Daimler Leads the World in Hybrid Bus Sales, New Orders for Orion VII Diesel Hybrid Add to 3,000 Units In UseDaimler Leads the World in Hybrid Bus Sales, New Orders for Orion VII Diesel Hybrid Add to 3,000 Units In Use

Hybrid buses take advantage of combined diesel and electric technology to create a people mover that is extremely fuel efficient given its large size.  Furthermore, the hybrid application is ideally suited to the typical driving routine of buses.  Trips include short jaunts with frequent stops at low speeds, exactly what a hybrid power train is suited for.  Buses benefit tremendously from hybrid power plants, with many such buses surpassing their diesel-only powered counterparts by as much as 30% in fuel efficiency.
A standout product in the diesel hybrid bus category is the Daimler Orion VII diesel-electric hybrid bus.  Daimler is the worldwide leader in sales of hybrid buses and now can add 5 more to the list that is already over 3,000 strong.
The Ulster County Area Transit and the Dutchess County Bus Systems in the state of New York placed orders for the Daimler hybrid bus.  Ulster County will receive 3 more Orion VII buses to add to their two already in use and Dutchess County has purchase their first 2 Orion VII buses to put into service.
Hybrid buses have seen an explosion in sales in recent years with many transit authorities and municipalities adding at least one hybrid bus to its fleet.  Though pricey, hybrid buses end up costing less in operational costs than a comparable diesel-only bus.  Many municipalities have been hit hard during the economic downturn and as such have cancelled future orders of the costly hybrid buses, but the economy will rebound at some point and the benefits of the hybrid bus remain obvious.
Source:  Daimler Press Release
Daimler Buses North America Sells Further 96 Orion VII Clean-Diesel and Hybrid BusesOriskany, USA,
Jan 22, 2010

Three transit agencies in New York State order a total of 92 Orion VII transit buses
University of Georgia orders four more Orion VII buses for Campus Transit System

Oriskany, USA – Daimler Buses North America (DBNA) has received orders for nearly 100 Orion VII clean-diesel and diesel-hybrid buses. Ninety-two of these buses were ordered by three transit agencies in New York State. In addition, the University of Georgia is purchasing four more Orion VII buses for its Campus Transit System, so that it will have a total of eight Orion VII clean-diesel buses in operation. The buses are manufactured in Oriskany, New York, and are set to be delivered in late summer and fall of 2010.
“The orders for clean-diesel and hybrid buses are extremely gratifying for Daimler Buses North America and show the confidence the transit market has in the Orion brand,” said Patrick Scully, Chief Commercial Officer for DBNA. “They also help safeguard jobs at our production facility in Oriskany, with more than 600 employees.”
Suffolk County Transit placed an order for 81 Orion VII clean-diesel transit buses. Suffolk County Transit currently operates the Orion V in its existing fleet, which it is now augmenting with Orion VII transit buses. Ulster County Area Transit (UCAT) has now ordered its fifth Orion VII diesel-electric hybrid bus. UCAT already had two of the buses in operation, and has now placed an order for three additional Orion VII hybrid buses as a result of its good experience with the vehicle. The Dutchess County Bus System has ordered four Orion VII clean-diesel transit buses and two Orion VII hybrid transit buses.
In addition to the transit agencies in New York State, the University of Georgia (UGA) is also putting its faith in Orion VII transit buses. The university has been operating four of these buses since 2008, and has now ordered four more. UGA operates the largest on-campus transit system in the U.S., transporting about 9.5 million students last year.
Daimler Buses North America, headquartered in Greensboro, N.C., is part of Daimler Buses and combines three bus brands under one corporate structure: Orion transit buses, Setra motorcoaches, and the Sprinter shuttle bus. Daimler Buses North America sold its 3,000th Orion VII diesel-electric hybrid bus last September. As a result, Daimler Buses has sold more hybrid buses than any other manufacturer in the world.

View original artcle at:  “https://www.greencarreports.com//news/1042180_daimler-leads-the-world-in-hybrid-bus-sales-new-orders-for-orion-vii-diesel-hybrid-add-to-3000-units-in-use”