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Week of May 21, 2007
Transit Now keeps on rolling with contract for new buses
Executive Sims was joined by representatives from New Flyer and General Motors for the bus contract announcement. | It will be big. It will be green. But most importantly, it will be the centerpiece of King County Metro Transit’s plan to help get thousands of residents out of their cars and into buses over the next decade.Last week, King County Executive Ron Sims announced [see video] the county has selected New Flyer Industries, General Motors, and Cummins Engine Company as its major commercial partners in delivering Metro’s next generation of buses. The contract clears the way for Metro Transit to purchase up to 500 articulated buses over the next five years. Most of the 60-foot coaches will have hybrid-electric drives, and all will meet or exceed the latest federal environmental emission standards. The three partners are the same companies that teamed up with Metro three years ago to bring hybrid bus technology to King County. Today, those initial 214 hybrid buses are delivering a 30 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to Metro’s conventional diesel fleet. The hybrids are also proving to be 40 percent more reliable than their articulated diesel counterparts in terms of mechanical breakdowns.
The news that Metro will purchase up to 500 new buses was applauded by Metro General Manager Kevin Desmond and King County Department of Transportation Director Harold Taniguchi. | “This major bus order marks an historic chapter for Metro for several reasons,” Sims said. “Not only will this new fleet allow it to carry out one of the largest service expansions in its history, but it will also allow the agency to remain at the forefront of a growing movement to fight global warming. Once again, Metro is leading the way in linking corporate responsibility with the delivery of quality public transportation.”The contract will allow Metro to place multiple bus orders over the next five years to support its Transit Now initiative. The initiative was approved by voters last fall, and will expand transit service up to 20 percent over the next ten years. Metro hopes more frequent bus service – every 15 minutes where possible – and running more hours of the day where needed on high-ridership routes will reduce the wait time for thousands of passengers, making transit a more convenient option. With expanded and more frequent service, Metro's goal is to get up to 50,000 drivers out of their cars and riding buses by 2016. The new bus contract, structured similar to those used in the aviation industry, will give Metro the flexibility to order different types of buses and components specifically designed for different uses - whether it be hybrid-electric, regular diesel-powered, or European-style coaches fashioned for future bus rapid transit routes. Metro’s first order, scheduled for delivery next spring, will be for 22 articulated hybrid buses, much like its current fleet of hybrids. An order for 100 articulated hybrid buses to serve Metro’s five RapidRide routes will likely follow beginning in 2009. Metro anticipates subsequent orders will be used to replace aging buses in its fleet and for expanded service to offset the traffic impacts associated with reconstruction of the Alaskan Way Viaduct and State Route 520. The new buses will be paid for through a combination of local, state and federal funding sources.
On Memorial Day – Monday, May 28 – most transit service will operate on a Sunday schedule, except for the Elliott Bay Water Taxi, which will run on a Saturday schedule. The Water Taxi land shuttle, Metro Route 773, will operate on a Saturday schedule. Also, on Saturday, Sunday and Monday, the Waterfront Streetcar Line (Route 99) will will have extended evening hours for the holiday weekend. All Metro offices will be closed on the holiday. For more details on the holiday weekend service, visit Metro Online.
Metro’s seasonal service change is coming up on Saturday, June 2. By the end of this week, new green timetables should be popping up on buses and Metro information racks, local libraries, and at many work sites with the new schedule information. On June 1, all of the new schedules will be loaded into Metro Online for quick reference. But, you can start planning your trips now by using the handy Online Trip Planner |
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The upcoming Memorial Day Weekend kicks off a busy summer season of fun things to do, and you can count on Metro to get you there. Metro is providing special shuttle service to the Folklife Festival that runs Friday through Monday, May 25-28, at the Seattle Center. On Friday, festival goers can ride regular weekday bus service to the center. Then on Saturday, Sunday and Monday there will be special shuttles between the Northgate Transit Center and the festival. The Folklife Festival shuttle is $2 each way, but parking is free at both the Northgate Transit Center and the Northgate Park-and-Ride. The shuttles run approximately every 20 minutes. Metro’s popular Pony Express service to the Emerald Downs racetrack will also have a busy weekend, with service between downtown Seattle and Auburn running Saturday, Sunday and Monday. The Pony Express bus leaves from Second Avenue and Lenora Street in Seattle at 12:47 p.m. - makes a few more stops downtown - and is at the racetrack by 1:30 p.m. The return trip leaves 15 minutes after the last race. The fare is $2 one-way, cash-only Also beginning this weekend is the 2007 Seattle International Film Festival, which will be held at several venues from May 24 to June 17. Each is easily accessible using regular bus service. Metro has set up the online Trip Planner with links to each movie house in the festival, so film fans can “autofill” the destination point to obtain route information. | Subscribe to DOT DashSign-up to receive an e-mail text version of "Transportation Today," along with other significant DOT news by sending an e-mail to us with subscribe King County DOT Dash in the subject line.
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