aprilmay2021 - 21

Fleet Age and
Facility Investment
OPERATIONS, MAINTENANCE AND ADMINISTRATION FACILITIES SEE BIG INVESTMENTS
The age of rubber-tired revenue vehicles has been trending
lower at a steady pace. The percentage of active vehicles
beyond their useful life as reported by the National Transit
Database (NTD) shows improvements in bus, articulated
bus, over-the-road bus, van, minivan and trolleybus fleets.
While fleet age is improving and fleets are evolving,
agencies are investing in operations, maintenance and
administration facilities. Agencies operating rubber-tired
modes spent more than $410 million in stations, $164.7
million in administration buildings and $724.5 million on
maintenance facilities in 2019 based on NTD information.
One significant project to begin construction in 2020
is the San Luis Obispo Regional Transit Authority's new
operations and maintenance facility. The project was
the first to secure a loan through the Transportation
Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act Rural Project
Initiative. The $13-million loan in combination with
other funding will deliver a facility that will offer three

times the space the authority currently has available.
The new facility will also allow for future inclusion of
battery electric bus chargers and a solar canopy.
Accessibility remains a focus for agencies, with information found with in the NTD showing 80 percent
of rubber-tired vehicles are within ADA compliance
and 97.8 percent of non-rail stations are accessible. The 2020 Rural Transit Fact Book reports strong
numbers among rural transit providers, with 84 percent of rural transit vehicles ADA accessible.
There is a push to look beyond the accessibility of a
vehicle or stop and ensure sidewalks, systems and other
infrastructure that supports transit service is accessible
to all. For example, in 2017, Houston Metro began implementing a multi-year Universal Accessibility Initiative
that optimizes bus routes, upgrades bus stops and associated infrastructure (such as sidewalks and wheelchair
ramps) to meet or exceed ADA standards by 2024.
27%
27%

Over-the-road
Over-the-roadBus
Bus

Over-the-road
Over-the-roadBus
Bus

21%
21%

Cutaway
Cutaway

Cutaway
Cutaway

19%
19%
18%
18%

Minivan
Minivan

Minivan
Minivan

16%
16%
Percent of active vehicles beyond their useful life by vehicle
type
16%
16%
Trolleybus
Trolleybus

Trolleybus
Trolleybus

Bus
Bus

Articulated
ArticulatedBus
Bus
Over-the-road Bus
Van
Van
Cutaway
Sports
Sports
Utility
UtilityVehicle
Vehicle
Minivan
Automobile
Automobile
Trolleybus
Double
DoubleDecker
DeckerBus
Bus
Bus

14%
14%
13%
13%

7%
7%
1%
1%

16%
16%

Articulated Bus

Double Decker Bus

21%

19%
18%

14%
13%

Van
Sports Utility Vehicle

7%

Automobile

Bus
Bus
Over-the-road Bus
Articulated
ArticulatedBus
Bus
Cutaway
Van
Van
Minivan
Sports
SportsUtility
UtilityVehicle
Vehicle
Trolleybus
Automobile
Automobile
Bus
Double
DoubleDecker
DeckerBus
Bus
Articulated Bus

27%

Van

1%

Sports Utility Vehicle

Source: NTD Vehicles 2019

Automobile
Double Decker Bus

States with highest percentage
of buses beyond useful life

States with lowest percentage of
buses beyond useful life
42%
42%

Maine
Maine

41%
41%

Mississippi
Mississippi

37%
37%

Hawaii
Hawaii

35%
35%

Idaho
Idaho
Maine
Mississippi
Hawaii

Indiana
Indiana
Source: NTD Vehicles 2019

32%
32%
42%
41%
37%

Arizona
Arizona

1%
1%

Utah
Utah

1%
1%
2%
2%

Nevada
Nevada

3%
3%

District
Districtof
ofColumbia
Columbia
Arizona Delaware
Delaware

1%

4%
4%

Utah
New
NewJersey
Jersey

1%

4%
4%

Source: NTD Vehicles 2019

Nevada
Idaho 59047035 | Valerii Brozhinskii, 73448206 | Vectorshape, 118033260
35% | Macrovector | Dreamstime
District of Columbia
Indiana
32%
Delaware

2%
APRIL/MAY 2021 | MassTransitmag.com | Mass Transit |

3%

4%

21
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aprilmay2021

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