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This coming Thursday is national “Dump the Pump Day,” a day when drivers are encouraged to use public transportation instead of their own vehicles to save money and fuel. Some of those folks will be running on biodiesel, as many communities use the green fuel to run their buses.

One such community is Springfield, Missouri, which runs 1.2 million miles of bus routes a year on biodiesel. And this story from the Springfield News-Leader says the city’s utilities Transit Service will give free rides on its buses on Thursday:

“By participating in the national ‘Dump the Pump Day,’ we hope people who have never used our services will give us a try instead of driving their car,” CU Transit Director Carol Cruise said. “We will welcome new riders and thank our regular riders.”

Public transportation is seeing an increased number of riders across the country. In 2007, CU Transit Services provided 2 million rides. CU’s biodiesel fueled buses drove 1.2 million miles and operated over 85,000 hours to provide transportation services to the Springfield community.

Heavy equipment manufacturer Case has approved the use of B20 biodiesel for more than 85 percent of its products.

This company press release says this follows Case’s move two years ago to give B5 the OK, the first construction equipment maker to do so:

“Case is proudly leading the construction industry to help lower customers’ fuel costs and make a positive impact on the environment,” said Jim Hasler, vice president, Case Construction Equipment, North America. “Using biodiesel to power Case equipment reduces our dependence on foreign oil and increases our U.S.-based energy production. Plus, biodiesel has the potential to save customers money.”

“Biodiesel adds lubricity to the fuel, which is beneficial in many circumstances, particularly as sulfur and aromatics are removed from the fuel,” said Ray Good, engine application manager, Case Construction Equipment. “Biodiesel has a higher Cetane number and burns cleaner with less particulates and smoke emissions. It is also fully biodegradable and nontoxic.”

Case officials remind customers that they need to use ASTM approved biodiesel in their products.

Biodiesel has cleared an important hurdle as it passed a vote that will establish standards for the green fuel.

The Subcommittee E of ASTM International, a group that establishes standards for a variety of things including fuels, has voted to recommend the passage of finished specifications for biodiesel blends. This press release from the National Biodiesel Board (NBB) says this paves the way for an expected positive vote before the full ASTM D02 Main Committee later this week:

* Finished specifications to include up to 5% biodiesel (B5) in the conventional petrodiesel specification (ASTM D975)
* Changes to the existing B100 biodiesel blend stock specification (ASTM D6751)
* A new specification for blends of between 6 percent biodiesel (B6) to 20 percent biodiesel (B20) for on and off road diesel.

“While it’s not over until the last vote is cast at the main committee Thursday, passage of these ballots is a sort of ‘rite of passage’ that the auto and petroleum industries have said they need in order to more fully support and endorse B20 and lower blends,” said Steve Howell, Chairman of the ASTM Biodiesel Task Force. “It is quite remarkable that the big oil companies and engine makers on the committee have now joined forces with the biodiesel industry to help approve these standards.”

“We addressed the issues and concerns with solid, scientific research,” said Joe Jobe, CEO of the National Biodiesel Board. “Without the tremendous amount of scientific data provided by independent organizations like Southwest Research Institute (SwRI), the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), the Coordinating Research Council (CRC) and others, and the cooperation of the petroleum and engine communities, this would not have been possible.”