SMART Wilsonville’s Transit Service and CNG

WHY SMART USES COMPRESSED NATURAL GAS VEHICLESWhen the City of Wilsonville incorporated in 1969, its popula-tion was about 1,000. By 1989, the population was growing fast enough for Wilsonville to establish its own transit department. In 1993, the city added fixed-route buses to its original door-to-door service.

In 1994, Wilsonville dubbed its transit service SMART (South Metro Area Regional Transit). Today, SMART operates 35 vehicles in a range of sizes and functions—providing free service within the city limits. SMART vehicles connect to TriMet’s Westside Express Service Commuter Rail, and the system actively encourages pedestrian and bike travel.

As part of its efforts to promote sustainable transportation, SMART invests in compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles. »

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In 2018, Wilsonville residents gave SMART high ratings for transit service satisfaction: The system ranks fifth out of 200 communities nationwide. SMART also earned the 10th spot for ease of travel by public transportation.

A CONVERSATIONWITH DWIGHT BRASHEAR Transit Director for the City of Wilsonville

SMART has operated CNG vehicles for years. Why? It’s the right thing to do for the environment.

Many folks who live in Wilsonville are passionate about environ-mental protection, and they

want to do what they can to reduce hazardous vehicle emissions. The mayor and the city council were excited about the potential benefits too, so in 2011 we became one of the first fleets in the state to buy CNG vehicles.

What type of CNG vehicles are you using? They are called cutaways: 11-17 passenger Ford-chassis buses that we use primarily as neighborhood shuttles.

What are your other plans for moving away from diesel, to reduce air pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions? We recently got approval to buy three new CNG vehicles now and three more later. We also hope to supplement our current trolley service with a new trolley that runs on natural gas. We have two electric buses on order, as well.

Our goal is to operate all our vehicles on CNG and electricity by 2025.

Have you found it economical to use CNG? Yes. The main cost saving is from fuel purchases. We estimate we save about 15 cents a mile using CNG cutaways rather than diesel.

Also, the emissions equipment on diesel vehicles requires a lot of maintenance, which adds to fleet costs. In contrast, we’ve had years of trouble-free operations with our CNG fleet.

Have you found other advantages? Unlike diesel prices, which can swing widely during a year, natural gas costs have remained consistently low. That’s really important for budgeting.

And diesel can be a bit messy—you get drips and stains. CNG eliminates the need for constant cleanup. It makes our life a lot easier.

Finally, the CNG cutaways we run are quieter than diesel. That’s why we operate them in residential neighborhoods.

Overall, is CNG a good product for SMART? Absolutely. When you have the opportunity to do something positive for the environment, you should.

We’re sold on clean natural gas, and we’re looking forward to a time when we can use renewable natural gas, as well.

CONTACTLEARN MORE ABOUT CNG

Clifton Hazen, Major Account ServicesToll free (800) 422-4012, Ext. 2573Clifton.Hazen@NWNatural.com

01/19