by Miranda G. McLeod
Staff Writer
The Jacksonville Transportation Authority has been looking at a new kind of auto-technology for more than six years. For the first time, one of the hybrid-diesel buses being considered was brought in for attendees of JTA’s 50th anniversary summit last Thursday at the Hyatt.
“We’re looking at BRT technology,” said Mike Miller, director of external affairs for JTA.
BRT, bus rapid transport, is high-capacity seating vehicles that emulate modern rail-train transportation.
“The bus is only a minor part of BRT,” said Ron Ingraham, sales representative of North American Bus Industries Inc. “(BRT) is an entire type of public transportation system. It’s a modern bus with more passenger amenities.”
Miller said JTA has identified four corridors in which BRT would run. The corridors are from downtown to the east, southwest, north and southeast sides of town.
Right now, JTA is going through the process of looking for the technology. Executive Director Michael Blaylock and other JTA officials first saw the NABI bus at the American Public Transit Association convention in Dallas. The group saw several different models at the convention, but asked NABI if they were interested in coming to last week’s summit to show the bus.
NABI was incorporated in Hungary in 1992 and is headquartered in Anniston, Ala. The company has produced buses for Las Vegas, San Francisco, Boston, Chicago and Philadelphia. One of NABI’s largest customers is Miami, and recently Los Angeles, where a fleet of 200 BRT buses are being produced for the city, with an ultimate fleet of more than 1,100, according to Ingraham.
NABI produces 60-foot articulated buses and conventional 40-foot buses. However, the NABI bus brought to Jacksonville was the 60-footer that seats 60 people. A conventional 40-foot bus seats 38-40 people, according to Ingraham.
“We are designing and building more modern buses to get people out of their cars,” said Ingraham. “This bus has sex appeal, it has pizzazz. We want to get people on board and keep people on board.”
The 60-foot hybrid-diesel bus features a high ceiling, which allows for more light and more comfortable seating.
“It’s unique because it’s quiet. We’ve reduced the noise level and softened the ride,” said Ingraham. “We offer a more friendly environment inside the bus.”
Miller rode the bus and said it was a great vehicle. It was quieter and smoother than a regular bus ride.
NABI produces different buses to suit different cities according to their fuel needs. Some cities use compressed natural gas engines, others use liquid natural gas.
“It depends on the city itself,” said Ingraham.
The first hybrid bus ever built by NABI is the BRT bus brought to Jacksonville. The benefits of hybrid are improved fuel mileage and reduced emissions, said Ingraham.
JTA is looking at the hybrid for Jacksonville.
“We want something that looks futuristic and we want it to be a hybrid,” said Miller. “It would serve us very well if that was the model we chose.”
JTA is looking at many different models of BRT buses, which leaves several options. A NABI bus costs $800,000 right now, said Miller.
“It’s not going to be an inexpensive venture,” he said. “There are still many decisions that have to be made before a final decision is made.”
Miller expects that decision process to take at least five years.