AU may purchase hybrid shuttle buses in future years as part of its regular shuttle replacement plan, according to Mark Feist, assistant director of Facilities Management.
A representative from bus manufacturer Gillig visited campus Wednesday with a hybrid model for AU personnel to test-drive. Feist said he was "very impressed" by the shuttle model.
The university vehicle replacement plan currently allows one shuttle bus to be replaced per fiscal year. The university has committed itself to purchasing green vehicles, which run on sustainable energy such as electricity, fuel cells and biodiesel, Feist said.
"We always look for the most environmental approach," he said.
Feist and his team will now research this option by contacting Gillig's current customers, he said.
"Using that information, I'll be able to calculate a payback for the initial investment," he said.
If AU decides to purchase the new buses, it could expect to wait between a few months and a year or two away before using them, Feist said.
"If we were to order today and are ready to place our order, the production time could be eight months or more," he said.
Gillig, a California-based company, has not sold the model to any universities yet, although some have expressed interest, according to Senior Vice President Brian Macleod.
"Most of our sales are to transit agencies," he said. "I don't believe we have sold these buses to universities. We have had some interest by [University of California] Berkeley and Stanford, but no purchase orders yet."
Greater Lynchburg Transit Company, based in Lynchburg, Va., has purchased the Gillig buses. Greater Lynchburg Transit Company officials are very excited about the new buses, according to General Manager Michael Carroll.
"It's the wave of the future for transit," he said. "It offers a number of advantages for operations and environmental issues, as well."
The transit agency purchased eight hybrids from Gillig, which are slated to go into service at the end of January or the beginning of February, according to Carroll.
Eco-Sense President Shilpa Joshi said the prospect of hybrid buses surprised her.
"It's very exciting to hear this," she said. "I wasn't even aware that this was going to be an option. It's a win-win situation except for the price and the fact that this is not an overnight process."
The hybrid buses cost considerably more than conventional diesel buses. A hybrid model costs around $500,000, while a conventional diesel model costs about $325,000, according to Macleod.
This is not the first time there has been talk about sustainable energy for the shuttle buses. Last year, Eco-Sense worked with Facilities Management to bring B-20 biodiesel to campus vehicles, including the shuttle buses, according to Feist.
The biodiesel under consideration is a 20 percent soy, 80 percent diesel blend, he said.
The university scrapped a short-term version of the plan to fuel its current fleet of buses with the blend on-site due to insurance concerns with the contractor, he said.
While a hybrid bus includes a diesel engine to provide some power, they can reduce fuel consumption by as much as 40 percent. The hybrid buses can run on biodiesel, Macleod said.
Fueling the new hybrid buses with the blend is definitely an option, Feist said. The new buses are also quieter than conventional diesel buses, according to Macleod.
Melissa Smith, a freshman in the School of Communication who lives on the Anderson Hall South bridge, said she was happy to hear the university is considering the purchase of the quieter vehicles.
"I am excited because if they have hybrid buses, people living above the shuttle stop will actually be able to sleep at night," she said.
