Manchester Transit Authority (MTA) announced the arrival of 14 Autogas school buses, manufactured by Blue Bird and equipped with a Roush LPG engine. The launch was attended by New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu.

The new vehicles will replace 18-year-old diesel buses, primarily in the city’s downtown area. “These vehicles provide cleaner air and cleaner oxygen for the students in and around the bus! We want to thank Governor Sununu for attending as well as Mayor Craig,” said MTA in a statement.

“The buses are expected to produce 96% less NOx emissions. That last point is crucial in the age of COVID-19,” said Jessica Wilcox, Alternative Fuels Director for the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services and spokesperson for the Granite State Clean Cities Coalition. “We face a critical to protect the air that we’re breathing right now.”

The buses will cover home-to-school runs for all grades of public schools all over the city, “with an initial focus on some of the most densely populated neighbourhoods,” added Manchester Transit Authority executive director Mike Whitten.

All 14 buses cost a total of $1.675 million with $750,000 coming from the Volkswagen Environmental Mitigation Trust Settlement and the rest from Manchester School District and Manchester Transit Authority funds. For more information, please visit this link.

2 September 2020