November, 2007
The cash-strapped MBTA is getting a windfall from the IRS just in time for the holidays.
T spokesman Joe Pesaturo said the MBTA received an Alternative Fuel Tax Credit of $1.85 million in recognition of 360 compressed natural gas (CNG) buses running on Boston's roads since the MBTA began buying them five years ago. The T expects a total payday of $7.4 million from the program.
"It pays to be green," General Manager Daniel A. Grabauskas said. However, the T does not plan to buy more of the CNG buses.
"Emissions levels for buses powered by ultra low sulfur diesel (ULSD) fuel have proven to be equal to or better than those of CNG buses (but at lower operating and maintenance costs)," Pesaturo said in an email.
In the T's 1,030-vehicle bus fleet, 610 buses run on ULSD; 360 run on CNG; 28 run on electricity and 32 are dual-mode, running sometimes on electricity, sometimes on ULSD.
Read More: http://www.bostonnow.com/news/local/2007/11/21/irs-rewards-mbta.