Ohio's Stark Area Regional Transit Authority (SARTA) signed an agreement with Clean Energy Fuels Corp. to develop and operate a new compressed natural gas (CNG) fuel station to support the transition of one-half of SARTA's bus fleet to natural gas power.

Located in Canton, Stark County, Ohio, the new fast-fill public access Clean Energy CNG station will operate 24/7 to support SARTA buses as well as other CNG vehicles operating in the area. Station opening is projected for the fourth quarter, 2011.

Over the next two years, the transit agency expects to deploy nine new CNG fixed-route 32-passenger buses and 17 CNG paratransit buses as replacements for 50 percent of the diesel models in its fleet.

SARTA provides an average of 2.1 million passenger rides each year. In addition to deploying fixed-route service in Canton, Massillon, Jackson, Alliance, North Canton, Louisville and Hartville, SARTA offers the Proline paratransit bus service throughout Stark County.