Bus Line to Be Run on Natural Gas

A bus aimed at reducing pollution will provide round-trip commuter transportation from Ventura to Santa Barbara and Goleta beginning Nov. 12.

The Clean Air Express program uses three buses that will be converted to run on natural gas in early 1991. The two other buses will travel from Santa Maria and Lompoc to Santa Barbara. The commuter service is designed to demonstrate that natural gas can be used as an alternative to diesel and gasoline, said Peter Cantle of the Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District, which organized the program.

“Natural gas is a cleaner-burning fuel and better for the environment. It’s cheaper and it’s abundant in this country, which means we would be less reliant on foreign oil,” Cantle said. “Up until now, oil companies pushed gasoline and diesel, and natural gas wasn’t very popular here. Now things are changing because people are becoming more environmentally conscious.”

Organizers estimate that the conversion of the three buses will save about 18 tons a year of smog-forming pollutants. In addition, with each bus holding up to 43 people, more than 120 cars per day might be removed from existing traffic, further reducing pollution.

The service will be operated by Santa Barbara Transportation and will cost $70 a month. Commuters will be picked up at the Ventura County Government Center at 6:45 a.m. and leave Santa Barbara about 5:15 p.m.