Tired of plain-old gas-fueled buses, some are advocating that SEPTA consider a new source of fuel - farm waste.
Some transportation systems in Pennsylvania are switching to biodiesel fuel, made from waste from local farms. But so far, SEPTA isn't jumping on the bandwagon for its buses.
It might get a reason to do so, though. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection is offering incentives to companies interested in using the fuel.
Through the incentives, biodiesel fuel essentially costs companies the same amount as regular fuel.
And some experts think SEPTA would do well to adopt the technology.
"It would boost their environmental image even more" to use biodiesel, said Charlie Young, spokesman for the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection.
Though the agency has not adopted biodiesel, SEPTA is a "leader in the use of advanced clean vehicle technology," said Young.
SEPTA's buses run on regular diesel fuel, with the exception of about 32 buses that are diesel hybrid, SEPTA spokesman Gary Fairfax said.
He would not comment further on whether SEPTA would consider switching fuels.
The use of biodiesel helps the local economy by "reducing dependence on imports of petroleum from potentially unstable" nations, Young said.
He added that biodiesel improves air quality and public health by reducing fine particles that can become embedded in the lungs and because it contains no toxic chemicals.
Young said that among those who have taken advantage of the grants are RabbitTransit of York County and the Great Valley School District in Chester County.
Others said that despite biodiesel's benefits, it can be difficult to manufacture enough to support a transportation system of the size of SEPTA's bus service.
Earth and Environmental Science professor Robert Giegengack said biodiesel is less likely to be used for big-city transit, like SEPTA, because it is produced from farmland waste.
"Philadelphia spends a lot of money disposing of waste, but most of it isn't suitable for making biodiesel," Giegengack said.
