July 21, 2000

B.C. Transit Inaugurates 23 Brand New Low-Floor Buses

VESTAL, NY -- The newest additions to BC Transit's fleet are now-road ready and mark several improvements in service including buses more easily accessible to the elderly and disabled.

Broome County Executive Jeffrey P. Kraham with the assistance of County Transit Commissioner Ron Bailey, today unveiled 23 brand new low-floor year 2000 model buses which will be making the rounds on all of BC Transit's routes.

"These new buses underscore the county's commitment to providing affordable, accessible transportation to all members of the community. Those who have had difficulty boarding buses in the past, especially senior citizens and passengers in wheelchairs, will find the new models to be very rider-friendly," Kraham said.

The new buses were manufactured in the U.S.A. by the Orion company and sit lower to the curb for easier boarding by elderly and disabled riders. They have a sleek new design, ample room to accommodate wheelchairs and interiors which eliminate the climb up steps at the doors for passengers getting on and off. They also feature a number of other service innovations, according to George Bagnetto, Director of Operations.

"In addition to being completely handicap and wheelchair accessible, the new buses feature extremely comfortable seating, front-mounted bicycle racks which can hold two bikes per bus and computerized fare boxes," Bagnetto said. "And this is just the beginning of a whole host of service improvements for us, including about 30 bus shelters which will be in place by the time the cold weather arrives."

The price tag on the 23 new buses was $240,000 apiece, of which Broome County pays a mere 10%, with 80% coming from the federal government and another 10% from New York State.

B.C. Transit's 17 routes travel to all of the county's major shopping areas, to Binghamton University, BCC and other schools and to parks and points of interest with special routes to industrial and corporate centers and to West Corners and other far-reaching communities in the county. In addition, BC Transit operates BC Country and BC Lift dial-a-rides for rural, elderly and disabled passengers who need special assistance.

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