CTA intends to acquire 125 new buses

The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) said on Monday that it will buy 125 new buses as part of an effort by Mayor Rahm Emanuel to modernize the city's bus fleet.

The CTA has been acquiring new busses since 2011, and its bus fleet now includes 400 new buses, not including the 125 buses yet to be acquired. The CTA also has overhauled more than 1,000 buses, so they feel like new and will last longer.

With the addition of the 125 new buses, 85 percent of the CTA's bus fleet will be either new or like new.

“When I took office four years ago, the CTA was operating a rapidly aging fleet, with buses that were ready for retirement and trains that were more than 40 years old,” Emanuel said. “Today, I’m pleased to say that we continue to deliver on our promise to create a world-class transit system by investing in a modern fleet for customers.”

In addition to modernizing the fleet, the new additions will improve the reliability and comfort of the bus service.

“Our goal is always to provide our customers with a safe, clean and reliable service, while also maintaining fiscal responsibility,” Dorval Carter Jr, CTA president, said. “By purchasing additional new buses, we’re improving the customer experience and providing more reliable service by ridding our fleet of the oldest vehicles, which are at the point of requiring frequent and costly repairs.”