Escambia County Area Transit (ECAT) has received three new Gillig buses, along with building enhancements to the Rosa L. Parks Transit Complex. The new buses and building enhancements were celebrated during the "STEP Into Transit" event on Feb. 7. ECAT also promoted the Student Transit Empowerment Pass, a bus pass that allows youth in grades K-12 to ride the bus for free during the school year.
The three new 2022 Gillig buses are the first buses to be added to the fleet since 2014. Equipped with seated capacity for 23 riders and additional hand straps for riders to safely stand, each bus is Wi-Fi ready, contains automatic passenger counters and can accommodate two wheelchairs and two bicycles.
During the event, Escambia County Mass Transit Director Rodriques Kimbrough and District 3 Commissioner and Chairman Lumon May spoke about the future of mass transit, and the role ECAT plays in benefiting the community.
"My goal as the mass transit director is to ensure ECAT continues to drive towards excellence," Kimbrough said. "Escambia County Area Transit had not purchased buses like these in over a decade. Adding these buses to our fleet is vital to myself and the citizens of Escambia County. This is just the beginning of the future of mass transit."
"I want to thank our entire staff for their hard work and commitment to bettering our community," said Commissioner May. "The greatest investment we can make is in human capital. Today is another investment in human capital. By offering the STEP pass and new buses, we are investing in our children. Our children are the future and the greatest resource we have. By doing this, we ensure every child gets a chance to get to a safe destination."
