The City Tshwane has launched the first South African busses to run on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG).<\/p>\n
The 40 busses make up part of the 114-strong bus fleet that will operate out of the newly launched\u00a0Belle Ombre Depot and along the Mamelodi A Re Yeng routes, said executive mayor Solly Msimanga.<\/p>\n
“Of the 114 bus fleet, 40 run on compressed natural gas (CNG) thus making Tshwane the first city in sub-Saharan Africa to run full CNG propelled busses,” said Msimaga.<\/p>\n
“The acquisition of CNG-propelled buses for the A Re Yeng fleet is thus a progressive move towards promoting and achieving a fuel switch within the municipal-owned fleet, and to ensure that the municipality is making a concerted effort to minimise its own carbon footpcrint,” he said.<\/p>\n
Msimanga said that the investment will also act as a\u00a0stimulant for the market and would hopefully lead to a wider uptake of the available technologies.<\/p>\n
CNG is made by compressing natural gas which is primarily composed of methane. As a result, it\u00a0produces fewer undesirable gasses and is safer than other fuels in the event of a\u00a0spill.<\/p>\n
According to Msimanga, the gas is also both naturally abundant and eco-friendly.<\/p>\n
The city said that all services, routes, times and fares would remain the same following the launch of the new busses – irrespective of which bus commuters choose to travel on.<\/p>\n