Alexander Dennis Limited (ADL), a British bus building company based in Scotland, has received a major order by Metrolinx. The transportation company has signed an agreement with ADL to purchase 253 fully accessible, low floor, double-decker buses.
Over the next five years, the ADL will supply and deliver the 253 buses and establish a bus chassis assembly facility in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area. Construction of the chassis facility is expected to begin in mid-2015 and the first order of buses is expected by 2016.
The agreement to purchase 253 new buses is part of ontarios plan to make taking public transit even more attractive and will bring jobs to Ontario, said Steven Del Duca, Minister of Transportation. This is proof of our governments commitment to making the daily commute and quality of life better for ontario families, and creating a dynamic, supportive environment wher business thrives.
The buses will support service growth throughout the region and will ensure continued service reliability for GO Transit customers by replacing older vehicles at the end of their lifecycle.
We believe everyone should have access to fast, convenient and integrated transit, said Metrolinx President and CEO Bruce McCuaig. These buses represent the future of our bus fleet and set a new standard for the service we provide. Their lower floors will allow customers with limited mobility to board with ease, and their lower height will allow us to bring double-decker service to all of our routes.
The new buses will have a lower height than the existing buses in GO Transit’s fleet. This will allow them to access the transit agency’s Hamilton, Yorkdale, York Mills and unio Station bus terminals as current buses are unable to access the stations due to height restrictions.
We are delighted to be working with Metrolinx on this further multi-year agreement, said Robert Davey, Group Commercial and Business Development Director at ADL.
Our relationship goes back to 2007, and we currently have nearly 125 ADL double decks operating in the Toronto area. This latest contract will add significantly to that number, demonstrating that high-capacity double decks are not only popular with passengers but can make a unique contribution at the heart of sophisticated transport systems.
As part of the agreement, ADL will establish a bus chassis assembly facility in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton area that could create as many as 30 full-time jobs.
Visit www.metrolinx.com for more information.
