Metro officials on Friday unveiled the first of a dozen new natural-gas powered buses they will phase in for the system’s popular Richmond Highway Express, or REX, bus line.
The line, which averages 3,225 riders daily and runs from Fort Belvoir to the King Street Metro station, has been held up as a model for limited-stop express service.
The route is one of the few in the region that takes advantage of traffic signal priority systems — which keeps traffic lights green longer if the bus is approaching.
The purple buses, which have new vandal-proof cushions and seating arrangements, are part of a Metro effort to “brand” specific bus lines to make customers more aware of routes and schedules, said Metro spokeswoman Candace Smith.
“If they see the purple bus they will know where its going and where the stops are,” Smith said.
Two of the 12 buses are expected to be phased into service this week, Smith said.
The route is also slated to be among a dozen “priority” routes to get new bus shelters by the end of next year, officials said.
