With the eyes of the world on Los Angeles for the upcoming 2015 Special Olympics World Games, the MSRC is doing its part to help the athletes and country delegates get to their competition venues in a cleaner, more efficient way. The MSRC is providing more than $380,000 in Clean Transportation Funding to operate 281 compressed natural gas (CNG) buses to transport athletes, coaches, staff, families, volunteers and officials throughout the nine days of the World Games, from July 25 through August 2, as well as pre- and post-Games.
Los Angeles will host nearly 7,000 athletes and 3,000 coaches representing 177 countries. Thirty thousand volunteers will be participating, along with an expected half-million spectators cheering on the athletes. That is a lot of people traveling throughout the city at one time - in fact, organizers say it will be the single biggest event in Los Angeles since the 1984 Olympic Games. With thousands of participants to transport, LA2015, the Special Olympics World Games Organizing Committee, felt it was important to use cleaner transportation options wherever possible and, therefore, partnered with the MSRC to fund a portion of the overall transportation services that will be utilized.
“The MSRC is thrilled to be a part of helping the Special Olympics World Games transport its international delegations using clean-fueled buses,” said Greg Pettis, Chair of the MSRC. “Southern California has always been a leader in trying to improve air quality, and now people from around the world can experience firsthand our clean transportation options.”
These CNG-fueled buses will transport participants to the opening and closing ceremonies at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, the Athlete Villages at UCLA, USC and Mount Saint Mary’s campuses where the athletes and officials are being housed, and to several venues in downtown Los Angeles, Long Beach and Griffith Park, which will be hosting many of the sporting competitions. Special Olympics World Games Athletes will participate in 25 different Olympic-type sports - everything from badminton to soccer to a half marathon.
For more information about the 2015 Special Olympics World Games and to get involved, please visit www.LA2015.org