NORFOLK, Va. – Bus riders will soon be able to enjoy the comfort of brand-new buses.
On Monday, Hampton Roads Transit announced it has ordered 28 new buses to replace some of its older ones. Coming from the Gillig factory in Livermore, California, more than half of the new fleet has arrived and will soon take to the streets.
“Few investments are as important to transit as buses,” said William Harrell, president and CEO of Hampton Roads Transit. “Older buses require more maintenance and are less reliable. Some of our buses are well beyond their expected life. We are working hard to replace older buses equipment to enhance the transit experience, both for customers and our operators.”
HRT says it takes about a week to build a modern transit bus. They arrive almost ready to use with fareboxes, radios and computer-aided dispatch; all that’s needed is license plates, registration and state inspection.
The 29-foot buses cost $443,938; the 35-foot buses cost $450,863; the regular 40-foot buses cost $455,063 and the MAX Commuter variant cost $474,900. The MAX Commuter’s extra costs come from its special seating and luggage lofts. HRT ordered mostly 29-footers to better fit the neighborhood-styled routes that do not carry as many passengers.
HRT will host a ribbon cutting ceremony to show off its new buses on Thursday, July 26 at 12:30 p.m.
