Cummins Westport natural gas engine to power 30 new lightweight CompoBuses

VANCOUVER, Feb. 1 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ - Cummins Westport Inc., a joint venture of Cummins Inc. of Columbus, Indiana and Westport Innovations Inc. of Vancouver, announced today that its C Gas Plus engine has been selected for 30 new lightweight CompoBus transit buses ordered by the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA).

Delivery of the CompoBuses for MTA is scheduled to begin in the summer of 2003. The 45-foot long, low-floor CompoBus weighs less than a standard 40-foot metal bodied transit bus and will transport 47 seated passengers, four more than standard high-floor buses and seven more than standard low-floor buses. ``We see tremendous potential in the CompoBus,'' said John Catoe, MTA Deputy Chief Executive Officer. ``We're adding capacity while saving weight, a rare combination in bus manufacturing.''

The CompoBus, manufactured by North American Bus Industries Inc. (NABI) of Anniston, Alabama, employs a shell constructed of lighter composite materials, primarily fiberglass with a balsa core construction method similar to that found in the marine industry. ``This means fleet capacity is enhanced by nearly 18% without increasing other operating costs,'' said Bill Coryell, NABI's Vice-President of Sales. ``Since the bus is lighter and impervious to rust and corrosion, operating costs might actually be proven to be lower.''

The C Gas Plus is a six-cylinder, 8.3-liter engine with 280 horsepower. It is certified for ultra-low-emissions and is equipped with electronics and sensors that dramatically improve reliability compared with earlier-technology natural gas engines. Boston, Phoenix, Washington DC, Sacramento, San Bernardino and San Diego are among the U.S. cities to have ordered new transit buses with the C Gas Plus since it was introduced in June 2001.

``As the market-leading natural gas transit bus engine, the C Gas Plus is a natural fit for new innovations by transit bus manufacturers,'' said Guff Muench, President of Cummins Westport Inc. ``The combination of advances in engine technology and chassis technology will be helpful in attracting more transit agencies to try natural gas.''