The transit fleet in Hamilton, Ontario, began deploying buses powered by compressed natural gas (CNG) many years ago. But high project costs, concerns about vehicle reliability and a general wariness about CNG largely sidelined the city's program in 2004.
CNG, however, is now back in action.
According to coverage in The Hamilton Spectator, 35 of Hamilton Street Railway's 221 buses still currently run on CNG. A natural gas refueling facility at one of the transit authority's service centers accommodates these buses.
But going forward, the number of CNG vehicles is likely to rise. Fleet officials have recommended that the city return to natural gas, largely due to the high cost of diesel and the technological advancements that NGVs have made in the past decade.
The city's next steps are to begin a formal examination of what it will take to upgrade or replace the existing CNG refueling infrastructure and to return those findings to the city council for review.
