Submitted News
WOODBRIDGE, Va. — OmniLink buses will sport an updated look soon as five new local buses are expected to start serving passengers of the Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission (PRTC) by mid-February.
The new paint scheme features shades of teal above the windows and a solid teal band below the windows. The bottom half of the bus is white. Repeated through the design is the circular logo that PRTC uses to denote its various services.
“Passengers who are used to standing at the bus stop and scanning the roadway for a white bus will have to make a colorful adjustment,” said PRTC Executive Director Alfred Harf, noting that this is the first time the OmniLink paint scheme has been revamped in more than 10 years.
The 30-foot-long buses were manufactured in California and arrived at PRTC in late January and early February. Although their exterior is different, the buses continue to offer seating for 30 passengers and a bike rack for those who want to ride to and from their bus stops. The new buses will not be assigned to specific areas but will be rotated throughout the service area in Prince William County, Manassas and Manassas Park.
When the new buses are placed into service, five OmniLink buses that were purchased in 2004 will be moved into PRTC’s contingency fleet to be called back into service as needed. This will mark the first time that PRTC has been able to create an OmniLink contingency fleet, Harf said. Older OmniLink buses in the active and contingency fleets will not be re-painted with the new design.
Later in 2013, PRTC expects to take delivery of 11 additional new OmniLink buses, replacing the remaining 2004 models. Once those new buses are in service, most of the older OmniLink buses will be sold. OmniLink-type buses have a minimum service life of 10 years or 350,000 miles (whichever comes first) by standards set by the Federal Transit Administration.
The five new OmniLink buses cost $384,000 each and are being paid for with a combination of 80% state funding and 20% local funding.
