Razorback Transit Testing Articulated Bus

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The U of A began testing an articulated bus on Razorback Transit routes Tuesday, Oct. 25. Articulated buses are commonly used vehicles for public transportation, featuring two sections that are linked together to provide additional capacity. Nova Bus, a member of the Volvo group, is conducting the proof-of-concept demonstration.

"We have been exploring a number of options to address our ongoing capacity constraints," Razorback Transit Director Adam Waddell said. "This demonstration will help us evaluate a potential capacity solution, as well as the effectiveness of the bus managing our routes, meeting our passengers' needs and more."

The articulated bus seats an additional 19 passengers compared to the seating capacity in Razorback Transit's current fleet, and is about 20 feet longer. Based on the findings from the proof of concept, the U of A Transit and Parking Department will determine the long-term feasibility of permanently adding articulated buses to the fleet.

"We are incredibly pleased that the University of Arkansas agreed to test our bus for a few weeks and for the opportunity to demonstrate its reliability and strength," said Mylene Tassy, vice president of marketing and sales at Nova Bus. "Our buses are present on several campuses across the country, and we are happy the U of A will consider integrating this 60-foot articulated bus to its fleet. We are looking forward to contributing to the expansion of their bus service for the benefit of the university's students and workforce in Fayetteville."

Razorback Transit also recently announced updated route schedules to provide more reliable trip times for passengers.