In order to better serve its 410 square mile service area, Broward County has placed an order for 50 new buses with North American Bus Industries (NABI), of Anniston, Al. The initial delivery, which is underway, will bring the total number of NABI buses to in Broward's fleet to 170 buses. The new buses will consist of both 40 foot and 60 foot BRT articulated buses.
"The current fleet of NABI buses in Broward County is providing the citizens of Fort Lauderdale and the surrounding area with a dependable and efficient means of transportation and we are very pleased to be increasing our commitment to Broward's future. The LFW and BRT are producing good results for our customers and the BRT buses are growing rapidly in popularity due to the highly advanced styling," says Chris Dabbs, NABI's regional sales manager. All of the new buses will have cleaner burning diesel engines and many will benefit from Allison Hybrid propulsion technology. The new buses will include energy saving features such as electrified cooling and A/C componentry as well as passenger friendly seating.
In addition to using the new buses as replacements for retiring vehicles, Broward County is initiating specialized services which will use the highly styled BRT vehicles. These buses with their advanced aerodynamic style will be easily distinguishable from the regular fleet buses. Many of the new buses will have features such as Wi-Fi capability and individual charging stations for customer laptops and other devices, thereby making the commute both pleasant and productive. Attracting riders to use its buses and relieving traffic is a natural progression toward achieving the County's goal of enhancing the lives of Broward's citizens and visitors.
Timothy Garling, director of Broward County Transit Division agrees that the new innovations and new vehicles will benefit the system and further their effort to provide the best services possible to passengers.
