Southern Nevada Transit Selects Compressed Natural Gas Buses for Fleet

A portion of the fleet with public transit serving Las Vegas Valley is being shifted from diesel to compressed natural gas (CNG) buses.

New Flyer of America has received an order for 46 40-foot CNG-fueled Xcelsior transit buses from the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada (RTC). The transaction is supported by funding from the Federal Transit Administration. CNG buses are fossil-fueled, but they emit 90% less nitrogen oxide than diesel engines and meet particulate matter rules without the need for a filter.

“New Flyer takes great pride in our 30-year history of excellence with RTC and looks forward to continuing this partnership in the years ahead,” said Chris Stoddart, president, North American Bus and Coach for New Flyer parent company NFI. “RTC’s current fleet consists entirely of NFI Group buses, operating ARBOC and Alexander Dennis buses in addition to New Flyer, which reaffirms the value our vehicles deliver for the agency and the citizens of Southern Nevada every day.”

RTC is responsible for the oversight and expansion of transit, roadways, traffic management, transportation design, construction projects, and regional planning efforts in Southern Nevada through the Southern Nevada Strong Regional Plan. RTC Transit is a subsidiary of RTC providing services in and around Clark County, Nevada, which has a population of more than 2.3 million people and includes the cities of Las Vegas, Henderson, and Boulder City.

Among key considerations in using CNG engines include speed for refueling, the purity of the fuel, range and storage issues. All are critical issues in deciding whether CNG is right for a fleet. Read more about it at FleetOwner, a sister publication to EnergyTech.