Transcription of Useful Life of Transit Buses and Vans Final Report
1 Useful life of Transit Buses and vans Final Report Project VA-26-7229 Federal Transit Administration Department of Transportation Federal Transit Administration Federal Transit Administration Useful life of Transit Buses and vans April 2007 Report No. FTA Useful life of Transit Buses and vans Final Report Report DOCUMENTATION PAGE Form Approved OMB No. 0704-0188 Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 1 hour per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to Washington Headquarters Services, Directorate for Information Operations and Reports, 1215 Jefferson Davis Highway, Suite 1204, Arlington, VA 22202-4302, and to the Office of Management and Budget, Paperwork Reduction Project (0704-0188), Washington, DC 20503.
2 1. AGENCY USE ONLY (Leave blank) 2. Report DATE April 2007 3. Report TYPE AND DATES COVERED Final Report 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Useful life of Transit Buses and vans 6. AUTHOR(S) Richard Laver, Donald Schneck, Douglas Skorupski, Stephen Brady, Laura Cham Booz Allen Hamilton 5. FUNDING NUMBERS 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) Booz Allen Hamilton, Inc. 8283 Greensboro Drive McLean, Virginia 22102 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION Report NUMBER FTA 9. SPONSORING/MONITORING AGENCY NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) Federal Transit Administration Department of Transportation Washington, DC 20590 10. SPONSORING/ MONITORING AGENCY Report NUMBER 11. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTE Online at [ ] 12a. DISTRIBUTION/AVAILABILITY STATEMENT Available From: National Technical Information Service/NTIS, Springfield, Virginia, 22161.
3 Phone (703) 605-6000, Fax (703) 605-6900, Email 12b. DISTRIBUTION CODE 13. ABSTRACT (Maximum 200 words) The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) sponsored this research to assess both the appropriateness of its existing minimum service- life policy for Transit Buses and vans , and the need to change that policy. The research evaluated the federal minimum service- life requirements based upon the actual experience of both Transit operators and vehicle manufacturers. The analyses in this research provide the Transit industry and the FTA with a better understanding of (1) the current Useful life of Transit Buses and vans , (2) the appropriateness of FTA s minimum service- life policy, and (3) the policy s impact on Transit vehicle life expectancies and vehicle retirement decisions at the agency level.
4 Actual ages of Buses retired from service generally exceed FTA minimums. Transit agencies interviewed cited availability of capital funds for bus replacement as the primary determinant of retirement age. 15. NUMBER OF PAGES 195 14. SUBJECT TERMS Transit , Bus, Van, Useful life , Engineering Analysis, Economic Analysis, FTA Bus and Van Minimum Service- life Policy, Transit Fleet Retirement Age 16. PRICE CODE 17. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF Report Unclassified 18. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF THIS PAGE Unclassified 19. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF ABSTRACT Unclassified 20. LIMITATION OF ABSTRACT NSN 7540-01-280-5500 Standard Form 298 (Rev.)
5 2-89) Prescribed by ANSI Std. 239-18298-102 Federal Transit Administration Useful life of Transit Buses and vans Final Report NOTICE This document is disseminated under the sponsorship of the United States Department of Transportation in the interest of information exchange. The United States Government assumes no liability for its contents or use thereof. The United States Government does not endorse products or manufacturers. Trade or manufacturers names appear herein solely because they are considered essential to the objective of this Report . Federal Transit Administration Useful life of Transit Buses and vans Final Report FOREWORD The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) sponsored this research to assess both the appropriateness of its existing minimum service- life policy for Transit Buses and vans , and the need to change that policy.
6 The research evaluated the federal minimum service- life requirements based upon the actual experience of both Transit operators and vehicle manufacturers. The analyses in this research provide the Transit industry and the FTA with a better understanding of (1) the current Useful life of Transit Buses and vans , (2) the appropriateness of FTA s minimum service- life policy, and (3) the policy s impact on Transit vehicle life expectancies and vehicle retirement decisions at the agency level. Actual ages of Buses retired from service generally exceed FTA minimums. Transit agencies interviewed cited availability of capital funds for bus replacement as the primary determinant of retirement age. Author Acknowledgements This Report was authored by Richard Laver, Donald Schneck, Douglas Skorupski, Stephen Brady, Laura Cham, and Jeff Rankin of Booz Allen Hamilton.
7 Valuable insight and direction was provided by Henry Nejako, John Bell, and Nancy Ody of the FTA. In addition, the authors would like to thank the staff of those Transit operators and vehicle manufacturers who graciously provided their time and input to this study and without whom the study would not have been possible. Federal Transit Administration Useful life of Transit Buses and vans Final Report Table of Contents Federal Transit Administration i Table of Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .. IV Study Goals and Objectives .. iv v Key vi xiii CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION .. 1 Background .. 1 Study Objectives .. 2 Reasons for Reviewing the Service- life Policy .. 3 What is Useful life ? .. 4 Project Approach.
8 8 CHAPTER 2. FTA SERVICE- life CATEGORIES .. 10 Service- life Category 10 Implications for the Current Service- life 19 CHAPTER 3. LEGISLATION AND 23 FTA Service- life Circulars and Regulations .. 23 Procurement Methods and Guidelines .. 25 Conclusions: Impact of Regulations and Procurement Practices .. 26 CHAPTER 4. AVERAGE RETIREMENT 27 Analysis of Actual Fleet Retirement Ages Using NTD Vehicle 27 Assessment of Existing Bus Type Categories Based on NTD Analysis .. 35 CHAPTER 5. INDUSTRY OUTREACH .. 37 Transit Agency 37 Agency Interview Guide Responses .. 38 Vehicle Manufacturer Response .. 51 Private Operators Response .. 56 CHAPTER 6. ENGINEERING ANALYSIS .. 60 Transit Agency Participants Follow-Up Interviews.
9 60 Useful life of Transit Vehicle Chassis and 61 Vehicle Structure A Second Look .. 70 Useful life of Transit Buses and vans Final Report Table of Contents Federal Transit Administration ii Bus Durability and New Technologies .. 74 life -Extending 76 Vehicle 76 Vehicle Reliability .. 77 National Bus Condition 78 CHAPTER 7. life -CYCLE COST ANALYSIS .. 86 Data Sources and 86 Key Determinants of life -Cycle 86 life -Cycle Cost 89 Other Bus and Van Types .. 94 life -Cycle Cost Analyses of Changes to FTA s Service- life 100 Vehicle Physical Condition versus Minimum Cost Retirement Age .. 104 Vehicle Age, Service Reliability, and Ridership .. 106 CHAPTER 8. PRIOR BUS Useful - life REVIEWS .. 110 Initial Policy Statement FTA Circular.
10 110 1985 Inspector General Statement .. 110 1988 Useful life of Transit Vehicles Study .. 110 1988 Transit Capital Investment to Reduce Operating Deficits Alternative Bus Replacement Strategies Study .. 111 1995 Bus Industry Summit .. 111 1997 Useful life of Heavy-Duty Transit Buses 112 Other 113 Comparisons of Past Studies with This Report .. 114 Other Considerations .. 115 CHAPTER 9. KEY FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS .. 118 Key 118 121 BIBLIOGRAPHY .. 124 APPENDIX A. SUMMARY OF Transit AGENCY 128 APPENDIX B. SUMMARY OF VEHICLE MANUFACTURER 143 APPENDIX C. ENGINEERING INTERVIEWS .. 147 APPENDIX D. MINIMUM life -CYCLE COST METHODOLOGY .. 153 Conversion of Participant life -Cycle Costs to Reflect Differences in Annual Mileage.