I HAVE AWSOME NEWS!!!

[Tritransit Area]

What would be achieved by reversing that decision at this point?

Apparently there are a lot of federal tax breaks in getting CNG vehicles nowadays.  Plus Natural Gas is a bit cheaper than diesel fuel, and has a more stable price range.  Not to mention that with the EPA guidelines (especially for 2010), the engines have to have all of these extra modifications and junk (like a urea tank?) in order to comply, making them more expensive, much more complicated, and less efficient.  CNG engines already meet these guidelines with little to no modification, albeit Cummins came out with the ISL-G, which was built to be a CNG engine.

Of course, with all of the hybrids and Clean Diesels (I love those D40LFRs!) running out of Montgomery today, it may be too late to invest in the infrastructure (the fast fill can be expensive!) for CNG fuel....

Actually, according to a CNG seminar I attended, the speaker said that WMATA compared its hybrids to its CNGs and found that the CNG produced less emissions than the hybrid and were more efficient or something to that effect.

I also agree with WMAveteran's points.  It's important to note that CNG is a great way to lead us into the age of hydrogen and fuel cell vehicles.

[Tritransit Area]

Especially when that is actually the case.  That's why more and more systems are going with hybrids and skipping the heavy investment in CNG facilities...the only people getting CNG buses are people who already have CNG buses.

Yeah...also a lot of people who started off with CNG in its earlier stages were scared away by the problems and cost on infrastructure.  However, TMA Bucks in Bucks County, PA, is converting its first bus to natural gas.