Chicago Tests Hybrid Bus

[Agent Fred]

This is awesome: Chicago is testing a hybrid bus. The thing gets 3 to four times the MPG of the diesel busses (7 to 8 mpg versus 2 to 3).

[Dwaynez]

Good for this city to have these kinds of public vehicles. In this move, the public can share the city's movement towards winnig the war against global warming.

[Simplyme]

Too bad they did not include a picture I would have liked to see what it looked like. Considering the amount of miles these buses go daily it would be nice if this became customary in all areas.

It sucks that the prices are so much more extreme than the average vehicle though-they are definitely taking advantage of the desire and need but hey that's business.

[Agent Fred]

Simplyme, there's a photo here:

Hybrid bus -- chicagotribune.com

[tom]

Only 7-8 mpg for the hybrid? I didn't know they got such bad gas mileage.

[writersblock]

I think it is a great idea! Especially in Chicago where there are tons of busses used as transportation.

[Jeremy LA]

Yeah, in Chicago where there are tons of public buses, it is the best move to have them. Hawaii launched the same project before but I don't know of they have same models of buses used.

[Agent Fred]

Originally Posted by tom

Only 7-8 mpg for the hybrid? I didn't know they got such bad gas mileage.

But, again, look at the non-hybrid: 2-3 MPG. You figure they're diesel engines, the equivalent of a big rig truck (something like 6-10 MPG highway), hauling a heavy frame, and doing a lot of stopping, starting, and idling. Wasteful, wasteful busses!

[erick99]

The exciting thing about these projects is that we are moving towards the critical mass necessary for more and more of these projects to get off the ground and more of anything should mean that the costs drop. I know that oil will come back down just as it did in the 70s - but this time I hope we keep our eyes on the prize and continue to do projects like this.

[Agent Fred]

Yeah. Public transportation in general is coming back in a big way. Locally, I see more busses, with more people on them, than I ever have in the past.