[Quietcars] diesel hybrid school bus

[Ken Stewart]

Recently the local school district here in Warwick announced it was purchasing a hybrid school bus.  When I followed up with the School District, the Transportation Director identified its vendor for me.  I just had a phone conversation with Glenn Matthews, the owner of that vendor, Matthews Bus Company in Balston Spa, NY.  He admitted having no previous awareness of the pedestrian danger of vehicles while operating on electric power.  He stated that his diesel hybrids always have the diesel engine at least idling while it co-generates electric power from braking, for example.  He referred me to the manufacturer's representative.  He said the manufacturer is Eaton in Detroit.  It was a very cordial exchange, but I was not convinced that the bus operates as he believes.  Anyone else know more about this?