The Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA) and Clean Energy Fuels celebrated the opening of the public-access compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling facility at JTA’s Myrtle Avenue operations campus located at 100 N. Myrtle Avenue. The CNG project was made possible through a Public-Private Partnership (P3) with Clean Energy. The station, adjacent to the existing, private JTA-dedicated CNG station, will provide access to fueling for both public and private vehicles. The ceremony included a ribbon cutting and fueling demonstration. The event included JTA Chairman Scott L. McCaleb, JTA CEO Nathaniel P. Ford Sr. and Clean Energy SVP Peter Grace.
“With this new CNG station, JTA is taking a leadership position in its industry — and improving Northeast Florida’s economy and environment,” said JTA Chairman Scott L. McCaleb. “This station was specifically designed to meet JTA and the public’s fueling needs today and tomorrow as more CNG vehicles become part of the community.”
“By allowing the public and other agencies to fuel their vehicles, the Authority will begin contributing to the available supply of CNG in the region, which in turn will help make our region cleaner by eliminating fewer pollutants into the air we breathe,” said JTA Chief Executive Officer Nathaniel P. Ford Sr. “CNG vehicles produce up to 90 percent less smog producing pollutants and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 40 percent.”
JTA’s goal is to have a fleet of 100 CNG buses over four years and we are well underway with 23 vehicles currently in the fleet.
This CNG project, one of the JTA's transformative Blueprint 2020 initiatives, also included a modification to the bus maintenance facility and a bus fueling facility. Fueling of the CNG buses began in December 2015 with the rollout of the First Coast Flyer Bus Rapid Transit ”Green Line”.
“Clean Energy is proud to partner with the Jacksonville Transit Authority on the construction of this station and giving the citizens of Jacksonville a cleaner fuel option for their transportation needs. We applaud their leadership on this important effort” said Peter Grace, senior vice president, Sales & Finance, Clean Energy Fuels.
JTA says that the Clean Energy station is easily accessible for heavy-duty fleet trucks and passenger vehicles. The new CNG station will be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week and uses a public access card reader system. The station includes one single hose dispenser, with the capability of adding an additional three dispensers. The entrance to the station is located at the intersection of Bay Street and Myrtle Avenue.
