Thursday, August 5, 2010

Metro adds three hybrid buses to fleet

This afternoon, Cincinnati Metro unveiled three new hybrid buses yesterday at Downtown's Government Square and at the Ault Park pavilion.

The new buses were purchased with federal funding made available through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

Metro now boasts nine hybrid buses in its fleet. The service plans to add four more hybrids later this fall.

"As Metro's fleet gets greener, Cincinnati's air gets cleaner," Metro CEO Marilyn Shazor said in a media release. "Mass transit itself is an important and easy way to go green, and our hybrid buses illustrate our system's commitment to environmental responsibility."

Since introducing hybrid vehicles on Earth Day 2009, estimates are that Metro has provided approximately 330,000 rides and traveled almost 210,000 miles – reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 190 tons and saving almost 7,000 gallons of diesel fuel.

"Smog is a problem in the Cincinnati area and Metro's purchase of cleaner, lower emission buses is a positive step toward helping clean up our air," said Cory Chadwick, director of the Hamilton County Department of Environmental Services. "In fact, everyone can help by increasing their use of public transportation, especially by choosing to ride a diesel-hybrid bus with significantly lower exhaust emissions, better fuel economy, and a quieter ride than a standard diesel bus."

A service of the Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority, Metro operates more than five dozen bus routes and provides more than 19 million rides per year.


'Story' finalists selected

Cincinnati Metro has narrowed hundreds of entries in its "Tell Your Story" contest down to five finalists in both the video and written categories, and is asking the public to choose a winner.

Written story finalists include Teresa Roush of Wilmington, Ernest Disney Britton of Hyde Park, Jalilisha Dixon of Finneytown, Kelly Drinan of Amberley Village, and Sidney Coleman of Silverton.

Video finalists include Rosa Lyons of Kennedy Heights, Jermaynne Jackson of Cincinnati, Faye Atkinson of Cincinnati, David Benson of Western Hills, and Travis Theiss of Hamilton.

The public can view the entries and vote on Metro's website through August 31.

Metro will announce the winners in each category on September 1. Both will receive free bus rides for a year.

Photos courtesy of Metro.

Previous reading on BC:
Metro wins $1.9M for hybrid buses (6/10/10)
Metro honored for safety, plans new communications system (6/8/10)
Tell your Metro story, win free bus rides for a year (6/1/10)
Metro, TANK to offer free rides on Bike to Work Day (5/11/10)
Learn how to ride Metro this Friday (8/19/08)