WRTA plans to upgrade its fleet over five years

WRTA plans to upgrade its fleet over five years

YOUNGSTOWN

Trustees of the Western Reserve Transit Authority authorized this afternoon the purchase of up to 48 new full-size regular route buses and four new para-transit buses, all to replace buses to be retired from the authority’s existing fleet.

Eighty percent of the cost of the full-size regular route buses, estimated to cost about $400,000 each, will be paid by federal funds, and 20 percent from local sales tax levy money. The authority will solicit bids for the regular route buses to be purchased over the next five years.

The para-transit buses, estimated to cost about $129,000 each, would purchased through a state cooperative purchasing program and paid for by grant monies, local levy funds and farebox revenues. Para-transit buses are the ones used for pre-arranged door-to-door transportation of elderly and handicapped people.

James J. Ferraro, authority executive director, said he hopes the authority can buy the para-transit buses within the next four to six months.