Stealth Bus

What’s this? Good news from the MTA? Yes, a lightweight, low-emission, wheelchair-friendly bus for the new millennium debuted last month and is making freebie test runs in L.A. Officially known as the Earl Clark Advanced Technology Transit Bus (ATTB), in honor of the former United Transportation Union president, MTA officials have nicknamed it the “Stealth Bus” because its outer shell shares similar fiberglass-like materials with the fabled B-2 Stealth bomber. Weighing about 9,000 pounds less than a standard public-transit bus and costing $300,000 apiece (a wee bit less expensive than its $2.2-billion airborne counterpart), the Stealth Bus boasts better fuel economy, an electronic, noise-reducing brake system and a low floor that lines up with the curb, allowing for easier passenger access, especially for those in wheelchairs. The MTA plans to debut another Stealth Bus in the South Bay this month and, like the one making the rounds downtown, all rides will be free through the end of this test year, though with no fixed route or schedule. Sound like the real MTA?