[nfbwatlk] FW: New trolleys are purple, green, and easy to use

Wed Aug 19 21:21:56 UTC 2015

My major concern about the e-mail from Metro that Jacob forwarded to the list is the statement about "quiet operation" of the new trolleys.  I sent an e-mail to Kevin Desmond (e-mail address at bottom of message) telling him that Metro needs to be too careful about how quiet the trolleys are.

-----Original Message-----
From: nfbwatlk [mailto:nfbwatlk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Jacob Struiksma via nfbwatlk
Sent: Wednesday, August 19, 2015 11:40 AM
To: nfbwatlk at nfbnet.org
Cc: Jacob Struiksma
Subject: [nfbwatlk] FW: New trolleys are purple, green, and easy to use

FW: New trolleys are purple, green, and easy to use

New trolleys are purple, green, and easy to use

Aug. 19, 2015  

Metro's new trolleys are purple, green, and easy to use

Five of Metro's brand-new, state-of-the-art electric trolley buses started service today. They're the first of 110 40-foot trolleys we'll be rolling out this year. What a fitting way to mark the 75th anniversary of Seattle's trolley system!

Next year, 64 new 60-foot trolleys will join the fleet, replacing the remainder of our old, worn out trolleys.

The trolleys we just launched will operate on routes 1, 2, 3, 36 and 70 this week, and around the system after that. You'll have no trouble spotting them-they're purple, a new color for Metro.

In another sense, the trolleys are remarkably green: zero emissions and up
30 percent more energy-efficient than the old trolleys they're replacing.
Their quiet operation is another big plus in the noisy urban environment where they travel.

Our customers will find lots of features designed to improve their rides:
filtered heating and air conditioning, low floors for easier and faster boarding and exiting, and updated bike racks and systems for securing wheelchairs. To make it easier for passengers to circulate and exit, the new buses have a few less seats and have back doors that riders can open by pressing on them when the bus is stopped.

The new trolleys can even go short distances off-wire. While inside the bus, the driver can disconnect the trolley's poles from the power lines and use battery power to scoot around obstructions, keeping our riders moving. As we gain experience with this capability and deploy more new trolleys, we'll have much less need to substitute diesel buses for trolleys to operate around weekend events or construction zones-reducing noise, energy consumption and emissions.

Only five transit agencies in the country have trolley systems, and ours is the second largest (behind San Francisco, which partnered with us on the trolley purchase so we'd get the best possible price). As our transit system has evolved over the years, the Seattle community has held fast to our trolleys, and it's no wonder. They're a great match for the steep hills and the character of the neighborhoods where they operate. 

We're proud that our new trolleys start another era for Seattle's historic trolley system, and keep us moving toward our goal of having a bus fleet made up entirely of electric and hybrid buses by 2018.

  _____  

Also coming soon: three battery-electric buses that we'll be testing for potential future use. These zero-emission coaches can travel up to 23 miles on a charge of less than 10 minutes.

  _____  

Sincerely,

Kevin Desmond, General Manager
King County Metro Transit

<http://links.govdelivery.com:80/track?type=click&enid=ZWFzPTEmbWFpbGluZ2lkP
TIwMTUwODE5LjQ4MjM2NjIxJm1lc3NhZ2VpZD1NREItUFJELUJVTC0yMDE1MDgxOS40ODIzNjYyM
SZkYXRhYmFzZWlkPTEwMDEmc2VyaWFsPTE3MDMxOTA3JmVtYWlsaWQ9amFjb2JzdHJ1aWtzbWFAZ
21haWwuY29tJnVzZXJpZD1qYWNvYnN0cnVpa3NtYUBnbWFpbC5jb20mZmw9JmV4dHJhPU11bHRpd
mFyaWF0ZUlkPSYmJg==&&&100&&&http://metro.kingcounty.gov/>
www.kingcounty.gov/metro

  _____  

You received this message because we want to keep you informed about King County Metro Transit. Update your preferences or unsubscribe <http://links.govdelivery.com:80/track?type=click&enid=ZWFzPTEmbWFpbGluZ2lkP
TIwMTUwODE5LjQ4MjM2NjIxJm1lc3NhZ2VpZD1NREItUFJELUJVTC0yMDE1MDgxOS40ODIzNjYyM
SZkYXRhYmFzZWlkPTEwMDEmc2VyaWFsPTE3MDMxOTA3JmVtYWlsaWQ9amFjb2JzdHJ1aWtzbWFAZ
21haWwuY29tJnVzZXJpZD1qYWNvYnN0cnVpa3NtYUBnbWFpbC5jb20mZmw9JmV4dHJhPU11bHRpd
mFyaWF0ZUlkPSYmJg==&&&101&&&https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/WAKING/s
ubscriber/new?preferences=true>  from messages. If you have questions about this service, you may search FAQs here <http://links.govdelivery.com:80/track?type=click&enid=ZWFzPTEmbWFpbGluZ2lkP
TIwMTUwODE5LjQ4MjM2NjIxJm1lc3NhZ2VpZD1NREItUFJELUJVTC0yMDE1MDgxOS40ODIzNjYyM
SZkYXRhYmFzZWlkPTEwMDEmc2VyaWFsPTE3MDMxOTA3JmVtYWlsaWQ9amFjb2JzdHJ1aWtzbWFAZ
21haWwuY29tJnVzZXJpZD1qYWNvYnN0cnVpa3NtYUBnbWFpbC5jb20mZmw9JmV4dHJhPU11bHRpd
mFyaWF0ZUlkPSYmJg==&&&102&&&https://subscriberhelp.govdelivery.com/> . View King County's privacy policy <http://links.govdelivery.com:80/track?type=click&enid=ZWFzPTEmbWFpbGluZ2lkP
TIwMTUwODE5LjQ4MjM2NjIxJm1lc3NhZ2VpZD1NREItUFJELUJVTC0yMDE1MDgxOS40ODIzNjYyM
SZkYXRhYmFzZWlkPTEwMDEmc2VyaWFsPTE3MDMxOTA3JmVtYWlsaWQ9amFjb2JzdHJ1aWtzbWFAZ
21haWwuY29tJnVzZXJpZD1qYWNvYnN0cnVpa3NtYUBnbWFpbC5jb20mZmw9JmV4dHJhPU11bHRpd
mFyaWF0ZUlkPSYmJg==&&&103&&&http://www.kingcounty.gov/about/website/privacy.
aspx> .

You may send a message to Kevin Desmond at MetroTransitGM at kingcounty.gov <mailto:MetroTransitGM at kingcounty.gov> .

.

  _____  

 <https://www.avast.com/antivirus> 

This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. 
www.avast.com <https://www.avast.com/antivirus>  