The Baltimore City Department of Transportation is celebrating eight new buses in the Charm City Circulator fleet.
Marking the first new vehicles in the Circulator fleet since 2020, the eight buses will replace older buses that have been in service for over 15 years in an effort to improve reliability and decrease downtime due to maintenance. The new 40-foot buses carry improved ADA accessible technology, including updated announcement systems, wheelchair ramps, and LED signage.
Baltimore Mayor Brandon M. Scott said “this investment in new buses will help ensure the Charm City Circulator remains reliable and accessible for the riders who depend on it every day to move throughout our city.”
Additionally, the new buses feature new onboard technology such as automatic passenger counters and GPS systems. The vehicles also include front-mounted bike racks.
The buses are funded through a $3.4 million CARES Act grant and $1.1 million in local funding.
Veronica P. McBeth, director of the city’s transporation department, said that the use of federal funding in this investment is one of the ways that the DOT is “improving service while being responsible stewards of local resources.”
The DOT’s investment in the new vehicles builds on the department’s Transit Development Plan, completed in 2021-2022. The Development Plan laid out long-term goals for improving the reliability and efficiency of the Circulator system, as well as equitable access to transportation.
More information about the circulator system is available here.
