New Metro buses feature low-floor entry
and (yea!) air conditioning
King County Metro Transit is
introducing a new model into its fleet of 1,300 buses. It is a bus with a
low-floor entry
that is easier and quicker to board, which should speed up bus trips.
The most noticeable difference between the 100 new buses and Metro’s other,
high-floor buses is that there are no stairs. This makes it easier and faster
for people to get on and off – particularly for seniors and people with
disabilities. A simple fold-out mobility ramp is used for wheelchair boarding.
Another thing that makes this bus different is the way it "kneels." The
driver can lower the bus four inches closer to the curb, providing a level path
to get on and off the bus. The bus will kneel anytime the mobility ramp is
deployed. Because boarding and deboarding is easier, low-floor buses tend to
spend less time waiting at stops. The ramps deploy faster than lifts, and are
less prone to breakdowns.
And, even though it’s not needed at this time of year, Metro passengers will
be happy to know these are the first buses in the fleet to come with air
conditioning.
The new low-floor buses won’t operate on every Metro route. They are
scheduled for about 20 routes that historically have had the most use of the
wheelchair lift. Some of these routes will be using both low-floor buses and
traditional-lift buses, depending on availability.
Metro works to provide the best possible transportation services that
improve mobility. Metro was among the first transit agencies in the country to
use lift-equipped buses 25 years ago. A Metro employee engineered that lift
system, and it is still used across the country. For information about the
low-floor buses, visit Metro Online.
