Albuquerque to Add 41 More Hybrid Buses; Hybrids Will Represent 36% of Fleet
07 October 2006
ABQ Ride, the Albuquerque, New Mexico transit agency, will add 35 new 40-foot hybrid-electric buses to the city fleet in 2007. ABQ Ride will also purchase six hybrids for the Rapid Ride routes.
The additional 41 hybrids will bring the total in the ABQ Ride fleet to 53—the agency brought in 12 GM-Allison hybrids in 2004. (Earlier post.) Hybrids will then represent 36% of the 148-vehicle fleet.
ABQ Ride expects the 40-foot, diesel-electric hybrids to get 4.5 miles per gallon, compared with 3.2 miles per gallon for the old buses they will replace. Estimated cost per unit is $550,000, or 29 percent more than the $425,000 for a diesel version of the same vehicle. The first 12 hybrids cost $670,000 apiece.
ABQ Ride will purchase the new buses with $25 million set aside to upgrade to the fleet. The city will review bids for the buses beginning on 18 October. The new buses should arrive in late 2007.
Bear in mind, it's like going from 32mpg to 45mpg which is major. Also much quieter, and MUCH cleaner.
Posted by: Bud Johns | 08 October 2006 at 05:46 AM
My city -- San Francisco -- has power lines over the streets. The buses run on electricity.
All the benefits of electricity (cheap, clean) without the expensive batteries. Why don't more cities do this?
Matt
Posted by: Matt | 15 October 2006 at 11:44 PM