DIAMOND BAR, Calif. - The Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) has added 68 new CNG-fueled transit buses to its fleet, thanks in part to $1.36 million dollars in Clean Transportation Funding from the Mobile Source Air Pollution Reduction Review Committee (MSRC).
The MSRC provided Clean Transportation Funding to the OCTA to help fund the purchase of these buses through the MSRC's Alternative Fuel Transit Bus Program. This Program offers to co-fund the purchase of new, low-emission, 35- to 40-foot alternative fuel transit buses in lieu of diesel-fueled buses, either for replacement or fleet expansion.
With the help of the MSRC's funding, OCTA purchased 68 new 40-foot New Flyer transit buses with standard CNG engines. As Orange County's primary transit agency, OCTA operates about 915 transit vehicles in total, including more than 590 large buses. To date, the OCTA has purchased 299 CNG buses, including these new 68 buses, to replace some of the older, diesel buses in its fleet. At a cost of more than $400,000 for each bus, the MSRC's funding of $1.36 million offsets a portion of the cost of the new buses and helps OCTA further its commitment to reducing emissions from diesel buses and improving air quality in the region.
"As a member of both the MSRC and the OCTA, I am pleased to see how effectively the two groups worked together," said Greg Winterbottom, who serves on the OCTA Board of Directors and represents the OCTA on the MSRC. "This kind of partnership not only benefits the transit agency by implementing an innovative project to replace diesel buses with cleaner alternatives, but it also benefits all of the communities in which the buses operate by cutting down on air pollution enabling residents to breath easier."
CNG buses cut NOx emissions by approximately one-half compared with conventional diesel buses. Emissions of particulate matter are also significantly reduced.
Over the last four years, OCTA has been awarded approximately $6.5 million from the MSRC. OCTA has used this funding for a variety of projects to improve air quality including purchasing new buses, repowering existing buses, installing diesel exhaust filters on vehicles to reduce emissions of particulate matter, constructing new alternative fueling stations, and operating freeway service patrols.
The new CNG buses serve all of the 34 cities in Orange County, as well as inter-county service to Los Angeles and Riverside Counties. The first of the 68 buses began service in November of last year and all are now in operation.
The MSRC provided Clean Transportation Funding to the OCTA to help fund the purchase of these buses through the MSRC's Alternative Fuel Transit Bus Program. This Program offers to co-fund the purchase of new, low-emission, 35- to 40-foot alternative fuel transit buses in lieu of diesel-fueled buses, either for replacement or fleet expansion.
With the help of the MSRC's funding, OCTA purchased 68 new 40-foot New Flyer transit buses with standard CNG engines. As Orange County's primary transit agency, OCTA operates about 915 transit vehicles in total, including more than 590 large buses. To date, the OCTA has purchased 299 CNG buses, including these new 68 buses, to replace some of the older, diesel buses in its fleet. At a cost of more than $400,000 for each bus, the MSRC's funding of $1.36 million offsets a portion of the cost of the new buses and helps OCTA further its commitment to reducing emissions from diesel buses and improving air quality in the region.
"As a member of both the MSRC and the OCTA, I am pleased to see how effectively the two groups worked together," said Greg Winterbottom, who serves on the OCTA Board of Directors and represents the OCTA on the MSRC. "This kind of partnership not only benefits the transit agency by implementing an innovative project to replace diesel buses with cleaner alternatives, but it also benefits all of the communities in which the buses operate by cutting down on air pollution enabling residents to breath easier."
CNG buses cut NOx emissions by approximately one-half compared with conventional diesel buses. Emissions of particulate matter are also significantly reduced.
Over the last four years, OCTA has been awarded approximately $6.5 million from the MSRC. OCTA has used this funding for a variety of projects to improve air quality including purchasing new buses, repowering existing buses, installing diesel exhaust filters on vehicles to reduce emissions of particulate matter, constructing new alternative fueling stations, and operating freeway service patrols.
The new CNG buses serve all of the 34 cities in Orange County, as well as inter-county service to Los Angeles and Riverside Counties. The first of the 68 buses began service in November of last year and all are now in operation.