$2.8 million federal grant helps Beaumont replace five buses with more efficient low-emission buses
Beaumont — The City of Beaumont plans to use a $2.8 million federal grant to replace five city buses that have exceeded their useful life with five more efficient low-emission buses.
The award was one of 130 projects funded by President Biden’s infrastructure bill.
The funds, which include a contribution by the City of $499,022, or approximately $100,000 per bus, will be used to replace five buses that have exceeded their useful life. The new GILLIG Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses will increase service efficiency, reduce maintenance expenses, provide low emission and reliable technology, and have improved engines that reduce NOx and PM emissions by 90 percent more than the old models.
“We are extremely grateful to the Department of Transportation for seeing the value in our project and working to improve public transportation across America,” said Transit Manager Claudia San Miguel.
The city says the proven design of the GILLIG CNG bus recorded the highest reliability and the best fuel economy of any CNG bus tested at the Altoona Bus Research and Testing Center. GILLIG buses provide a maintenance-friendly design incorporating an integrated fuel-management panel and easily serviceable components. The GILLIG bus uses the Cummins L9N engine and provides near-zero emissions for the cleanest CNG bus in the industry.
The new GILLIG CNG bus with the Cummins L9N CNG engine is more energy efficient than the 14-year-older NABI CNG buses the city is replacing. Greater fuel efficiency for the bus fleet will reduce energy consumption.
The new GILLIG CNG bus with the Cummins L9N CNG engine will reduce harmful emissions. The proposed replacement buses have improved CNG engines that reduce NOx and particulate matter (PM) emissions by 90 percent over early models 15 years ago. The Cummins L9N engine meets the 0.02 g/bhp-hr optional near-zero NOx emission standard, which is 90 percent less NOx than the current standard.
The proposed new GILLIG CNG buses are more fuel efficient than the CNG buses being replaced. Therefore, reduced fuel consumption from more efficient engines will result in reduced direct carbon emissions.
The current fixed route fleet includes 17 CNG buses.
Additional project benefits include improvements in historically transportation-disadvantaged service areas by providing access to jobs, improving reliability, and contributing to better air quality for a vulnerable population.
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