I Saw SMART's Hybrid Bus Today In The City...

**313WX** · May-07-12, 09:12 PM

On the Gratiot route. Impressive!!!

http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2011/11/...ersity-colors/

**DetroitPlanner** · May-07-12, 10:22 PM

Thats really not that unusual. I typically see one of those artics a week. I am not a big fan of the paint job. I understand they are supposed to be school colors.

**sturge** · May-08-12, 09:13 AM

I've only seen the UM and MSU colored buses. What's the third?

**Danny** · May-08-12, 09:42 AM

So what! I saw a lot of SMART hybrid buses and I rode a couple of them.

**MichiganMan** · May-08-12, 09:52 AM

The third bus is in Wayne State colors, Green and Gold. The Michigan bus, maize and blue is dedicated to Wayne Co. routes, The WSU bus is dedicated to Oakland Co. routes and the MSU bus is dedicated to Macomb Co. routes.

**313WX** · May-08-12, 10:02 AM

Originally Posted by MichiganMan

The third bus is in Wayne State colors, Green and Gold. The Michigan bus, maize and blue is dedicated to Wayne Co. routes, The WSU bus is dedicated to Oakland Co. routes and the MSU bus is dedicated to Macomb Co. routes.

If that's the case, it was likely the MSU bus I saw on Gratiot yesterday.

I don't go downtown often, so I didn't even know these existed until I saw them yesterday. Besides that, it's probably very rare to see them anytime in the city outside of downtown given that only 2-3 buses per most route tops comes through the city during peak hours.

But it's nice that the transit authorities are startiing to invest in vehicles that aren't as dependent on Oil.

**professorscott** · May-08-12, 12:32 PM

Originally Posted by 313WX

Besides that, it's probably very rare to see them anytime in the city outside of downtown given that only 2-3 buses per most route tops comes through the city during peak hours.

Actually on Gratiot, for instance, about 12 different buses come into the city during a.m. peak, and another 12 or so during p.m. peak [[of which probably 5 or 6 were in Detroit in the morning as well). So roughly 17-18 SMART buses are on Gratiot in Detroit at some time during a weekday.

**Wesley Mouch** · May-08-12, 12:45 PM

Originally Posted by 313WX

...
But it's nice that the transit authorities are startiing to invest in vehicles that aren't as dependent on Oil.

Busses are great vehicles for hybrid technology. Lots of starts and stops. Store electric power on braking. Use electric power on take-off. The savings could be enormous.

**Hypestyles** · May-08-12, 01:22 PM

hopefully the trend will continue and eventually the city of Detroit can get such buses for use on major routes..

**cramerro** · May-08-12, 02:20 PM

Originally Posted by Hypestyles

hopefully the trend will continue and eventually the city of Detroit can get such buses for use on major routes..

DDOT has them, they just didn't go with an alternate paint job. SMART has the three school color 40' hybrids and also has two 60' articulated buses [[also seen often on Gratiot) that are also hybrids. Good news from SMART is that there are more to come in the next 18 months.