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Senator Hatch Praises Cache Valley Transit DistrictArticle from Herald Journal, July 3, 2008
Surrounded by county residents and officials, Sen. Orrin Hatch praised the Cache Valley Transit District on Wednesday for its efforts to improve transportation in the area. Hatch, R-Utah, was on hand for the CVTD’s ribbon-cutting ceremony, introducing five new buses into the system and decommissioning five others. "Now these new buses in the CVTD transit system are an important part of increasing transportation capacity, while saving energy and limiting air pollution in Cache Valley," Hatch said at the Transit Center. "I look forward to the day when you have some hybrid buses here as well."
Todd Beutler, the CVTD’s general manager, said that the five 1998 buses that are being decommissioned have achieved their life span. The new Gillig buses are an attempt to reduce costs by increasing fuel efficiency and vehicle longevity. They are also known for their clean engines with low exhaust emissions. Each bus cost roughly $300,000, Beutler said, with federal grants helping to pay 80 percent of the cost along with a 20 percent local match. Beutler noted that Hatch, along with other members of the Utah congressional delegation, was instrumental in securing federal funds for the buses. "We very much appreciate the support of Senator Hatch," Beutler said. Mark Daines, the CVTD’s board president, added, "(Hatch) has always been a friend of the Cache Valley Transit District. He’s worked for us, and we appreciate that very much." Hatch, who returns to Washington on Saturday, told The Herald Journal that the local environment will benefit from the buses and residents riding mass transit. "There’s no question that as folks in this area ride mass transit, it’s a lot less of a carbon footprint than everybody driving cars," Hatch said. "So these (buses) are very environmentally important." By Charles Geraci
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