Leahy Announces
Addition Of Six New Low Emission Buses To CCTA Fleet
BURLINGTON (Monday, July 16) -- At a July 16
press conference in Burlington, Vermont, Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.)
announced the arrival of six new bio-diesel buses to the Chittenden
County Transportation Authority's fleet. The new low-emission
buses are the most environmentally-friendly public transit buses in
Vermont.
CCTA says the new 40-foot buses meet the 2007
EPA standard platform, which sets environmental standards for diesel
engines, including a 97-percent reduction in particulate emissions,
and a 75-percent reduction in carbon monoxide emissions. Leahy
was joined at the press conference by Chris Cole, General Manager of
CCTA, where he also announced the ground breaking of a 9000
square-foot bus storage facility addition. This expansion will
allow CCTA to house a greater portion of its bus fleet, which will
prolong vehicle life and reduce maintenance costs. Construction
officially began in the spring and is scheduled for completion in
the fall.
“Many Vermonters count on CCTA for a safe and
economical way of getting around town,” Leahy said. “Now they can
sit comfortably knowing that the bus they are riding in is also the
cleanest public transit bus in the state. Keeping our public
transit system state of the art, dependable and in touch with
Vermonters’ priorities is critical to a successful transit program.”
Leahy helped secure the funds to purchase the
new buses in the most recent version of the transportation
reauthorization bill. The funds, combined with local, member
community and state contributions, permit CCTA to make necessary
upgrades to the bus fleet and to storage facilities. These upgrades
improve CCTA’s environmental impact and better protect these and
other buses to ensure a longer life and improved customer
experiences
“Senator Leahy has a long history of support
for public transportation in Vermont. This support is critical to
maintain and expand our services,” said Cole. “The new buses and
improvements to our facility would not have happened without Senator
Leahy’s efforts and commitment to public transportation,” Cole
added.
CCTA says the six new local buses are yet
another element of their ongoing efforts to reducing greenhouse gas
emissions and improve the quality of the environment in Chittenden
County and Vermont. CCTA began using the B20 biodiesel blend in
February 2007 and also employs various conservation efforts in its
administrative offices and maintenance facility such as oil and
antifreeze recycling.
“Our goal now is to replace the remaining buses
that are already eligible for replacement,” said Cole. “The fastest
way for CCTA to further reduce emissions is to replace the older
buses as soon as they are eligible. Based upon the dramatic
emissions reductions, the CCTA board is committed to changing over
the remaining eligible fleet as quickly as possible.”
CCTA currently has 10 buses eligible for
replacement.
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CCTA produced the following
charts for the July 16 event:
Emissions
Comparison
Public Transportation
Facts
