New York University today announced that the first of six alternatively fueled vehicles has been introduced to the campus transportation system. The purple and white, trolley-style compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicle began service on the East route.
This vehicle is the first of six that will be introduced over the next year. It has been demonstrated that the use of compressed natural gas can significantly reduce vehicle emissions and pollution while still permitting vehicles to maintain an acceptable range and acceleration rate. The University began working with its transportation contractor, Gray Line, last year in response to community concerns.
The University also expects that during the spring semester all vehicles in the transportation system will be either MTA-style purple and white rapid transit buses or trolleys (including the CNG trolleys).
Jules Martin, who, as the University’s assistant vice president for protection services, is responsible for overseeing the transportation system, said, “We are very pleased by the introduction of this vehicle.
“While committed to an effective, dedicated, safe and efficient transportation system for our students, we are also very sensitive to the concerns that the local community has. The use of alternatively fueled vehicles is one of the conversations we had with community members last year, and I believe there was agreement that it would be a helpful step. We hope and believe that the introduction of these vehicles and the elimination of the large-size buses the proportion of which has already been reduced will go a long way in addressing some legitimate concerns.”