Hybrid bus

[Busjack]

Just found this Tribune story that CTA was testing another experimental hybrid, this one of much lighter weight.

Also, here is a link to the manufacturer's site.

Please post any sightings.

[jesi2282]

I think this is the same bus that was tested by MTA in New York.

Heres the CTA's Press Release: http://www.transitchicago.com/news/ctaandp...rticleid=103883

[Busjack]

The Tribune added a picture. Looks like CTA decals added.

Is that Chicago garage?

[Zol87]

It's good to see that the CTA is becoming environmentally friendly. But they really need to get better gas mileage. I can't believe that the regular buses only get 3-4 miles per gallon and the new hybrid one gets 7-8 mpg.

Official CTA Pres Release

[Busjack]

It's good to see that the CTA is becoming environmentally friendly. But they really need to get better gas mileage. I can't believe that the regular buses only get 3-4 miles per gallon and the new hybrid one gets 7-8 mpg.

In the old days, that would be justified by multiplying it by 50 passengers, getting you 150 passenger miles per gallon. Now, of course, since the cost of diesel fuel has more than doubled, there is more attention to the actual cost.

What I would throw out there is whether it is showing bad planning to be now testing hybrids, while committed to the remaining 300 diesels? Shouldn't the tests have been done before exercising Option 4?

[geneking7320]

I'm rather curious how such a bus would perform over 12 years of CTA maintenance and Chicago's bad roads.

[MVTArider]

So according to the article a regular diesel bus only gets 2 to 3 mpg and a regular hybrid gets about 4 mpg. Didn't transit buses used to get 5 or 6 mpg before all the emissions regulations and government intervention? I'm not saying we should go back to spewing black exhaust into the streets, I'm just wondering...

Personally I like the fryer oil bus concept better. Heres a LINK to the page about St. Cloud Metro Bus's fryer oil bus. (you have to scroll down the page a little)

EDIT: Heres a better link I found.

[CircleSeven]

I just saw the Channel 7 News report just minutes ago. Those buses reminded me of some big coach buses you would see downtown. I'm also shocked that they did the presentation at 74th Garage, instead of Chicago or Kedzie Avenue.

EDIT: I think it looks uglier than the prototype red 7800s they brought at Archer a few years ago.

[jajuan]

The Tribune added a picture. Looks like CTA decals added.

Is that Chicago garage?

ABC7News showed a video clip of the news conference with Huberman and Daley. Believe it or not, it's 74th Garage. The caption for the video clip gave 74th's address as the location of today's news conference.

[rmadisonwi]

That Designline bus was out in front of 567 W Lake last week Thursday (I think). I took a couple of photos of it.

[OSUITS]

Buses do only get 2-3 mpg...as sad as it is...I can upload some fuel reports if you want proof. The buses that we have are 1998-2005, and they all are about the same 2-3 mpg. Even the older buses get that low of mpg, pre emissions, as far back as 1982.

[MVTArider]

Buses do only get 2-3 mpg...as sad as it is...I can upload some fuel reports if you want proof. The buses that we have are 1998-2005, and they all are about the same 2-3 mpg. Even the older buses get that low of mpg, pre emissions, as far back as 1982.

Thats alright, i'll take your word for it Actually I think I heard that right after emission standards there were some buses that had 1 mpg. Really when you think about it though 2 to 3 mpg isn't too bad, although not great, since I believe typical operating speed is 10 to 25 mph, and fuel is burned most with accelerating and braking. A typical hybrid bus getting around 4 mpg would also explain the "22% better fuel economy" line that Metro Transit has for promoting their Hybrid bus fleet.

[Guest]

I saw the news clip last night on WGN news. They showed the bus driving around the 74th garage, personally I think the bus looks ugly! The front end looked very weird. who manufactures that bus?

[RIPTA42]

2-3 miles per gallon is great. Consider a bus with 30 people on it - that's 60 to 90 person-miles per gallon. If those 30 people all paired up into 15 cars that each get 20 mpg, they would only be getting 40 person-miles per gallon.

[Busjack]

I think this is the same bus that was tested by MTA in New York.

Blogs 1 2, each with a picture, that support that.

As for looks, except for the curve at the bottom of the windshield, it looks to me like what a next generation RTS should have looked like. I discount the paint over the windows.

[BusHunter]

Just found this Tribune story that CTA was testing another experimental hybrid, this one of much lighter weight.

Also, here is a link to the manufacturer's site.

Please post any sightings.

Today's Redeye newspaper says that on Thursday the Designline bus will be on the #8 halsted route. Get your cameras ready!!! :lol:

[geneking7320]

A few more questions about this bus if you don't mind...

How does the wheel/tire diameter compare to that of the New Flyer LFs?

In the pictures they look small to me.

The wheelbase and overhangs remind me of the Nova LFS.

Is this good, bad, or indifferent?

I might have missed it but how many seats does the demonstator have? I realize the website indicates it can seat up to 42 (4 more than the New Flyers).

Gene

[OSUITS]

The overhang on the LFS is good when making a tight corner or pulling into a stop, however it becomes a problem because the wheelbase is so short. With a short wheelbase you get a lot of tail swing when you pull out of stops, so you need to be careful you do not wack a pole.

Looking at the bus, it does not appear to be a true “Heavy Duty Transit Bus†so I would really doubt it would make any real inroads on regular routes. I think this is more just demonstrating the technology. My guess is it is built on a motor home chassis.

[MVTArider]

I did a little research on this bus and heres what I found,

Lynx had one visit a while ago. http://www.golynx.com/?id=1156191

Designline has ordered more of those turbines. http://www.greenjobs.com/public/industrynews/inews04085.htm

Heres a video of what I think is one in action overseas. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghwemGlf1Fk...feature=related

Finally here is a photo of one being tested in NYC. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Image:NY...gnline_9900.JPG

[Busjack]

Looking at the bus, it does not appear to be a true “Heavy Duty Transit Bus†so I would really doubt it would make any real inroads on regular routes. I think this is more just demonstrating the technology. My guess is it is built on a motor home chassis.

When the link in my first post worked, there was a video of how it was manufactured. It was a heavy duty low floor chassis, not a motor home.

They also demonstrated it operating in New Zealand, which is apparently the manufacturing home of the company (NZ newspaper reference). Like Huberman's pdf, the doors were on the left.

Maybe they will get their site back.

[TMC-RTS-08]

That Designline bus was out in front of 567 W Lake last week Thursday (I think). I took a couple of photos of it.

This bus isn't pretty and look rather odd IMO. To me it looks like those mini/coach buses I see in China. :blink:

[Chicago13]

Does anyone know what fleet number they're going use on it?

[Busjack]

Does anyone know what fleet number they're going use on it?

What difference does it make? It is only going to be here three weeks, and then move on to the next test city.

They could have put a number on it when someone removed the MTA decals and CTA replaced them with CTA ones, but apparently they didn't.

[Busjack]

When the link in my first post worked, there was a video of how it was manufactured. It was a heavy duty low floor chassis, not a motor home.

The site is back, here is a link to the video (uses Shockwave).

[busfan4022]

As much as I didn't think it was possible, Designline has Optima beat on the term of ugly buses. Does anyone know if the bus supposed to just operate on #8 for the 3 weeks its here?