Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, October 23, 1993 TAG: 9310230049
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Valley Metro has recommended that all of the city's 18 new buses be diesel-powered.
Stephen Mancuso, general manager of the bus system, cited cost as the chief reason for his recommendation.
The cost of buses fueled by compressed natural gas is $66,495 more per bus. And the natural gas for them is more expensive than diesel fuel, he said.
Apart from the purchase and operating costs, Mancuso said, there is another financial issue.
To use natural-gas buses, a sophisticated refueling apparatus costing up to $500,000 is required.
Valley Metro had proposed that Roanoke Gas Co. own and operate the refueling service, but Mancuso said it could not reach an agreement with the company.
Mancuso's recommendation will go to City Council on Monday.
Valley Metro considered buying natural-gas buses because they pollute less and environmentalists favor them. Officials also thought it could be an impetus for others to buy natural-gas vehicles.
The bus company advertised earlier for 18 diesel buses, with an alternative for five gas-powered buses that could be substituted for five diesel vehicles.
The low bid for the diesel buses was $191,460 per vehicle, with a combined bid of $3.4 million for all 18. It was submitted by the Gillig Corp. of Hayward, Calif. Mancuso will recommend that council accept the bid.
The price for the natural gas buses was $257,955 each or $1.3 million for all five.
Besides the higher costs, Mancuso said he also had concerns about the reliability of gas-powered buses.
If electric power failed because of a storm or the refueling station broke down, he said, there would be no way to refuel the gas buses.
Mancuso said several transit systems across the country are using some gas-powered buses. Some like them, but others hate them, he said.
The new buses will be purchased with nearly $3.7 million in federal and state grant funds which have been allocated to the bus company and other equipment.
The new buses will replace five 1976 models and 13 1979 models. With the new vehicles, the oldest bus in Valley Metro's fleet of 38 buses will be a 1988 model.
by CNB