The Muskegon Area Transit System (MATS) placed three new heavy-duty compressed natural gas (CNG) buses into service the week of December 12, 2011, continuing their commitment to the environment by purchasing and using CNG vehicles whenever possible.
The new buses are powered by engines fueled by compressed natural gas, or CNG.
“MATS has been using natural gas in its seasonal trolley vehicles and small buses for nearly 10 years now,” said Transit Manager Jim Koens, “but these will be the first heavy-duty CNG buses in our fleet. Compressed natural gas burns cleanly, is produced domestically, and is more cost-effective than diesel fuel at this time.”
The new, 32-passenger buses were built by Gillig Corporation in Hayward, California and are comparable to the buses that MATS has deployed in recent years. The buses feature a lowered floor and front-door entrance ramp to accommodate wheelchairs and mobility-impaired passengers. A voice annunciation system on board the vehicles allows people with visual impairments to know when the bus reaches key points along the route. The buses are also air conditioned and outfitted with additional systems to make public transportation a more comfortable experience.
Older, diesel-powered buses in the MATS fleet had come to the end of their useful life and were phased out in favor of the new CNG buses. One more CNG-powered bus will join the MATS fleet this in summer 2012.
The buses will be placed in a rotation and operate throughout the MATS route and service areas. For more information on MATS, visit www.MATSBUS.com, or call 231-724-6420.
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