Supersized Buses Arrive in Phoenix

New articulated, or "artic," buses are now servicing Phoenix's busiest routes, with more to come in early 2017. The 60-foot buses are made of two sections linked by a joint, or turntable, that allows a longer length for higher passenger capacity.

The Phoenix Public Transit Department has three new artic buses currently serving both local and RAPID routes, with 25 more due to arrive in early 2017.

Two artics have been put into service on local bus routes, and one on RAPID routes.

The New Flyer Xcelsior buses are configured to either local or RAPID at the company's Minnesota manufacturing plant and then shipped to Phoenix's west transit facility for final inspection before they are put into service.

Artic buses are an important part of Phoenix's fleet, because on busier routes the bus can accommodate up to 20 more passengers per bus compared to a standard 40-foot bus. The local buses seat 54 and the RAPID buses seat 52, with room for an additional 75-plus standing riders.

The local artic buses are diesel and the RAPID artic buses run on compressed natural gas (CNG).

The Public Transit department replaces aging buses each year to ensure the fleet remains reliable and efficient for the riders who count on it each day. The oldest artic buses in the fleet, which numbers more than 20, have been in service since 2003. The new buses will replace buses that are due to retire.

In total the 28 buses cost about $23.5 million and are paid for with federal and regional transit funds.