The Butler Transit Authority had two reasons to celebrate on Thursday- the 30th anniversary since public transit was put into action in Butler, and the formal opening of a compressed natural gas fueling station.
“I look back on 30 years- what were you doing in 1989?” U.S. Congressman Mike Kelly, of Butler, said at the ceremony. “I didn’t think I’d be here, on the site where we used to build railroad cars.”
When the authority first got buses on the roads in Sept. 1989, there weren’t any of the things the authority has in place now- including mobile ticketing, a live map of current buses and a commuter route to Pittsburgh.
And, buses were fueling up with diesel – instead of the compressed natural gas that’s being used now.
“We’re moving into a new type of fuel- American natural gas,” State Sen. Scott Hutchinson said. “Butler is going to be an example for all of Pennsylvania.”
PennDOT has plans to build 29 compressed natural gas fueling stations across the state. Butler’s station marks number 15. The transition helps transit agencies save on fuel costs, while allowing them to move to a cleaner burning fuel. The Butler Transit Authority is expected to save $160,000 annually.
Butler Transit’s fueling station is located in Pullman Square in the city of Butler. The bus terminal is located on West New Castle Street in Butler.
