British Columbia Transit Fleet Purchases 25 CNG Buses

The City of Kamloops in British Columbia, Canada, has purchased 25 New Flyer CNG buses that will be introduced into service by the end of May as they clear inspection and are prepared for service. The total cost of the buses was roughly $14.8 million, and they were purchased through New Flyer Industries in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

To help offset the initial costs associated with the purchase of the new CNG buses, FortisBC will provide funding of up to $577,500. This funding represents 70 percent of the cost differential of the CNG buses over equivalent diesel buses.

“Natural gas is a cleaner-burning, lower-priced fuel that is abundant in B.C., and we are dedicated to working with municipalities and organizations like BC Transit to take advantage of new opportunities for this fuel source,” said Dave Bennett, Director, External Relations at FortisBC.

A CNG fueling station is near completion at the Kamloops Transit Center. The cost of the fuelling station is estimated at $2.5 million.

Kamloops is the second BC Transit community to adopt CNG technology; the Regional District of Nanaimo introduced its CNG fleet in 2014. The CNG buses in Nanaimo have proved reliable, clocking an average of 33,000 miles each in their first year of service.