NORWALK — The city will spend about $7.66 million for 14 new buses but will save money in the long run and comply with federal air pollution guidelines, officials said.
The City Council Tuesday night approved purchase of the buses, which will use compressed natural gas instead of gasoline, from the Gillig Corporation.
Questioned by Councilman Leonard Shryock, Transportation Director James Parker said the CNG buses will replace 14 older, gasoline-using vehicles. He said gas costs about $3.90 a gallon while a comparable unit of CNG will cost just 79 to 95 cents.
The 40-foot buses, seating about 39 people each, with handicapped boarding equipment, are expected about the first of the year, Parker said.
Funding will come from federal transportation grants, state Proposition 1B funds and Los Angeles County Measure R, a sales tax hike approved by voters. There will be no money spent from the general fund budget, he added.
However, the city will have to install the CNG tanks and pumps and a compressor, which can be done with slight modifications to current gasoline pumps.
Parker said the Norwalk Transit Department operates a fleet of 33 buses. Of the remaining 19, four use diesel fuel and will be traded in the next few years. The other 15 have hybrid gasoline/electric motors.
The 14 current gasoline-using buses have exceeded their 12-year or 500,000 mile life of practical operation. The remaining four will be traded when they reach those limits.
Parker said buses running on CNG emit no visible matters or black soot, there is a reduction of oxides, lower carbon dioxide emissions and no evidence that CNG poses a greater fire risk than diesel fuel.
Natural gas vapors from CNG buses are odorless and non-toxic, he added.
In another transit related action Tuesday night, the City Council renewed an agreement between Norwalk and the city of Santa Fe Springs to continue their membership in the area Transportation Management Association for another three years, ending June 30, 2015.
A similar agreement must be signed with the city of Whittier, which Norwalk Transit also serves.
Participation in the association, a joint planning and study group, provides technical services and information to reduce air pollution and traffic congestion, assists local businesses to arrange vanpools and carpools for their employees, helps transit agencies to enhance their services to attract more riders and helps set up inter-city fixed bus routes and taxi voucher services, Parker said.
He noted that it continues the taxi voucher service, by Fiesta Taxi, in which residents of both cities can purchase vouchers, valued at $7 each, to take a taxi to medical facilities outside the Norwalk and Santa Fe Springs city limits.
Under the agreement, Santa Fe Springs will reimburse Norwalk a $10,000 administrative fee from revenue the program obtains from Santa Fe Springs riders.
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