RIPTA LOOKS FOR NEW COST-EFFECTIVE TROLLEYS THAT WILL MEET OPERATING AND MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS AND IMPROVE CUSTOMER COMFORTS
Trolleys in Providence and Newport to be Replaced with New Trolleys in 2010
May 6, 2008 - Providence, Rhode Island... The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) announced today that it is looking for new trolleys that will meet operating and maintenance requirements, be cost effective, efficient, have new safety standards and also attractive and comfortable.
“Some people have the impression that RIPTA is eliminating its trolleys, but that’s not the case. Our trolleys are nearing the end of their useful life and we’re trying to find new ones that will fit our operating requirements and also be more cost effective than the current ones,” said RIPTA General Manager Alfred J. Moscola.
“RIPTA’s trolleys will be ten years old in 2010, the industry standard for retirement for this type of vehicle. So we’ve started looking for replacements. We want trolleys that will operate better than the ones we have now because our current trolleys can’t handle slick roads or snow and must be pulled off the road when the weather is bad. We also need to get away from CNG-fueled trolleys. CNG vehicles are very expensive to maintain and since RIPTA doesn’t have a CNG fueling station, they have to be driven off site for fueling before they can be used for the next day’s service, adding drastically to our operating costs. While the wood finish was attractive when new, it’s worn very badly in the New England weather and is too expensive to replace,” explained Moscola.
“ We want trolleys that will run, like our buses do, on clean diesel. We also want trolleys that will have a 12-year useful life. Plus, we want the new trolleys that are low-floor vehicles, which includes a ramp in front for easy access for customers using wheelchairs. In addition, low-floor buses have no steps in the front or rear, adding convenience for our seniors and disabled customers,” he added.
“We want our new trolleys to be attractive and appeal to all our customers, visitors, and tourists, “ said Moscola.
“Some people have the impression that RIPTA is eliminating its trolleys, but that’s not the case. Our trolleys are nearing the end of their useful life and we’re trying to find new ones that will fit our operating requirements and also be more cost effective than the current ones,” said RIPTA General Manager Alfred J. Moscola.
“RIPTA’s trolleys will be ten years old in 2010, the industry standard for retirement for this type of vehicle. So we’ve started looking for replacements. We want trolleys that will operate better than the ones we have now because our current trolleys can’t handle slick roads or snow and must be pulled off the road when the weather is bad. We also need to get away from CNG-fueled trolleys. CNG vehicles are very expensive to maintain and since RIPTA doesn’t have a CNG fueling station, they have to be driven off site for fueling before they can be used for the next day’s service, adding drastically to our operating costs. While the wood finish was attractive when new, it’s worn very badly in the New England weather and is too expensive to replace,” explained Moscola.
“ We want trolleys that will run, like our buses do, on clean diesel. We also want trolleys that will have a 12-year useful life. Plus, we want the new trolleys that are low-floor vehicles, which includes a ramp in front for easy access for customers using wheelchairs. In addition, low-floor buses have no steps in the front or rear, adding convenience for our seniors and disabled customers,” he added.
“We want our new trolleys to be attractive and appeal to all our customers, visitors, and tourists, “ said Moscola.