You're probably curious about how many buses the county operates. Eight, for example. Or perhaps 18? And what about the different types of buses? Electric, diesel, short-nose, and hybrid? Fairfax County needs to establish a policy for new bus purchases. In addition, the county should adopt a policy to electrify the Fairfax Connector fleet by 2030 or 2035.
In an effort to reduce its carbon footprint, the Fairfax County Public Schools is now operating eight electric buses. These buses will transport more than 140,000 riders every day to and from school. In addition, the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality has provided the county with funding to purchase another 10 electric buses. The new buses will be delivered in early spring 2022.
The buses will provide commuters with more frequent stops and shorter trips. The new buses will meet federal safety standards and be able to accommodate more students. The electric buses will operate on a new express route from Tysons Corner Metro to Franconia-Springfield. The route will also serve Annandale and Springfield.
The Fairfax County Department of Transportation has extended the deadline for its community survey. The survey can be completed in English or Spanish and will remain open until Oct. 27. The department is working to improve public transportation in Fairfax County and reduce travel time. It has already held virtual community meetings and is looking for feedback.
The routes run on fixed schedules, with the Green and Gold routes going clockwise and counterclockwise. Smartrip cards are required for rides. Smartrip cards allow riders to transfer to all of the regional bus systems and Metrorail. Paper transfers are no longer valid.
The Fairfax County Department of Education is in the process of replacing about 100 old diesel buses with electric buses. Officials initially hoped to electrify their entire fleet by 2030, but the high cost of electric buses has forced the district to delay that goal by five years. Until the school district can purchase its own electric buses, officials plan to lease them.
The FCPS has issued a request for information on electric bus models for the fall of 2021. Twenty responses have been received so far, including proposals from vendors, charging station providers, and consulting firms. The FCPS is currently exploring more electric bus models and considering other locations to install charging stations. This could help the school district expand its service to other parts of the county.
Fairfax County has a handful of short-nose buses. Short-nosed buses are similar to conventional buses, but have a lighter hood. The short-nose buses are better for forward visibility. Fairfax County bought a small number of short-nosed buses in 1994. The school system primarily uses large conventional buses and transit buses.
Fairfax has a lively downtown district centered around Old Town Hall. The atmosphere is young and energetic. Nearby is George Mason University. Fairfax is not serviced by Amtrak, but Washington Metro connects with Vienna, a station located just outside of the city limits. GoBuses and BestBus offer service between New York City and Fairfax. Washington Dulles Airport is 11 miles away.
The Fairfax County Public Schools operates several different types of school buses. Some of these buses are rear-engine while others have flat fronts. These buses offer good forward visibility, but lack good visibility from behind. Some of these buses are wheelchair accessible. In addition to conventional buses, Fairfax also operates Metro Access and City Wheels, which offer alternative transportation within the city. These buses travel to locations like George Mason University and Fair Oaks Hospital. Unlike conventional buses, these buses do not have fixed schedules and charge $3.20 per ride.
The Fairfax Connector's Reston-Herndon route will receive several changes. New connections to the Metrorail Silver Line stations will be added to the route. These changes will take effect on February 25, 2022.