The city’s new articulated bus garage is set to open on Sept. 13, just in time for the first batch of articulated buses from New Flyer.
Referred to as “Garage Mahal” by mayoral candidate Jim Watson, the cost of the $97-million bus depot on Industrial Avenue has also doubled since it was originally proposed.
Yesterday, transit services general manager Alain Mercier said 80 buses will be dispatched out of that site when it opens.
The extra capacity in the new garage means that OC Transpo’s entire fleet will be stored indoors when not in use this winter.
On Sept. 27, OC Transpo’s long-awaited next-stop announcement system will be activated on around 450 buses, said Mercier.
The new articulated buses come from the factory already equipped with the next-stop announcement system. The automated stop-calling system will be installed on almost every bus by the end of February. However, some of the oldest buses will not be equipped with the NSAS since they are scheduled to be decommissioned within the next two years.
