Capital Metro is working on yet another way to move Austinites across town. On Thursday, the transit authority announced it will get $24 million from the federal government to launch a new bus system called MetroRapid.
"People have been asking for more bus service and that's exactly what this is," said Misty Whited, a Capital Metro spokesperson.
It's not just more bus service, it's more bus. At 60 feet, the MetroRapid would be 20 feet longer than any Cap Metro bus currently on the road.
"If you have bigger buses, you don't necessarily have to have more buses on that route," said Whited.
Cap Metro says the buses aren't just bigger; they'll get riders to their destination more quickly.
"It's like an express bus service, but it's better," said Whited.
That's due to traffic signal priority technology on the buses that will allow the drivers to extend a green light a few seconds longer. Thus, there are fewer stops.
KVUE spoke to bus riders who've ridden on the 60-foot buses in other cities.
"I like the idea of getting larger buses," said Jimmy Verneuil, who rode the 60-foot bus in Seattle.
"We have so many people waiting on buses, and it's so hot," said Melissa Stevenson, who rode the 60-foot bus in California. "I think it's a good idea."
Joquita Williams is from Houston where a 60-foot bus without passengers crashed last week when the driver lost control. Williams says that's her concern about the accordion style buses.
"You see it open up, and when the bus is moving you can kind of see it shake," said Williams. "It's just an extension of the bus, but I don't really like it. The regular bus is fine. I feel like it's safer."
In all, Cap Metro will get 22 of the new 60-foot buses and 18 40-foot buses at a cost of nearly $48 million. Federal funds will cover 80 percent. Cap Metro will make up the remaining 20 percent, or about $9.5 million.
Cap Metro will begin receiving that federal funding later this year. KVUE was told it takes about a year to build the buses. Cap Metro is hoping to begin rolling out the news buses in 2013.
