Lumin-Air, IndyGo form partnership to help reduce pathogens in full fleet of buses
IndyGo announced Nov. 8 at the American Public Transit Association (APTA) Expo that it formed a significant partnership to increase clean, breathable air in its buses.
Inez Evans, president and CEO of IndyGo, joined Lumin-Air president Dan Fillenwarth with the announcement from the Expo floor, sharing that it has awarded a full-fleet contract to Indiana-based Lumin-Air to equip all of its buses with MERV-13 equivalent active filtration and UV-C lighting to help continuously clean the air inside its buses
IndyGo and Lumin-Air will install state-of-the-art air filtration systems in all of IndyGo's fixed route, BRT and paratransit buses. These systems will operate through the HVAC system while the buses are occupied, continually providing cleaned, disinfected air for riders to breathe.
“Rider safety is our number one priority and Lumin-Air will help us take that commitment to the next level,” said Inez Evans, IndyGo president and CEO. “This system will not only generate some of the cleanest air on any bus in the country, but will also give our riders increased peace of mind when riding IndyGo.”
Lumin-Air’s Dan Fillenwarth added, “Our solution helps remove contaminants from the air in order to reduce the risk of airborne pathogen transmission on transit vehicles and school buses with safe, proven technology. Some companies choose to add chemicals, ions or gases into the air that they claim kills harmful cells in the air people breathe. Instead, our patented process uses MERV-13 equivalent active filtration and UV-C lighting, which has been used for decades to remove and inactivate pathogens along with other particulates.”
The use of active filtration plus UV-C lighting is a recommended solution by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE). The Lumin-Air solution keeps UV-C in an enclosure, preventing UV-C from shining on occupants or materials, and helping to capture and inactivate pathogens in the air before recirculating air back into the bus.
Brian Clem, IndyGo risk and safety director said, “Giving confidence in safety back to our employees and riders is what public transportation needs now and moving forward.”
Lumin-Air is also in partnership discussions with several other municipal transit authorities and school bus administrators across the county.
