Los Angeles Bus System First to Get Off Oil

The Los Angeles bus system is the first in the US that has completely converted away from using oil to power its fleet.

The LA County Metropolitan Transportation Authority has 2,221 buses running on compressed natural gas, six are gas-electric hybrids and one bus runs solely on electricity.

By eliminating diesel engines, one of the smoggiest cities is reducing cancer-causing particulates 80% and greenhouse gases by about 300,000 pounds a day. 

Smaller cities such as Oxnard and Santa Barbara have also converted their fleets, and while other major cities are doing the same, LA is well ahead of other large metropolitan areas, according to the American Public Transportation Association.

The Southern California Rapid Transit District and the Los Angeles County Transportation Commission have been working toward the goal of eliminating diesel since the late 1980s. Using natural gas increases the cost by about $50,000, bringing the price point to $450,000 per bus.