New buses powered by compressed natural gas have started service on the region’s roads.
B.C. Transit began using the buses Thursday, with 10 set to be gradually rolled out over the next two weeks. The transit system already has 60 CNG buses that were added to the fleet last year.
CNG technology helps to reduce tailpipe emissions and cuts down on operational costs, B.C. Transit said.
Natural gas for the CNG buses is supplied by FortisBC, while the CNG fueling station in Langford was built by Clean Energy — which also provides maintenance.
B.C. Transit’s new buses include 40-foot, heavy-duty models that can carry 35 seated passengers and 46 standing passengers. There are also USB ports for passengers to use and seats made of upgraded vinyl material that is easier to clean.
Each heavy-duty CNG bus costs about $710,000. The federal and provincial governments are each funding about 40 per cent of the cost and the rest is coming from the Victoria Regional Transit Commission.
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