New Bus to be Tested on Kelowna Streets

A new bus will be tested on the streets of Kelowna that are lighter and more fuel efficient than current transit vehicles.

The New Flyer MiDi will be a part of the Kelowna Regional Transit System until April 13^th, 2014 on three routes, #15 Crawford, #16 Kettle Valley and #17 Southridge. The demonstration bus comes in two lengths, 30 feet and 35 feet and has either one or two doors, low floor entry and a wheelchair ramp. The MiDi also has a streamlined design with large windows and was built with special consideration for weight optimization.

Photo Credit: New Flyer

The bus operating in Kelowna has two doors and the capacity to seat 32 passengers and up to 33 people standing. “Transit use in Kelowna continues to grow as people recognize the benefit of taking the bus to school, work and other travel destinations,” said Kelowna-Lake Country MLA Norm Letnick.

“BC Transit strives to meet the public’s expectation for efficient, comfortable bus service by testing new vehicles to see if they meet the needs of our region. As a result, the 76-bus Kelowna fleet currently has four different types of vehicles, of which 62 are conventional size, including seven double-deckers, and 14 smaller buses.”

Photo Credit: New Flyer

Feedback received from the testing will provide both New Flyer and BC Transit information on operating performance of the vehicle.