Long Beach Transit has swapped its red Passport buses for more fuel-efficient compressed natural gas buses as part of a plan to incorporate 64 of the new vehicles into its citywide service over the next three years.
LBT debuted the first seven of its cleaner and quieter 40-foot buses yesterday and introduced 26 more today.
“It’s a really, really good move for us,” said Dana Lee, manager of government relations for LBT. “We’re excited.”
LBT decided to phase out its diesel-fueled Passport buses upon the suggestion from The South Coast Air Quality Management District, the air pollution control agency for all of Orange County and portions of Los Angeles County.
In addition to being cleaner and quieter, the new buses each comfortably seat ten more people than the Passport buses, have three bike racks instead of two, have a rear side exit door for easy passenger exiting and have easier access for passengers who use wheelchairs, according to LBT Spokesman Kevin Lee.
Each compressed natural gas (CNG) bus costs approximately $500,000 and is federally funded, according to Dana Lee.
For years, LBT has experimented with ways to become more environmentally friendly. In 2005, it became the first transit agency in the world to bring production-model hybrid gasoline-electric “E-Power” buses into its fleet. Hybrid gasoline-electric buses now make up nearly half of LBT’s 247-bus fleet, according to Kevin Lee.
“LBT always strives to be a leader in environmental issues,” Elissa Thomas, sustainable transportation coordinator for Cal State Long Beach, said. “What they’re doing now is starting a really clean way to provide service to our city.”
Thomas said LBT will most likely auction off the Passport buses to another transit agency.
“They’re really good buses,” Thomas said. “They run on low-sulfur diesel fuel, so I’m sure they’ll serve someone else well.”
The names of the Passport bus routes have also changed. The Passport D route has been combined with most of the Passport A route and is now route 121. It serves all the same destinations as Passport D, including several stops on Atherton Street, where many CSULB students reside.
Additionally, Passport C, which will now be known simply as Passport and Passport B, is now 151.