while only a quarter of drivers
took that
long. About 83 per cent of households had
at least one vehicle. About three in five
households drove 20,000 kilometres or less
a year. - One in eight drove more than 40,000
kilometres.
Locally?
Overall number of daily trips
taken per person by Londoners (over age 11)
is 2.85.
Travel in London remains auto dominated.
On an average day in the PM Peak Hour the
per centage of trips take
by Auto Driver is
75.3% and 8.3% by Auto Passenger. Vehicle
use has increased and use of transit, cycling
and
walking has decreased when
comparing similar household travel surveys
conducted in 1987 and 2002.
Auto occupancy, which indicates the amount
of ride sharing in London, is very low at
only 1.1 persons per auto
in the PM Peak Hour, and
1.13 daily; and
Average trip distance in London for home-based
work trips is 12.2 km.
What are the true costs of having
a vehicle?
Traffic injuries and fatalities involving
other vehicles, lost wages, health care costs,
accidents with cyclists, financial costs of
running, maintaining and repairing a vehicle,
healthy living considerations of walking or
biking vs driving, policing, highway construction,
road safety, subsidies to auto and oil industries,
loss of farmland, plant damage from ground
level ozone, traffic congestion, quality of
life issues, energy and materials needed to
manufacture a vehicle and associated costs
of parking lots and disposal of tires and
vehicles are all major expenses in supporting
vehicle use. Of more recent interest is the
suburbanization of the workplace, in turn,
placing stresses on urban infrastructure,
increasing travel time with significant increases
in traffic through downtown areas as well
as increased demand from public transit systems.
Air quality impacts – 1L of gasoline
produces 93.4 g of carbon monoxide, 14 gm
of volatile organic compounds and 12.8 gm
nitrous oxides so its influence is compounded
when thousands of litres of fuel are reflected.
Other products in the air as a result of burning
fossil fuels include sulphur dioxide, hydro-carbons,
road surface, tire and brake abrasion substances
as well as oil, cadmium, chrome, lead, copper
and zinc. Particulate is relatively insensitive
to temperature. The US EPA has found winter
and summer emissions factors to be the same,
therefore, particulate becomes a health issue
year round.
Fossil fuel impacts - Oil consumption is
massive (37% of total world energy consumed,
and much higher in the transportation sector)
along with an infrastructure for the distribution
and consumption of oil that is not readily
adaptable to other energy sources needed given
expected peak declines in oil and natural
gas production already evident.
Canada, in the interim, produces more oil
than needed, however, commitments to other
nations limit the ability to use this oil
for ourselves. The North American Free Trade
Agreement prohibits Canada from implementing
any restriction on the percentage shipped
to the U.S. so that we compete with U.S. users
on the open market for “our” energy.
Also, the International Energy Agency requires
Canada to help other nations by shipping oil
to them in the event of a significant shortage.
Federal
Transport
Canada, Infrastructure
Canada, the Canadian
Transportation Agency, the Transportation
Appeal Tribunal of Canada, and 16
Crown Corporations are part of a larger
Transport, Infrastructure and Communities
(TIC) portfolio. Together, they contribute
to rural and urban infrastructure, and make
sure that our roads, bridges, railroads, ports
and airports are well-placed, well-built,
well-kept, safe and secure. Their work supports
the economy, the environment and the health
of Canada's communities.
Transport
Canada (TC) develops and implements programs
and policies to protect the natural environment
and to achieve a more sustainable transportation
system in Canada.
Like other federal departments, it is required
to prepare a sustainable development strategy
every three years. To date, the department
has tabled four strategies. The most recent
strategy ‘2007-2009’, tabled
in December 2006, focuses on three themes
at the heart of sustainable transportation:
urban, freight and marine transportation.
A recent TC study, ‘The
Cost of Urban Congestion in Canada’
is the first systematic analysis of the cost
of urban traffic congestion for Canada’s
nine largest urban areas. With London being
the 10th largest urban centre, this study
obviously influences any existing congestion
occurring daily because demand exceeds capacity
to move people.
Their ecoTRANSPORT
programs include: helping municipalities
reduce emissions by increasing transit ridership
and other sustainable transportation options,
purchasing and testing advanced technologies
and showcasing them across Canada, reducing
health and environmental effects of freight
transportation and helping commercial fleet
operations reduce fuel costs and emissions
through information, workshops and trainings.
Their new ecoAUTO
program encourages Canadians to buy more
fuel-efficient vehicles by offering rebates
of $1,000 - $2,000 towards new purchases that
meet required criteria.
Natural Resources Canada’s Office of
Energy Efficiency provides extensive information
to consumers to purchase new vehicles and
on personal
vehicle usage including:
annual EnerGuide
awards for the most fuel-efficient vehicles
for current model year and an EnerGuide
label for Vehicles on new vehicles since
January 1999 with city and highway fuel
consumption ratings and estimated annual
vehicle fuel costs. If a vehicle has no
label, download a PDF version or ask the
dealer for a copy or to show you the fuel
consumption ratings for a vehicle in the
Fuel Consumption Guide, or ask for the manufacturer's
approved fuel consumption rating for the
vehicle
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Provincial
The Ministry of Transportation, through promoting,
managing and maintaining Ontario’s multi-modal
transportation system, supports the delivery
of key Ontario government priorities of building
a strong economy including job growth and economic
competitiveness and stronger, safer communities
through four priority areas:
a) Improving public transit by expanding services,
reducing congestion and increasing ridership
b) delivering trade corridor and border infrastructure
improvements to ensure the efficient movement
of people and goods
at international gateways
c) promoting road safety in order to remain
among the safest jurisdictions in North America
through education, legislation
and regulation and making personal travel safe,
and
d) improving Ontario’s highway, road and
bridge infrastructure through strategic investments,
as well as local transportation
infrastructure throughout the province
In August of 2007, three initiatives
to encourage commuter and businesses to reduce
greenhouses gases as part of the province’s
climate change plan were announced:
a) proposed stakeholder consultations with
vehicle manufacturers and environmental groups
to develop a green vehicle
program to rate cars, light trucks and commercial
vehicles with incentives to encourage people
to buy green vehicles
b) an investment of $15 million over four
years for a pilot to help businesses convert
to more environmentally-friendly
technologies, such as hybrid power to spur
investment and help
make medium-duty hybrid trucks more affordable
c) an increase in use of cleaner fuel in its
own fleet by installing two new ethanol fuelling
stations in the province, that
could also be made available to other users,
such as municipal fleets once operational
The Ministry
also proposes additional funding support for
municipal programs and investment to develop
clean cars, fuels and other technologies to
balance investments in highways and transit
resulting in less congestion, reduced smog
and emissions.
In Ontario, there are approximately
10.1 million registered vehicles (including
passenger vehicles, motorcycles, mopeds, commercial
vehicles, buses, trailers, snow vehicles and
off road vehicles), 8.7 million drivers and
approximately 85,000 bus and truck companies
actively operating on our highways. 237,755
trucks, 29,932 buses and 553,572 commercially
licensed bus and truck drivers are registered
in Ontario. Thousands more operate into Ontario
from other jurisdictions.
More than 90 per cent of all
Ontarians reside within 10 km of the provincial
highways. During the peak periods, about one
third of auto trips in Ontario use provincial
highways. On a typical day, 16,200 driver's
licences are issued (including renewals).
There are 16,525 kilometres
of provincial highway. Placed end to end,
Ontario’s highways would span Canada
twice.
Source: Ministry of Transportation, Ontario
Systems planning
If we reshape the spaces in which cars operate
and revisit the ways we pay for the privilege
of driving, we go a long way toward fixing
the problems. Well planned cities focus on
moving people and goods rather than vehicles.
Movement in cities is not an end in itself.
We travel to reach people, our jobs, goods
and services. In more populated cities, public
transport saves valuable space and energy
compared to private transport and is given
priority on the road. The healthiest and most
sustainable modes of transport are, of course,
walking and cycling.
Source: Sustainable Transport Action Network
(SUSTRAN), May 1996.
Sustainable transportation systems
plan for our future by:
- Providing basic access needs for individuals
safely and in a manner consistent with human
and ecosystem health and planned
for future generations
- Being affordable, operating efficiently,
offering mode choices, and supporting the
economy
- Limiting emissions and waste within the
planet's ability to absorb this pollution,
minimizing consumption of
non-renewable resources to a sustainable
yield level, reusing and recycling the system’s
components, and minimizing land
use and noise pollution.
It costs anywhere
from $900,000 to $2,000,000 per kilometre
plus the cost of the land to build our major
city streets.
London’s
Transportation Picture
TREA volunteers are pleased to contribute
to sustainable transportation through their
yearly Bicycle Festival and Commuter Challenge,
the first week of June. Events include bicycle
safety and maintenance, bike checkups, information
sessions, tours and commuting options with
partners including walks and hikes. The Commuter
Challenge is a friendly competition between
Canadian communities to encourage more involvement
with sustainable and/or active commuting and
travel. Those walking, jogging, cycling, in-line
skating, taking the bus, carpooling or teleworking
are encouraged to register on TREA’s
website for prizes. Data is then submitted
to the national challenge organizers.
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| Automobile
Used Parts |
Check "Automotive
Wrecking and Recycling" in Yellow Pages |
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Car
Heaven
1-888-731-7311 |
Donate your
old car and receive a free tow, charitable
tax receipt, and a chance to win prizes. |
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Champion
Bicycle Sales and Service
592 Adelaide Street, London
Ontario, Canada
519-679-1266 |
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Cyclepath
737 Richmond Street, London
Ontario, Canada
519-432-2208 |
“We do bikes” |
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Cycles London
205 Oxford Street, London, Ontario, Canada
519- 936-1180 |
Bicycle sales for virtually all types riders.
http://www.cycleslondon.ca |
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First
Cycleworks
525 First Street, London
Ontario, Canada
519-455-9124 |
New and used
bicycles, rentals, parts, and accessories.
London’s largest NORCO dealer.
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Herm's
Sport Exchange
820 Wharncliffe Road, London
Ontario, Canada
519-649-0600 |
New & used
bicycles and rentals available. |
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Hi-tech
Auto Care
123 Falcon Street, London
Ontario, Canada
519-453-2601
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Propane and
natural gas conversions. |
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London
Transit Commission
450 Highbury Avenue N, London
Ontario, Canada
519-451-1347 |
Scheduling
information.
http://www.ltconline.ca/ |
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Missing
Link Cycle and Ski
1283 Commissioners Rd
London
519-641-5056 |
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Petro
Canada
1331 Dundas Street E at Highbury
London
519-455-3272 |
Natural gas. |
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Propane
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See "Propane
Gas" in Yellow Pages. |
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Racer
Sportif
353 Clarence Street
London
519-434-5652 |
“The Spirit
of Cycling” |
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Retire Your Ride
1-877-773-1996 |
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Shaw
Auto Recyclers
Pension Lane at Clarke Road
London
519-455-1200 |
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South
London Cycle
479 McGregor Avenue
London
519-433-4275 |
Specializing
in bicycle repairs, parts and accessories
since 1979. |
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Sunoco
- Natural Gas
99 Commissioners Rd/ Wharncliffe
519-679-9040 |
1253 Wellington
Road at Hwy #401
519-681-2860
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To
Wheels
134 Dundas Street
519-663-9447 |
“The place
to buy a bike is To Wheels”
Bicycles, repairs, accessories, and clothing
available. |
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Village Cycle
344 Ridout South London, On.
519- 672-1200 |
“Our focus is on cycling as a way of life and not just a sport.”
Bicycle Sales and Service |
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- All City vehicles use
ethanol-blended gasoline or low-sulphur diesel
fuel
- The City has added 9 gasoline-electric hybrid
vehicles and 2 Smart Cars to its vehicle fleet
- Traffic signal lights have been converted
to use light-emitting diodes (LEDs), which
use 85% less electricity than old-fashioned
light bulbs.
Source - City of London
The City’s Long Term Transportation
Corridor Study (2001) was prepared to identify
and protect roadway corridors in planning
long term needs. London’s
Transportation Master Plan (2004) was
then developed and implemented as policy to
identify strategic solutions to roadway needs
forecasted over the next 20-25 years as well
as a Transportation Management strategy. The
Master Plan’s target is to reduce single
occupancy vehicle use by 15% for 2024. The
goal being to reduce roadway enhancement work
projects costing millions of dollars and improve
transportation options given a projected increase
in population of 84,000 additional residents
by year 2024, resulting in a 21% increase
to 437,100 residents including post-secondary
students. Employment is forecasted to grow
by 24%, or 38,000 jobs to 217,000 jobs by
2024. Of these jobs, 2,000 are forecast as
telecommuting jobs from home based on Census
Canada data.
To support the Master Plan, a public attitude
survey was conducted on preferences and issues
which included the following:
| Transportation System Issues
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Importance Response Rate |
| Need to move people safely and conveniently
within the City |
89.8% |
| Need to reduce greenhouse
gas emissions and improve air quality |
79% |
| Ability of city roads to support local
jobs and businesses |
74.7% |
| Impact of road construction on natural
areas such as wetlands and woodlots |
61.6% |
| Cost to citizens as taxpayers to provide
the road system |
60.4% |
| Need to reduce the demand for auto travel
during peak periods |
60% |
| Impact of road construction on value
of private property |
55.2% |
What does the 15% reduction
target mean?
If everyone were to use another mode of travel
to get to work and back at least one day per
week, ie taking the bus in the winter and
riding a bicycle in the summer and fall, we
would reach our target tomorrow.
Two alternative strategies
recommended toward forecasted needs for 2024
were:
1. Capacity enhancement - where travel characteristics
and mode shares are maintained at current
levels over 20 years and needs are addressed
through increased roadway network capacity,
ie road widenings, extensions and new roads
where required; and
2. Transportation Demand Management (TDM)
opportunities involving measures and programs
designed to reduce the number of trips made
by single occupancy vehicles (SOV) during
peak travel periods through demand reduction
and demand shifting
During AM peak hour travel, CO2 emissions
are expected to increase locally from 140,570
kg in 2002, to a maximum of 200,000 kg by
2024. TDM strategies have the best potential
to reduce this level mainly through reduced
trip-making. Conversely, increased capacity
enhancement is expected to increase emissions
to the largest degree. Fuel consumption during
AM peak hour travel is expected to increase
from 57,850 litres in 2002, to between 79,990
and 81,210 litres in 2024.
One busload of passengers takes 40 vehicles
off the road during rush hour, saves 70,000
litres of fuel and avoids more than 175 tonnes
of greenhouse gas emissions a year. Carpooling
with one other person immediately halves the
emissions for that trip. On average, a carpool
saves 2,000 litres of gasoline a year.
Source: Pollution Probe, Climate Change and
Human Health, 2004.
Local TDM results are meant to encourage
actions that lead to a more efficient use
of the existing transportation system through
three strategies – mode shifts away
from single occupancy vehicles, peak hour
trip reduction and overall reduced trip-making.
TDM measures include: investment in expanded
facilities for non-motorized transportation
(ie cycling infrastructure improvements such
as worksite bike racks, bike shower/locker
facilities), workplace programs encouraging
flex hours, telecommuting, ride-share and
health and economic benefits of walking and
biking, school programs to encourage walking
and biking, TDM supportive land use policies
(ie corridor protection, density intensification
and mixed land use), management of vehicle
parking supply and cost, increased public
transit ridership (ie discounted transit passes)
and removal of barriers that keep individuals
from using alternative modes of transportation
(ie guaranteed commuter ride home programs,
bike racks on buses, marked bike lanes, cycling
skills training, shifting peak travel hours)
and incentives (ie carpooling preferential
parking).
National TDM best practices include disincentives
(tolls, parking levies or congestion pricing)
and high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes. Tolls
or lanes are not usually put into practice
in mid-sized cities nor does London experience
prolonged congested traffic conditions at
this time.
A London TDM framework was developed called
SHIFT (Solution to Help Individuals Find Transportation)
Alternatives program. It combines 3 key areas:
strategic directions to make smart travel
choices focused on parking management, modes
and infrastructure representing all travel
mode choices and the benefits of using sustainable
transportation.
Transportation Master Plan Peak Hour
Travel Mode Targets
| Mode |
1987 Actual |
2002 Actual |
2024 Target |
| Auto Driver & Passenger |
78.5% |
83.6% |
77% |
| Public Transit |
9.5% |
6.9% |
10% |
| Cycling |
1.5% |
.5% |
2% |
| Walking |
10.5% |
6.9% |
9% |
| Other |
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2.2% |
2% |
The Master Plan recommended
it be updated every 5 years, at the same time
as the Official Plan. Reviews to include household
travel surveys to update travel characteristics
and measure performance of travel mode targets
above. To sustain London’s existing
transportation system, planning decisions
should be made using service-based solutions
involving TDM, combined with capacity-based
solutions responding to current policies in
the Official Plan for a ‘Smart Growth’
approach to land use and density distribution.
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Cycling
and Walking
London’s
Bicycle Master Plan (2005) guides the City
in the development of a long term, comprehensive,
on and off-road cycling commuter network and
recreational bicycling network. The plan represents
a strategy for cycling infrastructure on matters
such as location, priority linkages, extensions
and signage. The City’s off-road multi
use trail network and road right-of-way sidewalks
serve the majority of pedestrian movement, along
with the pedestrian signal control system.
The City has published a combination
of printed
maps for recreation and commuting for
the public since 1992. A 2007 bike map is
now available at libraries, bike stores and
City Hall. The City’s
website provides access to a virtual Bicycle
and Multi-use Pathways CityMap and offers
additional information including cycling tips,
rules of the road and a link to the Ministry
of Transportation’s in-depth Cycling
Skills manual.
The City has concluded TDM is
an effective and affordable way to meet its
20 year transportation mobility and accessibility
needs. The City’s TDM coordinator can
be reached at (519) 661-2500 #5389 regarding
the above projects.
Source: City
of London Transportation Master Plan,
May 2004
Remember – Ride a
bicycle that fits you. Be visible. Wear a
helmet. Ride defensively. Lock your bicycle.
Keep your bicycle in safe operating condition.
Maintain a low center of gravity.
London Transit
London Transit Commission (LTC) is a valued
community service and a key component of a
sustainable transportation system. LTC has
been fortunate that federal and provincial
funding programs have become more accessible
of recent in supporting public transit services
including gas tax funds and one-time grants
for allocation to new buses and system enhancement
measures.
In July 2006, the federal government
implemented a “non-refundable tax credit”
for monthly (or longer term)individual transit
pass users valued at approximately $135
or two monthly passes. Pass use accounts for
58% of London Transit’s annual ridership.
The City’s transit target
of 10% by 2024 is based on 2005 ridership
requiring an increase in mode share of 54%
by 2024. Meeting this target means building
on service, operating efficiency, continued
effective fare pricing, land use planning,
public education and long term sustainable
funding to gain an increased ridership from
17,085,000 rides in 2003 to 28,100,000 rides
by 2024.
LTC
has already developed a series of linked plans
on long term transit growth (a bus rapid transit
platform in major corridors), smart bus technology
(an improved Automatic Vehicle Location and
Communication system for 2007-2008) and new
facility requirements (upgrades to the Highbury
facility, replacement within 20 years and
a second facility to accommodate an expansion
of 110 buses for 2009).
These strategies align with other
LTC initiatives, the City’s Transportation
Plan, Official Plan and Financial Plan. LTC
notes a system of policies that influence
urban structures needs a mix of land uses,
density of development, distances to transit
facilities/services, corridors/right-of-way,
pedestrian amenities and major City support
in a re-examination of existing land use and
parking policies/practices that influence
transit usage.
Parking is potentially the most
significant driver of choice for transit use,
as many aspect of parking management significantly
influence commuters’ decision-making
process when determining their mode of transportation.
Disincentives to single-occupant vehicle use
particularly during peak periods require TDM
strategies such as preferential pricing, park
and ride strategies and ‘no net gain’
parking policies for downtown areas.
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| Alternative
Transportation |
Driving
A Car - Tips for Better Fuel Economy
Tires
- Keep tires properly inflated and rotated
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Save
Your Fuel
- Avoid idling as a vehicle warms up faster
being driven, than at idle - idling for 10
seconds or more uses more fuel that restarting
the vehicle
- Watch your speed, avoid peak hour traffic,
plan your trips
- More gas is consumed in lower gear, so go
through the lower gears gently and quickly
- Reduce aerodynamic drag by removing roof
racks, snow & ice
- Use flow-through ventilation versus open
windows or air conditioners
- Remove unnecessary heavy objects from the
trunk as they waste fuel
- Avoid rapid acceleration and hard braking,
drive moderately
- Use carpooling as a way to cut costs and
share driving responsibilities
- Budget in the winter for more travelling
time and fuel usage
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Tune-ups
- Good car repair can improve fuel usage up
to 50%
- Premium oils reduce friction: fuel use can
be reduced by 6%
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Road
Surfaces
- Drive in ruts in winter so you are not pushing
snow away
- Wet snow on your car adds extra weight so
remove it
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Fuel-Saving
Options
Use carpooling as a way to cut costs and share
driving responsibilities, ask your employer
for preferred parking rates.
- Use the right grade of gasoline from your
vehicle owner’s manual
- Shop aggressively for the best
price for fuel locally
- Limit purchases when prices are high
- Don't "top off" at the pump as it
releases gas fumes into the air, which cancels
the benefits of the pump's anti-
pollution devices and make
sure your fuel fill cap is on tight and working
right
- spilled gasoline evaporates to aggravate smog
and can leak into groundwater
- Refuel during cooler periods of the day or
in the evening to prevent gas fumes from heating
up and creating
ozone - Park in the shade
in summer to keep your car cool and minimize
evaporation of fuel
- If you have a garage, use it as much as possible
to keep your car warm in winter and cool in
summer
- Use the computer and telephone/fax to replace
vehicle trips for business, shopping and services
when possible,
telecommute or arrange a teleconference
to reduce travel
- Cruise control can help most drivers save
fuel on the open road by keeping speed constant
and preventing
inadvertent speeding
- Know before you go - get travel and transit
updates before you leave home so you won't get
stuck in a traffic jam
here or on the highway
- Take the bus, the train, ride your bike or
walk one day a week to work, school, the corner
store, the gym or for
recreation
- If there is frequent travel between larger
offices in two areas of the city, ask your employer
to create a shuttle
service to transport people
or goods
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Options
Which Increase Fuel Consumption
V8 engine for hauling loads, turbocharging, automatic
transmission without torque-converter lock-up,
four-wheel drive, sun roof, roof rack, power steering
and air-conditioning. Increasing your highway
cruising speed from 100 km/hour to 120 km/hour
will increase fuel consumption by 20% - Canadian
Automobile Association |
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Converting
Your Car to Run on Alternative Fuels
Many car engines can now be converted to use
less polluting and less expensive fuels. The
conversion may add a second fuel tank and has
no effect on your gas tank so that you still
have your choice of fuels for your car.
Alternative
fuels include natural gas, propane, methanol,
biodiesel, electricity, ethanol and hydrogen.
Natural gas, propane, and methanol are called
"near-term" technologies as they have more widespread
acceptance. Electricity and hydrogen have longer-term
potential requiring further public acceptance.
Solar energy is still being researched and tested
for commercial use.
They emit much less carbon monoxide, nitrogen
oxide and carbon dioxide than that of gasoline
or diesel fuel, therefore, reducing urban smog
and greenhouse gases. This is a very important
benefit as over 40% of air pollution locally
is caused by vehicles. During refuelling, natural
gas and propane fuels give off little or no
pollution because of sealed systems containing
these fuels. As methanol is a liquid, it creates
evaporative emissions but at lower levels than
gasoline.
Natural gas is a clean-burning
fuel, found in abundance in Canada as a mixture
of gases in porous rock formations. It is initially
extracted from the ground, processed to remove
impurities and compressed to be stored and transported
by pipeline. Canada is one of the largest producers
of natural gas in the world. Annual production
in 2005 surpassed 6 trillion cubic feet, mostly
from Alberta and British Columbia, and there
are over 1 trillion cubic metres of proven reserves.
Major high-pressure pipelines carry natural
gas from its source to pipelines of natural-gas
utility companies, which in turn take it to
your home for heating or to a retail gasoline
station to be compressed, stored and used to
fuel vehicles.
Propane is a clean-burning,
gaseous fuel that is pressurized and stored
as a liquid when used in vehicles. It is often
called LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) or auto
propane. Most of Canada's propane is a co-product
of natural gas production. About 85 percent
of Canada's propane is produced at natural gas
plants in Western Canada, whereas the rest is
a by-product of oil refining. Propane is distributed
by pipeline, railcar and bulk trucks and trailers.
Like gasoline, propane is sold in litres.
Biodiesel is to diesel what
ethanol is to gasoline. It is a non-toxic and
biodegradable fuel made from renewable sources
(soybeans, canola and tallow), vegetable oils,
waste cooking oil, animal fats or tall oil (a
by-product of pulp and paper processing). By
reacting the oil with an alcohol (usually methanol
but ethanol can be used) and a catalyst (such
as sodium hydroxide), glycerine and an ester
called biodiesel are produced. Biodiesel blends,
a mixture of petroleum diesel and biodiesel,
can be used in any diesel engine. As biodiesel
can be blended with diesel in any concentration,
the blend level depends on economics, availability,
desired emissions level, material compatibility
and combustion characteristics. In colder climates,
biodiesel tends to lose viscosity, particularly
at higher blend levels. Research and testing
is underway to reduce biodiesel production costs
and address cold weather problems.
Ethanol is produced from fermentation
of sugar or converted starch contained in grains
and other agricultural or agri-forest feedstocks.
In Canada, ethanol is presently made principally
from corn and wheat. Research into technology
to produce ethanol from non-food sources is
advancing rapidly and is close to commercialization.
When mixed with gasoline in low-level blends,
it performs well in combustion engines, and
emits fewer emissions on a life-cycle basis.
Some vehicles are specially manufactured to
operate on an ethanol blend that contains up
to 85 percent ethanol and at least 15 percent
gasoline. This E-85 is presently used by some
organizations with large vehicle fleets, but
it is not yet commercially available in Canada.
Ontario is the leader in Canada in both ethanol
production and consumption and as of January
2007 requires that gasoline sold in Ontario
contain an average of 5% ethanol.
Battery-electric vehicles are
powered by motors that draw electricity from
on-board storage batteries. Despite the environmental
benefits, they haven't reached significant levels
in Canada for three reasons: cost; size and
weight of the battery; and lack of an adequate
refuelling infrastructure. Batteries now used
limit the average vehicle's driving range to
between 100 and 200 kilometres. Most batteries
must be replaced after 400 to 500 charges –
an expensive proposition that offsets the advantages
of using low-cost electricity as an energy source.
To achieve broad consumer acceptance, battery-electric
vehicles will likely need to have a driving
range of close to 300 kilometers between rechargings
and a battery life of 5 to 10 years. A number
of batteries under development might enable
electric vehicles to meet these performance
requirements.
Hybrid electric vehicles, on
the other hand, combine a battery powered electric
motor with a conventional internal combustion
engine, diesel or gasoline. Thus they offer
the extended driving range and rapid refuelling
of conventional vehicles, together with many
of the energy and environmental benefits of
electric vehicles. Hybrids can use either a
series or a parallel system. These systems differ
in how they integrate the workings of the two
power-generating units. Parallel configurations
tend to be more flexible and powerful than series
hybrids but more complex and costly. A number
of hybrid vehicle models are widely available
on the market today, with many more manufacturers
planning on introducing new hybrid electric/gasoline
vehicles in the next few years.
Fuel cells generate electricity
by electrochemically combining hydrogen and
oxygen. On a life-cycle basis, they can produce
zero or very low emissions, depending on the
source of the hydrogen. Fuel cells are energy-conversion
devices that utilize hydrogen and other fuels
to generate electricity continuously as long
as an external fuel source is supplied. Most
automobile manufacturers are now working on
later prototypes for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.
In the past two decades, Canada has become a
world leader in the development and commercialization
of fuel cells and related products.
Due to the variety of fuels including renewables
available for conversion to hydrogen,
fuel cells are a viable energy technology, one
that may offer significant environmental, energy
efficiency, supply and economic benefits. But
there are still many barriers to their use in
vehicles, including the lack of a hydrogen distribution
infrastructure, high capital costs for fuel
cells and hydrogen-production technologies,
and challenges related to hydrogen storage.
Hydrogen can be extracted from thousands of
compounds, including natural gas, water, sugar
and many petroleum products. The extraction
of hydrogen requires energy which makes hydrogen
an energy carrier rather than an energy source.
Hydrogen emissions could be derived from:
- Electrolysis of water to form hydrogen and
oxygen. Clean sources of electricity (wind,
solar, geothermal and possibly nuclear)
would be preferred - Reforming of a hydrogen
-rich feedstock such as ethanol, methanol, natural
gas or even gasoline. Biomass could be used
for ethanol production. CO2 emissions
are a byproduct of reforming natural gas and
gasoline
- Gasification of coal
Sources: Natural Resources Canada, Ministry
of Energy - Ontario
In October, 2000 a federal action
plan on climate change was announced to
meet its Kyoto commitment, the transportation
component being substantial given while fuel
efficiency is improving, it is not keeping pace
with annual increases in the use of transportation.
Five programs in the plan address: Urban Transportation,
Freight Transportation, Vehicle Efficiency,
Future Fuels (ethanol) and Fuel Cell Vehicles
to take a balanced approach towards vehicle
and fuel technology, behaviour change and infrastructure.
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What
can you do in London?
You can convert your car to run on a dual fuel
system using gasoline/propane or gasoline/natural
gas.
People who purchase or lease new or used vehicles
licensed under the Highway Traffic Act (ie cars,
buses, trucks and vans) may qualify for a refund
of retail sale tax (8%) from the Ministry
of Revenue if the vehicle operates or is
converted to operate on an alternative fuel:
- exclusively on electrical energy
- exclusively on propane, natural gas, ethanol,
methanol, or other manufactured gases; or
- as dual-powered vehicles (vehicles that use
one of the alternative fuels mentioned above
and that can also be
powered by gasoline or diesel fuel)
Refunds include:
- $750 for propane vehicles
- $1,000 for vehicles powered by any other alternative
fuel
- $2,000 for HEVs delivered to purchasers after
March 23, 2006 and before April 1, 2012
The above dollar limits do not include the
tax for fuel conversion (TFFC) that may be charged
on the purchase of new vehicles powered by alternative
fuels. A refund can be requested for the TFFC
paid if the vehicle operates or is converted
to operate exclusively on an alternative fuel.
Further, hybrid vehicles operating on both gas
and electricity would also qualify for the refund.
A vehicle converted after purchase may also
qualify for a refund of retail sales tax. To
qualify, the vehicle must be converted within
180 days from when it was purchased. The purchaser
may still be entitled to a refund of retail
sales tax on the cost of the conversion kit
and labour to install the kit if the conversion
is not completed within the 180 days. Refund
applications must be received within 4 years
from the date the tax was paid. A refund is
not available on vehicles using a mixture of
an alternative fuel and gasoline or diesel fuel.
The retail sales tax paid when an extended service
contract or warranty is purchased is also not
refundable.
Propane is readily available at several London
locations. Also, natural
gas refueling stations are in most major
centres between Windsor and Toronto.
Fleetsmart
Profiles: For Robert Q Airbus, an airport
shuttle service operating from London, propane
is the transportation fuel of choice. Fuel-cost
savings of about $30,000 per vehicle, lower
maintenance costs, excellent vehicle performance
and an unblemished safety record all contribute
to the company's success.
The company's fleet consists of 32 maxi-wagons,
most of which can accommodate 11 passengers
and their luggage. It also has three minivans
that will hold five passengers and their luggage.
All of the maxi-wagons have been converted to
run only on propane. The minivans are used primarily
on short routes so it would not be economical
to convert them to propane.
A decision by London Police Services to convert
much of its fleet to run on propane has saved
taxpayers millions of dollars in fuel costs.
In 1982, the London Police Services tested propane
as an alternative fuel in two of the service's
fleet vehicles. The results were so encouraging
that today close to 65 percent of the fleet
has been converted to run on propane. This includes
71 full-sized sedans and 20 trucks and vans.
The remaining vehicles have not been converted
because they either have low annual mileage
or are used in surveillance projects and, as
propane vehicles, cannot be adequately camouflaged.
However, 41 unmarked cars run on a fuel blend
of ethanol and gasoline.
Cars and trucks are the largest source of air
pollution within our borders. Making smart choices
on how, where and when we drive will have a
huge impact on cleaning up our air. For more
details on transportation impacts, also visit
our Air
Quality Chapter.
A poorly maintained vehicle can produce
50% more CO2 than one that runs properly.
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Options
for Reducing Vehicle Use
A key aspect of reducing your vehicle use is a
corresponding increase in using alternatives including
public transit, ride sharing, cycling and walking.
As single-occupancy vehicles represent a major
source of ozone pollution:
- Walk or bicycle more frequently to and from
work, school, the corner store or for recreation
and create virtually zero pollution
- Take public transit or the train when possible
- this saves energy and is less stressful
than driving distances on your own
- Rideshare and lobby your employer for reduced
parking rates
- If there is frequent travel between offices,
create a shuttle service to transport people
or goods between buildings
- With a modem, telephone and/or fax machine,
reduce the environmental costs of commuting
each day by working out of your home
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The following organizations are looking to
solutions on transportation issues.
Association
for Commuter Transportation of Canada
(provides a number of national
TDM best practices)
2031 Merivale Road, Ottawa (613) 226-9845
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Canadian
Telework Association
5749 Doyle Road, Ottawa (613) 692- 0566 |
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Go For Green
5480 Canotek Road, Unit #16,
Ottawa
Toll free: 1-888 822-2848 (in Canada)
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Transport Canada
330 Sparks Street
Toll free: 1-888 675-6863 (in Canada) |
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Federation of Canadian Municipalities
24 Clarence Street Ottawa (613) 241-5221
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Canadian Urban Transit Association
55 York Street, Suite 1401, Toronto (416)
365-9800
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Green Communities
Canada
416 Chambers Street, 2nd Floor
Peterborough (705) 745-7479
Home energy/EGH: (705) 745-9183 |
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Pollution Probe
625 Church Street, Toronto (416) 926-1907 |
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Victoria Transport
Policy Institute
1250 Rudlin Street, Victoria, (250) 360-1560
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U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency
Transportation and Air Quality
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