Kiel North America announced Sept. 23 that the company has partnered with Transpo in South Bend, Ind., to deliver environmentally friendly, fuel saving seating solutions for the agency’s new fleet of compressed natural gas buses. The 16 new buses will be entering service in early 2015.
The South Bend Public Transportation Corpo. (Transpo), has been placing increased focus on the sustainability and environmental friendliness of their operations in order to serve the South Bend community in the best way possible. In 2010, the 125 year old agency relocated to the Emil “Lucky” Reznik Administration, Maintenance and Operations Facility, the first LEED Platinum transit facility nationwide. When replacing their aging fleet, General Manager David Cangany and the board were determined to make the switch to new buses one that would benefit the ridership and the environment but would also save operating costs.
Under the motto “The New Way To Go” the incoming CNG-powered fleet sports a blue and green exterior design on the outside which is carried to the inside with Kiel seat covers in corresponding colors. The Kiel Ideo is a modular seating solution. The Ideo allows for leg room and comfort while making space for four more seats (32 per bus, compared to other seating choices).
With a weight of just over 26 lbs. per double seat fuel-efficiency of the buses will drop from about $3.10 per gallon of diesel fuel to barely $1.00 per equivalent diesel for the fleet powered with CNG-technology. Transpo said this will save over $300,000 in fuel alone in the first year of operation which is a major asset in reducing overall operating costs and free up other resources to maintain the high level of service the Transpo ridership has come to expect.
Besides the US-made Kiel seats, the new fleet will be built in the United States by New Flyer Industries and utilizes “as many “Made in Indiana” components as possible,” according to Transpo’s General Manager David Cangany. “This is an exciting time for Transpo and the transportation industry in the state of Indiana,” he says. “As we strategically plan for the future and focus on sustainable best practices, this Transpo-fleet definitely sets ground-breaking standards for “the new way to go”. In Kiel North America we found an ideal partner to deliver reliable solutions that our customers will enjoy for many years to come.”
“The great collaboration with our South Bend neighbor Transpo has opened a new chapter the history of passenger transport for our state,” adds Thomas Schwank, general manager of Kiel North America. “Transpo’s new fleet is a strong argument for the benefits of public transportation not only for the environment and communities across the nation but also for a strong U.S. economy.”
