Fog Blog Saint John Log:

DAYS ARE NUMBERED FOR THIS GM CLASSIC BUS, JUST RESTORED AND REPAINTED, MAYBE FOR A MUSEUM BUS....AS THIS AND THE REST OF THE OLDER BUSES SOME AROUND 30 YEARS OLD ARE GOING TO BE REPLACED BY 12 NEW 40 FT LOW FLOOR NOVA BUSES NEXT YEAR!SAINT JOHN – Saint John’s city transit is adding to its fleet.The Saint John Transit and Parking Commission has secured the purchase of 12 new 40-foot diesel buses from Nova Bus, a Canadian bus manufacturer.“There are 2 million trips around the greater Saint John area using public transit every year,” said Commission CEO Ian MacKinnon in a release. “Ensuring a safe and modern system for the province’s largest public transit network is key to our growth strategy.”The new buses are equipped with the Real-Time Passenger Information System (RTPIS) and are built to ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) standards, making them accessible for all riders.Nova Bus was the successful bidder for the contract to supply the buses and a known entity to the Saint John Transit and Parking Commission who currently have several Nova Bus buses in their fleet. The new buses are expected to be on routes by early 2018.“Canadian content was a factor when deciding which manufacturer would best serve Saint John Transit’s needs,” said MacKinnon.Nova Bus’s line of Low Floor Series vehicles are 100 per cent stainless steel structures and are made in their St-François-du-Lac plant and assembled in Saint-Eustache, Quebec. Partial funding of $3.3 million for the new additions to the fleet was secured through the Government of Canada’s Public Transit Infrastructure Fund which, in New Brunswick, is administered by the Regional Development Corporation.