AUSTIN (KXAN) — Fans of HBO’s “The Last of Us” already know the TV series’ pilot takes place in Austin. But how accurate was its depiction of CapMetro’s bus designs?
Officials with CapMetro’s Vehicle Maintenance Department reviewed interior and exterior shots of a CapMetro bus — then referred to as Capital Metro — depicted in the first episode. The pilot, set in the year 2003, used the transit authority’s historic branding to design the TV version.
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CapMetro’s New Flyer buses from 2003 were all white. (Courtesy: CapMetro) -
In 1997, CapMetro’s New Flyer buses featured a blue-and-green striped design. It was more similar to the branding depicted in HBO’s “The Last of Us,” but the show used a different unit number. (Courtesy: CapMetro) -
In the 2000s, CapMetro had a Gillig bus design that featured burnt orange striping, a nod to the University of Texas at Austin. (Courtesy: CapMetro)
From the exterior, officials said the transit authority had purchased 34 flyer buses in 2003, referred to as units 2001-2034. One of those units, 2029, is what was referenced in the pilot episode.
However, the branding of those buses was all white on the exterior, as opposed to the green and blue stripes shown in the TV show. That green and blue design was employed by CapMetro at the time but with different bus models.
On the interior, HBO show designers depicted red-and-purple upholstered seats with red seat frames. In reality, CapMetro buses featured blue-and-green-patterned seats with stainless steel frames in 2003.
