Connect Transit is preparing for the potential that some of its buses might not be able to run in the freezing cold on Wednesday.
A Wind Chill Warning takes effect Tuesday evening across Central Illinois and is expected to last until noon Thursday.
Diesel fuel can gel at 25 below zero. General Manager Isaac Thorne said if that happens, the transportation company has a fleet of smaller, 14-seat Connect Mobility buses that run on gasoline that could be used in their place.
“We are planning on taking precautions and hopefully that doesn’t happen. However if it does we’ll be able to dispatch a (Connect Mobility) bus to that location, get people off the bus on to the (Connect Mobility) bus where it’s warm until we can get that pass up and operational,” Thorne said.
Thorne said the transportation agency did not want to suspend service for the many who rely on the buses daily.
“That’s the biggest factor,” Thorne said. “We wanted to make sure we are here providing our services so people can get to work and can get to those doctor’s appointments.
“A lot of those people don’t have other options, or if they do have other options they are very expensive.”
Thorne noted Connect Mobility buses will be available because a majority of its daily routes on Wednesday have been canceled. It typically runs about 350 trips daily.
Editors note: Connect Transit Board Chairman Mike McCurdy is also GLT's program director.
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