With federal earmark, students develop high-tech bus

Jared Paben | Bellingham (Wash.) Herald

BELLINGHAM, Wash. - For decades, buses around the world have rolled down city streets with characteristic flat fronts, even though that's not exactly aerodynamic.

They don't have to be that way. In fact, the driver doesn't even have to sit at the left front, and passengers don't have to load across from the driver.

Western Washington University students working near Bellingham's waterfront are exploring new concepts as they work to create a low-weight, high-efficiency bus. Undergraduates from various majors are doing everything from materials testing to body design, with the goal of having a prototype ready in 2013.

Read more: http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2011/01/15/1817112/with-federal-earmark-wwu-students.html##ixzz1B8szodxw

tool goes here

JOIN THE DISCUSSION

We welcome comments. To post one, you must sign in using either your McClatchyDC login or your login for Facebook, Twitter or Disqus. Just click the appropriate box below.

Please keep your comment civil, short and to the point. Obscene, profane, abusive and off topic comments will be deleted. Repeat offenders will be blocked. If you find a comment abusive or inappropriate, please flag it for the moderator by placing your cursor on the comment, then clicking the "flag" link that appears. Thanks for your participation.