TRANSIT: Buses going small

THURSDAY, 03 OCTOBER 2013 02:00 JOHN MOORHOUSE Penticton Herald

"Small" has arrived at Penticton Transit. The first of two new 23-seat Vicinity buses should begin operating on Friday, after being unveiled a special preview run earlier this week. The buses, which also have room for 16 standees, will replace the larger 38-passenger Nova buses on some of the less heavily utilized routes. Matt Berry, president of Penticton Transit, said Wednesday plans call for the buses to be used on the No. 2 (West side) and No. 5 (Main Street express) routes, as well as the night route. "These buses are smaller than the existing buses, so there will be less room on the bus," he said. "We're going to try to sensitive to the heavier loads, the school trips and things like that (which will continue to be served by the larger buses)." Berry noted some design changes were made to the Vicinity bus following public input after a trial period last year. "They have modified this bus a little bit over the prototype that was here previously," he said. The split-level bus will now have room to accommodate two wheelchairs on the lower, front section. Like the Nova buses, it has a "kneeling" feature to allow for easier access for people with mobility problems, and will have a wider front entrance door. Assembled in China, the Vicinity bus has Canadian-made components and a fuel efficient Cummins ISB motor. "This is a very tried and true motor that is in these buses," Berry said. "They are more fuel efficient than the bigger buses. Of course, they cost much less than the Novas." Their more efficient technology is also expected to save Penticton Transit about $34,000 a year in operating costs. "But it's about trade-offs," Berry said. "You're gaining that, but you're losing the space." The approximate $250,000 cost of each bus is picked up by B.C. Transit, which then leases them to Penticton and other communities around the province. Berry noted B.C. Transit has acquired 15 Vicinity buses. Some were recently introduced in Nelson and more are designated for Kelowna, Quesnel, and other communities. A special preview run was made earlier this week in Penticton. Grade 5 students from Parkway Elementary School were the first riders of the new bus, which picked them up at school and brought them to the Penticton Community Centre for a celebration. The students were also asked to envision the "Future of Transit" and depict that in drawings as part of a contest.