Photo by Michael Appleton
Perhaps following London’s lead, the NYC Transit recently rolled out a new electric bus that uses a turbine engine to recharge a lithium-ion battery. Also eco on the inside, the interior is lit by LED panels and has room for 37 seats and, as any veteran NYC rider knows, can have at least double that amount standing. The buses hail from manufacturer, DesignLine — and while three buses are already operating in Brooklyn and Manhattan, 87 more could arrive by the end of 2010.
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According to this morning’s NYTimes article, the new bus has already won favor as well as met criticism from several riders. One rider reflected that the ride could be smoother if the roads were not so bumpy. What say ye, NYC DOT? One thing we wondered was why these buses are coming from New Zealand. Are there no manufacturers in the US? Through a quick google search, we found that DesignLine‘s company’s headquarters are in North Carolina.
As New Yorkers, it’s all too easy for us to criticize the MTA, but we do admit that these electric buses are a step in the right direction. Hopefully, these new buses will make for a more comfy and quiet ride and induce those thinking about grabbing a cab to step onto a bus instead.
Via NYTimes
Wow, that’s exciting. It seems like buses are usually the loudest vehicles on city streets. I wonder if there’s any safety concern since people won’t be able to hear them coming.
Curiosity. Beyond the 90 minuet ride that the did for the article. What’s the actual range and or duration of operation of the bus?