The Riverside Transit Agency (RTA) in Riverside, CA, has taken delivery of the first of 97 new buses that will replace its aging fleet. The remaining vehicles will be delivered at a rate of five buses per week, beginning this month.

The entire new fleet of 42-foot BRTPlus buses from Gillig should be in service by the end of March 2014. The new vehicles replace buses that have been in service for at least a decade and have each logged an average of 600,000 miles.

“This is a significant time for RTA, which is enjoying record ridership and high levels of customer satisfaction,” said Board Chairman Marion Ashley. “Having new buses on the streets gives us a major boost in terms of what we can offer our customers, and we are thrilled to introduce the next generation of RTA buses to the world.”

RTA’s $52 million contract with Gillig includes an option to buy 48 additional vehicles over a four-year period. Amenities in the new buses include USB charging ports for customers’ mobile phones and tablets, padded and contoured seats, and a design that allows for quicker wheelchair securement.

Sixteen of the new vehicles will be CommuterLink Express buses, which will continue to provide free Internet service, USB charging ports, plush seating, and expanded luggage space.