VICTORIA – New heavy-duty compressed natural gas (CNG) buses are now operating in the Victoria Regional Transit System. The addition of CNG buses will be gradual throughout the year as buses are delivered. In total, 46 heavy-duty CNG buses and 25 medium-duty CNG buses will be added to the fleet by the end of this summer.
The 40-foot heavy-duty New Flyer buses carry 35 seated passengers and 46 standing passengers, while each medium-duty Grande West Vicinity bus can carry 24 seated passengers and 20 standing passengers. Each new bus is also equipped with a three-inch bike rack, LED destination sign and full driver door, a protective door placed on the exterior of the operator seat to protect operators from physical confrontations.
The cost of each heavy-duty CNG bus is approximately $710,000, while the medium-duty CNG buses are approximately $455,000. All are funded through the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP), with the Government of Canada and the Province of BC each contributing 40 per cent of the cost. The Victoria Regional Transit Commission is funding the remaining 20 per cent.
The benefits of CNG technology are both environmental and economic, with reductions in tailpipe emissions and operational costs. FortisBC supplies natural gas for BC Transit’s CNG fleets, while the CNG fueling station, located at the Langford operations and maintenance facility, is built and maintained by Clean Energy.
The Victoria Regional Transit System becomes BC Transit’s fourth system operating a CNG fleet, joining Whistler, Nanaimo and Kamloops.
For more information, please visit bctransit.com.
