City Updates Bus Fleet

Service by a set of three compressed natural gas (CNG) buses begins in Moorpark this month, replacing three aging diesel buses and making Moorpark Transit a bit greener.

These CNG buses, funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, are an upgrade over the city's older buses in a number of way. Each of the 27-passenger El Dorado II EZ Riders have three spots instead of two for wheelchair riders, a low floor so passengers won't have to climb stairs, automated stop announcements, and security cameras systems, including one right at the front of the bus.

In addition, these 32-foot buses will produce less carbon dioxide emissions than the older models, an estimated 30 to 40 percent. The city also installed particulate matter traps on the remaining diesel buses it has not yet replaced. The city estimates the traps will decrease particulate matter emissions by 85 percent.

One of the new buses made its debut at Moorpark's County Days celebration Saturday, where driver Luz Gomez extolled its features.

"It's a smooth to drive and it's not as noisy. I'm spoiled," she said, having driven the bus for the first time that morning.

Luz said most of her riders are college and high school students, but a large number are seniors.

"They're going to love it," she said. "They go shopping with little carts and now they can just wheel them right up the ramp."

Bettina Roark considers herself one of those seniors who rides the bus regularly and agrees it will be easier to board the bus.

"A lot of us have trouble with the steps, but this looks pretty easy," she said, noting the aisle is wider on the new buses than the old fleet. "That will give us a little more room to make our way to a seat and not jostle into anyone."

The buses will run through Moorpark from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. Regular tickets are $1 and the fare is $.50 for seniors and persons with disabilities. The buses will stop at various Moorpark locations including city hall, Moorpark College, several schools, the Amtrak/Metrolink train station and various shopping centers, including Moorpark Town Center and Moorpark Village Center.

For up to the minute information on when buses will arrive at specific locations, check out NextBus.com and click Moorpark Transit under the Southern California heading. The site monitors buses using GPS satellites to provide actual arrival times. There are two routes that run through Moorpark and you can view them on the city's website to map out how to get to your destination.