UPDATE (5/21/2013, 10:13pm ET): Earlier this month, the Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) released its first 30 CNG buses for use.  While they don’t look much different than the typical diesel-fuel bus, COTA will definitely notice the difference in cost.  They pay about $3.20 for a gallon of diesel fuel, but will pay only about 80 cents for a gallon equivalent of natural gas.  All told, COTA could save $28,800 a year in fuel costs for each bus.  Akron’s METRO Regional Transit Authority saved about $600,000 on fuel last year because of their CNG vehicles.

Currently, COTA has more than 320 buses. They hope to transition the entire fleet to CNG over the next 12 years at a pace of about 30 each year.  Jeff Hiott, a senior program manager with the American Public Transportation Association commented on the difference between diesel and CNG:

“A diesel-fueled bus is still the cheapest buy. However, when you look at everything combined, you can realize some savings there.” –Jeff Hiott (COTA’s cheap-fuel buses roll out today, 5/6/13)

That’s certainly good news for taxpayers in Central Ohio.

COTA isn’t alone in their quest for a cleaner and cheaper fuel for public transportation.  More than a third of transit buses nationwide were hybrids or used an alternative fuel in 2011. According to the American Public Transportation Association, that’s up from 10 percent a decade earlier.

- Original post from November 20, 2012 -

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