The city has added four brand-new buses to its bus fleet, a move that marks the city’s first purchase of new, heavy-duty, non-experimental buses in more than 20 years, reports Brad DeBrower, the city’s transit manager.
The four new buses replace ones built in 1978.
DeBrower’s predecessor was an advocate of “remanufactured” buses, which are used buses that are overhauled before being returned to the streets.
The city did launch a trial in 1996 with nine new experimental electric buses, but the venture never worked. The city unloaded the buses a year ago for salvage.
The four newly arriving buses each cost $322,000, 83 percent of the cost of which is being paid by the Federal Transit Administration.
The new buses will sport bicycle racks as do 85 percent of the city’s bus fleet.
Eye on the Island 
saying that the electric bus venture “neverworked out” is like saying Chernobyl had a slight malfunction. the bus program was a disaster that was stuck to the taxpayers. here is the rest of the story about the electric busses
http://state29.blogspot.com/2008/05/tom-electric-bus-harkin.html
I sure hope the bus drivers are being directed to keep a report on how many bikes are hung from the bus bike racks. Keeping a report is the only way the City can determine what the actual cost is per bike using the racks.
Each bike rack probably costs around $300 each – not a very significant portion of the budget, and well worth it if it helps attract addition ridership and makes it easier for people to get around without driving.
The four new buses are 35 foot long 2009 Gillig Lowfloor buses. They are painted green below the windows and the rest is white – similar to the 8 used TMC RTS buses that were purchased earlier this year to replace older flood-damaged buses. Additional Gillig buses are planned to be purchased over the next few years to modernize the fleet. This should really help CR Transit’s public image as well as improve passenger comfort.
Brady, I assume you will be using the bike racks then, so you won’t have to drive anywhere? Even in the winter? When it rains?
Sleets,Snows, 10 degree weather and winds out of the North at 25 to 30 mph, hope you and the other 10 people enjoy the weather. As far not being a significate portion of the budget I agree.. But still a STUPID idea. especially in Iowa, given it’s climate.Oop’s, Me bad I forgot about Global Warming and the City’s forward looking thought process.