When it came time to replace the old 2004 Swan Valley Lodge bus, staff members first thought a low-floor model like the Creston Community Bus would be best.
But research and testing convinced them otherwise, recreation director Louise Moberg said on Tuesday. “We rode the Community Bus and decided a bus with a lift, like our old one, was a better option.”
That option became a reality last week when a 2016 GM bus arrived at the lodge.
It features 16 roomy passenger seats and space for six more passengers in wheelchairs, and is on a single level, replacing one that had a step up inside.
“We are really happy with this one,” Moberg said. “It has better suspension and bigger windows that are a bit concave, so they provide better views.”
The bus gets a lot of use. It is used daily to pick up and return adult day program participants, and at least one outing a week for each of the three Swan Valley Lodge units is scheduled.
“And, of course, we use it for special occasions, like outings to view Christmas lights in the area,” she said.
The delivery could not have come at a more welcome time.