Today in South Boston, Governor Charlie Baker, Massachusetts Transportation Secretary and CEO Stephanie Pollack, MBTA General Manager Luis Ramírez, and more gathered to celebrate the introduction of the 45th Bus, the MBTA’s first extended-range hybrid bus, into the MBTA's Silver Line fleet.
With a commitment to vehicle efficiency, energy conservation, and sustainability, the MBTA continues to explore available technologies and new vehicles that are capable of zero-emissions operation in the Silver Line Transitway Tunnel, which serves the World Trade Center, Courthouse, and South Station stops.
Extended-range hybrid buses like the 45th Bus feature the next generation of hybrid propulsion systems that reduce greenhouse gases and nitrogen oxide emissions. While also incorporating overall passenger accommodation improvements included on all recent new bus procurements, the 45th Bus also includes engine “start/stop” technology, which automatically reduces the time a bus idles when stopped, and all-electric accessories that improve maintenance costs.
With the 45th Bus in service, MBTA staff will evaluate its performance for 6 months, focusing on its operation on different routes, during different seasons, and in varying types of weather conditions. Testing of the bus will focus on optimizing its power consumption and battery life/health. The MBTA will also evaluate the start/stop technology for potential implementation of a zero-emissions operation at Logan Airport. Based on the results of this 6-month testing period, the MBTA will consider an option for up to forty-five additional extended range hybrid buses.