Skip to Content
U.S. Department of Energy Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

Maps and Data

Find maps and charts showing transportation data and trends related to alternative fuels and vehicles.

U.S. Transit Bus Purchases by Fuel Type

1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007* 2008 2009
Diesel 68380.81199999999 68913.19 67452.77 68660.90000000001 69086.973 68543.575 67047.2 66966.048 69931.47899999999 68574.572 67627.12 52068.702000000005 46687.212 44669.248
CNG, LNG & Blends 2006.9840000000002 2765.2599999999998 3607.1000000000004 4602.136 5325.923 6846.75 8380.9 9588.672 10048.092 11319.726 12628.16 10178.844 12303.61 11864.256
Electric & Hybrid 71.678 0 72.142 74.22800000000001 75.013 76.075 152.38 231.984 243.09900000000002 902.2969999999999 1412.3600000000001 1500.7269999999999 2527.228 3176.768
Gasoline 358.39 363.85 360.71 296.91200000000003 300.052 304.3 304.76 309.312 324.132 410.135 498.48 391.494 332.53000000000003 453.824
Biodiesel** 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4389.396000000001 4149.2480000000005
Other 860.136 800.4699999999999 721.42 593.8240000000001 150.026 228.225 304.76 309.312 405.165 738.2429999999999 996.96 1109.2330000000002 266.024 518.6560000000001
Source: American Public Transportation Association Fact Book Derived from Table 18 and 27 in Appendix A of Edition 2011.
Notes: *Data is not continuous between 2006 and 2007, due to the availability of new data sources.

**Biodiesel was counted in the "other" category until 2008.

This chart shows the number of transit buses in use in the United States, broken down by fuel type, from 1996 to 2009. In all years shown, diesel buses represent the largest portion of total buses, with natural gas buses a distant second. The share of alternative fuel buses has risen from 4% of the buses in 1999 to 30% in 2009. Over the same decade, natural gas buses have risen from 3% to 18% of all purchases. This increase is largely due to the favorable economics and clean air benefits of natural gas in transit bus applications.