Hybrid bus at WDW

[Fantasia freak]

Yep, there is one. We've had it for about 3 weeks now. saw it today in Fort Wilderness. It's black with Hybrid in big letters on the side. The battery sits on top of the bus and is 6 ft by 5 ft. it is a Gillig bus, like our new ones, but has nicer seats inside and a different front nose piece on it than ours, similar to the front of a Linx bus. it's only a loaner for testing, and when its not in the fort, it has another Gillig bus following to compare gas mileage and stuff. But if you're in the fort anytime soon be on the lookout for it.

Oh and i have more news on our new system. As of yesterday (Friday), all busses at Epcot have the system running.(except for the busses that come from AK after it's close). next it moves to Studios in 2-3 weeks, then AK and Fort Wilderness a few weeks after that, and then lastly it gets to MK bout 3 weeks after AK and the Fort.

 

[LudwigVonDrake]

Thanks for the news :wave:

 

[TTATraveler]

That is great news! Is Disney looking to possibly replace the older buses with these new hybrids, a whole fleet replacement, or just more buses?

 

[hack2112]

That is great news! Is Disney looking to possibly replace the older buses with these new hybrids, a whole fleet replacement, or just more buses?

I would think they would replace them, but slowly. They would take old buses off as new buses are rolled out. Of course, that's what I would do. I believe in the whole save the environment thing.

 

[DisneyDellsDude]

Sounds awesome. What are the hybrid busses powered by?

 

[PhilharMagician]

Sounds awesome. What are the hybrid busses powered by?

Diesel or Boidiesel and electric.

It is hard to imagine they could get enough improvement in effeciency to justify the increased expense for the busses. I wonder why they do not convert to propane.

 

[Hurricane]

Diesel or Boidiesel and electric.

It is hard to imagine they could get enough improvement in effeciency(sic) to justify the increased expense for the busses(sic). I wonder why they do not convert to propane.

I'd venture a guess that they aren't converting for purely mileage reasons (as very few hybrids break even in mileage offsetting increased cost). I'm sure they are discounting the purchase price by the PR benefit.

 

[dkrfla]

In regard to the new system, I just got back from a few days at the world and heard and recorded the narration to Epcot. There was no music in the background just the monorail guy talking about the park. As soon as I get settled and can transfer the audio I will put it up.

Dusty

The file can be found here:

http://home.cfl.rr.com/dkrfla/bus.mp3

 

[TTATraveler]

NYC has buses that run on natural gas and they are significantly cleaner. I wonder if everything boils down to the fact that Florida does not have vehicle inspections? With the amount of development going on and planned, I can see vehicle inspections happening in the future with a focus on emissions.

Until then, Disney would be very proactive in retrofitting its bus fleet with green buses.

 

[benji]

mother nature will be happy

 

[Disney05]

Rode the busses a lot this past week. Only one bus had music playing. We had a packed out bus from MK, and no A/C, it was hot.

 

[jsfra209]

Yep, there is one. We've had it for about 3 weeks now. saw it today in Fort Wilderness. It's black with Hybrid in big letters on the side. The battery sits on top of the bus and is 6 ft by 5 ft. it is a Gillig bus, like our new ones, but has nicer seats inside and a different front nose piece on it than ours, similar to the front of a Linx bus. it's only a loaner for testing, and when its not in the fort, it has another Gillig bus following to compare gas mileage and stuff. But if you're in the fort anytime soon be on the lookout for it.

Oh and i have more news on our new system. As of yesterday (Friday), all busses at Epcot have the system running.(except for the busses that come from AK after it's close). next it moves to Studios in 2-3 weeks, then AK and Fort Wilderness a few weeks after that, and then lastly it gets to MK bout 3 weeks after AK and the Fort.

Thats great news! God knows some of those WDW buses are straight up smog machines! lol:lol:

 

[coastermaster83]

NYC has buses that run on natural gas and they are significantly cleaner. I wonder if everything boils down to the fact that Florida does not have vehicle inspections? With the amount of development going on and planned, I can see vehicle inspections happening in the future with a focus on emissions.

Until then, Disney would be very proactive in retrofitting its bus fleet with green buses.

Florida used to have vehicle inspections, I remember my parents having to go every year and I remember my dads 73 Toyota Pickup failing about 3 years in a row and him having to pay something to get it re-checked. course I also have to laugh at the fact that this was in like 1995-97 and some crazy person stole that same truck out of our front yard in the middle of the night and the cops that come to report it were rolling with laughter that someone stole it cus it barely ran.

 

[dkrfla]

The link in my original post to the spiel didn't work and so I put one that does in the original message. Sorry about that.

Dusty

 

[imagineer boy]

That's great to hear. I'd always gotten tired of constantly breathing in those fumes when I'd be going to the parks.

 

[TomorrowlandTyler]

I found it interesting that in the spiel that they still refered to the pavilion as the "Living Seas" and not 'The Seas with Nemo and Friends'...

 

[The Mom]

Florida used to have vehicle inspections, I remember my parents having to go every year and I remember my dads 73 Toyota Pickup failing about 3 years in a row and him having to pay something to get it re-checked. course I also have to laugh at the fact that this was in like 1995-97 and some crazy person stole that same truck out of our front yard in the middle of the night and the cops that come to report it were rolling with laughter that someone stole it cus it barely ran.

I remember getting vehicle inspections every year. :lol: The complaint was that they were expensive, inconvenient , caused increased pollution at the inspection sites(from the long lines), and there were too many loopholes involved. (if the car was too old it was grandfathered in, if it would cost above a certain amount, etc) The air quality had also improved due to the better emission control in newer cars, so it seemed like a lot of time and money was being spent for a very limited problem.

Now, forest fires are a different story. :lol:

 

[darthjohnny]

Interesting. Thanks for the info. :wave:

 

[mkt]

meh.. it's a total image/PR move. Unless you're in bumper to bumper traffic moving at 5mph, Hybrids are a total waste.

 

[ThumpersThought]

meh.. it's a total image/PR move. Unless you're in bumper to bumper traffic moving at 5mph, Hybrids are a total waste.

Funny... but hybrids actually don't do that well in gridlock (well, no worse than a regular car, but not as well as normal). For many hybrids, there's a slight improvement with City driving vs. Highway. But gridlock (especially that slow) is a sure way to drain your battery -- and then what are you driving? Yep, a gas engine car.