Detroit area’s first hybrid buses!

SMART will start operating the Detroit area’s first hybrid buses on November 1!

See these great new buses in person at Get Motown Moving!

According to SMART:

"SMART is pleased to introduce two new hybrid electric articulated buses to its fleet. The first of its kind in southeast Michigan, the new hybrid-electric vehicles . . . are 61 feet long and can accommodate up to 100 riders. . . .

Staring November 1, 2010, the buses will operate on routes 560 Gratiot, 415 Greenfield, along Woodward on routes 465 Auburn Hills Limited and 475 Troy Limited, as well as 495 John R where the ridership demand is extremely heavy. . . .

In August 2009, SMART was awarded $20.3 million in ARRA grant funding for capital projects," including new electronic fareboxes, alternative-fuel buses, paratransit fleet vehicles, an automatic vehicle locator system (AVL) and communications equipment.

Hybrid buses at other transit agencies:

DDOT also used some of their ARRA funds to by its first few hybrid buses, which should be coming soon.

Ann Arbor Transit started using hybrid buses in 2007 and is converting its entire bus fleet to hybrid electric technology as older buses reach their 12-year life expectancy.  In their first two years, AATA reduced its fuel consumption by more than 100,000 gallons using the hybrid electric buses, which saved the bus system $270,000.

Based on experience in Ann Arbor, hybrid electric buses burn 30% less fuel, emit 60% fewer pollutants, and reduce maintenance costs by 40%.