IndyGo Unveils New Articulated Buses

New 60-foot articulated buses will start picking up passengers around Indianapolis in the coming weeks.

IndyGo believes the vehicles are a step in addressing some of the city’s mass transit needs.

"I think it's responding to the demand for more service.  We are having at certain peak times on the routes that we are going to be using as articulated buses - we are having crush loads.  At times we are having to leave people behind," said IndyGo President and CEO Mike Terry.  "You need more frequency of service, but address the capacity issue.  This is going to satisfy that in the immediate future."

The transit company purchased 17 buses that will be used on two of its most traveled routes - eight and 39.

Terry says the buses increase capacity by about 40 percent and calls the new vehicles an incremental step in expanding mass transit throughout the region.

"We need to start building up the local bus network that supports rapid transit corridors," he said.  "It's a phased in, step-by-step approach and this is all a part of that."

Mayor Greg Ballard says continuing to build the city’s transportation system is important for Indianapolis’ overall growth.

"I do believe that better mass transit in the city of Indianapolis is absolutely critical to attracting new residents, to attracting the people that we want here," he said.  "It helps to grow our tax base, helps us to become a destination city for the young people and the businesses that want to hire them."