Some Public Service Vehicles (PSVs) on the island will soon be fuelled by Compressed Natural Gas (CNG).
Chairman of the Alliance Owners of Public Transport (AOPT) Roy Raphael said a CNG transition project for PSVs is in the works, through a partnership between his organisation and the L&N Company.
The vehicles will be converted to use natural gas instead of diesel.
“We have started discussions with L&N as it relates to looking at a pilot project where we will be introducing this new compressed natural gas vehicle. We are going to be partnering with a number of organisations to ensure that we as public service vehicles are able to maximise on the [amount] of mileage that we have around Barbados,” he told the media during a tour of the company’s plant on Friday.
“When we look at it, between our 800 public service vehicles we are spending close to $50 million a year and we would basically like to reduce that because, as you recognise, some routes like Bush Hall, Eden Lodge, and the Ivy . . . are routes that basically do not have a lot of persons on it.
“….With the partnership, we will see the reduction in the fuel costs [and] the operators will be able to [extend] their mileage,” Raphael added.
Norman Edwards, Managing Director of L&N which has specialised in PSV modifications in Barbados for over two decades, said transitioning to cleaner sources of fuel was a move for the better.
“It’s always a good thing when you are moving [to] get a cleaner fuel…. The drive is to go a little cleaner with electric at some point, but this is all in the process of getting there,” he said.
(SB)
