Peak Oil Task Force Report - City of Bloomington - State of Indiana

BT owns 42 conventional diesel buses and 2 diesel‐electric buses. In 2008, BT consumed
283,699.5 gallons of diesel. Based on rapidly‐increasing fuel costs in 2008, BT proposed an
84 percent increase in the fuel/oil line item for it 2009 budget – from $702,000 in 2008 to
$1,296,108 in 2009. During this time, BT’s total operating expenses increased from
$5,724,498 to $6,603,059 ‐‐ a difference of $878,561.
Bloomington Transit Fuel Cost Increases, 2008­2009
Year Fuel Costs Operating Budget
Fuel Costs as % of
Total Budget
2008 $702,000 $5,724,498 12.26%
2009 $1,296,108 $6,603,059 19.63%
% Increase 85% 15%
Source: Bloomington Transit
2. Bloomington Transit has an inadequate fuel reserve.
BT is also vulnerable to acute fuel shortages, as it stores only a four‐day supply (20,000
gallons) of fuel. Even the shortest of supply disruptions could shut down the public bus
system, right at a time when the need for public transit would be the greatest.
BT has already taken steps to reduce its dependency on petroleum. In addition to 42
conventional diesel buses, BT has 2 diesel‐electric hybrid buses in its fleet and will add four
more by the end of 2009. At the time this Report was issued, BT was seeking federal funds
to buy an additional five diesel‐electric hybrids. Hybrid buses average about 25 percent
better mileage than conventional diesel buses of the same size.
A peculiar federal funding formula essentially makes transit dependent on the federal gas
tax. Gas tax revenue will decline as gasoline use declines. For that reason, we will need to
invest much more substantially in public transit from local funds to make it a realistic
alternative to personal automobile use.
Report of the Bloomington Peak Oil Task Force
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