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Harford Transit to get fewer buses than projected for BRAC

Harford Transit is set to get eight new buses as part of BRAC, less than the roughly 12 that had been expected.

Jim Ports, Harford Transit administrator, noted the BRAC-related population boom for Harford County has not been what was projected, at least not yet.

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"I think a lot of the early projections had a lot more people living in Harford County. We know that some more people moved to Cecil County than they thought, probably more people stayed in New Jersey than anybody anticipated, so I guess our numbers are not that large as we once thought, although obviously, as everyone knows, we have seen significant change," Ports said Wednesday.

The county's Board of Estimates approved the purchase of eight low-floor transit buses for $2.9 million in a piggyback contract purchase from Gillig LLC on Nov. 17.

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The funding comes from the federal stimulus grant, which originally gave Harford Transit $4.3 million for 12 new buses and three replacement buses in 2008, Ports said.

Consultants from the Bethesda-based KFH Group had said the county would need 12 to 16 buses.

"We worked with the [Maryland Transit Administration] and we thought a better plan moving forward, being fiscally prudent, was buy eight buses and then use the rest of the money for replacement buses," Ports explained Wednesday.

"By us shifting those funds to replacement buses, that means the county won't have to pay the 10 percent [it normally foots] for those buses," he said.

"Right now I think this is all that we need," he said about the eight buses. "It was to cut down on the traffic that we are experiencing."

Ports said it remains to be seen where BRAC newcomers choose to live as they continue relocating.

"What we noticed is most of the people have moved into the Bel Air area, up and around that area, and along the Route 40 corridor. Those are the areas where we are going to focus on right now," he said.

Although BRAC-related employees will keep arriving, "the question is, will they live in Harford County or not, and that hasn't been determined," he said.

The eight new buses will have a flat front, similar to an MTA bus, and be 29 feet long, Ports said.

"What it does is allow us to carry up to 28 people," he said, although that number could be smaller based on how many wheelchairs are included.

Harford Transit's replacement schedule also includes the acquisition of four new buses in the coming year.

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