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Related Experiment Videos

Fuels for urban transit buses: a cost-effectiveness analysis.

Joshua T Cohen1, James K Hammitt, Jonathan I Levy

  • 1Harvard Center for Risk Analysis, Department of Health Policy and Management, Harvard School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA. cohenj@hsph.harvard.edu

Environmental Science & Technology
|May 7, 2003
PubMed
Summary

Emission controlled diesel (ECD) buses and compressed natural gas (CNG) buses reduce transit emissions. ECD is more cost-effective than CNG, despite CNG offering greater health benefits per bus.

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Area of Science:

  • Environmental Science
  • Public Health
  • Transportation Engineering

Background:

  • Urban transit agencies are transitioning from conventional diesel (CD) buses to reduce emissions.
  • Emission controlled diesel (ECD) and compressed natural gas (CNG) buses are key alternatives.
  • Evaluating the cost-effectiveness of these alternatives is crucial for emission reduction strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To estimate the incremental cost-effectiveness (CE) of ECD and CNG buses compared to CD buses.
  • To quantify the health benefits associated with ECD and CNG adoption.
  • To identify uncertainties in current estimates and suggest future research.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized simplifying assumptions for first-order estimates of CE.
  • Calculated CE based on acquisition, operating costs, and health loss (mortality/morbidity) from particulate matter (PM) and ozone exposure.

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  • Measured health benefits in Quality Adjusted Life Years (QALYs).

    • Main Results:

    • CNG buses yield higher annual health benefits (9 QALYs per 1000 buses) than ECD buses (6 QALYs per 1000 buses).
    • ECD buses are significantly more cost-effective ($270,000 per QALY) compared to CNG buses ($1.7-$2.4 million per QALY).
    • Estimates are subject to considerable uncertainty, necessitating further research.

    Conclusions:

    • ECD technology presents a more cost-effective approach to reducing transit bus emissions and associated health impacts.
    • While CNG offers greater health benefits, its higher cost-effectiveness threshold limits its immediate widespread adoption.
    • Further research is needed to refine CE estimates and reduce uncertainty in alternative propulsion technology assessments.