National
Colombia: Cali transit system’s first CNG buses start operations this month
The recovery of public space, the adaptation of green areas, the planting of thousands of species for tree compensation and the scrapping of more than 4,000 vehicles of the former public passenger transport, are some of the actions that, during the 10 years of operation of MIO (the integrated massive transportation system of the city of Cali), have contributed to the environmental sustainability of the Valle del Cauca’s capital. In addition, 266 new environmentally-friendly buses will be added to MIO, helping to improve the city’s air.
MIO’s plan is to have the necessary vehicles to provide the best service in the city, a fleet that is projected on 1,322 buses. With the structuring of the rescue plan of the system, the goal is to reach that goal, increasing by 676 buses the current fleet in operation: 210 recovered and 466 new vehicles. The objective is that many of these new buses are zero or near-zero emissions.
To meet this goal, the first 21 CNG buses, plus 26 electric vehicles, have already arrived in the city, through the operator Blanco y Negro Masivo. Moreover, thanks to the rescue plan, the Unimetro company will introduce into the system another 110 new electric buses in the last quarter of this year.
“We are making a great effort to add more buses into the system. Have full confidence that with natural gas and electric buses we will not only have a good service, but the environment will improve a lot and we will take care of the air of Cali that is one of the cleanest in the country,” said the mayor of Cali, Maurice Armitage Cadavid.