ShuttlesCameron Smith, Evan Kangas, Maiko Arashiro

EECE 449/549, Spring 2009

Objectives of Model• Estimate the carbon emissions caused by local travel on and around

WashU campus– Campus Circulation Shuttles – METRO Buses with specific WUSTL Lines (Green, Red, Gold) – University Fleet Vehicles – Lawn Mowers and Other Landscaping Vehicles – We Car

• Necessary because:– Not evaluated in 2008 class– WashU is mainly responsible for shuttles route

Washington University Transportation Sector - Overview

Carbon

Emission (EM), k

Students

Faculty

Staff

SUV/Truck

Bus

MetroElectric

PMT Fuels (FM), j

Diesel

Car

Gas

ai=1Fraction of PMT

bi

VMT/PMT

djk

Emission/Fuel-

Commutingdistance# of trips

Activity

Walk/Bike

SUV/Truck

Bus

Metro

Car

Walk/Bike

VMTcij

Fuel/VMT

On Campus Trspt distance# of trips

Unv. Mng Traveldistance# of trips

Train

Air

Train

Air

Shuttles Shuttles

Jet Fuel

Other

Lawn-Mowers

Lawn-Mowers

Wash U Transportation – Bus/Shuttle Transportation Only

Electric

CarbonDieselFaculty

Gas

Transportation with Public Buses

Bus/Shuttle Miles Traveled

VMT FUEL EMISSIONS

Formulas:

VMT = (Number of Routes/Day)*(Days/Year)*(Miles/Route)

Fuel = (Miles/Year)*(Gallons/Mile)

Emissions = (Gallons of Fuel/Year)*(Energy/Gallon)*(Emission/Energy)

Staff

Students

Population Activity

Model Methodology• Population: Not a major driver

• WashU population remains fairly constant

• PMT: Not a major driver • Buses run on their own schedule• Relevant if route was changed based on ridership

• VMT: THE Driver • Largest driver of emissions• Set bus miles – calculated based on schedule and

route

Model Methodology• Goods & Services: The Fleets

• Fuel efficiency of vehicle fleet

• Material Flow: Fuel Choice• Assumed fleet is run on diesel fuel • Improvement to fuel economy can reduce emissions

• Emissions: Carbon • calculated the grams of carbon per energy of diesel

fuel(2778 g Carbon/gal Diesel) x (1 gal Diesel/138700 BTU) = .020029 g Carbon/BTU

Model Methodology: Lawn Mowers

• Carbon emitted from maintaining the lawns on WashU’s 169 acre campus

• Assumptions:• 1/2 of this area is mowed once a week from April 1 to November 1 span of 27 total

weeks• Given in square meters:

84.5 acres x (4046.85642 m2/1 acre) = 341,959.37 m2

• "mowable" area one long strip of land 341,959.37 m long and 1 m wide• Mowers are at least 1 m in width. • mowing one 231.72 mile long strip of grass (1600m = 1 mile) 27 times. • Diesel with fuel efficiency of 1 mile per gallon

• Equation:27 x 231.72 miles x (138700 BTU / gal) x (.020029 g carbon / gal BTU) X (1 t carbon / 106 g carbon)

Model Methodology: Bus/Shuttle• VMT

– Calculated using Google maps to map bus routes– Campus Circulator Route, Green Line Route, Red Line Route, and Gold Line

Route• Fuel Efficiency

– obtained from METRO Contact Courtney Sloger. – fleet average fuel efficiency (miles/gallon) for the entire St. Louis METRO BUS

fleet in 2008– The exact number used was 4.11 miles/gallon

• Energy / Gallon– energy content of diesel fuel

• Carbon/Energy– emissions caused by diesel fuel combustion

(VMT) / (Fuel Efficiency) X (Energy / Gallon) X (Carbon / Energy) = Carbon

VMT Calculations                

  Weekdays Saturday SundayMain Circuts 67 63 52Short Circuit A* 2 0 0Short Circuit B* 3.5 3.5 5Short Circuit C* 3 0 0Short Circuit D* 5 0 0Late Day Circuit E* 1 1 1Short Circuit F* 0 1 0Short Circuit G* 0 3 3Short Circuit H* 0 4 5 Number of Days / Year 261 52 52

 Total Cycles in a

YearMiles/Cycle Total Miles

Main Circuts 17487 3276 2704 23467 14.9817351575.55

4Short Circuit A* 522 0 0 522 10.4317 5445.3474

Short Circuit B* 913.5 182 260 1355.5 20.593727914.760

4

Short Circuit C* 783 0 0 783 20.593716124.867

1

Short Circuit D* 1305 0 0 1305 4.392035731.5991

5Late Day Circuit E* 261 52 52 365 4.39 1602.35Short Circuit F* 0 52 0 52 6.34585 329.9842

Short Circuit G* 0 156 156 312 4.392031370.3133

6Short Circuit H* 0 208 260 468 5.21585 2441.0178 

 412535.79

3*Short Circuit A=circuit at beginning of Northbound, Monday-Friday*Short Cirtuit B=circuit at end of Northbound Weekday, Satruday, and Sunday*Short Circuit C=circuit just after main circuts on Southbound, Monday-Friday*Short Circuit D=circuit just before end of day on Southbound, Monday-Friday*Late Day Circuit E=circuit just before end of day on Northbound, Monday-FridayShort Circuit F*=circuit just after main circuits on Southbound, SaturdayShort Circuit G*=circuit just after Short Circuit F on Southbound, SaturdayShor Circuit H*=circuit just before end of day on Southbound, Saturday

Sample Calculations: Red Line

Carbon Emissions Calculations          

  1.00 1.00   1.00   1.00  

  VMT Fuel Efficiency Gallons of Fuel Energy / Gallon Energy Carbon / Energy Carbon

Year Miles Miles/Gallon Gallons BTU/Gallon BTU g / BTU g

2009 412535.79 4.11 100373.6723 138700 13921828352 0.020029 278840300

2010 412535.79 4.11 100373.6723 138700 13921828352 0.020029 278840300

2011 412535.79 4.11 100373.6723 138700 13921828352 0.020029 278840300

2012 412535.79 4.11 100373.6723 138700 13921828352 0.020029 278840300

2013 412535.79 4.11 100373.6723 138700 13921828352 0.020029 278840300

2014 412535.79 4.11 100373.6723 138700 13921828352 0.020029 278840300

2015 412535.79 4.11 100373.6723 138700 13921828352 0.020029 278840300

2016 412535.79 4.11 100373.6723 138700 13921828352 0.020029 278840300

2017 412535.79 4.11 100373.6723 138700 13921828352 0.020029 278840300

2018 412535.79 4.11 100373.6723 138700 13921828352 0.020029 278840300

2019 412535.79 4.11 100373.6723 138700 13921828352 0.020029 278840300

2020 412535.79 4.11 100373.6723 138700 13921828352 0.020029 278840300

 

Sample Calculations: Red Line

Results: Carbon EmissionsBus Route Carbon Emissions (grams)

Campus Circulator 54,171,120

Green Line 187,957,251

Red Line 278,840,300

Gold Line 175,525,558

Bus subtotal 696,440,229

Other Sources Carbon Emissions (grams)

Lawn mowers 17,300,000University Fleet (2008) 90,000,000subtotal 107,300,000

Results

Shuttles.xls• Assuming no yearly changes until 2020•Change in fuel efficiency, fuel type, or vehicle routes affects future emissions

Results: Reduction of one cycle

Shuttles.xls• Red Line is major carbon emitter• Reduction of one cycle per route daily results in noticeable carbon reduction

Conclusions

• Estimated carbon emissions– 713.74 metric tonnes

• Lawn Mowers minor contributors• Bus/Shuttle major contributors• Small fraction of 25,000 metric tonnes

estimated by last years class• Still an area that can be improved

Future Improvements and Next Steps

• Model• Improve accuracy

• Lawn mower• shuttles

• Update University fleet• Obtain WeCar data

• Reduction considerations• Improve fuel efficiency• Reduce number of cycles per day• Consolidate certain routes

References

• Kent Theiling (314) 935-4533 theiling@wustl.edu, Top Care

• Jay Ballalie (314) 982-1440, METRO • Courtney Sloger (314) 982-1529

clsloger@MetroStLouis.org, METRO• http://parking.wustl.edu/