LA Metro’s fleet of CNG fueled buses is largest in U.S.
The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) is the agency that operates public transportation in the Los Angeles metropolitan area, one of the United States' largest, most populous regions. Metro operates 2,200 clean air buses and six rail lines, with a total service area of 1,479 square miles.
Metro pledged in 1994 to an alternative fuel policy to create a better environment and reduce emissions in the famously smog-filled skies over Los Angeles. In 2000, the agency committed to 100% CNG bus operations, purchasing New Flyer and El Dorado buses equipped with Hexagon Agility CNG cylinders and fuel systems.
With more than 2,200 buses powered by clean natural gas, and a recent commitment to purchase renewable natural gas for the entire fleet by 2024, Metro operates the largest alternative fuel transit fleet in the country. Hexagon Agility supplies equipment to two of the CNG bus manufacturers that Metro contracts with, including Type 4 composite CNG cylinders for New Flyer and complete CNG fuel systems for El Dorado.
Metro Bus Fleet History
Metro is unique among the nation’s transportation agencies, running the second largest bus system in the United States. Metro is a multimodal transportation agency that transports about 1.3 million passengers daily on a fleet of 2,200 clean air buses and six rail lines. The agency also oversees bus, rail, highway and other mobility-related building projects and leads transportation planning and programming for Los Angeles County. Its core mission is to move people efficiently and effectively, and therefore any bus technology it considers must meet this goal.
Metro has found that natural gas bus technology meets its environmental and operational goals, providing an environmentally superior alternative for passengers. When Metro launched its clean fuel program in 1994 with the purchase of 196 compressed natural gas (CNG) buses, it was the first transportation agency in the U.S. to commit to alternative fuel buses on a massive scale. Since then, many other transportation agencies have also embraced alternative fuels, but Metro remains the industry leader nationwide with the largest number of CNG buses in operation. Metro retired the last of its diesel buses in 2011.
Committed to 100%
CNG bus operations
2,200
powered by natural gas
“What we’re doing now is working to get the latest and greatest emissions technology into our current CNG fleet”
Metro Bus Fleet History
Metro is unique among the nation’s transportation agencies, running the second largest bus system in the United States. Metro is a multimodal transportation agency that transports about 1.3 million passengers daily on a fleet of 2,200 clean air buses and six rail lines. The agency also oversees bus, rail, highway and other mobility-related building projects and leads transportation planning and programming for Los Angeles County. Its core mission is to move people efficiently and effectively, and therefore any bus technology it considers must meet this goal.
Metro has found that natural gas bus technology meets its environmental and operational goals, providing an environmentally superior alternative for passengers. When Metro launched its clean fuel program in 1994 with the purchase of 196 compressed natural gas (CNG) buses, it was the first transportation agency in the U.S. to commit to alternative fuel buses on a massive scale. Since then, many other transportation agencies have also embraced alternative fuels, but Metro remains the industry leader nationwide with the largest number of CNG buses in operation. Metro retired the last of its diesel buses in 2011.
Hexagon Agility CNG Fuel Systems for new bus orders
Currently, new natural gas bus orders for the fleet are made up of New Flyer Xcelsior and El Dorado Axess BRT models, with Hexagon Agility CNG fuel systems. Deliveries are scheduled from early 2019 through 2022. The buses will replace older CNG models that are slated for retirement.
Metro has spec’d new bus purchases with Hexagon Agility's CNG fuel systems, including lightweight carbon fiber composite TUFFSHELL Type 4 CNG cylinders, with fuel capacity options of 126-200 diesel gallon equivalent (DGE), which are installed on the roof of the bus body. Hexagon Agility's cylinders are used in 85% of the transit fleets in North America that fuel with natural gas.
Metro's CNG buses will also be outfitted with Cummins Westport’s near-zero natural gas engines, which produce NOx emissions 90 percent lower than the current EPA limit of 0.2 grams per brake horsepower-hour.