A trial bus service from Reno to Lake Tahoe that relied on federal funds has been canceled because the buses needed so many repairs.
The Regional Transportation Commission started the first trial weekend bus service from Reno to Lake Tahoe in May, but cancelled after just seven weeks. The regular hybrid buses left four times a day and climbed and descended 4,000 feet.
RTC’s Operations Director David Jickling says he had to cancel the mountain route because it was damaging cooling systems, breaks and hydraulics, to the point where it might take too many buses out of weekday service in Reno.
“Oh, I was very disappointed. I have been with the RTC 23 years and we have run half a dozen demonstration routs over that period of time and we have never terminated one premature," says Jickling. "That was very disappointing.”
Jickling says a route to Tahoe is one of the most requested services in RTC customer surveys. Over the next nine months the RTC will explore other options like buying new sturdier buses, retrofitting existing buses, hiring private contractors and an easier route from Carson City to South Lake Tahoe.
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