Effectiveness of application alternative drive vehicles in public transport

Abstract

European transport policy for the first half the 21st century assumes creating the transport system organised with the respect of the principle of sustainable development, providing economic, social and ecological needs of the society and supporting construction of the integrated society and entirely integrated and competitive Europe. Applying alternative fuels and drives in public transport vehicles, including the development of electric-powered vehicles is an essential instrument of this policy. In the paper fuels applied in the public transport and alternative drives were described. Methodological establishments of evaluation of the investment's financial and economical effectiveness associated with acquiring public means of transport with the alternative drive were discussed. Using the method of the econometric modelling, operational and maintenance costs of use buses with the conventional and alternative drive were described. They constitute the basis of assessment of the financial effectiveness of replacing conventional vehicles with alternative propulsion vehicles. They pointed to benefits resulting from limiting the influence of public transport using alternative propulsion vehicles on the natural environment. They find expression in decreasing transport's external expenses, confirming the economic effectiveness of their application. A special attention was paid on vehicles with the electric propulsion. Their application in the urban transport is a crucial factor of improvement of the air quality in cities. Based on conducted examinations it was pointed at the purpose of applying means of transport with the alternative drive.