Metro News Release

For immediate release: April 17, 2003

Metro’s Board of Directors approves procurement for 175 Compressed Natural Gas buses

Today, the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (Metro) Board of Directors approved the procurement of 175 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses at a cost of $36.5 million based on available funding in fiscal year 2003. Metro expects to award a contract in the next six months. The procurement of the additional 175 CNG buses will increase Metro’s fleet of CNG buses to 339. Metro already owns and operates 164 CNG buses, all of which are fueled and maintained at the Bladensburg Bus Division in Northeast Washington, D.C. All 175 of the new buses will be assigned to the Four Mile Run Bus Facility in Arlington, Va. Last October, Metro’s Board of Directors approved a proposal seeking to construct a second compressed natural gas fueling facility at the Four Mile Run Bus Division in Arlington, Va, that can fuel and maintain its CNG buses. The total cost to upgrade the Four Mile Run Facility is $22 million. When the new buses arrive, it will mean Metro’s bus fleet will consist of 339 CNGs and a fleet of 1,108 diesel buses that operate on ultra-low sulphur fuel, and where possible, will utilize after-treatment filters to minimize particulate matter emissions. Additionally, by the end of 2003, Metro will have over 100 diesel buses with technology that makes significant nitrogen oxide (NOx) reductions. " Today, we have taken another step in the right direction by moving forward with this procurement of 175 new CNG buses," said Jim Graham, Metro’s Board Chairman. " Metro wants to contribute to improving our air quality and today’s procurement advances the Authority’s efforts towards the reduction of emissions from its bus fleet. We" re all aware that the air quality levels here where we live need to improve and this is a perfect example of how we" re trying to make a difference." " Metro’s Board is eager to see the CNG fleet utilized region-wide in all of the jurisdictions that Metrobus serves" Maryland, the District of Columbia, and Virginia," Mr. Graham added.

News release issued on April 17, 2003.