Hybrids too costly

Fort McMurray AB - I came across a news story from the Fort McMurray Today news site which I found interesting. It is basically a discussion over hybrid buses and the costs to buy and operate. It is especially interesting as this is a very small operation and one mistake can prove very costly.

The debate in Fort McMurray revolves around the recent purchase of 3 diesel buses which the city opted for rather than purchasing 1 hybrid bus and 1 diesel. Mayor Melissa Blake correctly stated "In the end, you simply can’t justify the hybrid bus when we can get two (regular) buses for the same price". However, Councilor Carolyn Slade insists that the hybrid would save money in the long term.

Sorry Ms. Slade, the hybrid won't do anything except raise your long term costs to operate, especially given the Canadian tendency to hang onto buses for 20 to 30 years. The current hybrid technology still is in its infancy and has not been proven over a long period. Considering the fact that most manufacturers stop producing parts for buses now after 10 years, how in the world are you going to get the parts for it when the bus is 20 plus years old? Many buses today in the United States (including those manufactured by Canadian firms) wear out before their 12 years old and many get scrapped because you can't get the electronics for them any longer.

This rush to jump on the environmentalist bandwagon by transit systems is going to prove costly in the long term, especially for small systems like Fort McMurray. Clean diesel technology works well and is far less costly in both the short and long term for purchasing and maintaining. Replacing Fort McMurray's diesel fleet with hybrids won't make any difference at all in the air quality but it will hurt the finances of the transit system from the purchase date all the way through the life cycle of the bus.

In addition, hybrids actually cause more damage to the environment to manufacture and dispose of than does the lowly diesel. That's a dirty little secret that the enviro-weenies that are trying to price public transit out of existence don't want you to know.

As far as efficiency, the much touted mileage and fuel savings are greatly exaggerated. You save more petroleum fuel by switching to bio-diesel than you do by paying for hybrid technology. Not to say bio-diesel is the best choice out there as it has its issues as well but it is far cheaper in the long term than buying a hybrid bus and having to maintain it.

Mayor Melissa Blake earns a Laurel for taking her position as the steward of the taxpayer's money seriously and making the right choice. Those 3 diesel buses will serve the city better as it will allow more people to benefit and it cost less in both the short and long term than rushing out to jump on the enviro-bandwagon with hybrid buses.