City Wants To Buy New Hop Shuttle Buses

The city is looking to buy five new shuttle buses to replace the current as well as a senior shuttle. Before that can happen, however, the city council will have to approve a $497,000 bond. 

"We have squeezed every last drop out of them," said Director of Transportation and Parking Ian Sacs. Buying new vehicles will be more economical than repairing them, he said. 

"Ridership on the senior shuttle is higher than it has ever been," said Mayor Dawn Zimmer in a memo to the city council. 

"Senior and disabled passengers are increasingly frustrated by missing or inoperable wheelchair lift systems in our fleet," Zimmer wrote also. 

The city is looking to purchase five new shuttles, Sacs said. The $500,000 bond is also supposed to pay for a new bucket truck for the parking utility.

A bond ordinance passed on first reading on Wednesday night during the bi-monthly council meeting in a 5-4 vote. In order to pass a bond, six people need to vote in favor. This means that at least one member of the council minority will have to approve the bond.