City Council Backs Away From Natural Gas Buses
Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News) - The Rochester City Council has decided to pull back on a proposal to make a change in its transit fueling program.
Staff had earlier recommended the Council seek state funding to help with the transition of the city’s public transit fleet and other vehicles from diesel to compressed natural gas, or CNG. But staff recently studied electric buses and their recharging systems and shared those findings with the Council Monday.
The council was told electrical buses are much more expensive than diesel and CNG models but have other advantages that are worth considering. But the council decided to withdraw its request for state funding at this time and directed staff to continue monitoring changes in both the CNG and electrical programs to see if they have more potential in future years. The Council was told changes in the diesel bus industry are already producing more efficient models that have greatly reduced emissions.
More From KROC-AM
