MATA maintains a fleet of various sizes of buses for use in Fixed Route service (i.e., regular bus service) and MATAplus paratransit (i.e., demand response service). Replacement buses are purchased as older buses reach the end of their useful lives, as allowed by Federal guidelines and funding availability permits. As new buses are purchased, MATA strives to incorporate improvements in passenger amenities and technologies, such as accessibility features for persons with disabilities, seating, bike racks, and security cameras. All buses will eventually be equipped with computer-aided dispatching (CAD), automatic vehicle location (AVL) capability, automated voice/stop announcements, security cameras and other technologies that will allow MATA to operate more efficiently. MATA is committed to phasing Hybrid Electric buses into its fleet while balancing the importance of improving air quality with being fiscally responsible. The typical cost of one Hybrid Electric bus is about $525,000 compared to the cost of a clean diesel bus of about $325,000.

Existing Bus Fleet Fixed Route buses are typically 40-feet in length and seat about 37-43 people. MATA also has some longer, “articulated” buses that are used on high volume routes. Articulated buses are typically 60-feet in length and seat about 60 people. Fixed Route buses are heavy-duty buses and designed to operate in regular service in an urban environment for 12 years or 500,000 miles. All buses in the active fleet are accessible to people with disabilities. Fifty-five (55) buses have bike racks. All buses are heated and air-conditioned. MATA has a total of 179 Fixed Route buses. The average age of the fleet is about 8 years old. Paratransit buses are typically 29-feet in length and seat 22-29 people. Four of the buses operate on hybrid electric technology. MATA has chosen to purchase heavy-duty buses for paratransit service (instead of vans) because, like Fixed Route buses, they are designed to withstand the rigors of operating in an urban environment. The life of these buses is 10 years or 350,000 miles. All paratransit buses are accessible to people with disabilities. All buses are heated and air conditioned. MATA has a total of 82 Paratransit buses. The average age of the fleet is about 5 years old.

Recent and Planned Bus Purchases
In December 2008 MATA placed an order with Gillig for new buses to replace buses that have reached the end of their useful lives. In Summer 2009 MATA will be purchasing additional buses with funding received under the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act/Stimulus Program. These two orders will provide the following numbers of buses:

Fixed Route Hybrid Electric Buses     8
Fixed Route Clean Diesel Buses       27
Subtotal – Fixed Route                         35
Paratransit Hybrid Electric Buses      3
Paratransit Clean Diesel Buses        22
Subtotal – Paratransit                           25
GRAND TOTAL                                       60

Buses will be delivered at various times over the next two years.

Future Purchases

Over the next five years MATA plans to purchase additional buses to replace those that have reached the end of their useful lives. If adequate funds are available, MATA will purchase the following numbers of buses:

                                                       Fixed Route       Paratransit      Total
Fiscal Year 2010                        10                        13                        23
Fiscal Year 2011                        13                        4                          17
Fiscal Year 2012                        13                        4                          17
Fiscal Year 2013                        13                        4                          17
Fiscal Year 2014                        13                        3                          16
GRAND TOTAL                            62                       28                        90