Late last month, while the NYC tabloids were debating a possible fare hike and the latest news about Joe Torre and A-Rod, they missed an important environmental investment decision at the nation’s largest transit fleet.  

Here's the news: On October 24, NYC’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority decided to buy 850 diesel-electric hybrid buses.

Along with the 545 hybrids already in the fleet, this means that, by the end of 2009, more than one-quarter of all NYC Transit buses will be hybrids—easily the highest rate of hybridization of any transit fleet in the world.

Anybody who ever thought the Prius is cool should applaud this latest purchase:  these buses will be certified to be as clean as any transit bus, whether fueled by diesel or natural gas.  And, they will deliver roughly 30 percent more miles to the gallon, compared to a standard diesel bus. Over their 12-year life, these hybrids should save approximately 42,500,000 gallons of fuel and 425,000 tons of CO2 emissions, compared to a conventional diesel bus. 

Sure, these buses aren’t cheap:  instead of paying roughly $350,000 for a standard diesel bus, a hybrid bus for NYC Transit (including wheelchair lifts, easy-loading low floors, and fancy electronic signage) s will cost approximately $510,000.  But the fuel economy benefits will pay for the incremental cost over the life of the bus, at today’s fuel prices (roughly $3.30 in the northeast US right now). And, if fuel prices go up over the next fifteen years, the hybrids will look like an even better deal for New York’s taxpayers.

Twelve years, ago, NRDC ran ads on the backs of NYC Transit buses that read “Standing behind this bus could be more dangerous than standing in front of it.”    Those ads galvanized public opinion about the Authority’s dirty diesels, but also led to a fleetwide commitment to cleaner buses. 

Today, the fleet’s particulate soot emissions have been cut by 97 percent since that summer.    

And, now, it looks like they are adding to their solid record. Bravo!