In a blog post, Seattle Post-Intelligencer reporter Scott Gutierrez asks whether cheaper power could save Seattle’s trolley buses. The popular trolleys are the subject of debate, as King County Metro Transit considers replacing the aging system with a fleet of diesel electric hybrid buses. A report prepared for the county indicated that hybrids would save about $8.7 million per year in operating costs. To make trolley buses more cost-competitive, some city councilors are asking whether the local utility could discount its electricity rates. “If we really want to save trolley buses and keep the costs of running them down, fuel or propulsion is one of the major cost-drivers,” transportation committee chair Tom Rasmussen said in an interview. “Here is one option I don’t think anyone has really explored before.” Metro is currently studying alternative bus-propulsion technologies and is soliciting public input. Link to full story in Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
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