The purchase of five electric hybrid diesel buses for the Brownsville Metro bus fleet at a cost of $3.5 million was heralded as Brownsville's entry into the brave new world of energy savings, and reducing transportation costs and emissions for a cleaner and greener community.
The City of Brownsville Commission on March 19, 2019, approve the purchase of the five buses at an average of $700,00 per unit from Gillig LLC.
Unfortunately, no one told the low-paid maintenance workers or mechanics at BUS Metro that the new buses didn't use gasoline. So it was surprising when one of the buses (#237) started to cough and sputter when it was taken out on its test run by the drivers.
When it stopped, the brass discovered that it had been filled with gasoline instead of diesel.
Now, the BUS Metro honchos are hoping that someone (anyone) locally can salvage the high-tech system on the new bus so it won't be a total loss. Will they?
Diesel-electric hybrid buses use both electricity and diesel, the same concept as hybrid automobiles. Bus batteries store energy and recharge when the bus decelerates. When demand for power exceeds battery capacity, the diesel engine provides extra energy.
A computer controls the output of the two power sources, diesel and electricity, so the buses always use the most efficient source. But gasoline, unfortunately, is not part of the equation. To repair it, if it can be repaired, will probably take a small fortune.
The five buses were purchased under the Connecting Communities project under the Fiscal Year 2016 Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) Discretionary Grant Program. The Connecting Communities project is comprised of three (3) projects, the hybrid buses being one of the three.
“Brownsville is leading the Rio Grande Valley,” said Brownsville Mayor Tony Martinez said then, conveniently forgetting to mention that McAllen already has them. “These diesel hybrid buses will save energy and reduce costs and emissions for a cleaner and greener community.”
“Brownsville is leading the Rio Grande Valley,” said Brownsville Mayor Tony Martinez said then, conveniently forgetting to mention that McAllen already has them. “These diesel hybrid buses will save energy and reduce costs and emissions for a cleaner and greener community.”
What was the difference between Brownsville and McAllen? Was it the managers at their bus system who made sure that everything was done the way it was supposed to be done? Or did they merely polish up their press releases for their resumes and leave the grease work to the poor slobs at the maintenance shop?
And will heads roll as a result?
22 comments:
dale gas oops i meant diesel, lol
Dumb Mexicans are to blame. smh
Brownsville, TX just got these buses in March 2019 and they already blew up an engine.
This by no means is the fault of staff. This can be chalked up to poor training and education from management.
That's what you get for hiring people with no education or on a GED under their belt. Or maybe they used the old hiring chestnut of ".eligible experience may be used in lieu of education", to hire family and friends, just another day in the City of Brownsville, nothing to see here, please move along.
It should have included a gringo its the company's fault dumb hillybilly gringos. sma...
The price to repair the damage will be very expensive and this is a situation that will not be covered in the warranty.
It was a mechanic graduate from Mike Hernandez school.
Where's the THREE city engineers - oh they're highly educated.
LOL, go McAllen, McAllen has bus shelters while Brownsville has utility poles for shelters. Brownsville is still stupid period.
GED! That guy at the library has a GED and is the director making 100k and lives in harlingen
Read the manual oh its in ingles so sorrrrry...
McAllen the wanna be gringo RGV town that mcallen
There's one thing they can do-- pay for the repairs.
There goes the shelters Juan...
Hold Bmetro management accountable for not providing the necessary training to the maintenance personnel. Don't blame the lower ranks, I'm glad that the new Mayor will make Sunday bus service available to the most needed.
It's Trump's fault. This wouldn't have happened if Trump wouldn't have been elected.
Zamora and her sidekick are not even city employees and make more than Bernal. They give less than a shit about what happens as long as they get that big check.
HEY, JUAN, QUE PINCHE VERGÜENZA CABRON!!!! SOMEONE TELL THE POOR CULEROS THAT FILL UP THE PINCHE BUSES WHAT PINCHE FUEL GOES IN THE CULERO BUSES MAMON!!!! ANTES NO LO LLENARON DE LIMONADA LOS PENDEJOS!!!! ME CAGO POR DONDE MISMO JUAN! WHATS NEXT MAMON?!! ARE THE PUTOS AT THE ZOO GOING TO FEED THE ELEPHANTS ARROZ CON POLLO INSTEAD OF PEANUTS PUTO?!!! UUUYYYY!!!
CHINGA TU MADRE TRUMP!!!!!
Must of been ernie
Doesn't the diesel gas tank have a smaller tank hole and the regular gas tank has a larger tank hole??? Something is not right!!
Heads at the top had better roll for this costly damage to a new bus. Not just the mechanic should be fired, but those at the top as well. There is no excuse for this to have happened. A full investigation and audit by an outside entity of Metro is required. It is the responsibility of the Director to ensure the taxpayer's investment is protected and if they fail to do that they should be dismissed. Why does the contracted repair shop with a terrible bus repair track record continue to win contracts year after year. ? Why is the Metro Bus Board just a front instead a real board with powers? Inquiring minds want to know.
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