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Thursday, August 8, 2013 9:30:00 AM
If you notice that ‘new bus’ smell the next time you get on board, it’s not your imagination.
Metro Transit has received more than 50 new 40-foot diesel buses this year and will get another 24 this fall. Metro Transit's buses typically stay in regular service around 12 years, logging more than 400,000 miles. The new buses are replacing older vehicles that have reached the end of their regular service life (some are used for an additional year or two for special State Fair service before being publicly auctioned).
Over the next five years, Metro Transit will receive 184 replacement buses. The five-year bus procurement plan was approved earlier this year.
In 2012, Metro Transit received 83 new 40-foot buses, including 33 hybrid models. Metro Transit’s fleet currently includes more than 550 40-foot diesel buses, 132 40-foot hybrids, 166 60-foot articulated buses and 36 coach buses.
Customers board Metro Transit buses about 230,000 times each weekday.
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