New York City May Abandon Hybrid Buses

May shift back to diesel due to problems with engines

The MTA's electric revolution is grinding to a halt.

The agency hasn't purchased an electric-diesel hybrid bus in three years, and as many as 389 — 23 percent of all its hybrids — could be retrofitted with new diesel engines soon, MTA officials revealed to The Post.

Union officials warned that the switch will come with a great cost — to the public's health.

"It's a slap in the face if they start going back to diesel again," said a skeptical transit-union source. "It's not good for people's lungs."

But the city may not have a choice, since hybrids haven't worked very well, an insider says. Maintenance workers "constantly" have to repair hybrid engines.