TriMet Announces Switch To Renewable Diesel For Buses

PORTLAND, OR —TriMet, which operates busses, light rail and commuter rail trains, announced Thursday that it had switched all of its buses in the Portland metro area to a renewable diesel fuel. The agency said the new diesel will prevent nearly 96 million pounds of greenhouse gas emissions every year.

The new fuel is called R99 and is a blend of 99 percent renewable diesel and 1 percent petroleum, the latter needed for lubrication. The fuel is identical to petroleum, but is made from renewable sources including vegetable oil and natural fats, and it contains almost no fossil carbon, according to TriMet representatives.

The diesel replaces the 5 percent biodiesel blend TriMet buses have been running on the past 15 years.

"R99 is $0.09 per gallon more (expensive), but we'll save on maintenance costs with the new fuel," the company said in a statement.

Oregon State Sen. Michael Dembrow and TriMet's General Manager Sam Desue Jr. made the ceremonial first fill of a bus with the new cleaner renewable diesel.

Dembrow (D-Portland) said he hopes transit services in other cities will follow TriMet's lead.

"We need more people to be using transit," Dembrow said, "We need to make sure that the energy used to run those buses and trains are coming from renewable sources."

The change to the new diesel is one of several steps TriMet is taking to lower its carbon footprint, according to The Oregonian.

Desue said the agency remains on track to have a zero-emission bus fleet by 2040. TriMet also switched all of its MAX trains to renewable electricity in June.

"Even accounting for transporting the fuel here, moving to this fuel — along with our switch to renewable electricity in June — will take the equivalent of 14,693 cars off our streets," TriMet said in a statement.

Additionally, TriMet said it has been testing five electric buses since 2019. Plus, one of its buses was converted from diesel to electric. If that process proves successful, Desue said it may speed up the conversion to an all-electric fleet.

"TriMet is stepping up with the transit system we need to carry us into a cleaner future. Now let's all get on board!" Jessica Vega Pederson, Multnomah County Commissioner for District 3, said in a statement.

Also on Thursday, Desue announced that TriMet plans to launch a new service next year that will provide rapid transit along Division Street between Downtown Portland and Gresham. The service will be called TriMet FX.