A recently retired CityLink bus has a new job that will pay big dividends. The Greater Peoria Mass Transit District donated the bus to the Diesel Powered Equipment Program (DPET) at Illinois Central College.
Jeff Gardner coordinates the program at the East Peoria Campus. He says the 35-foot diesel bus will provide students another type of hands-on experience to add to their skill set.
“There are systems we won’t see on anything other than a mass transit bus. But there are also systems we use on this bus that are applicable to everything.” Gardner says, “it will be a great addition to the training aids we already have.”
The bus was taken off the street last fall. It had a 13-year life in CityLink’s Fleet.
CityLink General Manager Doug Roelfs says the donation furthers the Mass Transit District’s relationship with the college and ensures the agency will have qualified diesel technicians in the future.
The ICC DPET program will incorporate the bus into its curriculum for the current semester.