The U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Transit Administration (FTA) awarded a $2.6 million grant to Wichita Transit to replace its fleet of aging Q-LINE trolleys. The grant selections announced today are part of an effort to modernize and improve America's buses and related equipment. Wichita's application was one of 139 projects selected to receive funding from the 453 eligible project applications nationwide.
Transit currently operates a fleet of seven trolleys that are between 13 and 16 years old. While all of these trolleys were built in Wichita, the manufacturer has been sold numerous times over recent years resulting in discontinued product lines. The Q-LINE trolley designs have been out of production since 2007. Replacement parts are becoming increasingly difficult to find according to Greg Ringold, Wichita Transit Maintenance Superintendent.
Specific replacement models will be determined at a later date. New trolleys are not anticipated to be placed in service until late 2019.
Wichita Transit is largest transit system in the state of Kansas. Serving more than 1.3 million riders in 2017, Wichita Transit operates 17 fixed bus routes six days a week. Transit services include traditional fixed routes, a newly expanded downtown trolley service and a demand-response paratransit service. Complete route and schedule information is available at
wichitatransit.org.
