Hybrid school buses hit the road for testing
Overdue.
You’ve got to be careful with the accelerator because hybrid school buses like to go.
Dan Taghon…said his district’s new hybrid bus has been running routes since Jan. 3. And Taghon, who drives the bus on one of the district’s six routes, said he likes the 65-passenger machine powered by an electric motor and a V-8 diesel engine…
And that’s why it takes some practice to get the most out of Iowa’s first two hybrid buses.
The hybrid buses feature electric drive trains that can move the buses at street speeds; their diesel engines take over at higher speeds. They also have technology that captures some of the energy of braking and uses that to help recharge their own batteries.
Taghon, the director of transportation for the Sigourney district, said last week he still hadn’t had to refuel his district’s hybrid bus. After eight runs, he said the bus still had half to three-quarters of a tank of diesel.
You shouldn’t be surprised to learn of heavy hybrids. FedEx has cut operating costs in half every place they’ve introduced diesel-hybrids in the U.S. - and they’re replacing straight diesel trucks in Europe, now, as well.
Freight haulers in the United States have been making the same conversions to both long and short-haul vehicles.
Posted: Mon - January 21, 2008 at 07:13 AM