TransLink rolling out over 100 new 'clean energy' buses in Surrey

TransLink buses. (TransLink)

The first of 106 new Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses have arrived in Surrey and will begin serving customers on the city’s streets this week, TransLink announced today.

In a statement, TransLink said that once all the new buses hit the streets, more than half the 209 buses serving Surrey will be new.

“These new buses represent a major renewal for our Surrey transit fleet, and the benefits are many,” said TransLink CEO Kevin Desmond.

With the addition of these new buses, more than half of TransLink’s conventional bus fleet will run using clean energy, and will include 262 electric trolley, 252 compressed natural gas, and 252 hybrid diesel buses.

Some of the features of the new CNG buses include:

Fuel cost savings – 60% less than diesel (saving $2.1 million annually)
Longer engine life – additional 200,000 km (compared to typical diesel fleet)
Improved safety – All buses will have an operator safety barrier installed

Currently, TransLink has 146 CNG buses in its fleet, operating out of the Port Coquitlam Transit Centre and the Hamilton Transit Centre in Richmond.

Surrey-Newton MLA Harry Bains said his community is “excited” for the arrival of the new vehicles.

The total cost of the CNG bus purchase, along with upgrades to the Surrey Transit Centre that includes a new fueling facility and other works to accommodate the new buses, is approximately $86 million.

Of this, about 80% of the total comes from the federal gas tax, allocated by the Metro Vancouver board of directors. The remainder is funded by TransLink.

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