Hybrid buses - the facts publisher - East Yorkshire Motor Services Ltd

Hybrid buses - the factsSo what is a hybrid bus anyway?A hybrid vehicle is one that takes its power from more than one source – so in the case of a diesel-electrichybrid bus, the power comes from the traditional diesel engine and a battery.How is it different from a normal bus?In a normal bus, when the driver presses the brake pedal the vehicle is slowed down by friction between thebrake disc and pad. This generates energy which is lost as heat. In a hybrid bus, brake energy is ‘captured’ andstored in the batteries for later use.Also, the diesel engine isn’t actually connected to the wheels of the bus. The engine powers a generator, whichgenerates electricity which can either charge the batteries or power the road wheels. This means the engine canrun in its most efficient operating range all the time, i.e. in its ‘sweet spot’.Why do EYMS want these hybrid buses?The engine is running in its most efficient range all the time – this means better fuel consumption. Last year,EYMS buses covered 9.5 million miles, using 6.5 million litres of fuel, costing about 6.4 million pounds. Withthe cost of fuel still rising, any fuel saving is good for the business. And hybrids can bring fuel savings of up to30%!I’m a bus passenger - what will hybrid buses mean to me?There is no gearbox on a hybrid bus, which means no gear changes so the ride is smoother and morecomfortable than on a standard bus.As the engine is always operating efficiently, hybrid buses tend to be quieter than normal buses too, so you’llhave a more relaxing journey.Hybrid buses:• These buses canbring fuel savings ofup to 30%.• Each bus will travel60,000 miles eachyear.• Annually the buseswill save 9,000 litresof fuel each.• Across the batch of10 buses, up to 240tonnes of CO 2 will besaved every year.I live in Hull - what will hybrid buses mean to me?Hybrid buses produce 30% less emissions than standard buses. This helps the airquality for us all.What are they like to drive?According to Darren Kendrew, EYMS’s Training Manager, “Driving a hybrid bus is acompletely different experience to driving a standard bus. They are very quiet andsmooth, making them very comfortable, especially when pulling up to bus stops. Allour drivers who have driven hybrids so far have spoken very highly of them – we’reall looking forward to the new buses arriving!”.

Hybrid buses - the factsHow many buses are EYMS buying?We’re getting a batch of 10 double deckhybrid buses. They’re all low-floor, easyaccess buses, so they can easily be used bypeople in wheelchairs or with pushchairs,or by those with limited mobility.If they’re so good, why don’t you get more?A hybrid bus costs over £100,000 more than a standard double deck bus. These 10 hybrid buses were partlyfunded by the government’s ‘Green Bus Fund’, which contributed to the cost.Why is EYMS spending money on expensive new buses when routes are being cut at the same time?By 2017 all double deck buses have to be wheelchair accessible, so EYMS must replace its remaining nonaccessibledouble decks by this date. We still have 50 buses to replace by this date, or we won’t have enoughbuses to run all routes. Also, fuel savings mean these buses will cost a lot less to run, so will help us deal withother big cost increases and cuts in grants that are happening this year.So how much fuel and emissions will they save?Each bus will travel almost 60,000 miles each year, saving over 9,000 litres of fuel each. That means that acrossthe batch of ten buses up to 240 tonnes of CO 2 will be saved each year.These hybrid buses sound great - where can I try one out?Our hybrid buses are going into service from mid-April 2011. To maximise the fuel savings, we’ll be usingthem as much as possible. Most of the time they’ll be on Service 57, which runs right across the city fromAsda Bilton to Hessle Square. However, when they’re not needed on this service, mainly in the evenings andon Sundays, we’ll be using them on other bus routes around Hull. Look out for their special ‘hybrid bus’livery.Or come and see one of our hybrid buses in Queen Victoria Square on Saturday 16 April, 10am-4pm. We’ll bethere giving out advice on green travel, with assistance from the Energy Saving Trust.Want to travel in a more sustainable way? Get the bus!Find out which bus is best for your journey by givingBusCall a ring - they can give you impartial advice onbus services, times, routes and fares. They’re open8am-8pm, 7 days a week.Alternatively, all our timetables are available atwww.eyms.co.uk, along with service news andinformation.East Yorkshire Motor Services Ltd252 Anlaby RoadHullHU3 2RSPhone: 01482 327142E-mail: enquiries@eyms.co.ukwww.eyms.co.uk