STM - Society in motion
A Smart Transmission For The STM’s New Buses And Articulated Ones November 11, 2011
The transmission on STM buses is more hi-tech than ever. It now comes equipped with a new program, called Topodyn, for dynamic topography, making fuel-efficient driving automatic while adapting it to road conditions.
When delivered by the manufacturer, all new conventional and articulated buses (2011) come with the Topodyn program integrated in their transmission. The STM is currently retrofitting the program on its older bus models. By the end of 2011, it will have modified 418 such vehicles. This means fuel savings of some 2 million dollars a year for the transit company, in addition to fewer greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
If one considers the service life of a bus, this means some 70 000 tons of GHG that will not be emitted into the atmosphere, thanks to the Topodyn program. Another advantage: it ensures dynamic acceleration and smoother gear shifting upon departure, leading to greater comfort and safety for passengers. Partly financed by Transport Québec, the project proved a sound investment.
Teamwork that produces results
The STM has been working on the Topodyn project since 2008. Bus drivers took part in tests carried out on vehicles that had been equipped with the Topodyn program. Their role consisted of driving the bus along various routes, flat or inclined, to monitor the vehicle’s response during acceleration and braking, while engineers noted the test results. These tests proved conclusive, resulting in the new system being retrofitted and installed on all other bus models during fall 2011. The study is still ongoing with respect to older bus models dating back from 2001 to 2006.
Adopting green driving techniques February 11, 2009
Determined to fight against deteriorating air quality in Montreal as well as global warming, three years ago, the STM undertook the task of teaching green driving techniques to its drivers. Today, the majority of them have embraced the new approach.
Green driving rests on a basic principle: the quantity of CO2 emissions, the primary greenhouse gas responsible for global warming, and of other polluting emissions are proportional to fuel consumption.
Green driving focuses mainly on anticipating traffic movements and traffic light changes to slow down and speed up smoothly. And this results in a reduction in fuel consumption and in greenhouse gas emissions.
In a little over three years, introducing this programme has lead to fuel savings of over two million litres. No doubt about it: the more you ease up on the gas pedal, the greener the drive!
