Hanoi plans to roll out additional busses fuelled by compressed natural gas (CNG) in the third quarter to ease traffic congestion and lessen environmental pollution, the municipal Department of Transport’s Public Transport Management and Operation Centre said.
The buses will run on four routes of Kim Lu (Soc Son district)- Nam Thang Long (Bac Tu Liem district), Cau Giay-Tam Hiep (Thanh Tri district), Nhon (Bac Tu Liem district)- Tho An (Dan Phuong district), and Yen Nghia (Ha Dong District)- Hoai Duc.
This is part of the project to enhance public transport service quality and develop bus system in the capital city during 2016-2020 with vision until 2025.
The city first put into use CNG-fueled buses in three routes in August last year.
According to the centre, CNG has many advantages. As it consists mostly of methane CH4, CNG does not emit as much toxic gases like SO2, NO2 and CO as other fuels.
Deputy Director of the centre Thai Ho Phuong said that the use of CNG helps reduce 53-63 percent of hazardous emissions.
Besides, CNG is cheaper so it can help reduce bus operation costs. Experts say the price for 1 tonne of CNG is about 318 USD, nearly half the price of gasoline and 42 percent of the price of diesel. They calculated that one bus running on CNG would save 8,308 USD in fuel compared to diesel each year.
VNA/VNP