New Fleet of RTA Buses to Hit the Streets

RIVERSIDE, CA — August 28, 2013 — Get ready for that new bus smell.

Within a few weeks, a new type of bus will be rolling on Riverside County streets. That’s because the Riverside Transit Agency (RTA) has purchased nearly 100 buses to replace its aging fleet. The first of the 97 new buses has already been delivered to RTA headquarters. The remaining vehicles will be delivered at a rate of five buses per week, beginning this month.

By the fi rst week of November, roughly one-quarter of the 42-foot, Gillig BRTPlus buses will hit the streets, and by the end of March 2014, all the new buses are expected to be delivered and in service, completely replacing the older models that have been in service at least a decade and logged an average of 600,000 miles.

“This is a significant time for RTA, which is enjoying record ridership and high levels of customer satisfaction,” said RTA Chairman of the Board Marion Ashley. “Having new buses on the streets gives us a major boost in terms of what we can offer our customers, and we are thrilled to introduce the next generation of RTA buses to the world.”

Last September, RTA awarded a contract to California-based Gillig, LLC for the purchase and delivery of these new vehicles for the Agency’s fi xed-route and CommuterLink services. The $52 million contract included an option to buy 48 additional vehicles over a four-year period. The new buses, which carry up to 38 seated customers and 17 standees, will continue RTA’s tradition of using clean-burning fuel and featuring innovative technology.

The new buses will be easy to spot. The traditional red, white and blue colors have been updated for a sleeker, more modern look. Solid blue covers the top portion of the bus, while a ribbon of blue and red wraps around the bus’ sides and rear. Customers will notice a more spacious interior, and padded and contoured seats, making them more comfortable and easier to maintain and repair.

The vehicles also feature colored headsigns; USB charging ports for customers’ mobile phones and tablets; and a design that allows for quicker wheelchair fastening, which can speed up customer boarding and alighting.

Keeping with tradition, the new buses are also equipped with security cameras and GPS technology that allows the buses to display upcoming stops and provide automated announcements and other customer service messages.

Sixteen of the new vehicles will be CommuterLink Express buses, which have some of the same amenities as their counterparts. They will come with an updated red and white exterior design, and continue to provide free Internet service, USB charging ports and plush seating. Customers will be pleased to find expanded luggage space on the new CommuterLink buses.

The major transition from old to new buses will spread into other portions of the active fleet. In a separate effort, nearly 70 of RTA’s smaller buses are expected to get a new coat of paint, matching their larger counterparts, over the next several months.

The new buses will get plenty of use. Last fiscal year, RTA buses handled a record 9.2 million boardings. The Agency’s fleet currently includes more than 163 fixed-route buses, 193 Dial-A-Ride vehicles and 10 trollies.

RTA used a combination of federal, state and local funding to buy the new vehicles.

Congressman Ken Calvert, R-Corona, was instrumental in helping RTA secure federal money for the new buses.

“The new, modernized buses RTA is adding to its fleet will provide Riverside County commuters with a significantly improved transportation option,” Calvert said. “Everyone at RTA is to be commended for leveraging local funding sources with available state and federal programs to make these fleet enhancements a reality.”

The Riverside Transit Agency provides public transportation for western Riverside County, operating 36 fixed routes, 8 commuter routes and Dial-A-Ride service. RTA’s service area spans 2,500 square miles, the second largest in the nation. For bus route and schedule information call RTA at 951- 565-5002 or go to www.RiversideTransit.com.

—News release submitted by Riverside Transit Agency