Whistler’s current fleet of diesel buses will be going green.
B.C. Transit and the Resort Municipality of Whistler announced
this week that all 23 WAVE buses will be switching to a five per cent biodiesel
fuel blend immediately.
“Whistler is committed to reducing our greenhouse gas
emissions,” said Whistler Mayor Ken Melamed.
“The municipality has successfully employed biodiesel in its
own fleet since 2004, and moving to biodiesel in the transit fleet while we
transition to other, cleaner energies as they become available, is an important
step in the right direction.”
B.C. Transit Chair Kevin Mahoney said biodiesel is cleaner
burning than traditional fuel, and will cut back on tailpipe emissions and
greenhouse gas production.
The new fuel, which will be supplied by West Coast Biodiesel,
is made of renewable resources, like canola and soybean oil, blended with
regular diesel fuel.
It will cost the same or less than regular diesel, and will
require no modification of existing engines.
In February 2007, the provincial government committed to reducing greenhouse gases by at least 33 per cent by 2020.
