The NOACA Governing Board approved the following project as a candidate to be amended to the NOACA Transportation Plan and in the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) by adopting Resolution No. 2004-012 on March 12, 2004.

Title: Laketran SFY 2004 and 2005 Bus Engine Replacement
Sponsor:  Laketran
Estimated Total Cost: $330,000
Proposed Source of Federal Funds: NOACA

History/Background:
During preparation of Laketran’s 2004 Budget, efforts were increased to identify projects or portions of a project that can be federally funded. Shifting even a portion of a project to federal funds lessens the demands on local funds during these times of poor economic performance. As development of Laketran’s 2004 budget did not begin until September 2003, and was more rigorous than in prior years, the need to shift what we could to federal funds was not apparent when the 2004 – 2007 TIP was developed in January 2003.

Current Conditions:
Buses are defined by Federal Transit Administration (FTA) to be 12-year vehicles. Their heavy-duty engines are good for 250,000 to 300,000 miles. A bus will be repowered once or twice in its life, depending on use.

Proposed Project:
Twelve (12) buses from 1997 will undergo their mid-life overhaul in 2004. Fourteen (14) buses from 1998 will undergo their mid-life overhaul in 2005. The mid-life over haul includes bringing the power plants (engine and transmission) up to the current Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards as mandated by EPA’s Urban Bus Rebuild requirements. A number of vehicles are compressed natural gas (CNG) powered engines, which extended the interval major overhauls by 20,000 to 30,000 miles. These vehicles will still run on CNG after overhaul.

Laketran is requesting the use of NOACA attributable Congestion Mitigation Air Quality (CMAQ) funds to support the project. Whether the power plants will be rebuilt or replaced is not known. The cost is the same. Laketran will tender the power plant work as part of the bus rebuild.

The total estimated cost of the project is $330,000. Laketran requests $120,000 of CMAQ funds in state fiscal year (SFY) 2004 and $210,000 in SFY 2005. Laketran has prepared an emissions reduction analysis, which FHWA requires for CMAQ funding eligibility.

Staff Comment (Summary):

• Move for Committee and public review in order to obtain comments.