Hyping Hybrid Buses in Seattle
Seattle's order for hybrid buses isn't big environmental news (Seattle has had 200+ diesel-electrics in service for a decade, saving fuel and reducing pollution), but the purchase is the subject of a big ad campaign by the drivetrain manufacturer, GM.
June 23, 2004
Opinion
GM's "All Aboard the Magic Bus" ad suggests that Seattle's new hybrid buses will be responsible for big fuel savings. The real fuel savings of a bus isn't under the hood, however, it's in the seats. To boost its image, and make a difference, GM should be spending some ad money to promote bus ridership.
Riders, even on diesel buses, conserve by leaving their cars at home. GM says that if bus fleets in our nine largest cities were replaced by hybrids, it would save 40 million gallons of fuel per year, "a positive impact the whole country would feel." In reality, we wouldn't feel a thing.
The fact is, Americans consume 80 million gallons of fuel per day. The fuel savings of those 13,000 new hybrid buses would amount to 1/10th of one percent, while U.S. consumption is expected to grow by 50 percent in 20 years.
Assuredly, there is an energy crisis. Seattle Metro Transit and GM should be applauded for their commitment to hybrid technology. Meanwhile, there's a simple technology every business can adopt today, that makes a bigger difference: encouraging public transit. Jump aboard.