Fleet

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Since 2002, Novabus LFS's have been purchased annually to replace older vehicles and to expand the fleet over time. All generations have been purchased except the first generation as OC Transpo (its sister company) have found its first generation Novabus LFS's to be unreliable.

STO current fleet
Model Years Fleet # Length Fuel Type
LFS 2nd generation 2002-2009 0314-0328 0401-0417 0501-0517 0661-0617 0701-0716 0801-0819 0901-0910 40 ft Standard Diesel
LFS 3rd generation 2009-2013 0911-0925 1001-1027 1101-1107 1201-1226 1227-1233 1301-1321 Diesel
LFS 4th generation 2014–present 1401-1414 1501-1507 1601-1609 1610-1616 1701-1715 1716-1730 1801-1827 1901-1909 2001-2043
STO retired fleet
Model Years Fleet # Length Fuel Type
GM New Look 1972-1983 7206
7301-7320
7401-7425
7501-7520
7601-7610
7701-7710, 7742 & 7757
7801-7817
7901-7907
8001-8015
8101-8103
8201-8204
8301-8312
40 ft Standard Diesel
GM/MCI/Novabus Classic 1984-1997 8401-8406, 8413
8501-8509, 8536, 8539, 8545-8546
8601-8604, 8614, 8620, 8624
8785
8801-8808
8901-8915
9001-9015
9101-9138
9201-9225
9401-9426
9501-9520
9601-9603
9701-9705
40 ft Standard Diesel
Nova RTS 2000 0001-0012 40 ft Standard Diesel
Nova LFS 2nd generation 2002-2003 0201-0209
0301-0313
40 ft Standard Diesel


 
A NovaBus low-floor bus

Accessibility

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The STO planned to convert half of its total bus fleet into low-floor, LFS model NovaBus by 2012,.[1] Unfortunately, the more recent models had a decreased seating capacity (room for 87 rather than 40). Another issue that was discovered with this model were the unreliable telescopic ramps that prevented wheelchair access to the bus. As of 1988, the fleet had wheelchair accessible buses. These were of the 1995 first-generation LFS's, which have the more reusable flick-out rooms.[2] Aside from these planes, wheelchair users rely on the paratransit service.

Technology

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A number of significant technology improvements and studies have been made over the past few decades by the STO. In 1998, The company introduced a smart-card fare system, making it the first company not only in the Americas but the entire Western Hemisphere to have a smart-card system.[citation needed] Paper card bus passes were gradually phased out until its official end in 2004 when smart cards became the exclusive bus pass.[3]

In 2006–07, fishbowl buses had their rollsigns replaced with LED signs. In 2002 and again in 2007, the STO tested new hybrid buses for feasibility. During the summer of 2008, the STO has started a test trial of a prototype New Flyer articulated bus on several of its routes. The bus has 58 seats and a total capacity of 115 passengers.

In 2014, STO added wi-fi to several of its lines, including all buses and stations associated with rapibus.[4] In 2015, STO announced plans to introduce the bus planning App called Plani-Bus [4]

  1. ^ 2002 User's Guide
  2. ^ "Mission" (PDF). Sto.ca. Retrieved November 17, 2016.
  3. ^ About the STO -Kudos
  4. ^ a b STO.ca. "Users guide (French only)" (PDF). Retrieved November 17, 2016.