craigdailypress.com

The bad news is that the regional bus service between Steamboat Springs and Craig lost one of its buses to a fire Monday.

The good news is that it was on the way out anyway and soon to be replaced by a much more luxurious model which will provide a warmer, more comfortable ride for winter commuters.

Steamboat Springs Transportation Service Director George Krawzoff said the loss of the bus would not affect service for commuters between Steamboat and Craig.

The 1995 Bluebird caught on fire Monday afternoon after the driver dropped off a resident in Shadow Mountain. As the bus was headed south on Moffat County Road 7 near the intersection with U.S. Highway 40, the occupants smelled smoke.

The driver stopped the bus and ordered the remaining three passengers off. By the time firefighters arrived on the scene, the rear engine compartment was fully involved. Krawzoff said the fire damage was so extensive that the bus could not be salvaged..

"It's done," he said Tuesday.

The preliminary investigation indicates that a minor electrical short heated up a line of hydraulic fluid, Krawzoff said. It was the fluid that appears to have ignited.

"It was a small problem that unfortunately, grew into the loss of a bus," he said.

But the bus was due to be replaced with an MCI Motorcoach as soon as next month.

The City of Steamboat Springs will continue to use its remaining three Bluebird buses until two new buses are fully equipped and ready for service. The regional bus service uses three buses in the morning and three in the evening. The older buses are not well-insulated, which can make for a chilly ride from Craig to Steamboat on winter mornings.

Last month, the city received the new coach buses, which are worth up to $375,000 each. They feature forward-facing, upholstered, high-back seats with individual air and light controls. They can carry up to 57 passengers. The older buses could carry only 38.

About 80 percent of the funding for the buses came from a Federal Transit Administration grant.

The city submitted another grant request to find a third coach bus.

The city is considering increasing regional fares, which have not risen since the service began 14 years ago.

A one-way trip costs $3.50, but riders can purchase a 25-ride punch pass for $35.