Buses are cool, just ask any social media influencer on Instagram; they have both nostalgic and new wave appeal, lending the savvy users of Instagram some creative inspiration. Check out our list of five must-follow Instagram accounts for the autobus-loving geeks of the world. LA Metro (@metrolosangeles): LA Metro links everything from trolley rides through Venice to bus routes toward Dodger Stadium. Each backdrop is beautifully tinged with the colors of a Californian sunset. SEPTA (@septaphilly): This is the official Instagram account of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority, and they pride themselves on providing a glimpse into the shared travels… Read more »
Blog Posts From Northwest Bus Sales
King County Metro Is Boosting Bus Service Dramatically
Recently, King County Metro officials announced that they would implement a single system-wide bus fare to make the bus routes in and around Seattle easier to navigate. Beginning in July 2018, all of the bus routes maintained by King County Metro will switch to a standard fare of $2.75. Then, just a few weeks after this announcement, metro officials unveiled plans for a significant expansion of King County’s bus service as well. As of Saturday, September 23, King County Metro has added “hundreds of daily bus trips on dozens of routes across Seattle and the region,” according to The Seattle… Read more »
Zonar App Helps School Buses Track Student Passengers
The school year is starting up in districts all across the country, and many bus companies are implementing new measures to keep students safe as they travel to and from school. In densely-populated urban areas, it’s particularly important for school bus drivers to be able to accurately track students and make sure they reach their destinations safely. That’s why Zonar, a Seattle-based fleet management company, is offering a new app that automatically counts students as they board and exit their school bus. In addition to helping bus drivers make sure all students are accounted for, the app also eliminates the… Read more »
King County Bus Routes Will Soon Have One Standardized Fare
Are you a regular bus rider in King County? If so, you’ve probably have noticed that calculating your fare can be a little confusing sometimes. Currently, bus fares in and around Seattle vary depending on when you catch a bus and where you’re it, which can make it difficult to calculate your fare on the fly. But according to The Seattle Times, King County Metro Transit is preparing to make things a whole lot easier in July 2018 by switching to a single all-day, all-zone fare of $2.75. It will be a welcomed change for many riders—four out of five… Read more »
Proterra CEO Makes Bold Prediction About Electric Buses
Since the company was founded 13 years ago in a suburb of Denver, Colorado, Proterra has become the most well-known electric bus manufacturer in North America—and possibly the world. Proterra’s fast-charging technology, which allows its buses to be recharged in as little as 10 minutes, has prompted many former skeptics to rethink the potential of electric bus transit. Now, Proterra CEO Ryan Popple has made a remarkable prediction that highlights his optimism about the future of electric bus development: By 2020, one-third of all new transit buses will be electric. Furthermore, Popple expects electric buses to account for half of… Read more »
Now Might Be a Great Time to Become a School Bus Driver
Looking for a new driving gig? School bus companies all over the country are currently scrambling to make up for a driver shortage that has forced schools in some areas to delay class schedules and suspend bus routes. These bus companies are in immediate need of new drivers, and many of them are offering special incentives and referral bonuses in an attempt to attract qualified hires. According to a recent survey in School Bus Fleet Magazine, twenty-two percent of the nation’s 50 largest school bus operators called the shortage “severe,” while 5 percent said they were “desperate” for new drivers…. Read more »
Amazon Launches Dedicated Bus Service in Seattle
The news that Amazon has launched a dedicated bus service may not be as exciting as rumors that they are testing drones for same-day delivery, but it’s certainly big news for commuters who work for the enormous company in Seattle. Recently, Amazon began offering private shuttles to its employees that are scheduled to run six times in the morning and six times in the evening, with a bus arriving to pick up employees about every twenty minutes. The program is called “Amazon Ride,” and it will shuttle up to 26,000 passengers from Redmond, Issaquah and Bellevue to Amazon’s two… Read more »
Subway Shutdown in NYC Could Make Way for Bus Rapid Transit
It’s still a few years off, but many people in New York City are already preparing for the impending shut down of the L train. The L is one of many lines of the subway that carries people from Brooklyn to Manhattan, and vice versa, often during the peak of rush hour. New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) plans to shut down the only tunnel that carries the L train underneath the East River in January of 2019 for a year or more to repair serious damage that was caused by Hurricane Sandy back in 2012. During the hurricane, more… Read more »
Voters Across the Country Vote in Favor of Public Transit
On November 8, millions of American citizens headed to the polls to vote for their preferred presidential and congressional candidates. But political offices weren’t the only things at stake in this election. In many states, voters also voted on a wide variety of ballot measures that covered everything from marijuana legalization to minimum wage increases. There were also a record number of ballot proposals that allotted funds for infrastructure improvements to public transportation systems—48 ballot measure in total. Altogether, these public transit ballot proposals were worth about $200 billion. When all the votes were counted, 33 of those 48 ballot… Read more »
Houston Overhauls Transit Service, Increases Ridership
Each city has its own unique public transit system, and no system is perfect. In New York, the Subway carries commuters and residents from place to place on a regular schedule though a delay-prone system of underground and above-ground trains. Meanwhile in Boston, the T uses mainly above-ground tramcars to take people from place to place. In other cities, however, people rely primarily on bus service for their transit needs. In Houston, for example, the bus system is becoming more and more user friendly thanks to a recent major overhaul. Last August, the bus system’s outdated service map was upgraded… Read more »