Beginning July 15, two new CNG buses began running routes as part of the Lafayette Transit System (LTS) fleet. The new buses are part of the going fleet conversion that began in 2011. With the addition of the new buses, only one diesel-fueled bus remains for regular route service, and all other diesel buses are a part of the spare fleet.
The buses cost approximately $430,000 and are expected to provide transit services for the next 12 years. The fleet conversion from diesel to compressed natural gas is funded in part through a grant from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) with matching funds from Lafayette Consolidated Government.
“As we convert the fleet to CNG, we are more able to take advantage of lower fuel costs,” Public Works Director Kevin Blanchard said. “This helps make our transit system as efficient as possible.”
The newest buses can be seen running on Johnston Street from downtown to the mall (Route 25) and along Congress Street from downtown to Ambassador Caffery and Johnston Street and back (Route 15).
All of the fleet’s CNG buses are fueled at the CNG filling station operated by Lafayette Consolidated Government, which was also launched in 2011 as a part of the fleet conversion project. LCG’s CNG fuel station, one of only two in Lafayette, is located at 1505 E. University Avenue and has been open to the public since 2012.
The announcement of the new buses is just the latest in the series of improvements to Lafayette’s public transit system. In May, LTS publicized its partnership with Google Maps to feature local bus information including stops, routes and schedules. Local travelers can access public transit routes via Google Maps as an alternative to driving directions within the LTS service area. By clicking the transit option, users are linked to their LTS route and can select preferences for the most direct route, via stop/station icons that appear on the map.
