GRAND JUNCTION, Colo.—Mesa County’s transit system has added two buses powered by compressed natural gas and is seeking funding for eight more.
The new buses will replace two diesel-powered vehicles in Grand Valley Transit’s 25-vehicle fleet. The system serves Grand Junction, Palisade, Fruita and other areas.
Todd Hollenbeck, manager of the Mesa County Regional Transportation Planning Office, tells the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel ( ) that a full conversion to compressed natural gas won’t occur until 2020 at the earliest.
Hollenbeck says a bus fueled by compressed natural gas costs about $50,000 more than a diesel bus, but the transit system expects to recoup that investment within 10 years because natural gas is cheaper.
The new buses also pollute less and run more quietly than diesel vehicles and can carry more passengers.
———
Information from: The Daily Sentinel,
