Will replace retirement-age equipment on its OmniRide routes, which play a critical role in transporting public- and private-sector employees to Washington, D.C., the Pentagon, and the surrounding employment core.
Motor Coach Industries (MCI), a subsidiary of New Flyer Industries Inc., will deliver five 2016 Commuter Coaches to Woodbridge, Va.’s Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission (PRTC) to serve its OmniRide express routes. The coaches are set to arrive at the end of the year.
PRTC will mark its milestone 30th year in operation with a free community celebration from 11:30-4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 8 at the PRTC Transit Center featuring family friendly entertainment, bus excursions, food trucks and ice cream with opportunities to support local charities.
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”We’re always looking for ways to attract more non-drivers who want the frequency, dependability, safety and comfort our service provides,” said PRTC Interim Executive Director Eric Marx, noting that expansion of the region’s high occupancy lanes is driving transit expansion. Marx said PRTC is focused on “improving service while creating a modern-day system that makes transit attractive to everyone. We want to remain a cut above all other alternative modes of transportation.”
MCI’s latest Commuter Coaches will replace retirement-age equipment on its OmniRide routes, which play a critical role in transporting public- and private-sector employees to Washington, D.C., the Pentagon, and the surrounding employment core.
PRTC first took delivery of 38 MCI Commuter Coaches in 2002. With delivery of the five new coaches later this year, PRTC will have 99 MCI Commuter Coaches in its 152 vehicle fleet. All PRTC vehicles feature the latest technology to improve safety, operations, route planning, and customer satisfaction. PRTC pioneered transit GPS tracking in the U.S. and today applies TransTrack System’s data analytics package to monitor on-time performance and ridership by trip, bus stop and route to capture trends.
Features on the new 45-foot MCI Commuter Coaches include electronic stability control, 57 comfortable forward-facing seats with three-point passenger seatbelts, Trapeze TransitMaster mobile data terminals, automated stop announcements, and automatic passenger counters.
Passenger amenities include overhead parcel racks, personal reading lights, airflow controls, and a kneeling feature to lower the bus for boarding and alighting. With a reliability record that’s unmatched, the model is powered by Cummins ISX clean-diesel engine for low emissions, and is engineered with an air-ride suspension for a smooth, confident ride at highway speeds.
The delivery marks the first car in a 374‑vehicle order and begins the arrival of a new generation of higher‑capacity, more reliable, and more comfortable trains for one of the country’s busiest commuter rail systems.
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The announcement highlights the long-standing partnership between the Class I railroad and the commuter rail system, dating back to Metra's creation in 1983.
In Part 1, Blandon shares his journey from the U.S. Marines to a leadership role in public transit, along with insights on mentorship and professional growth within the industry.
