The Butler County Transit Authority filed a letter of intent at its meeting Tuesday to purchase a new coach bus for $798,899 from MCI.

Transit authority executive director John Paul said the bus will be a reserve bus for the commuter service, rounding out the fleet to six buses. He said the new bus will bring the transit authority to the proper bus ratio of four active buses and two in reserve.

The bus will be paid for in full with the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act funds the transit authority received.

Paul said the bus, which is 45 feet long and will seat around 60 passengers, could arrive in September at the earliest. The transit authority is buying a bus now, because the manufacturer is going to start making buses powered by electricity, Paul said.

“That's why we had to get this approved with a letter of intent to be on their schedule. After that they are going to produce electric buses for a period of time,” he said. “We're asking for pre-grant approval for the bus, so once it's in the process of being approved, we can order the bus.”

The commuter service’s route goes between Butler and Pittsburgh, and Paul said it provided 703 trips in February, which is up from the same month in 2021.