Niagara Region Transit may add coach-style bus to its lineup
They were kicking tires Wednesday afternoon, and they weren’t any old tires.
They were new ones, on a prototype accessible coach-style bus Niagara Region Transit is considering for its fleet.
Transit officials rolled out the model on Academy Street at the downtown St. Catharines terminal to gather feedback from the public.
“This bus wouldn’t be for those morning routes to the university with 150 students,” said Rob Salewytsch, Niagara Region Transit’s planning co-ordinator. “This bus would be for longer runs like the Fort Erie route, the Port Colborne route and some of the Niagara Falls to St. Catharines routes.”
The buses being considered would give passengers a more comfortable ride and, with a more powerful engine for highway travel, last longer than the current models.
Each new bus would cost $100,000 more than the current models which run in the $650,000 range.
“Regional council approved our budget at the end of February,” Salewytsch said, “so we are trying to move quickly without jumping to any conclusions. Gathering feedback from the public is an essential part of the processes.
“We are doing a number on our fleet with the kilometres we travel. The buses were built to go slow in the city with lots of stops. We are driving them on the QEW and 400-series highways.”
The prototype was built by Motor Coach Industries, a Winnipeg-based manufacturer, and has 53 seats compared to 33 seats on current buses.
Last month, transit staffers from St. Catharines, Niagara Falls and Welland had a chance to take a closer look at the vehicle to make sure it could be serviced properly and if it would fit into garages.
Salewytsch was paying particular attention to accessibility Wednesday. Of concern is the configuration of the accessible section, which is carved out and separate from the rest of the bus.
“One person said he loved it because he had his own little compartment,” Salewytsch said after handing out some comment cards. “Another lady said it was terrible. She didn’t like feeling separated from the rest of the riders.”