The TTC just ordered 440 new clean diesel buses

The TTC is stepping up its bus game.

A day after Mayor John Tory announced at a press conference an expansion (yes, another one) to Toronto’s express bus network, the TTC released a report recommending that its Board authorize the purchase of 440 new buses. The order will come at a cost of around $294 million.

The buses will measure 40-feet in length, are low floor, and run on clean diesel. On top of all that, they’ll look hella’ fly.

“The purchase of the new buses enables TTC to phase out and retire the older fleet which will help improve the reliability of the service and help reduce green house emissions,” reads the report.

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In addition to adhering to the standard practice of upgrading the fleet, the TTC also acknowledged that increased ridership spurred the need for more buses. Bus boardings increased from 435.5 million in 2015 to 462.8 million in 2016. Furthermore, Toronto’s transit authority aims to reduce its current 18-year bus life policy.

“TTC’s experience, as well as that of other large transit properties in North America, indicates that a useful bus life is approximately 12 years,” reads the report regarding the TTC’s procurement strategy.

“Buses maintained beyond the age of 15 years reduces overall fleet availability/reliability and increases operating costs.”

The TTC’s current bus fleet includes around 2000 vehicles, which means the new order will replace about a fifth of its stock. The first 325 buses will be delivered before March 31, 2019, with the remaining 125 arriving prior to December 31, 2019.