NASHVILLE, TN — Riders and politicians gathered to pay their last respects to 14 Metro Transit Authority buses being retired to make way for 25 new high-tech vehicles, according to a story in The Tennessean newspaper. Live jazz music filled the MTA lot as participants watched the mayor cut the ribbon a new bus. The new 40-foot buses, which cost about $279,000 each, are more easily accessible for people with disabilities, officials say. They're more environmentally friendly, with 30 percent greater fuel efficiency than the old buses. They are also bilingual, with global positioning system technology that automatically announces key stops in both English and Spanish. The new purchases are part of a five-year capital improvement plan MTA has initiated to rebuild its aging fleet. Twenty-six additional new buses are scheduled to arrive in the fall. Despite the expense of buying the buses, lower emissions rates and lower maintenance and operating costs means taxpayers will save money in the long run, city officials said. The old buses, which logged 1.2 million miles each, will be auctioned on Nashville's eBid Web site.