A hybrid bus consortium consisting of 11 transit agencies in California, Nevada and New Mexico has awarded a contract to Gillig Corporation for the purchase of up to 157 diesel-electric hybrid buses powered by General Motors‘ advanced hybrid propulsion system.

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The purchase contract is the second largest since GM’s hybrid diesel-electric system debuted in 2003 and was spearheaded by the San Joaquin Regional Transit District (RTD) in California. San Joaquin RTD formed the consortium with other transit agencies to boost purchasing power and reduce per-vehicle costs through bulk ordering. San Joaquin RTD plans on buying 50 hybrid buses, while the remaining 107 buses will be available for other consortium members.


“Our board of directors’ commitment to the diesel fuel path led [us] to purchase two GM hybrid-powered buses manufactured by Gillig in June 2004,” said Bobby Kuhn, director of maintenance for San Joaquin RTD. “Since that time, we have experienced firsthand the reductions in fuel consumption, noise levels and emissions offered by this technology. These fantastic results convinced us to purchase additional buses, and to share our experience with GM’s hybrid bus propulsion system with other transit agencies. The interest in acquiring the fuel-saving technology was amazing, so a purchasing consortium was formed.”


Joining San Joaquin RTD in the hybrid bus consortium are other California transit agencies: Benicia Transit, Fairfield/Suisun Transit, Golden Gate Transit, Humboldt Transit Authority, Livermore Amador Valley Transit Authority (LAVTA), Monterey-Salinas Transit, SamTrans (San Mateo County), and Santa Barbara MTD. Citifare of Reno/Sparks, Nevada and ABQ RIDE in Albuquerque, New Mexico also joined the consortium. Deliveries will begin in mid-2006 and conclude in late 2007.


The California consortium members are purchasing hybrid diesel-electric technology in part to help meet California’s stringent clean-air requirements for urban buses. The GM hybrid system provides transit agencies the option of a clean-air technology solution that has been reviewed and certified by the California Air Resources Board (CARB).

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Transit buses with GM’s hybrid propulsion system deliver significantly better fuel economy than traditional transit buses, cut certain emissions up to 90 percent and have operating sound levels approaching that of passenger cars. Other benefits of the GM hybrid system include reduced maintenance costs resulting from extended brake, engine oil and transmission oil life, superior torque, and better acceleration.


The hybrid diesel-electric drive system is manufactured by GM Allison Transmission. Gillig Corporation of Hayward, California, will manufacture the buses.