It is well known that driving style can significantly influence consumptions and therefore affect pollutant emissions. Significant reductions can be achieved by adopting appropriate methods for promoting a driving style which optimises energy consumptions and pollutant emissions. Two applications of these concepts are reported in this paper, referred to concluded experimental projects funded by EU, both involving public transport companies in Italy (ATC in Bologna), Spain (TMB in Barcelona) and Argentina (El Cacique in Mendoza). The main aim of the projects was to assess and quantify the potential reduction in consumption and emission that is possible with an efficient driving style. The projects envisaged three stages: installation on buses of transducers and data acquisition systems to detect the vehicle operating states and consumption during real conditions, execution of a special training course to company drivers and a second series of measurements in order to compare the new indicators value to the old ones. Results of this experimental comparison are reported in terms of fuel consumption reduction and in terms of estimated pollutant emission reduction. (A)
Abstract