Some Cincinnati Metro bus riders last week probably got a whiff of that wonderful new bus smell (it's like new car smell, only moreso).
That's when Metro launched 34 new buses complete with amenities like Wi-Fi and charging outlets. They also include screens that show customers the view from each bus' onboard security cameras.
The buses join another 27 new vehicles launched late last year. The 1900-series buses replace the last of Metro's so-called "high floor" buses with lower-floored ones, making accessibility easier for those with mobility issues.
All those new buses were purchased with $26 million in federal grants given through the Federal Transit Administration, the Ohio Department of Transportation and the Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Regional Council of Governments. Replacing a standard 40-foot bus costs roughly $500,000, money that is currently hard to come by under Metro's current funding realities. The Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority, which runs Metro, provided a 20-percent match to the federal funds.
"We’re excited to have these buses out on the road, providing our customers with modern amenities and a more enjoyable ride,” Metro Interim CEO and General Manager Darryl Haley said in a news release about the buses.
