June 22, 2007

Source: Burbank Leader By Chris Wiebe

AIRPORT DISTRICT - Burbank Bus will receive more than $3 million in transportation grants to replace older vehicles, add two new buses and integrate a new hybrid-electric fuel cell bus into the fleet.

Grant funding has partly fueled the growth of Burbank's bus system, which has seen route expansion and significant ridership increases in recent years, transportation manager Andrew Carrasco said.

And given the amount of transportation funding available to municipalities, Burbank has enjoyed a generous portion from agencies such as the Metropolitan Transportation Authority - to fund fleet expansion - and the California Air Resources Board - to fund experimental vehicles that run on alternative fuels, he said.

"It's significant over a number of categories," Carrasco said. "Obviously, not every city gets their proposal accepted; we've been really fortunate - we're hitting essentially three out of three this season."

The first grant, $210,000 from Metro, will allow Burbank Bus to replace five of its vehicles, cycling older ones out of the fleet, he said.

The second installment, a $649,000 Metro grant, will allow Burbank Bus to purchase two brand new buses, Carrasco said.

Proceeds from a third grant of $1.3 million from the Air Resources Board will go toward a fuel cell bus, a vehicle that is primarily battery-powered and relies fuel-cell technology, he said.

"It holds the same amount of passengers as a 40-foot bus, but it's only 35-feet long because it's got no engine compartment," he said. "It's all electricity, essentially, and the hydrogen fuel cell creates more electricity to power the batteries."

The hybrid buses will also meet Americans with Disability Act requirements and offer wireless Internet access on board, he added.

Advancements like these reflect how far Burbank Bus has come since its inception, City Manager Mary Alvord said.

The line's first service included sending a cab company to shuttle disabled residents to doctor's appointments, she said.

"We would have situations when a cab would take them, say, to downtown Los Angeles and then just leave them," she said.

But as the system grew into a full-scale bus line with five routes, its reach in the community has provided a valuable alternative to car travel, Alvord said.

"I think it's got to keep growing," she said. "All you have to do is look at our freeways and the madness of people sitting on freeways. Eventually you have to start to look at alternative modes of transportation."