Latest news with #HalifaxTransit
CBC
28-05-2025
- Business
- CBC
Halifax launching dual-fuel hydrogen bus project this year
Halifax will convert four city buses to be powered by hydrogen and diesel for a pilot project aimed at finding out whether the technology could be a good fit to expand into the fleet. Regional council approved the funding for the hydrogen-diesel demonstration on Tuesday. The city is spending about $122,500 with $367,500 coming from the province's Clean Fuels Fund. Cities across Canada have started experimenting with hydrogen for their vehicles and buses, but Halifax staff said the dual-fuel system is much cheaper than pure hydrogen fuel cell buses that can each cost about $2 million. Norman Hendry, fleet director of Halifax Transit, said testing has found hydrogen-diesel buses could bring 69 to 74 per cent reductions in carbon emissions, and a 70 per cent decrease in diesel use. He said the dual-fuel option is cheaper because it simply injects hydrogen into the diesel itself, with no changes to the bus engine. "So this is like a hybrid. Is it perfection, no — but we shouldn't let … perfection get in the way of being good," Hendry said during an audit and finance committee meeting last Wednesday. Hydrogen pilot following electric bus investment A staff report said the pilot could cut out the consumption of about 160 litres of diesel fuel daily, which adds up to 58,400 litres in a year from just four buses. The move comes just after Halifax officially launched 60 electric buses and finished upgrading the Ragged Lake bus depot to handle the new vehicles. That $112-million project was supported by all three levels of government. "Why would we go and experiment with another model?" Coun. Kathryn Morse asked during last Wednesday's meeting. Halifax aims to add a total of 200 zero-emission buses to the 360-bus fleet by 2028, but staff said they might not all be electric. Hendry said electric buses can't do everything a traditional diesel bus needs to do, because there are limits to their range and how long they can run. "We need to look at some other means to satisfy the demands that's being placed on transit," he said. The added benefit of a dual-fuel system is that the engine runs "so clean" that certain filters don't need to be changed, Hendry said, and the life of the engine itself is extended. Hendry said the municipality will decide through the pilot program whether to produce its own hydrogen or have it shipped in. Either way, he said the bus depots don't need to be upgraded, although Halifax Regional Fire & Emergency is advising on policies for safe handling of hydrogen. Halifax also spent $73,000 in 2023 on a study about incorporating 40 to 60 hydrogen fuel cell buses into the fleet, but it's unclear what the results of that project have been. It was not mentioned in the report on the dual-fuel project. The PC government aims to develop a green hydrogen industry in Nova Scotia, and the Halifax bus pilot is one of seven hydrogen projects funded this week for a total of $3 million. The Halifax staff report said insights from the dual-fuel bus project will be shared with private industry and community groups, and will be a showcase for other transit operators in Nova Scotia. The project will also be a "living laboratory" that can inform the and the regional transportation plan. That plan addresses Halifax and communities surrounding the capital area, but the provincial government has not yet released it.
CTV News
26-05-2025
- CTV News
People sprayed with irritant at Dartmouth transit terminal
Halifax Transit had to temporarily close its Dartmouth Bridge Terminal late Friday afternoon after two people were sprayed with an irritant.
CBC
20-05-2025
- Automotive
- CBC
Halifax launches 60 new electric buses into transit fleet
Halifax has officially launched its 60 new electric transit buses into service, a move the city says will save thousands of tonnes of carbon emissions each year. On Tuesday, politicians, transit workers and municipal staff gathered at the Ragged Lake Transit Centre to mark the end of the first phase of the Halifax Regional Municipality's zero-emission bus project. The $112-million project, supported by all three levels of government, saw Halifax bring in 60 battery-powered electric vehicles from Nova Bus to replace diesel models. The Ragged Lake depot was expanded to handle the buses and new charging stations, and solar panels were added to the facility's roof. "It's incredibly exciting. We've been working towards this for a long time and to finally be able to cut the ribbon on this new facility, I think it's a big milestone for Halifax Transit," Anthony Edmonds, project manager of fleet electrification for Halifax Transit, told reporters. "I think it's a sign of more things to come and the start of a really bright, green future." The project was first announced in 2021, with the first electric bus arriving in December 2023 for training and road testing. The remaining buses have arrived over the past year, with three entering service this past December. Some electric vehicles can struggle in winter weather, but Edmonds said Halifax's models have diesel auxiliary heaters that allow them to burn a small amount of fuel on very cold days to increase their range between charges. "Of course, part of the extensive testing that we've done has been to see what the performance is like in the winter and to make sure that they meet our needs, even on the harshest days when there is a foot of snow on the ground, and when it's –20 and blowing. So we should be all right," Edmonds said. The buses have a regenerative braking system — hitting the brake pedal charges the battery powering the motor. The municipality said it expects the new buses to save about 2,800 tonnes of carbon emissions this year in comparison to diesel models. Edmonds said it means saving "thousands and thousands" of litres of expensive diesel fuel every week. The buses have the same capacity as the current diesel models so passengers might not notice when they board an electric bus, Edmonds said. But the electric ones are much quieter, and there won't be a cloud of diesel fumes when they pull away from a stop, he added. To make sure people with vision loss know when an electric bus is getting close, each will have an alerting system that sends "unobtrusive warning sounds" when the bus is going slowly, according to Halifax's website. Edmonds said the buses will be deployed throughout the network because most of Halifax's routes are conducive to electrification. Transit staff will rotate the vehicles between routes to track how they perform in different areas and with challenges like hills. The total price tag had $45 million coming from the federal government, $37 million from the province and $30 million from Halifax. Halifax Mayor Andy Fillmore said he was "very proud" that the municipality is the first in Atlantic Canada to see a large number of electric buses enter service. Halifax plans to eventually have about 200 zero-emission buses. The municipality said upgrading the Burnside Transit Centre to a net-zero facility to house those vehicles is Phase 2 of the plan, which is expected to be completed by 2028. Many of the rest of the buses will be electric, but Fillmore said Halifax is also exploring hydrogen fuel cells to find out what the best mix of technologies should be. A report coming to Halifax's audit and finance committee Wednesday shows that Halifax plans to convert four diesel buses to a dual-fuel (hydrogen/diesel) system this September for a pilot project aimed to finish in December 2026. The provincial government is providing $367,500 from its Clean Fuels Fund for the hydrogen pilot, with HRM paying about $122,500.
CTV News
16-05-2025
- Climate
- CTV News
Halifax's Blue Nose Marathon to close roads, disrupt transit this weekend
The Blue Nose Marathon takes place in Halifax this weekend and the municipality is advising residents to expect street closures, parking impacts and transit disruptions. A full list of street closures is available on the Blue Nose Marathon website, as well as a list of parking bans that will be in effect on Saturday and Sunday. To help reduce traffic, Halifax Transit is offering free bus and ferry services from Friday to Sunday for volunteers with credentials and participants with their race bib. Some bus routes will be detoured during the races, and information on those affected can be found on Halifax's website or by calling 311. The Blue Nose Marathon is expecting thousands of participants and spectators. The Halifax Regional Municipality is advising motorists to drive carefully and allow for extra travel time. For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
CBC
18-04-2025
- CBC
What's open and closed in Halifax this Easter weekend
Here's an overview of what's open and what's not across the Halifax region to help you plan your Easter weekend. Transit Halifax Transit buses will operate on holiday schedules on Friday, April 18. Buses will operate on regular weekend schedules on Saturday, April 19 and Sunday, April 20. Alderney and Woodside ferry services will not be operating on Friday, April 18. The Alderney ferry service will operate on its regular weekend schedule on Saturday, April 19 and provide holiday service on Sunday, April 20, with the first trip departing at 7:30 a.m. The Woodside ferry service does not operate on weekends or holidays. Buses and ferries will resume their regular schedules on Monday. Groceries Sobeys: closed Friday and Sunday. Atlantic Superstore: closed Friday and Sunday. Gateway Meat Market: open throughout the long weekend. Costco: closed Friday and Sunday. Walmart: closed Friday and Sunday. Local Source Market: Windsor Street and Agricola Street locations are open Saturday and Sunday. Both locations are closed Monday (normal closing day). Drugstores: some pharmacies are open but have limited hours. Check websites for details. Liquor and beer NSLC: closed Friday and Sunday. Check their website for information on local stores. Bishop's Cellar is closed on Friday, but open Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Malls All major malls will be closed on Friday and Sunday. Halifax Public Libraries All branches are closed on Friday, Sunday and Monday. Waste collection Curbside collection regularly scheduled for Friday will take place on Saturday. Curbside collection services scheduled for Monday will not change. The Otter Lake Waste Management Facility and Materials Recovery Facility will be closed on Friday, but will be open on Saturday for regular business hours. The Household Special Waste Depot in Bayers Lake will be closed on Saturday, April 19, but will be open on Saturday, April 26 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Parking On-street paid parking will be free on Friday and Monday. 311 contact centre The 311 Customer Contact Centres will be closed on Friday Sunday. Urgent calls can still be reported during the holidays. The centre will be open on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and will resume regular operating hours on Monday. In-person Customer Service Centres will be closed on Friday and Monday. Customer Service Centres will reopen with regular hours on Tuesday, April 22.
