Passenger Bus, Rail and Motorcoach Industry News

The vehicles replaced non-hybrid vehicles, some almost 10 years old and most with well over 100,000 miles on them. These new hybrids will get 20 miles per gallon in the city and 26 miles per gallon on the highway, improving the fuel economy of the entire Supervisor fleet. They are an addition to the two Prius hybrid automobiles already in use by the Hartford Division.

The microsite offers a fresh, new look, simplified navigation and more comprehensive information on the complete family of HybriDrive vehicles and products.

The contract was managed by American Bus & Coach in Trenton, N.J. Goshen Coach in Elkhart, Ind., built the bodies for the buses.

Worldwide deliveries of hybrid buses is forecast to nearly triple from 5,514 vehicles in 2010 to 16,328 units in 2016. During the same period, natural gas bus deliveries will increase 61 percent to 15,937 vehicles.

The new model 40-foot Van Hool transit buses are lighter than the earlier generation fuel cell bus, which rolled out in 2007 and continues to operate on various routes in Greater Hartford, including the free downtown Star Shuttle route. Advanced lithium-ion battery systems and a more durable fuel cell powerplant are key features of the new buses.