Chris.A

Have you seen or rode their 1994 TMC RTS's when they were in service? Also, why were the 1997-2000 40ft Orion Vs retired so early compared to their WMATA counterparts?

Any source?

How sad indeed, just as I was beginning to think that those last few #1600's were going to outlast the remaining #7800's and last 50 or so RTS's. Any idea if NICE got rid of the other Orion V CNGs at RVC depot too?

Forgot to mention that I spotted a DASH Neoplan AN460 artic driving Not In Service in Springfield the other day. Bus #602.

Yeah, the Orion VIIs are/were like the NTBs (New Tech Buses) of their day and still are to a degree. But yeah, notice how the LFS's are running mostly in areas that were former Orion V territories (I.E., Staten Island, The Bronx, Queens, occasionally Manhattan and NOT Brooklyn (although they did had a couple of brief stunts there just like the non-CNG Orion Vs)).

Seems like the LFS is going to be the MTA's next Orion 5 to the Xcelsior's RTS (or is that the Orion 7s? In any case, those are the big 3 at the MTA right now.).

I don't think they will touch the 2007 Orion VII OG hybrids. They might get rid of every built prior to #6790, but a lot of those 2006's (#6625-6789) are still in very good shape they are old 12-13 years old. I wouldn't be surprised if the last ones make it to 2022-2023 (possibly out lasting their newer 2007 counterparts as a lot of the ENY and QV (EX-CS) ones were banged up over the last 11-12 years. I wonder why they didn't send any 2004 Orion VIIs (hybrids or CNGs) to MTA bus though..?

There's an XE60 test bus at Flatbush depot as of yesterday. In New Flyer colors I might add. Also, if not already stated, ENY is officially out of the RTS game! Last 7 units were taken out off service on or around the same day the last few D60HFs got retired. As of now, only about 100 RTS's remain.

Forgot to mention that DE42LFA #6331 broke down yesterday on I-395 heading north to Pentagon yesterday. Really makes me question Cinder Bed's Maintenance (Transdev).

Just a fleet update. WMATA has exactly 100 40ft Orion VII OG CNGs left in service and all 35 30 ft Orion VII OG CNGs left, making a total of 135 Orion CNGs remaining in service. All 2005 Orion VII OG CNGs have been retired at this point except for #2528 and #2603 (both assigned to Bladensburg depot). So that means that #2600-2602 and #2604-2615 are all retired now and are off the roster. #2620 is the oldest bus assigned to FMR as #2617-2619 are also written off, but it would appear that #2647 is back in service as it was previously reported as retired. As for the remaining 2000 Orion V diesels, exactly 31 units remain in service systemwide (there could very well be more in storage at CET, but I'm only counting the ones on wiki), not among them surprisingly is #2105, #2122, and #2225 and those are all presumed scrapped. 19 buses are assigned to Bladensburg (including #2152 which I rode yesterday), 8 to Montgomery, and 4 remain at Sheppard's Parkway. Lastly, West Ox depot had lost an XDE40, #7203 is now assigned to Northern depot for some reason.

2009 Orion VII NG CNG #1767 was spotted (not by be) getting engine work done at Deerpark along with the Ex-MTA Long Island bus GMC New Look.

Did they really order buses with non-working windows? Not even the top part opens? That's so dumb, why would they even do that, especially since the Spring and Summer in D.C. tends to be hell. As for #3235, that's not the first time I heard a brand new New Flyer CNG getting into an accident while being delivered. Years ago (early 2012 IIRC) when MTA NYCTA were getting the new C40LFs, bus #297 had a wreck around the Chicago land area and had to be sent back for repairs. Are all the #3200s Bladensburg bound?

Just learned that MTA bus Company 2006 Orion VII OG Hybrid #3591 got into a wreck while working the Q18. Crashed into a building (at this point,I lost track at how many Orion 7 buses have collided into buildings, off the top of my head: #7580 CNG (NYCT, retired) 2015, #6612 Hybrid (NYCT, active?) 2018, #1804 CNG (MTA LI bus/NICE, retired) 2011, #1867 CNG (NICE bus, active) 2014, #6372 Hybrid (NYCT, active) 2014, #3972 Hybrid (NYCT , active) 2017, etc, etc,). Not sure if it will be repaired since it has 3-5 years left in service. Also, speaking off #3500-3783, I noticed that the MTA seemed to have had excluded them from the retirement list in the immediate future. Is Bus Company planning to replace their Orion VII OG hybrids with Artic buses?

After not riding one (outside of DASH bus) in over a year, I finally caught a WMATA Metrobus Orion V today! #2152 was working the G8 and boy what a ride it was! Miss hearing that Detroit Diesel Series 50 EGR engine. Saw several other Metro Orion Vs as well such as #2164, #2172, #2197, and 2 others that I didn't get numbers from. Also, the 2019 XN40 order is really starting to pick up, for the highest one in service at Bladensburg (that I've seen at least) was #3225 working on the 80. Meanwhile, Orion 7 #2528 is still trucking along as one of the last 2005 CNGs in service, doing the G9 earlier. Lastly, does anyone know the status of the 2008 NABI BRT 60 CNGs? I accidently reported on one being back in service back in February, but that turned out to be false. Are these buses retired, what was the issue with them?

Drove by FMR depot yesterday and a few 2006 Orion VII OG CNGs are starting to be prepped for retirement. Units #2617, #2656, #2660, and a couple other units have notes on their windshields. A couple of buses have their tank covers open too. Also #3019 is being used as an employee shuttle apparently, so I guess it is retired from regular service (Almost like MTA's "Swing" buses).