Robertson Scholar Bus
BEST BUS is a decision support model for fleet managers and other transit specialists interested in finding best cost alternatives for reducing fleet emissions, enabling comparisons between current and replacement buses. BEST BUS was developed by the Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions and Dana Lowell from MJ Bradley and Associates for the purposes of evaluating a new bus fleet for trips between Duke University, Durham and UNC-Chapel Hill. The model yielded useful results on this project and offers great potential for other groups interested in exploring the costs and benefits of upgrading buses to new technology. The model calculates the life cycle costs and life cycle emissions for a full fleet or a smaller subset, and enables the user to compare costs and benefits for different bus technologies, such as hybrids and clean natural gas, and to compare different fuels options. Life cycle cost calculations, in cost per mile and total cost, take into account capital costs as well as operating costs, including labor and fuel. Life cycle emissions, in gallons per mile and total tons, are calculated for carbon dioxide, greenhouse gases, particulate matter, oxides of nitrogen (NOx), non-methane hydrocarbons, and carbon monoxide.