Two brand-new hybrid buses are about to roll 3,000 miles to Ithaca, according to The Ithaca Voice, as TCAT prepares to expand its greener fleet. The transit agency just finalized the purchase of the diesel-electric vehicles from manufacturer Gillig in California.
Each bus cost about $933,000 and should last up to 14 years. TCAT says the hybrids can run two days on one tank and switch to electric-only mode in designated areas using GPS “geo-fencing,” cutting noise and emissions in spots like Collegetown.
The buses will replace aging vehicles in TCAT’s 50-bus fleet. Leaders say limited charging capacity prevents a fully electric expansion for now, but more battery-powered buses could arrive if funding and infrastructure allow.
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