Abstract

This research aims to enhance the existing methods for assessing the sustainability of various transit buses. It integrates life cycle sustainability assessment (LCSA) with multi-criteria decision-making. Thirteen bus brands are evaluated for their macro-level sustainability impacts. Two scenarios for bus end-of-life (EoL) are considered: recycling in China and India. The study assesses all bus types' environmental, social, and economic impacts, identifying optimal distributions for each scenario. A compromise programming model is developed to determine the best mix of alternative vehicles, considering the importance of different sustainability indicators and study scope. The study also explores the total impacts of global supply chains on these distributions. Findings indicate that Compressed natural gas (CNG) buses recycled in India are most favorable. With environmental indicators prioritized, the ideal mix is mostly Swedish CNG, with a small percentage of Indian CNG, both recycled in India. However, if economic indicators are prioritized, Indian CNG buses recycled in China dominate the fleet. For social indicators, Turkish CNG recycled in India comprises the majority. In a balanced scenario, Swedish CNG recycled in India forms over 95% of the distribution.