Transit Authority Partners with Waste Hauler for CNG Deployment

Rabbittransit, a transit services provider in Pennsylvania, launched its first CNG vehicle early this month to provide service between York and Harrisburg in a public-private partnership with waste hauler Republic Services.

The partnership with Republic Services allows rabbittransit the opportunity to fuel its new vehicle and begin the immediate benefits of CNG while the authority waits for the completion of its own infrastructure. Republic Services’ facility can fuel up to 65 vehicles including the 40-foot rabbittransit MCI coach, which carries up to 49 passengers. It takes approximately 20 minutes to fill the MCI bus through the CNG fueling system.

“We are grateful for the partnership that Republic Services has extended to us in allowing us to utilize their existing fueling station,” said Richard Farr, rabbittransit executive director. “It really is a great example of how private capital can work for public good.”

With more than 74 percent of its fleet past its useful life, rabbittransit’s vehicle replacement plan includes the transition to a predominantly CNG fleet. It will move its central operations and maintenance to a facility that is fully CNG compliant in the summer of 2016.