As part of a pilot project, Sound Transit purchased a fleet of the New Flyer hybrid diesel-electric buses in 2004. These articulated buses operate on ST Express Route 550 and will move to the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel when it reopens in September 2007.
Sound Transit’s purchase of these 22 vehicles “piggybacked” on a King County Metro purchase. The piggyback contract reduces delivery time and administration costs.
In addition, the buses are engineered with a “tunnel mode” where power largely comes from batteries, with the engine idling only when needed to keep the batteries charged. This will allow the buses to run on battery power when they are operating in the tunnel.
The onboard diesel engines are equipped with a low emission fuel management system, which includes exhaust particulate filters to virtually eliminate particulate matter, carbon monoxide, and hydrocarbon.
Quick information about the ST Express New Flyer 60-foot Diesel-Hybrid Bus
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Length |
60 feet |
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Height |
11 feet |
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Weight |
63,880 pounds |
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Width |
8.5 feet |
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Passenger capacity |
Seating for 57 passengers |
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Fuel type |
Clean diesel, biodiesel and electricity |
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Fuel capacity |
125 US gallons |
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Power |
CAT (Caterpillar) C9 engine |
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Year of manufacture |
2004 |
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Number of vehicles in fleet |
22 |
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Cost per vehicle, inclusive |
$729,928.00 |
Additional information:
Manufacture and assembly of the bus
New Flyer built the hybrid bus.
Allison Electric Drives manufactured the propulsion system.
2004
Modifications, once delivered:
No modifications.
King County Metro tested the new vehicles on Sound Transit’s behalf.
Based on the same concept as the hybrid Toyota and Honda cars, the bus uses both electricity and diesel to maximize efficiency and performance. It will use batteries to operate in the DSTT, which will reduce emissions. When operating outside the tunnel, the bus is powered by either diesel or battery.
Electricity for the hybrid buses comes from the on-board generator. Electricity is also produced through braking and deceleration, which is stored in onboard batteries. The stored electricity is re-used for cleaner, smoother propulsion.
Besides eliminating diesel exhaust odors, many pollutants that cause smog, greenhouse gases and other irritants are reduced by 90 percent compared to traditional diesel buses. The hybrid technology’s ability to reduce emissions without the use of an overhead wire enables both light rail trains and buses to operate in the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel. The buses are 20 to 40 percent more fuel-efficient than comparable conventional diesel buses and are equipped with low emission engines with particulate exhaust filters.
How the bus fits in Sound Transit’s fleet
The fuel efficient electric buses replace outmoded dual-mode Breda buses.
Sound Transit’s contract with New Flyer is for 22 buses to replace the 20 Breda buses used on Route 550. The additional two buses are needed for the future growth on Route 550. The buses will be used for replacement purposes on ST Express Route 550.
The bus is configured as a normal diesel propelled bus, with a CAT (Caterpillar) C9 engine and an Allison EV50 electric drive system, which uses some common transmission components as other Allison products. As the bus accelerates from a stop, energy from the batteries stored on the roof provides the required propulsion. At higher speeds, the engine provides assistance at an optimal RPM. As the brakes are applied, energy captured from the brakes (regenerative braking) is used to charge the rooftop batteries. The system is configured to efficiently use available resources without sacrificing performance or complicate a transit agency's current mode of operations.
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Air conditioning
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Fabric seats
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Individual reading lamps
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Low-floor buses that kneel for easy entry and exit
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Flip out ramp at front door for wheelchair accessibility
These vehicles are stored and maintained by King County Metro Transit at its East Base.
