Oakland Airport to Purchase 26 CNG-Powered Shuttle Buses
OAKLAND, CA --- The Oakland Board of Port Commissioners recently authorized the purchase of 26 new CNG-powered AirBART and rental car shuttle buses that will be deployed at Oakland International Airport (OAK) beginning in 2009, replacing older diesel-powered models.
OAKLAND, CA --- The Oakland Board of Port Commissioners recently authorized the purchase of 26 new CNG-powered AirBART and rental car shuttle buses that will be deployed at Oakland International Airport (OAK) beginning in 2009, replacing older diesel-powered models.
Clean Energy Fuels Corp. will provide fueling services from its CNG station located at OAK’s North Field.
Six of the new CNG buses will be assigned to AirBART service, which transports airport users between the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) Coliseum/Oakland Airport Station and OAK’s terminals. The remaining 20 CNG buses will support the airport's Rental Car Center shuttle service.
"Customers will soon enjoy a more comfortable and environmentally friendly ride between Oakland International’s terminals, the airport's Rental Car Center and BART’s Coliseum station," said Steve Grossman, director of aviation for the Port of Oakland, which owns and operates the airport. "The new buses will be deployed in 2009 and will complement the improvements to the airport's roadways and terminals."
"Oakland International Airport's decision to replace diesel-powered buses with CNG models means that air pollution and greenhouse gas emission levels will continue to decrease in the airport area," said Andrew J. Littlefair, president and CEO of Clean Energy.
In addition, the replacement of 26 diesel buses with natural gas buses will result in major fuel cost savings for the airport, projected at up to $400,000 annually, based on current market prices.
"In increasing numbers, airport and public transit operators are making the switch from diesel buses to vehicles powered by natural gas fuel," Littlefair added. "Experience has shown them that natural gas buses are cleaner to operate and cheaper to use, which provides important financial support in a constrained budget environment."
Funding to purchase the 26 new CNG shuttle buses is made possible in part by a $1 increase in the AirBART regular one-way fare that took effect in March 2007, a $10 Customer Facility Charge collected on each rental car contract, and a $250,000 grant from the Bay Area Air Quality Management District. OAK will purchase the shuttles from El Dorado National, based in Chino, Calif.
Clean Energy's public access CNG station, located on OAK’s North Field, will serve the new bus fleet. The company offers an additional station near Jack London Square, Oakland. Clean Energy has designed, built and currently operates a total of seven public-access CNG stations in the San Francisco Bay Area.
OAK’s current AirBART buses have been in constant, seven-day per week service for 10 years and have accumulated an average of 600,000 miles per vehicle, which is well beyond the expected life. The current Rental Car Center buses are nearly 27 years old. All of these buses must be retired by the end of 2009 for the port to conform to the California Air Resources Board requirements.
More Fuel
Turning Fleet Payment Data into Executive Insights
Ramel Lindsay of U.S. Bank Voyager discusses how fleets can transform payment and transaction data into actionable intelligence to reduce costs, improve oversight, and support executive decision-making.
Read More →
Why the IRS Raised Its Mileage Rate in the Middle of 2026
Fuel-price volatility drove the rare increase to 76 cents per mile, the fifth midyear adjustment since 2000.
Read More →
July Fuel Update: Prices Keep Rising in Light of More Conflict
Gas prices continue to rise as more and more conflicts do, too.
Read More →
Bob Adamsky on Fuel Volatility: "Don't Panic, Have a Plan."
When it comes to up and down fuel prices, Adamsky has a message for fleets: “Don’t panic.”
Read More →
How Fleets Can Gain Control of Non-Fuel Spend
Fuel often gets the spotlight, but non-fuel expenses can have a major impact on fleet costs. Ramel Lindsay of U.S. Bank Voyager discusses how fleets can gain better visibility and control over these often-overlooked expenditures.
Read More →
Fuel is Just the Start: How Middle East Tensions are Driving Up Fleet Maintenance Costs
The Middle East conflict is doing more than pushing up fuel prices. It’s also raising the cost of key maintenance products your fleet depends on, from motor oil to tires to windshield wipers. Here’s what you need to know about this budget-busting situation.
Read More →
June Fuel Update: Prices Fall Below $4
Drivers are finally getting some relief at the pump. The national average gas price has dropped below $4 a gallon for the first time in months, with prices falling in 47 states as oil markets react to developments in U.S.-Iran negotiations.
Read More →
Study: How 2026's Gas Price Hikes Affect Different Vehicle Types
New data from iSeeCars reveals how rising fuel costs have affected different vehicle segments as gasoline prices climbed nearly 46% over the past four months.
Read More →
Are You Tracking Your Fleet's True Total Cost of Ownership?
Bobit Business Media surveyed 190 fleet professionals and found that while most fleets are tracking costs, fragmented systems and data gaps are keeping true TCO visibility out of reach. With rising pressure to control spend in an increasingly volatile environment, the gap between what fleets think they know and what the data actually shows is wider than you might expect. See how your peers are managing costs today and where the industry still has room to improve.
Read More →
May Fuel Update: All Regions Experience Declines
Gas prices are finally easing in much of the country, but experts warn global tensions could quickly reverse the trend as the national average remains well above last month’s levels.
Read More →