The new upgrade option allows for the entire bus platform to be lowered for easy access with no giant step-up for riders, especially appreciated by the elderly and other passengers with accessibility issues.
The cars will operate the entire 53-mile double-tracked MTS light rail network, including on the 11-mile Mid-Coast Trolley extension.
The American-made trolley seats 33 passengers with additional space for two wheelchairs positions.
The system is applicable for 40-foot low-floor city and double-decker buses, 60-foot articulated buses, and three-door buses.
The new vehicles represent the third generation of modern, low-floor vehicles, which have been in operation since 2005.
The buses will be used to shuttle guests from the Ark Encounter parking lot to the attraction, 1.5 miles away.
The patent pending low-floor design is an industry first, joining a light-duty chassis cab to a low-floor chassis assembly. This unique design offers a passenger capacity of up to 14 ambulatory or four wheelchairs.
The new low-floor trolley service on the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System's Orange Line completes a $17 million renovation of Orange Line Stations. The agency’s Trolley Renewal project also included $271 million to purchase 65 new low-floor vehicles from Siemens.
Vehicles are based on a common platform which translates into effective maintenance, streamlined training and simplified parts management, providing quality performance and productivity.
Before instituting the system in 2007, the university held approximately 80 town hall meetings to inform the community of parking changes that were set to be made and receive feedback for the transit system.