Montgomery County added 13 new environmentally friendly buses using $6.55 million in federal stimulus funds. Twelve of the buses are hybrid electric-diesel buses and one is clean diesel, County Executive Ike Leggett announced Monday.
With the additions, 64 percent of the county’s 339 Ride On buses are “green” — 18 percent hybrids, 27 percent compressed natural gas and 19 percent clean diesel.
The new buses produce 95 percent less nitrogen oxides and 5 percent less carbon dioxide than regular diesel buses, according to a county statement. The 12 hybrid buses also use 20 to 30 percent less fuel.
The buses will be used on routes that run from Langley Park to Silver Spring, from Takoma Park to Silver Spring and from Friendship Heights to Wheaton.
The $6.5 million that paid for the buses is a small portion of the $115 million the county received in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funding.
