Community Transit to test Scottish double-decker bus

If there's one row of seats on a public bus that could be considered primo real estate, it's got to be the first row, second floor, of a double-decker.

And beginning in June, Community Transit will offer such a lofty view.

The transportation agency will put a Scottish-made double-decker into service, rotating it through each of its commuter routes during the next year. If successful, Community Transit plans to purchase between 10 and 20 of the public-transportation anomalies in hopes of adding space on its routes and ensuring runs during bad weather.

But how do they compare to the articulated buses typically driven on Community Transit's 31 commuter routes into King County?

For starters, the 40-foot double-deckers, with or without the Union Jack on the side, seat about 80 people. The articulated buses, despite their 60-foot length and resemblance to a snake, hold only about 60 riders.

The double-deckers also handle much better during inclement weather, which this past winter was spelled S-N-O-W.

Because of the heavy snows in December and January, Community Transit was forced to take its articulated buses off the roads, slowing down commuter routes and stranding passengers until later runs were available.

"We just can't run the articulated buses in bad weather because they can jackknife easily," said Martin Munguia, a Community Transit spokesman. "These, however, handle great in bad weather."

Community Transit and its riders got a look at the double-decker buses in 2005 for a couple of weeks. Strong positive feedback from riders gave the agency reason to study the option more seriously.

As a result, it will lease one bus from manufacturer Alexander Dennis for a year, with hopes of making a decision on whether to purchase a number of them by the year's end.

The use of double-decker buses in the United States has mostly been limited to tour companies. But the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada (RTC) has used them since 2005 in Las Vegas.

Initially, double-deckers were used to ferry locals and tourists up and down the Las Vegas Strip, but recently one was added to a residential route, where ridership since the addition is up 10 percent, said spokeswoman Tracy Bower.

The RTC has 50 in service and 80 more on order, with plans to use them on more residential routes.

Sound Transit officials say they're interested in seeing how well the buses work.

"We'll be very curious to see what Community Transit's impressions are," said Sound Transit spokesman Bruce Gray. "That will help us make our own decision."

One downside to the English-style buses is price. A new one costs about $650,000, compared with $580,000 for articulated buses. But Munguia says that's almost a wash when considering fewer buses would be needed to make commuter-route runs, saving in overall costs.

Another potential problem relates to riders who might get a little queasy sitting up so high. At 14 feet tall, the buses easily pass under freeway overpasses, but for some people, it can feel awfully close.

The best advice for those passengers: Grab a downstairs seat and read a book. For the rest, enjoy the ride.

Christopher Schwarzen: 425-783-0577 or cschwarzen@seattletimes.com