Skip to main content

LA retires last diesel bus

Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transit Authority (Metro) has retired the last diesel bus in its fleet, becoming the world's first major transit agency to operate only clean fuel buses - nearly 100 per cent of which operate on compressed natural gas (CNG). According to Metro, compared with diesel buses, its CNG fleet reduces cancer-causing particulate matter by more than 80 per cent. And, because of the switch from diesel to CNG, Metro avoids emitting nearly 300,000 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions per da
May 18, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
5625 Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transit Authority (Metro) has retired the last diesel bus in its fleet, becoming the world's first major transit agency to operate only clean fuel buses - nearly 100 per cent of which operate on compressed natural gas (CNG).

According to Metro, compared with diesel buses, its CNG fleet reduces cancer-causing particulate matter by more than 80 per cent. And, because of the switch from diesel to CNG, Metro avoids emitting nearly 300,000 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions per day.

"What Metro has achieved transcends Los Angeles County," said Los Angeles County Supervisor and Metro Board Chair Don Knabe. "We proved from both a technical and economic standpoint that a large transit agency can operate with alternative clean burning fuels and this has led many other transit agencies to follow our lead. Likewise, what Metro is doing to tap solar energy, recycle and build green facilities is raising the bar for the industry. That's good for our customers, taxpayers and the environment."

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • US, China kick off Race to Zero Emissions Challenge
    June 6, 2016
    US Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx and China’s Minister of Transport Yang Chuantang unveiled the US-China Race to Zero Emissions (R2ZE) Challenge during the eighth US-China Transportation Forum in Los Angeles and invited cities and transit agencies in the two countries to join in. The R2ZE Challenge is a collaborative and friendly competition that encourages cities and metropolitan transit districts in the US and China to deploy innovative and advanced non-polluting zero emission buses (ZEBs) in th
  • Birmingham CAZ is green for go
    July 26, 2021
    For urban authorities worldwide, the health of residents is racing up the political agenda. Ben Spencer looks at how one city - Birmingham, UK - has established its own Clean Air Zone and is investing in alternative-fuel vehicles and public transport incentives
  • TriMet and PGE use wind to power e-buses in Portland
    April 25, 2019
    Authorities in Oregon, US, are embracing wind power as a means of meeting transport emissions commitments. TriMet (Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon) has joined forces with Portland General Electric (PGE) to power its all-electric buses with wind energy. TriMet says the move supports its ambition to run a non-diesel fleet by 2040. Maria Pope, PGE president, says: "This all-electric bus line is a sustainable transportation option for the community and another step closer to a cle
  • ‘Shining moment of opportunity for tolling’
    May 5, 2021
    Climate change is already affecting tolling operations in many parts of the world. IBTTA’s Bill Cramer explains how the sector can be seen as a proven funding and financing mechanism for surface transportation