New Hybrid Bus.

Disney has bought a hybrid bus. Yes i said bought, not just testing one on loan. You can see it at FW. Its a gillig bus with a slightly different nose piece and side panels.. but inside, it looks the same as the rest of the gilligs. its bus #4984. No word on if they will buy more, or if they will even keep this one. at $1,000,000 a piece, we could buy almost three regular new gilligs at $350,000 for each hybrid. Disney may decide it's not economical and sell it, or they could buy 5 more to use only in th Foet. or they could buy a lot more. Nobdy knows right now. They are still testing it. Each night it, and its shadow bus (another bus on the same route. Orange, Purple, or Yellow) go to VMS (Vehicle Maintenance South) and they compare everything to see just how much if any, it's saving them. If the Hybrid goes down for any reason, they shut the shadow bus down too. leaving only four running in the fort instead of 6. But anyways, go check it out sometime if you get the chance. You can only see it in the Fort for now.

I saw this bus last weekend.. suits were riding in it, looked nice, and yet different.

Myself and DW got to ride on the Hybrid bus yesterday. The first thing we noticed was that the bus smelled "new". It was very quiet and while we were waiting at our bus stop we did not hear it as it approached. A castmember manager riding on the bus says it runs on batteries until they run low and then a turbine kicks in to recharge and run the bus. It is a step in the right direction.
Greenheart22

Greenheart22 said:

Myself and DW got to ride on the Hybrid bus yesterday. The first thing we noticed was that the bus smelled "new". It was very quiet and while we were waiting at our bus stop we did not hear it as it approached. A castmember manager riding on the bus says it runs on batteries until they run low and then a turbine kicks in to recharge and run the bus. It is a step in the right direction.
Greenheart22

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That's so funny, my best friend and I rode it on Thursday and had almost the exact same experience. We both commented on the "new" smell and how quiet it was. Some one, possibly a manager or engineer, explained how the engine worked because at first we thought it was totally electric. Overall, I like the new bus (if there have to be busses at all).

I forgot to mention that the new bus also has room for 3 wheelchairs/ECVs. Supposedly all new busses starting with the 2009s will be made to handle 3 instead of the standard 2 on all our busses currently.

Fantasia freak said:

I forgot to mention that the new bus also has room for 3 wheelchairs/ECVs. Supposedly all new busses starting with the 2009s will be made to handle 3 instead of the standard 2 on all our busses currently.

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How did the manage to do that? unless the row of seats next to the door are now being used as well.

Fantasia freak said:

I forgot to mention that the new bus also has room for 3 wheelchairs/ECVs. Supposedly all new busses starting with the 2009s will be made to handle 3 instead of the standard 2 on all our busses currently.

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So i guess the concept of a "Handicapped Only" bus just isn't going to happen?

I just don't like having to wait for 15 minutes for a bus and then wait another 10 while ... well... we've been down this road before.

So more hybrids? Sounds good. Disney has switched over to all biodiesel, right? Or was that just a rumor?

I like the idea of Disney implementing hybrid buses. Bummer that they're a million dollars, though. That's quite a pill to swallow.