Metro News Release

For immediate release: September 9, 2010

As safety precaution, Metro removes 99 buses from service for repair

Minimal service disruption expected through Friday

Metro officials are proactively removing 99 Orion VI buses from service to repair a hydraulic pump, which may have contributed to a fire that damaged a Metrobus on Interstate 495 near Springfield today, Sept. 9.

All Orion VI buses will be out of service by this evening and will return to service after they’ve been repaired and successfully tested. Metro is deploying reserve buses and shifting buses among its nine divisions, so there will be minimal impact to customers. Customers can expect headways to increase by a few minutes along some routes.

“This action is a precaution to ensure we continue to provide our customers with the safest transportation possible,” said Interim General Manager Richard Sarles.

Metro has 100 of the 10-year-old, diesel-powered buses in its 1500-bus fleet. A possible repair to the problem is being tested and evaluated on one bus at this time.

News release issued at 4:29 pm, September 9, 2010.