May 15, 2015

Metro Transit announces a “first step” to improve the metropolitan area’s air quality.

Thanks to a Nebraska Environmental Trust grant, Metro Transit will incorporate the benefits of compressed natural gas (CNG) into their current transit fleet to contribute to cleaner, healthier air.  Metro will purchase four (4) CNG powered vans for their ADA complementary paratransit fleet. These fuel efficient vehicles will be a benefit to both our customers and the environment. This project, will not only help reduce ground level emissions, as each vehicle is driven approximately 40,000 miles per year, but will also serve to reinforce the image of transit as an environmentally friendly transportation alternative for Omaha.

The Nebraska Environmental Trust (NET) awarded Metro Transit $100,000 for the “Introduction of CNG Transit Vehicles” project. The NET grant, announced April 2, 2015, was one of 114 projects receiving $19,491,958 in grant awards. Of these, 56 are newly funded grants and 57 are carry-over projects.

Metro’s goals through this “first step” is to incorporate the benefits of “cleaner” natural gas technology into our current MOBY fleet, increase efficiencies, provide environmentally friendly paratransit service while working with local partners to promote air quality in the Omaha area which is close to reaching federal air quality non-attainment status.

Metro Transit thanks the Nebraska Environmental Trust!

The Nebraska Legislature created the Nebraska Environmental Trust in 1992 to preserve and protect the air, water and land of our state. Using revenue from the Trust over the past 22 years has provided over $233 million dollars to over 1,700 projects across the state. Anyone – citizens, organizations, communities, farmers and businesses – can apply for funding to protect habitat, improve water quality and establish recycling programs in Nebraska. The Nebraska Environmental Trust works to preserve, protect and restore our natural resources for future generations.