Concord, Calif. – On Saturday, April 24th Contra Costa residents can get a sneak peak at County Connection’s first hybrid electric buses before they officially go into service. County Connection will host an Earth Day event from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM at Heather Farm Park in Walnut Creek. The public is invited to take a free “test ride” on the new bus that will travel between Walnut Creek BART and Heather Farm Park throughout the duration of the Earth Day event on Saturday, to experience first hand the smooth, quiet ride of the new hybrid electric buses. The promotional bus will also make one stop in downtown Walnut Creek at the Dean Lesher Theater for those interested in traveling between County Connection’s Earth Day event and the Pacific Fine Arts Festival in downtown Walnut Creek.
Visitors will enjoy over twenty earth friendly exhibitors, youth activity booths, entertainment, and be eligible for prize drawings.
Gayle Uilkema, Contra Costa County Supervisor and County Connection’s Board Chair, will be joined by fellow County Connection Board member and MTC Commissioner Amy Worth, and other public officials to speak about CCCTA’s commitment to the environment, funding for the new buses, and the future benefits of hybrid technology.
Representatives from Voith Turbo Inc., developer of the unique hybrid system, will also be present to answer questions. The new hybrid buses will provide fuel savings of up to 20%, with a comparable reduction in CO2 emissions. County Connection will receive nine hybrid electric buses in total, and expects to add them into regular service as early as Monday, April 26, 2010.
To learn more about County Connection’s Earth Day event, call 676-7500 or visit www.cccta.org.
County Connection operates a fleet of 29 ft., 35 ft., and 40 ft. fully accessible fixed-route buses, and a fleet of 63 paratransit vehicles, carrying nearly 5,000,000 passengers each year.
Source: County Connection news release – County Connection Introduces First Hybrid Electric Buses, April 12, 2010
