Metro News Release

For immediate release: September 12, 2010

Metro returns Orion VI buses to service following precautionary safety repairs

Metrobuses get temporary fix that requires manual operation of wheelchair ramps

Metro officials will return all Orion VI diesel-powered buses to service Monday, Sept. 13, after Metrobus personnel, working with Metro safety officials, made temporary repairs to the buses’ hydraulic pumps. Safety officials have approved a permanent fix to the problem.

Metro’s Orion VI buses have been out of service since Thursday, Sept. 9, when Metro officials took proactive steps to remove 99 of the buses from service to repair a hydraulic pump, which may have contributed to a fire that damaged a Metrobus on Interstate 495 near Springfield on Sept. 9.

The temporary fix was tested and approved by Metro safety officials. The repairs prevent potential problems that could be caused by the pump fittings; however, maintenance workers had to disable the automatic control of the buses’ wheelchair ramps. Operators on affected buses will extend the ramp manually for customers who need to use it. Bus schedulers will assign the Orion VI buses to routes known to have low demand for wheelchair ramps.

Metro has 100 of the 10-year-old, diesel-powered buses in its 1,500 bus fleet, which includes eco-friendly ultra-low sulfur diesel, compressed natural gas and diesel-electric hybrid buses.

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News release issued at 6:33 pm, September 12, 2010.