Iowa unveils first hybrid bus

[IMAGE]DART-Hybrid-3Full.jpg[/IMAGE] The Des Moines (Iowa) Area Regional Transit Authority (DART) has unveiled its first Orion VII hybrid-electric diesel bus. 

The debut of the new 40-foot hybrid bus took place at the Science Center of Iowa in downtown Des Moines.

The transit bus is not only the first in DART’s fleet, but also the first in Iowa. This new hybrid-electric diesel bus, built by Daimler Buses North America, features LaFrance eco-friendly fabric made of recycled materials on the passenger seating, a video surveillance system, a bike rack, tip-in windows for improved circulation and passenger safety and a bright new green paint scheme.

The purchase of the hybrid-electric diesel bus was funded through the State of Iowa’s ICAAP (Federal CMAQ) program, as well as through other Federal Transit Administration grant funds and local funding from the DART levy.