MTA New York City Transit tested a 35-foot DesignLine hybrid turbine-powered bus (nominally numbered 9900) from DesignLine, a bus manufacturer with manufacturing plants in North Carolina and New Zealand, in October 2007. The bus's exterior design is probably its most prominent feature -- the large wraparound windshield, its frameless and tinted windows, and its general odd, un-buslike shape make this vehicle stand out to the passersby. A green, blue and silver paint scheme adorns the exterior of the bus, identical to that of the Wachovia Bank.

The DesignLine hybrid features a turbine-powered hybrid engine, providing for a nearly silent ride (not to mention double the fuel efficiency of the standard Orion VII hybrid bus.) The interior has such amenities as soft plush seats (not likely to be included should the MTA order such buses in large quantities), an interior LED sign, and a LCD monitor that has the capability to display important information.

9900 went into service in October 2007 on the M42 crosstown route. After 30 days of testing in Manhattan, it went to Baisley Park depot in Queens for another 30-day evaluation period on routes Q110, Q111, Q112 and Q113. The bus was later returned to DesignLine and displayed at APTA Expo 2008 in San Diego.

The new DesignLine hybrid bus has had significant success among North American transit agencies. The Chicago Transit Authority, as well, tested the DesignLine demo. MTA Maryland, the transit operator in the city of Baltimore, Maryland, purchased twenty of these 35-foot buses in 2009 for its special "Charm City Circulator" service. The New York MTA took delivery of six DesignLine 40-foot buses later in 2009, with options for more.