Wis. agency receives 5 GM-Allison hybrid buses

Five GM-Allison hybrid-powered buses, manufactured by Gillig Corp., have been delivered to Metro Transit in Madison, Wis., as part of Mayor Dave Cieslewicz’s 100K Clean Energy Challenge, a plan to reduce citywide emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) by 100,000 tons by 2011.

The Metro Transit fleet joins nearly 815 GM-Allison hybrid-equipped buses operating in 71 cities in North America and Europe. Orders for an additional 379 hybrid bus systems in North America will be fulfilled throughout 2007.  

According to a study conducted in 2006 by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, transit buses with GM-Allison’s hybrid technology deliver up to 75% better fuel economy than traditional transit buses, and reduce emissions of nitrogen oxides up to 39%, particulate matter up to 97%, carbon monoxide up to 60% and hydrocarbons up to 75%.