GLTC replaces six of Liberty University’s buses with ‘cleaner’ models

The Greater Lynchburg Transit Company this week replaced six of its 12 buses that operate at Liberty University with newer, “clean” diesel models.

GLTC General Manager Mike Carroll said Tuesday that the new models are part of the company’s ongoing efforts to replace each of its buses over a four-year period that began in 2007.

“They replaced buses that were 14, going on 15 years old,” he said. “Those were dinosaurs.”

Most buses have a service life of 12 years, he said.

GLTC also has five new hybrid buses in operation on city routes, with a sixth still in transit from the manufacturer, Carroll said.

The six diesel buses cost about $2 million, while the six hybrid buses carried a price tag of $3.2 million.

As with other GLTC buses, Carroll said, they are paid for with a mix of federal, state and local funds.

Liberty is paying over time for the local share of the diesel buses, or about 10 percent of their cost, Carroll said.

“We build the capital costs into the annual contract that we have with Liberty University,” he said.

In the 2008 fall semester, Liberty recorded more than 1 million passengers who rode the school’s bus service, said Richard Martin, LU’s director of financial research.

When the school is not in session, Carroll said, GLTC may use those buses for other routes around town.

Carroll said most of the old buses will be sold at public auction, but “some of them will continue to soldier on in service.”