HART has a number of projects around the county that are not only providing Hillsborough County residents with even more transportation options, but also creating local, vital jobs.
TRANSITION OF HART FLEET TO COMPRESSED NATURAL GAS
COMPRESSED NATURAL GAS TRANSITION
HART is transitioning our fleet of buses and vans to Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), with plans to have the full fleet operating on CNG by 2026.
WHAT IS COMPRESSED NATURAL GAS?
CNG is a fossil fuel comprised mostly of methane (around 90%), small amounts of ethane, propane and other gases. It is lighter than air and burns almost completely. CNG combustion results in leftover carbon dioxide and water, the same molecular compound we exhale when we breathe. Natural gas can be used in the form of compressed natural gas (CNG) or liquefied natural gas (LNG).
WHY COMPRESSED NATURAL GAS?
Reduction of CO² Emissions
CNG vehicles produce the fewest emissions and contain significantly less pollutants than gasoline. Natural gas produces 30% to 40% less CO², which is a greenhouse gas, and carbon monoxide (CO) is reduced by more than 90%.
- One HART CNG van is estimated to reduce CO² emissions by 9 tons per year. With 28 CNG vans in operation in 2014, HART will reduce these emissions by 252 tons per year.
- One HART CNG bus will reduce CO² by 25 tons per year. HART is scheduled to have 22 CNG buses in operation in 2015; thereby reducing emissions by 550 tons.
Imagine how much CO² emissions will be reduced by HART when the full fleet is converted to Compressed Natural Gas.
American-made
HART is doing its part. More than 99% of the natural gas used in the United States comes from domestic or other American sources. The United States imports over one billion dollars of crude oil every day. Estimates show the United States has well over a 100 year supply of natural gas, significantly lessening dependence on foreign oil supplies. The CNG industry helps support national security, U.S. jobs and the US economy.
Less Expensive
COMPRESSED NATURAL GAS (CNG)
$1.95
* Prices are per gallon. CNG and Diesel are HART pricing. Gasoline prices will vary depending upon market conditions.
Each HART van will reduce annual fuel costs by an estimated $4,908. Each CNG HART bus is estimated to reduce annual fuel costs by $16,022.
Safer
People cook and heat their homes with natural gas. Would you do the same in your home with diesel fuel, or gasoline? CNG is lighter than air. Should a CNG leak occur, the gas will disperse rapidly into the atmosphere. Diesel or gasoline, which is heavier than air, can spill on the ground creating fire hazards and potential pollution to waterways.
Fuel storage tanks on CNG vehicles are thicker than on gasoline or diesel vehicles. CNG is stored under high pressure in tub-shaped cylinders attached to the rear, top, or undercarriage of the vehicles, and meet rigorous federally required safety standards. Some of the safety tests include heat and pressure extremes, gunfire, collisions and fires. They are constructed of high-strength materials designed to withstand impact, puncture and, in the case of fire, its pressure release devices provide a controlled venting of the gas rather than letting pressure build up in the tanks. Maintenance and Performance
The real savings is on the maintenance side relative to the engines. A forty-foot transit bus, of which the life is scheduled to be around 12 years, generally has to have an engine rebuilt within five or six years. Since CNG burns cleanly, it is estimated that roughly 80% of the engines can go the full life cycle of the vehicle.
