A second compressed natural gas fueling station will open near 31st Street and Memorial Road early next year.
The $1.8 million, Improve Our Tulsa–funded project is now under construction next to Tulsa Transit’s Memorial Midtown station. Mayor Dewey Bartlett said though CNG prices have been low recently, he supports transitioning more vehicles to it.
"That helps the natural gas market. That helps pricing. That helps the City of Tulsa. It helps the state of Oklahoma," Bartlett said. "So, this is just one more good step in what we're doing to help the community and help the industry."
Bartlett touted the savings from using CNG. He said requiring trash trucks to use it rather than diesel saves $1,100 a month per truck.
"That equates into cost savings to the citizens of Tulsa that will allow the [trash] board to defer any kind of increase in rates," Bartlett said.
The city has 52 CNG vehicles in its fleet. Tulsa Transit General Manager Bill Cartwright said they have 70 CNG buses and another 40 or 50 left to convert.
"This is going to be a wonderful asset to a number of CNG fleets in the city, as well as the general public, and Tulsa Transit is just really proud and very happy the we're able to play a part in this," Cartwright said.
Tulsa’s first fueling station opened on 23rd Street west of the Arkansas River in 2012. Both stations will be open to the public.
