A total of 54 New Flyer buses were approved for purchase as a part of Capital Metro’s bus replacement strategy to maintain a state of good repair. The buses cost a total of $23.3 million.
Austin, Texas-based Capital Metro is debuting new, 35-foot clean diesel buses this week; these replace older buses that have reached the end of their useful life. Now through October, Capital Metro will put three to five new buses into service every week to replace a portion of the existing fleet.
The clean diesel buses meet 2010 Environmental Protection Agency Standards, producing much fewer emissions. They are 25 times cleaner than buses from 20 years ago and 10 times cleaner than 2009 buses, according to the agency.
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A total of 54 New Flyer buses were approved for purchase by the Capital Metro board of directors in February as a part of Capital Metro’s bus replacement strategy to maintain a state of good repair. The buses cost a total of $23.3 million, with funding provided by $11.3 million in federal grants, $1.7 in local funding, and $10.3 million in loan proceeds.
These buses are the first of Capital Metro’s rebranding plan to differentiate service by color. Over time, all buses used for local service will be electric-blue, the MetroRapid buses will be silver and MetroRail will continue to be red.
Later this summer, Capital Metro will install a three-position bike rack on ten of the new buses as a pilot project to test the usability and operations of the rack.
The region’s fixed-route system finished out the year with a total of 373.5 million rides. Adding 12.3 million rides over 2024 represents an increase that is equal to the annual transit ridership of Kansas City.
Rolling out in electric yellow and seafoam blue, the first battery-electric buses purchased from GILLIG will begin serving riders in south King County on February 2.
The agreement provides competitive wages and reflects strong labor-management collaboration, positive working relationships, and a shared commitment to building a world-class transit system for the community, said RTA CEO Lona Edwards Hankins.
The priorities are outlined in the 2026 Board and CEO Initiatives and Action Plan, which serves as a roadmap to guide the agency’s work throughout the year and ensure continued progress and accountability on voter-approved transportation investments and essential mobility services.
In this edition, we cover recent appointments and announcements at HDR, MCTS, and more, showcasing the individuals helping to shape the future of transportation.
While their comprehensive analysis of bus stops focused on Massachusetts, the researchers are excited about the generalizability of the findings and application to other locations.
CEO Nat Ford’s address offered a look at highlights from 2025, with a focus on the future and the innovative ways the JTA is shaping mobility in Northeast Florida.
