MetroWest Regional Transit Authority adds three new heavy-duty GILLIG CNG buses to fleet
Three new heavy-duty buses from GILLIG are being added to the MetroWest Regional Transit Authority’s (MWRTA) fleet. The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) notes the buses run entirely on compressed natural gas (CNG), which is more efficient than gasoline and diesel. The buses will be deployed on the MWRTA’s Route 4N, which is the busiest route in the MWRTA system and provides service between downtown Framingham and the Natick Mall.
MassDOT notes this is the first time the MWRTA will have heavy-duty, larger transit buses in its fleet, with plans to purchase additional buses over the next two years. According to MassDOT, a single GILLIG bus can hold approximately double the number of passengers compared to the buses in MWRTA’s current fleet. The three buses were purchased with a combination of federal and state funds awarded to the MWRTA, including $392,000 through the RTA Capital (RTACAP) Program, which is funded through the annual state budget and is the primary means by which MassDOT supports RTA capital improvements and investments.
“As someone who relied on bus service to access a college education, I know firsthand the difference that better buses can make for commuters and those without personal vehicles,” said MassDOT Secretary and CEO Monica Tibbits-Nutt. “We congratulate the MWRTA on this important addition to their fleet and commend their commitment to improving the services that so many riders depend on to support themselves and their families.”
“The MWRTA is extremely excited to be joining our peers in providing public transportation using these best in class, heavy-duty transit vehicles provided by GILLIG,” said MWRTA Administrator Jim Nee. “With this investment, we are continuing to help both the region and the commonwealth reach its goals related to emissions reduction and congestion mitigation.”
The GILLIG buses, which will start carrying passengers at some point over the next two months, are 30 feet in length. In addition to RTACAP, funding for the purchase of these three buses was accomplished through the partnership between the MWRTA, the Massachusetts State Legislature, MassDOT and the Federal Transit Administration.
During the next two years, the MWRTA intends to purchase 10 additional GILLIG buses, including the first-ever heavy-duty battery-electric buses that will be incorporated into its fleet.
