City not buying new buses till engine problems fixed

The town has stopped buying busses until the fix for a prolonged engine problem proves to become a long-term solution.

“We’re waiting around till we try and resolve this problem, ” said Coun. Janice Lukes (South Winnipeg-St. Norbert), chair of the city’s public works committee. “The 2015 budget funding has been held to try and solve the issue before we purchase brand new buses. ”

The city’s capital expense report information just under $16. 4 mil remains in the 2015 tour bus budget for the year.

The city will certainly still receive new chartering ordered through 2014 money and Transit may also purchase spare buses built prior to 2010. But all more recent North American buses feature exactly the same Cummins engine with release control issues that have been held responsible for repeated breakdowns.

Flow was forced to cut the amount of buses on almost twenty rush-hour routes in early Sept, after 109 buses had been put out of service as a result of maintenance backlog. Without the emissions issue, service levels may not have needed to be cut, the town says.

On Tuesday, Transportation director Dave Wardrop stated 63 buses remain from service, 19 of them using the engine emission problem. However a possible solution to the emissions issue still requires lots of testing, he said.

In case all goes well, Wardrop still hopes to ramp upward service levels when Transit’s winter schedule takes impact on Dec. 20.

“The signals are the situation has stable and we hope to implement normal service as soon as possible, ” mentioned Wardrop.

The city has up to now opted not to pursue lawful action against Cummins, the actual engine manufacturer. Lukes explained she believes the current restoration should be tested through every season before the city views that “last resort. ”

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