LA Bus Fleet Big on CNG

23 October 2004

LA Metro has gone for CNG buses in a big way. North American Bus Industries (NABI) and Los Angeles Metro officials showcased the first of 200 high-capacity NABI Model 60-BRT buses which will operate on many of LA’s busiest bus corridors and on the Metro Orange Line. The CNG-fueled and super-sized 60-ft BRT will be the first articulated bus to operate in Los Angeles in two decades.

At 60 feet, the 60-BRT is 20 feet longer than the standard transit bus and seats 57 passengers, 45% more than the standard bus.

The 60-BRT uses the new Cummins Westport L Gas Plus ultra-low emissions, low-NO_x natural gas engine that delivers 238 kW (320 hp) and peak torque of 1,356 Nm (1,000 lb-ft). This was designed from the ground up as a CNG engine; it is not a conversion of an existing diesel platform.

LA Metro has 200 60-BRT buses, each one costing $633,000, on order from NABI. Delivery of the first 30 vehicles is scheduled to be completed by June 2005 and the remaining 170 vehicles by June 2006. With completion of this order and an additional order for 75 NABI 40-LFW buses, NABI will have delivered 1,175 CNG buses to LA Metro—about 50% of the fleet of 2,368.