Albany Transit System officially unveils city’s new CNG buses
Upgrades to city’s transit system are part of overall plan
By Terry Lewis
ALBANY — The city of Albany’s Transit System officially unveiled the system’s new Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) transit buses at a news conference Tuesday at the new CNG fueling station at 712 West Flint Ave.
“The CNG fueling station opened in October. We are proud of the new look and incorporating CNG into our fleet,” city Transportation Director David Hamilton said. “We are also proud of the sleek new look and design for the bus stops, shelters and signs which will be going up soon.”
Albany Mayor Dorothy Hubbard said the city is part of a growing trend nationwide of using CNG vehicles.
“A unanimous decision was made by elected officials to join transit agencies across the country in converting to alternative fuels,” Hubbard said. “We are proud to be a regional leader in the effort to improve the environment and the quality of life for our citizens.”
City Manager Sharon Subadan said the city’s transit system provides an important service to many Albany residents.
“People depend on our transit system for transportation to work, home and play,” she said. “And our new branding on buses, shelters and signage looks pretty good.”
City Commissioner B.J. Fletcher was also scheduled to speak at the event but was called away due to a family illness.
“The Board of Commissioners is delighted to see this project come to fruition,” Hubbard said. “In 2014, the Commission approved the construction of the new CNG fueling station as well as acquisition of five new ADA paratransit and four passenger buses.”
Hamilton said the new passenger buses cost $490,000 each, with the paratransit buses coming in at a cost of slightly less than $200,000 each.
The Albany Utility Board plays a significant role in providing the compressed natural gas. Atlanta Gas Light Company constructed and is maintaining the fueling station.
“A lot of other cities and businesses in Georgia are running CNG vehicles,” AGL Director of Natural Gas Vehicles Ian Skelton said at Tuesday’s news conference. “It is a cleaner, totally domestic fuel source, and the vehicles also run more quietly. Around 25 to 30 percent of new transit buses and 55 percent of new refuse trucks being built today are powered by natural gas.
“It’s where we are headed into the future.”
Related Articles
Who decides elections in Terrell County? Data show older voters dominate turnout as turnout declines
According to the Georgia Secretary of State, 1,731 of Terrell County’s 6,048 active registered voters cast ballots in the May primary, a turnout rate of 28.6%. Four weeks later, only 922 voters participated in the June 16 primary runoff, reducing turnout to 15.2%.
From Ledo to Coston, Lee County’s summer road projects are underway
Updates provided during recent meetings of the Lee County Board of Commissioners show projects are underway or scheduled to begin on several county roads, while additional transportation improvements funded through the Local Maintenance and Improvement Grant (LMIG) program and Transportation Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (T-SPLOST) are expected to begin shortly after the July Fourth holiday.
Lee County moves another step closer to issuing long-awaited property tax refunds
County Manager Scott Addison described the amendment as a housekeeping measure that updates the county’s original resolution to ensure the Tax Commissioner’s Office follows state statutory requirements for unclaimed refund funds.
