Transit Authority orders 3 new buses
Butler Transit Authority is eyeing three new buses to replace half of its aging local fleet.
The authority’s board of directors voted 4-0 Tuesday evening, May 19, to order three 30-foot replacement buses at a cost of $2,240,000 — about $747,000 per bus.
All three buses come from Gillig, a nationwide bus manufacturer, which constructed all of the buses currently in the authority’s local fleet.
They are also part of Gillig’s compressed natural gas line, which offers “cleaner air and quieter operation” compared to normal buses, according to its website. The authority already uses CNG buses in its current fleet.
A majority of the cost would be covered by two separate outside government programs, but executive director John Paul said final confirmation on that funding is still forthcoming. While there is a local match for the programs, Paul said the authority has money aside to cover it.
He said he expects to receive the money in time to purchase the vehicles, but that might be up to two years away.
“I had to get this on here because I have to let Gillig know. Right now, there’s an 18 to 24 month lag from order to purchase on their vehicles,” he said at the meeting.
Paul said the new buses will replace three of the current fleet’s buses, which will reach the end of their operational expectancy by the time the new ones are received. He added the authority will aim to replace all six of its current buses within the next five years.
The authority plans to auction off the old buses, but Paul said he doesn’t expect to make any money of note from the sales.
