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| Swank new high-tech (MTA's Prevost X3-45) buses heading here {SI Advance} (240174) | |||
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Swank new high-tech (MTA's Prevost X3-45) buses heading here {SI Advance} |
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Posted by Gold_12TH on Sun Jul 31 13:29:24 2011  The Metropolitan Transit Authority is sprucing up some of its express routes with swank new buses, and all Staten Island buses will soon include technology that customers will surely want to follow.Express bus riders can look forward to plugging in their laptops, cell phones or any number of mobile gadgets into the provided electric sockets that will prevent them from draining battery power during their 90-minute commutes. The MTA awarded a contract to Quebec, Canada-based Prevost for 90 of their X3-45 motor express coaches, which seat 57 passengers, said an MTA spokesperson. A pilot vehicle has been delivered, and the other 89 buses should arrive between October and January 2012, the spokesperson said. The per-bus cost is $550,228, an MTA spokesperson said, which would put the total for the 90-bus purchase at about $49.5 million. In addition to the new express buses, Staten Islanders will soon be able to track all bus locations in real-time from their computers, through text messages or smart phones using a GPS system the MTA plans to roll out by the end of this year. "Anyone who has ever waited for bus service on Staten Island knows it is often a game of sit, wait and guess when the bus will come," said Rep. Michael Grimm. "I applaud the MTA for bringing this initiative to Staten Island, which will hopefully take the guess-working out of getting around our borough, and a small element of relief to riders who suffer the longest commutes in the nation. "I will continue to monitor the progress of the project to ensure that it is implemented on schedule and as efficiently as possible." All Staten Island buses will be installed with hardware able to tell waiting customers where their bus is, taking the guesswork out of riding. "Today, our transit system is quickly catching up with our 21st century expectation that real-time information is available on the go for all New Yorkers," said MTA Chairman Jay H. Walder. "That means knowing if your bus is on time before you leave home, getting updates on delays while you're out and about, and unlocking opportunities for better service across our entire network." The MTA board approved a $6.9 million contract with VeriFone, Inc., to provide the new technology, according to an MTA press release. Customers will be able to text the MTA a code that will be posted at all bus stops to receive updates on the location of their bus and the location of the next several buses scheduled to arrive at that stop. The program, called MTA Bus Time, will allow customers to check bus status from a computer or smart phone by using its website at : www.MTA.info/BusTime. Source: SI Advance |
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