The Interurban Transit Partnership (ITP), the organization responsible for operating the Public Transportation Authority of Grand Rapids Metro Area (The Rapid), awarded New Flyer a new contract for 16 heavy-duty, sixty-foot Xcelsior® compressed natural gas (CNG) transit buses (32 equivalent units or “EUs”).
The 16 new articulated buses will support Grand Rapids’ second new bus rapid transit (BRT) line, with funding provided by the Federal Transit Administration and the Michigan Department of Transportation.
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The Rapid has experienced a ridership increase of seven million since 2000 due to population growth, route development, and smart, transit-wide improvements including BRT. With BRT, wait times have decreased, area congestion has reduced, and economic development has increased.
“What the Laker Line will offer is larger buses that can carry more riders, making the route more efficient,” said Michael Bulthuis, spokesman for The Rapid. “The articulated BRT buses can carry up to 50% more passengers than the forty-foot buses that currently operate on Route 50.”
Recent initiatives by The Rapid will also add transit signal priority and electronic fare technology, which The Rapid is calling The Wave, to improve route and boarding times and create a smarter, more convenient transit system.
The Interurban Transit Partnership of the Grand Rapids Metro Area serves six cities with transit bus, paratransit, vanpool, and BRT. More than one-third of the agency’s buses will be converted to CNG by 2020 with goals to convert the entire fleet by 2027, creating a more environmentally friendly transportation network.
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.
