Kelowna Hybrid Bus Replacement
Thompson Okanagan
If you’ve ever spent much time riding school buses, you may remember that form of transportation as something less than the ultimate in clean and comfortable transportation. But all that’s changing in the Okanagan, where the Central Okanagan School District is operating Canada’s first hybrid electric school bus.
Operating in Kelowna, the bus went into service early in 2008. Its hybrid-electric technology combines a diesel engine with a battery-powered electric motor. The batteries are recharged when the bus’ brakes are applied.
The result is a reduction in diesel particulate emissions by up to 90 per cent, and dramatically improved fuel efficiency. Because a hybrid bus produces far fewer fumes when idling, students getting on and off notice it’s a far different - and healthier - experience from inhaling fumes from a traditional bus.
Three quarters of the price tag for the 72-passenger bus was picked up by the Province as part of its commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 33 per cent by 2020.
