MBTA Launches Hybrid Buses

MBTA General Manager Rich Davey joined MassDOT Secretary and CEO Jeffrey Mullan in a ribbon-cutting at Back Bay Station today to celebrate delivery of the first eight diesel hybrid buses and announce the rollout of a total of 25 new 60-foot articulated low floor diesel hybrid buses to serve Boston neighborhoods.  Officials joined in the inaugural run of one of the new buses along bus Route 39. 

Federal stimulus American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds purchased the fleet of emission-controlled, eco-friendly buses.  The MBTA will serve more bus riders on some of its most popular routes with buses that reduce pollution in Boston neighborhoods through a hybrid system capable of improving fuel efficiency by 20% or greater compared to conventional diesel buses. 

The first four buses will be put immediately into service along Route 39, Forest Hills to Back Bay.  Other new hybrid buses will be put into service two to three per week through the end of June on the Route 28 line, Mattapan Station to Ruggles via Dudley, and along the Silver Line Washington Street route.  

A total of seven bus routes originating from the Southampton Garage will be served by the new buses, reaching 12 Boston communities including Jamaica Plain, Longwood, Fenway, Back Bay, Dorchester, Roxbury, South End, Chinatown, South Boston Waterfront, East Boston and Boston's Financial District

The new buses arrived in time to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Earth Day.  The new hybrid buses are quieter, with extra wide 41-inch center and rear doors, wheelchair ramps at the front door, and cameras and video recording for security. 

Comments

[Bobby]

What is most unfortunate about the acquisition of new hybrid diesel busses is that communities such as Somerville, Medford, Arlington, Malden, Melrose, Watertown, and some parts of Cambridge benefit little or at all from them. Union Square Somerville has one hybrid diesel bus route, the CT2,n which doesn't run on holidays or weekends. Then Ten Hills and East Somerville,Charlestown, and parts of Medford have the 95. Then there are the 94 and 96 routes which are sometimes hybrid, but those are the few exceptions. Sure it's a huge step forward, but not all of greter Boston gets to enjoy these new changes. Similarly with CNG busses, the Cambridge side of the river has very few, all of which end in Cambridge: the 1, 47, and the 66. Maybe that's because all of the CNG bus garages are located on the Boston side of the river. But it would be nice if Boston's needs didn't take priority over the other communities.

[Marc Ebuna]

On the subject of quieter, more efficient buses with smaller carbon footprints, did MassDOT/MBTA consider and are you still considering acquisition of gas turbine hybrid buses?

These buses are much quieter than conventional diesel or even diesel hybrid buses because the motive power of the bus comes from the batteries which are recharged by the CNG turbine engine only when necessary. With that, the turbine does not make excessive noise since it's not tied to the drivetrain and does not rev up when the bus accelerates. These buses gain further efficiency by running completely electric and because energy is not lost by having the engine tied to a drivetrain, like in a conventional bus.

The only company I know to make these buses in the US is the DesignLine Corporation and so far as I know, they only make 40 foot models, which may well have been the reason they were not purchased with the ARRA grant, if not for the cost. Regardless, I'd be interested to hear what/if MassDOT/MBTA has heard from the CTA and MTA about their experiences with the gas turbine buses and how viable they would be out here.

Buses as quiet as the trackless trolleys without the need to install trolley wire would certainly shut up some neighbourhood complaints about traffic noise pollution...at least from buses. Then the MBTA can get more advocates from its neighbourhoods about the other vehicles on the road that generate the majority of carbon emmisions and noise pollution...congestion pricing and more and better enforced dedicated bus lanes anyone?
============================================
Thanks for the thoughts, and have sent them along to the MBTA for review.

[Bob]

Aren't these diesel busses? Why aren't they compressed natural gas?

The current busses on the 39 route are all CNG, and I thought that was a requirement of the lawsuit over the big dig and the removal of the E-line.
==========================================
Thanks for question. These are diesel hybrid buses that will reduce pollution in Boston neighborhoods through a hybrid system capable of improving fuel efficiency by 20% or greater compared to conventional diesel buses. These types of hybrid buses are the cleanest on the market. In an urban environment with stop and go traffic, they run predominately on the battery. The emissions are extremely low, especially the carbon emissions. The greenhouse gas emissions of the hybrid are much lower than the greenhouse gas emissions of the CNG buses.

Compressed Natural Gas buses were not a requirement of the Central Artery lawsuit. Thanks again.

[Bill]

Excellent news. Now can the #39 please, please have 60' buses later into the evening? At least on Fridays and Saturdays?