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MoDOT Tests Hybrid Trucks.

Published in: Midwest Contractor
Date: 8/28/2006
By: Curt Grandia

The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) is the first government agency in the nation to test a new diesel-electric bucket truck that is expected to cut fuel costs and smog-producing emissions in half, while also reducing maintenance costs, reducing noise and providing an alternative power source in emergencies.

Participating in the Utility Hybrid Truck Program, MoDOT will test three of the trucks for 18 months.

Typically, MoDOT uses bucket trucks to lift maintenance workers into the air to install signs, fix traffic signals or replace streetlights. A conventional truck must remain running at a work site to operate the hydraulic arm that moves the bucket. New technology enables the hybrid truck's engine to be shut off at the work site, which significantly reduces emissions and saves fuel. Tests show hybrids use about 50-percent less fuel and reduce smog-forming emissions by almost half.

On average, a conventional bucket truck in MoDOT's fleet consumes 2,176 gallons of diesel fuel per year. Applying the fuel savings realized in earlier tests, a hybrid truck would consume about 1,088 gallons of fuel per year. With diesel fuel currently costing an average of $2.88 per gallon in Missouri, MoDOT could potentially save approximately $3,134 a year per vehicle by replacing conventional trucks with hybrid trucks in its fleet. Statewide, the fleet includes 106 conventional bucket trucks so the savings could be more than $332,000 per year.

"MoDOT is proud to participate in a pilot program that will enhance our ability to protect the environment and realize substantial fuel cost savings at a time when gas and diesel prices continue to rise," said MoDOT Director Pete Rahn. "We look forward to learning more about how these vehicles will compare to the conventional trucks in our fleet and how they can help us make the best use of taxpayer dollars."

The hybrid truck is manufactured by Warrenville, Ill.-based International and Cleveland, Ohio-based Eaton Corporation, a manufacturer of electrical systems and components. The truck's aerial device is manufactured by Altec Industries in Missouri. Its complex electric motor operates from advanced lithium ion batteries and a diesel engine.

The vehicle recovers energy during braking, helping charge the batteries and provide additional power during acceleration. It uses an electric-only mode to raise the bucket for up to two hours. It can also serve as a generator, producing up to 25 kilowatts of standby power that can be used, for example, to provide power to a traffic light that has gone out so that traffic can continue flowing without disruption until service is restored.

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