There is more than a little bit of irony that when we have unprecedented levels of funding to buy and replace buses, there is a manufacturing crunch so there are few buses to be had--and with longer delivery times. From manufacturing delays and fewer manufacturers to massive price increases, agencies are pushing buses well beyond their useful life. How can we solve this crisis to not only meet the needs of today's riders, but make the transition to zero emissions? To talk about the topic, this week's show features:

- Ed Redfern and Joel Rubin from the Bus Coalition

- Julia Castillo and Brooke Ramsey from the Heart of Iowa Regional Transit Agency

- Patrick Scully from Complete Coach Works

In two separate interviews we hear about the challenges agencies are facing getting and paying for buses and some recommendations from industry on some alternatives to new buses that might help bridge the gap while manufacturing and supply chain issues work themselves out.

Next week on the show we have Eddie VanStine and Wendy Weedon talking about rural transit. There are thousands of rural transit agencies across North America--and the world--who serve some of our most vulnerable people. But rural transit is often forgotten, with big city transit agencies getting the lion's share of attention and funding.

Questions or comments? Contact us at info@transitunplugged.com

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Transit Unplugged is brought to you by Modaxo https://www.modaxo.com

Transit Unplugged team:

Paul Comfort, host and producer

Julie Gates, executive producer

Tris Hussey, editor and writer

Tatyana Mechkarova, social media

00:00 Interview with Ed Redfern, Joel Rubin, Brooke Ramsey, and Julia Castillo

01:13 Introduction and Panel Discussion on Bus Shortage

02:28 Understanding the Role and Challenges of the Bus Coalition

06:39 Discussion on the Rising Costs and Supply Chain Issues

12:32 Exploring Potential Solutions: Buy America Waiver and More

22:22 Interview with Patrick Scully

22:28 Insights from Complete Coachworks: Overhauls, Used Equipment, and Conversions

30:11 Coming up next week on Transit Unplugged

Mentioned in this episode:

Attend the ThinkTransit Conference this March in Tucson, AZ!

Visit https://www.trapezegroup.com/thinktransit for more information and registration.