THOUSAND OAKS : City Gets Rebate for Trucks on Natural Gas

Southern California Gas Co. representatives have presented the Thousand Oaks City Council with a rebate check--$8,750--to reward the city for purchasing five pickup trucks that run on compressed natural gas.

The rebate drops the total cost of each low pollution pickup to about the price of a regular truck, Public Works Director John Clement said. The city also saves money on gas, as compressed fuel costs the equivalent of 85 cents a gallon.

“It’s a good incentive, besides just being environmentally conscientious,” Clement said.

City maintenance crews have been using the pickups the past three weeks, with no snags except an unexpectedly small gas tank Clement said. The gas company has promised to try to increase fuel capacity he said.

Thousand Oaks is the first city in Ventura County to have an operational fleet of gas-powered vehicles, said Wayne Tanaka, regional sales manager for the gas company.

In addition to the pickup trucks, the city plans to purchase four compressed-gas buses, using $1 million in federal funds earmarked for air quality-related transportation improvements.

Because compressed-gas buses are relatively rare, the city will have to order them custom-made, and might not receive them for six months or more, Clement said.

The new municipal service center, which will be completed this fall, will include a gas station to fuel compressed-gas vehicles, including the city’s buses and trucks and the fleets of private companies, Clement said.