A crowd gathered outside of City Hall today to celebrate the new fleet of four buses for the ChicaGo Dash. These brand new buses are part of an initiative to make commuting easier for Northwest Indiana residents. Each bus offers Wi-Fi capabilities, along with TVs, individual lights and air vents, and seat belts. The buses also boast handicap access through the middle doors, with seats sliding forward to make room to strap in wheelchairs.
ChicaGo Dash first began service in October of 2008, a collaboration of the city of Valparaiso, the Valparaiso Redevelopment Commision, the Northwest Indiana Regional Development Authority, the Federal Transit Administration, and the Northwest Indiana Regional Planning Council. The goal was to make commuting easier for citizens and they have had great success so far. Not only does the Dash make commuting easier, it also saves costs in gas for the people of Valparaiso. The hope is to see 100 riders per day with this new fleet.
After a few statements from Mayor Costas, people boarded one of the new buses to take a ride around the block. The bus followed a path to Indiana, over to Washington, and back to Lincolnway through the roundabout, showcasing the excellent driving skills of the ChicaGo Dash driver. Mayor Costas ended the ceremony with these words: “If you’re headed to Chicago, this is the way to go.”