Amador County – The Amador Regional Transit System board of directors on Monday approved acquisition of 2 free trolleys from the city of River Bank, which will become part an express bus route between Jackson and Sutter Creek. ARTS Executive Director James A. Means found 2 trolleys, worth $250,000 each, which River Bank donated this week to ARTS, as part of a federal asset transfer program. Means said the Federal Transit Administration’s asset transfer procedures were approved by the California Department of Transportation “authorizing the transfer of 2 trolley-style buses at no cost to Amador Regional Transit System.” The trolleys operate on both Compressed Natural Gas and on diesel fuel, and were originally purchased by River Bank for $506,000. Means said all that was required of the ARTS board of directors was to approve him picking up the trolleys, which he planned to help drive to Amador County on Tuesday. ARTS board members asked about the trolleys, including Vice Chair, Plymouth Vice Mayor Greg Baldwin, who asked about the mileage. Means said odometer readings were “low for a transit bus” at 60,000 miles. Councilman David Plank of Ione asked if it would be good for ARTS and ACTC to develop its own Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) capabilities. Means said it might be, and ACTC does not have a CNG fueling station, but he had already arranged with the nearest such facility to have the vehicles refueled there. That is in Rancho Cordova, 32 miles away, he said. Means said CNG fuel is $1 per gallon cheaper than diesel. Based on the mileage of the route the trolleys will run, it will last a couple of days between CNG refills. He said the trolleys will require “air brake endorsements” for drivers, noting that he already has that endorsement, but will not drive the trolley routes. The board voted 6-0 to authorize Means to pick up the trolleys, and also to approve implementation of a new express, non-stop bus route between Jackson and Sutter Creek. Means said the new trolleys, with the board’s approval, with be the express shuttle, which “will run on a more frequent” 60-minute round trip “schedule to make local businesses more accessible to the general public.” He said it would be designed as a fixed route with no “deviations,” to “maintain efficiency and ensure on-time performance.” The “deviations” meet Americans with Disabilities Act requirements for off-route pick-ups of riders. Means also proposed having 4 deviated fixed routes (down from 8 routes) to serve the Jackson-Sutter Creek areas, and meet federal requirements. Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.