Low Life Cycle Cost Design Study for Paratransit Vehicles.

摘要

This report summarizes the work performed on the Low Life Cycle Cost (LLCC) paratransit vehicle contract. The program was structured to provide a design of a vehicle suitable for taxi paratransit usage and optimized for LLCC to the end user. This effort is in response to the growing recognition that purchase price or first cost of a vehicle is not a true measure of the cost of ownership. This report includes cost estimates which were prepared for the major elements of life cycle costing including manufacturing,maintenance,and repair costs. The objectives of the LLCC design study were to: (1) review the current designs; (2) identify and characterize features that impact the life cycle cost for taxi applications; (3) design a ride-sharing paratransit vehicle primarily for the taxi application; (4) consider volume production and use of readily commercial component/parts in order to reduce initial cost;and (5) consider maintainability,reliability,safety,and other important features to assure wide acceptance in paratransit and related use. It was concluded that a paratransit vehicle,with all of the special features of this design could be acquired and utilized over its extended service life at a net cost to the operator that would be less than that of a conventional taxicab.