The Small Hybrid Bus Working Group selected a supplier team - StarTrans and Azure Dynamics - and is purchasing buses. There are 16 buses being purchased by six transit agencies nationwide in a successul group procurement of small hybrid buses.  All the purchased buses are to be used in demand response and/or paratransit applications by the respective transit agencies.  Since the procurement can purchase up to 24 buses off the current procurement, interested transit agencies are encouraged to contact Susan Romeo at CALSTART - sromeo@calstart.org to inquire about participating in additional small hybrid bus purchases.

The group plans no meetings in the immediate future, but remains on active status.

Read more about the group's bus selection in the press release: Hybrid Bus Group Selects StarTrans-Azure for National Hybrid Bus Deployment, Hybrid buses can cut fuel consumption by up to 40%.

Focuses on the commercialization of hybrid drivetrains in shuttle type buses (those 35 feet and under but primarily in and around 25 feet, Class 3 - 6).  The purpose of this working group is twofold: 1) to define a common truck/bus chassis in these vehicle classes which will lower manufacturing costs and speed hybridization in shuttle bus applications; and 2) to organize fleet operators interested in purchasing hybrid cab/chassis (cutaway shuttle-type buses). The group issued an RFP for more than 20 buses and selected a supplier in 2009.

Who should be involved? 
Public and private operators of shuttle bus, paratransit bus, and smaller-sized (Type A, B, C) school bus fleets interested in participating in the activities stated in the purpose and goals of the working group and are motivated to get the industry moving by purchasing fully-functional, pre-production, factory-warranted vehicles.