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Transit Now keeps on rolling with contract for new buses
It will be big. It will be green. But most importantly, it will be the
centerpiece of King County Metro
Transit’s plan to help get thousands of residents out of their cars
and into buses over the next decade.
The three partners are the same companies that teamed up with Metro three years ago to bring hybrid bus technology to King County. Today, those initial 214 hybrid buses are delivering a 30 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to Metro’s conventional diesel fleet. The hybrids are also proving to be 40 percent more reliable than their articulated diesel counterparts in terms of mechanical breakdowns. “This major bus order marks an historic chapter for Metro for several reasons,” Sims said. “Not only will this new fleet allow it to carry out one of the largest service expansions in its history, but it will also allow the agency to remain at the forefront of a growing movement to fight global warming. Once again, Metro is leading the way in linking corporate responsibility with the delivery of quality public transportation.” The contract will allow Metro to place multiple bus orders over the next five years to support its Transit Now initiative. The initiative was approved by voters last fall, and will expand transit service up to 20 percent over the next ten years. Metro hopes more frequent bus service – every 15 minutes where possible – and running more hours of the day where needed on high-ridership routes will reduce the wait time for thousands of passengers, making transit a more convenient option. With expanded and more frequent service, Metro's goal is to get up to 50,000 drivers out of their cars and riding buses by 2016.
Metro’s first order, scheduled for delivery next spring, will be for 22 articulated hybrid buses, much like its current fleet of hybrids. An order for 100 articulated hybrid buses to serve Metro’s five RapidRide routes will likely follow beginning in 2009. Metro anticipates subsequent orders will be used to replace aging buses in its fleet and for expanded service to offset the traffic impacts associated with reconstruction of the Alaskan Way Viaduct and State Route 520. The new buses will be paid for through a combination of local, state and federal funding sources. |
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