By: jackie.sauter

Gov. Martin O’Malley and other state officials unveiled a new hybrid bus Friday afternoon at the Motor Trend International Auto Show in Baltimore, saying it was the first step toward the state’s goal of running 600 hybrid MTA buses by 2014.

That would put the Maryland Transportation Authority three-quarters of the way toward its goal of converting its entire bus fleet to hybrids within a decade, he said.

Gone soon will be the days of “instinctively trying to shield your face to avoid inhaling those fumes when a bus goes by,” said O’Malley, who also used the words “dirty” and “dinosaurs” to describe the diesel fleet. “Instead you get a breath of fresh air,” he said.

Dubbed the “Clean, Green Hybrid Machines,” 30 hybrid buses will hit the streets within the next few weeks throughout the state. The hybrids, manufactured by bus maker New Flyer, are 20 percent more fuel efficient, 50 percent quieter and can log twice as many miles (6,000) between service appointments than their diesel counterparts (also made by New Flyer).

But for all that pizzazz, the hybrids cost $875,000 per bus — nearly a third more than the diesels. Reporters questioned the governor about that expense during a time when the state is grappling with a $2 billion budget deficit.

“It’s our belief that while this requires a larger expense on the capital budget now, we make that investment back over the lifetime span for the hybrid bus,” O’Malley said. “[We believe] it does make more sense — what it means in dollars now will come back to us over the next six years.”

The governor also pointed out the hybrids are much better for the environment and will help Maryland reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 25 percent. O’Malley is pushing legislation this year that would have Maryland achieve that goal by 2020.

So what do you think? Is this a good expenditure for the state? Or is this just too big of a price to pay right now?

LIZ FARMER, Business Writer