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DART Rolls Out New Buses: Same Bright Yellow, But Greener

BJ Austin
/
KERA News

The first five of DART’s cleaner, quieter compressed natural gas buses are on the road.

They're rolling between downtown Garland and the Royal Lane stations on what’s called the Rapid Ride 987 route.   So, what's different?

1.  The CNG buses are less-polluting and quieter: cuts down the rumble for riders and noise for neighbors living near a bus stop. 

2.  No steps: the bus lowers or raises to curb height.

3.  Wider aisles for wheelchairs, walkers and strollers.

4.  Cameras on board for passenger and driver safety.

5.  Front windows are much bigger, making it easier to see the next stop.

It’ll take two years for DART to get all 459 of the large, CNG buses into service, adding five new ones each week. Total cost is $210 million. 

Former KERA reporter BJ Austin spent more than 25 years in broadcast journalism, anchoring and reporting in Atlanta, New York, New Orleans and Dallas. Along the way, she covered Atlanta City Hall, the Georgia Legislature and the corruption trials of Louisiana Gov. Edwin Edwards.