New York City to get 850 Hybrid Buses and Switches to Hybrid Cabs
The streets of New York City will become greener over the next few years as the city begins receiving more hybrid vehicles, as the city's buses and taxis shift to the fuel-saving technology. The New York City MTA has just placed an order for 850 hybrid diesel-electric public transit buses.
MTA New York City Transit and the MTA Bus Company will take delivery of 850 Orion VII Next Generation diesel-electric hybrid transit buses by early 2010. This order will bring the MTA’s diesel-electric hybrid bus fleet to almost 1,700 units, making it the largest diesel-electric hybrid fleet in the world. With this order, Orion brand transit buses will account for almost 50-percent of MTA New York City Transit’s entire fleet.
A majority of the buses will incorporate lithium-ion battery technology. Compared to standard diesel propulsion, these hybrid buses deliver up to 30 percent better fuel economy while greatly reducing emissions: 90 percent less particulate matter, 40 percent less NOx and 30 percent fewer greenhouse gases. Drivers and riders enjoy a quieter, cleaner and smoother ride.
In addition to the hybrid buses, the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) recently voted for new regulations that require all new taxicabs in the city to achieve 25 miles per gallon, starting on October 1st, 2008. The TLC requirements increase to 30 mpg one year later, but exempt accessible taxicabs. The new regulations effectively require a shift to hybrid taxis in the city and are expected to result in an all-hybrid taxi fleet by 2012. These regulations follow a goal set by Mayor Michael Bloomberg in May 2007. At that time, the city had only 375 hybrid vehicles in its fleet of 13,000 taxicabs, but since then the number of hybrid taxis has nearly doubled to 627, which is more than any other U.S. city.
In order to reduce the city's fleet maintenance cost, they may need to outsource the hiring of qualified diesel service technicians. Companies such as TransTechs can help.
Hybrid Bus
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