Checker Transportation Group of Kansas City, Mo. – in partnership with BAF Technologies, Olathe Ford Lincoln and Kansas City Regional Clean Cities – is rolling out the first taxi cab in the area that runs on compressed natural gas (CNG).
The CNG cab, which underwent a conversion from BAF, will be used primarily in the company's Kansas division and will refuel at Kansas Gas Services' facility in Overland Park – currently the only public-access CNG station in the metro.
Checker notes that more CNG refueling infrastructure is scheduled to come online soon in its service territory, at which point the company intends to expand its complement of natural gas vehicles to as much as 50% of its 150-vehicle fleet.
‘Our firm has conducted extensive research of the product and has found that as more refueling facilities become available, we want to be in the game of limiting dependence on foreign oil supply while also helping to reduce carbon emissions in our community,’ says Craig Bates, founder of Checker.
Olathe Ford and BAF also recently partnered to convert 10 Ford Crown Victoria police cars for the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department.
