Elected leaders like to boast of cutting red tape, but it was a ceremonial green ribbon the scissors were slicing Wednesday as U.S. Rep. Chet Edwards and other dignitaries unveiled a fleet of 13 new buses at the Brazos Transit Terminal.
Edwards, D-Waco, said the new buses would be an asset to the community.
"This will mean businesses will have workers who can dependably get to work on time," he said. "What I see is families being able to get to work on time, go to the grocery store and then, at the end of the workday, get home, where moms and dads should be."
John McBeth, president and CEO of the Brazos Transit District, said the new buses could carry more people -- 24 instead of 16 -- and were more fuel- efficient than the older models, exceeding the 2010 emission standard.
"These buses use ultra-low-sulfur diesel," he said. "It's the cleanest-burning fuel that we could get for a bus, with the exception of hydrogen. And they're about twice as fuel-efficient as the older buses."
The new fleet will be equipped with a system to announce the next stop for those who are visually impaired and with a scrolling ticker to do the same for those who are hearing-impaired.
"It's just going to give people a whole lot more information," McBeth said.
The purchase was made possible by $1.3 million secured by Edwards. An additional $5 million has been approved to complete the construction of the downtown transit terminal and parking facility, which will be next to the Brazos County Courthouse.
Bryan and College Station aren't the only towns benefiting from the new buses. McBeth said they were manufactured in Salina, Kan., and the order for 13 new buses went a long way toward keeping the business operational.
McBeth also said the additional passengers the fleet will accommodate could be critical heading into hurricane season.
RSS
Mobile
Daily Emails
Twitter
Facebook
