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More than half of the fleet’s 49 vehicles are ready for retirement after ten year’s service. 13 New XDE40s are ready to replace the oldest of those. Later on? Electric buses will be coming, by the sound of it. Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/express/wp/2015/05/13/new-dc-circulator-buses-will-have-usb-ports-and-better-air-conditioning/ "In the long run, the DC Circulator will transition to fully electric buses, Handsfield says. They are more expensive, but they make up their cost in fuel savings, he says. “They are better for the environment and quiet enough that you can hear what the person next to you is saying,” he says. So what’s the downside? The electric buses can only go about 80 miles on a full charge, while diesel buses can travel roughly 350 miles on a full tank, says David Warren, director of sustainable transportation at New Flyer, which makes both kinds of buses. As a result, electric buses have to “power up” between routes, pausing to charge at electric gantries, which look like low-slung street lights. Before electric buses can be deployed for the Circulator fleet, D.C. has to set up mobile charging stations and a garage for overnight charging, Handsfield says. “It’s a logistical challenge, but we think it’s worth it,” he says.

The Charm City Circulator or CCC is the newest system in the state of Maryland, since the Baltimore Department of Transportation established it in 2008. The first service did not begin until January 11, 2010, with the Orange Route going east-west from University of Maryland at Baltimore BioPark (west) to Hollins Market (east). The Purple Route began service on June 4, 2010, going north-south from Baltimore Penn Station (north) to Federal Hill (south). The Green Route began service on November 1, 2011, going east-west from Johns Hopkins Medical Center (east) to City Hall (west). On June 4, 2012, The Banner Route began service just in time for the 2012 Bicentennial Star Spangled Sailabration in celebration of the "War of 1812" and the writing of United States's national anthem. Service operate east-west from Inner Harbor (west) to Fort McHenry (east). In the Fall of 2011, the water taxi service, known as, the Water Taxi Harbor Connector began operation with two water routes on Patapsco River or "open bay" portion of the Inner Harbor and with one planned. The city of Baltimore's ridership downtown boomed with the system's "FREE" fare service and nearly 200,000 ridership in two years. The system has and will forever make a mark in downtown's transportation network and since it's success, more bus lines are planned that can reach outside of downtown Baltimore to connecting major tourist or transit points. The Zoo Route connecting downtown and Inner Harbor to the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore in Druid Hill Park is a future plan for maybe Spring 2013, as well service corridors around Fells Point and Canton and the Westport/Greyhound Bus Terminal, which as well is possible for planning in 2013. The Charm City Circulator bus fleet contains 18 buses (31 buses) from three manufacturers: Designline Corporation (to be retired), Orion Industries, and Van Hool. Order Year/Manufacturer/Model/Fuel Propulsion/Fleet Series (Quantity) List: *2009 **Designline Corporation ***EcoSaver IV ****Hybrid *****0901-0913 (13) <<<To be retired >>> *2012 **Orion Industries ***VII (07.501) "3rd Generation" ****Hybrid *****1201-1213 (13) *2011 **Van Hool ***A300L ****Diesel *****1101-1105 (5) watch.htm (2012 Orion VII (07.501) "3rd Genration" #1211 on Purple Route in Banner Route paint scheme.) watch.htm watch.htm watch.htm watch.htm