Metro News Release
For immediate release: October 22, 2008
New Metrobuses to hit the streets
Longer buses with a new look begin service Monday
Metro will roll out its new red-and-silver buses Monday, October 27.
Most of the 22, 60-foot articulated or ultra-long accordion style buses will travel the U8 line, which runs from the Capitol Heights Metrorail station in Prince George’s County, Md., to Benning Heights in Southeast Washington. Two of the compressed natural gas (CNG) buses will be tested beginning Monday, November 3, on the popular 5A Route, which runs from L’Enfant Plaza Metrorail station to Washington Dulles International Airport.
“These sleek, aerodynamic bus rapid transit-style buses are the first of the new-look buses to be put into service. More than 200 hybrid-electric buses with the same look are expected to arrive by next summer to replace older buses,” said Milo Victoria, head of Metrobus.
The $793,000 new CNG buses feature vandal-resistant cushioned seats, handhold straps for standing passengers, better heating and cooling systems, security cameras and rear-view cameras to help operators see behind the bus. There are 61 seats, and the buses can carry a total of 103 people, including standees.
“Passengers will enjoy a safer and more comfortable ride, and we hope more people will be attracted to and want to ride Metrobus,” Victoria said. “We hope the new red, silver, blue and white color scheme will draw people’s attention.”
More than 460,000 people ride Metrobus on an average weekday. Metro has a fleet of 1,510 buses, including 461 CNG, 50 diesel-electric hybrid buses, 117 clean-diesel buses and 882 diesel buses.
Metro plans to move most of the new articulated buses to the X2 line, which runs from Benning Road to H Street in the District of Columbia, next year after street repairs are expected to be completed. The new buses will replace outdated articulated buses on the line.
Click here to read a fact sheet on the new articulated buses (pdf format).
Images:
New Bus Exterior
New Bus Interior
News release issued at 11:27 am, October 22, 2008.