Everybody likes getting a new vehicle. The whole experience – from the new-car smell and shiny gadgets to the sleek paint job and smooth ride – is exciting.
On Monday, June 29, the entire Texas Children’s family will get to have such an experience when six of our 12 new shuttles are rolled out sporting colorful designs and several innovative features.
“We are very excited about this new capability for Texas Children’s,” said Director of Supply Chain Rick McFee. “We think you will be too.”
The first thing people will notice about the new shuttles is the outside of them, McFee said. All 12 will be bright, bold colors and graphics with designs of clouds, fish, flowers or blades of grass.
“The wraps share the excitement we all have to work for Texas Children’s Hospital,” McFee said. “They also share a bit of the spirit we have when it comes to healing sick children and taking care of women.”
A not-so-obvious feature the buses will have is an environmentally-friendly fueling system. Instead of using diesel, all 12 shuttles will be fueled by propane. Switching to this much cleaner-burning gas will reduce our carbon footprint by 70 percent and make Texas Children’s Hospital the first hospital in the Medical Center to offer completely green-friendly shuttle service.
Some of the features inside the shuttles include:
- A comprehensive security system that will keep employees safe and will record how many people get on and off the shuttle.
- On-board video capabilities will give Texas Children’s another avenue to share important information.
- A voice announcement system will keep riders up to date about where the shuttle is and where it’s headed.
- USB charging ports will be available at each seat for riders who need to charge their phone or other electronic devices.
All buses will be equipped with GPS technology, allowing riders to connect to an Internet link that will tell them where a bus is, when it’s going to arrive and how long it will be until the next stop.
McFee said the GPS technology will give Texas Children’s management the opportunity to monitor the shuttles’ movements and to adjust accordingly based on ridership activity. As for now, however, all routes will stay the same.
The remaining six larger shuttles in the fleet will be on the road in late summer.
“Welcome aboard!” McFee said. “We are glad to have you on our new shuttles.”