The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) operates the nation's largest fleet of compressed natural gas (CNG) transit buses - greater than 88% of Metro's bus fleet operates on CNG. Metro purchased 200 CNG buses under a contract to NABI. This project cofunded the first 50 vehicles delivered under the contract.
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Construction of the bus shell prototype started in late 2003, and the first article production bus was presented to Metro in September 2004. Following testing and vehicle modification, the first article vehicle was accepted by Metro in its final configuration in February 2005. Bus production was completed in June 2005 for the first 32 vehicles, with delivery of the balance of the 50 vehicles completed in September 2005.
Metro purchased 50 NABI 40-foot low-floor CNG transit buses equipped with engines certified by the California Air Resources Board at the Optional NOx low emission standard. The addition of the new buses allowed Metro to retire 50 older, diesel-fueled transit buses.
The buses have passed the Altoon Test requirements as part of the Federal procurement requirements. NABI and the engine supplier, Cummins, addressed non-compliant vehicle performance such as throttle response time and acceleration.
All 50 buses have been placed into revenue service. The first 30 buses were placed into service on the Metro Orange Line in October 2005. The remaining buses were assigned to Rapid Bus lines and operate out of the South Central Metro Los Angeles facility.