Arrival of New Hybrid Bus in Gent
Gent has welcomed its first hybrid bus. The bus will have a test period of about three months. After this period, Flanders' Public Transport Company 'De Lijn' will buy another 35 buses, of which 20 are destined to Gent. The buses will undergo a testing phase for about three months and after potential difficulties are resolved, another 20 buses of that kind will come to Gent. Another fifteen will go to Bruges and Leuven.
On March 9th, the new hybrid bus has arrived in Gent. At a press conference, given by the Minister of Mobility Kathleen Van Brempt, Ms. Lieten, CEO of the 'De Lijn' and Alderman of Mobility in Gent, Karin Temmerman, the bus was presented as the first of his kind in the Benelux.The hybrid bus is a transitional measure between the present old high-floor trolleybuses and the future tramcars foreseen on a part of present trolley line.By the end of 2009, Gent will have a complete fleet of easily accessible vehicles reaching the highest standards of energy efficiency and reduction of negative impacts like noise and emissions in the urban area. The new hybrid buses will be much more energy efficient and will reduce the usage of diesel by 25%.
Author: Patrick Debeuf
