***MEDIA ALERT***

April 23, 2014 

Photo-Op: Join HART April 24 for CNG Ribbon-Cutting and Mini Earth Day Celebration
HART Becomes First Public Transportation Agency in Florida to Convert to CNG 
HART celebrates Earth Day every day with a staunch commitment to preserving shared natural resources for a greener and healthier world. To commemorate Earth Day 2014 HART invites you to join us and several dignitaries for the ceremonial grand opening of its new Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Fueling Facility, as HART becomes the first Public Transportation Agency in Florida to convert from diesel fuel to CNG. This ceremony will take place on Thursday April 24 at 4305 East 21st Avenue in Tampa. (Use East 19th Avenue entrance).

Also, as part of the grand opening celebration is a mini Earth Day festival featuring exhibitors including HART, Clean Energy, TECO, EPC, Clean Cities, and Gilling. They will provide information about alternative fuels, energy conservation, and environmental sustainability while showcasing innovative alternative energy vehicles. Visitors can see an innovative TESLA alternative fuel vehicle, a bi-fueled Ford F-250, and a CNG-powered Honda firsthand.


"This fuel station will
mark the first step towards transitioning HART vans and buses to a cost-effective alternative fuel that is clean, safe, more efficient, and American produced," said Katharine Eagan, HART Interim Chief Executive Officer. "This also demonstrates a commitment at the local, state and federal level to reduce our dependency on foreign fuel and improve the quality of life for everyone."

Program speakers will include the Secretary of the Florida Department of Transportation, Ananth Prasad; Patrick Sheehan, Director of the Office of Energy, Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services; HART Board of Directors Chairperson Councilman Mike Suarez; Bruce Narzissenfeld, TECO Energy, V.P., Marketing, Customer Service, Business Development & Fuels Operations; Mark Riely, V.P. Clean Energy, Eastern Region.


The total investment of approximately $5.5 million came from a combination of $2,920,000 in federal and $2,580,000 in local matching funds. As illustrated by the chart below, fuel savings helps to repay that investment in eco-friendly technology.

   

Fuel Type

Per Gallon Equivalent

Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)

$ 1.95

Diesel

$ 3.00

Gasoline

$ 3.60

* CNG and Diesel are HART pricing. Gasoline prices will vary depending upon market conditions.

Over the coming weeks, the agency plans to deploy 28 new CNG vans to replace its diesel-powered models. Early next year HART expects to put 22 new CNG buses in service as its diesel buses are retired from service. By the end of 2015 HART expects a total of 59 CNG vehicles to be in service.
 

 

 ###


FOR MEDIA ONLY:  

Sandra Morrison

HART Public Information Officer 
Office: (813) 384-6610
Cell: (813) 545-5497

MorrisonS@goHART.org

  

Like us on FacebookFollow us on TwitterView our videos on YouTubeVisit our blog