TriMet will implement 71 new buses into service over the next year to help the agency continue to expand its fleet, with the additional buses helping to improve reliability and reduce delays.
The new buses feature updates and upgrades:
· The new buses are the 4,000 series buses and each one will be marked with a four-digit number starting with a four and zero.
· The buses will have the new paint scheme with the blue base and three orange stripes.
· They will have interior updates that include darker flooring and improved lighting.
· The new seating is more ergonomic, durable and easier to clean and maintain.
· There will also be testing of a new audio feature on select buses. When the back doors are activated for riders to exit, a voice will instruct riders to “touch the yellow tape to open the doors.” The voice will also announce with the “doors are closing.”
There are also a handful of new safety features on the outside of the bus. These features include larger brake lights, amber light bars to help drivers know when the bus is turning and two new stoplights that light up when a bus is coming to a stop or has come to a complete stop. These stoplights are to help get drivers’ attention when traveling behind a bus to help prevent rear-end collisions.
Updates have also been made to improve the rider for operators. These updates include a new digital speed and performance dashboard, as opposed to the previous analog controls. The new buses are also equipped with a safety panel around the operator’s seat that can be customized to their desired level of protection.
Forty-six of these new buses will replace older models. The remaining 25 will expand the fleet beyond 700 buses. Once all the new buses are in service, the fleet will have an average age of five years.
