Contract brings New Flyer hybrid buses to King County, Wash.
Addition of up to 500 buses could create largest-ever hybrid-articulated fleet.
King County Executive Ron Sims welcomed key local officials and representatives from GM and New Flyer, as they announced the contract agreement during a press conference Wednesday at Qwest Field.
King County, Wash., announced a contract for the purchase of up to 500 New Flyer articulated buses, most of which will be powered by GM's two-mode hybrid system.
The five-year contract between King County and bus-manufacturer New Flyer Industries, could be worth as much as $400 million. GM supplies New Flyer with the hybrid system for the buses.
King County has been operating a fleet of 214 GM hybrid-powered buses since 2004 and with the addition of this contract, King County could have a total of 714 buses, making it the largest fleet of hybrid-articulated buses. The county will establish a new rapid transit bus service with the first 122 articulated hybrids ordered, according to officials.
The two-mode hybrid diesel-electric drive system for transit buses is manufactured by GM Allison Transmission, headquartered in Indianapolis. Currently, 720 buses with GM's 2-mode hybrid system have been delivered to 56 cities across the U.S. and Canada.
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