September 14, 2022. The City of Loveland Transit (COLT) bus fleet is now a little bit greener in Colorado. Last month, the transit team welcomed three new buses powered by compressed natural gas (CNG), a cleaner alternative to gas and diesel.
“They’re up and running with no issues, except a few tiny little things here and there,” city transit manager Candice Folkers told the Transportation Advisory Board on Monday. “Overall, the operators are happy with them and they’ve been working well.”
The CNG buses can currently be found on routes 1, 4 and 5. Riders probably don’t notice much of a difference, Folkers said, though in addition to cleaner emissions, the new units are also a little quieter than their gas-powered counterparts.
According to Loveland Public Works Director Mark Jackson, the new buses were funded through COLT’s portion of a federal transportation grant. He added that two additional CNG buses are on order and will join the fleet in the coming months.
Public Works started transitioning vehicles in its fleet to alternative fuels in recent years in a bid to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. According to a report from the U.S. Department of Energy, natural gas engines emit 20% to 30% less carbon dioxide (CO2), and 13% to 17% less greenhouse gasses overall. It is also cleaner to produce than gasoline, and uses less water in storage.