Buzz2kb

Wait! Tri-Delta Transit also has Proterra's. Meanwhile, Antelope Valley Transit Authority (AVTA) is probably in bed with BYD as long as its US ops is around, as it is based right at AVTA's backyard in Lancaster.

Could be a prelude to the demotion of the 71 to a weekday peaks-only route after the launch of the Prospect MAX coming Monday?

A few questions here: 1. Are the 30ft. Phantoms at Kalihi finally retiring? 2. Which buses are now used on routes 414 and 416 at Kapolei? 3. Are there more Gillig LF 35ft. buses numbered above 64 or 29ft. buses numbered above 23? 4. Finally, which buses are used on route 651 and the 670-series of Kailua locals?

So what contribute to the styling conservatism at these two manufacturers?

Just a couple of slightly off topic questions: 1, Is the transit industry in North America among the most conservative in the developed world? 2. If yes, what contribute to the conservative styling in North American transit buses such that a basic design often last for a decade or two?

Apparently, the EZ-Rider II BRT's and the Chevy/Titan II LF cutaway are obtained from the failed fixed-route operation of Texoma Area Paratransit System/TAPS Public Transit. They used to run in Allen and McKinney in Collin County (Another suburban Dallas county). You can always refer to my TAPS gallery for comparison. By the way, I also have a DCTA gallery in my Flickr collection. It features mostly 2006 and 2011 Gillig LF's and also a Ford low-floor cutaway on a since-defunct Lewisville local service. No UNT buses though, as I was in its operating territory during the July 4th weekend of 2015. Here are my picture samples: Both Gillig's and the A-Train were pictured at the Downtown Denton Transit Center, while cutaway 1455 was pictured at the then Vista Ridge Mall (now renamed Music City Mall).

Finally got the chance of recapping the transit-fanning I've done since June in this November 4th update: 12 photos in Coast Transit Authority gallery. (Highlight: A brand-new cutaway used exclusively for a City of Gulfport service) 26 photos in JATRAN (Jackson, Mississippi) gallery. (Highlight: Gillig LF's brand-new for 2019 and former Ride KC sisters buses are featured) 20 photos in Hub City Transit (Hattiesburg, Mississippi) gallery. (Highlight: System has expanded into 7 color-coded routes, but has become a predominantly cutaway operation) 54 photos in Oxford University Transit gallery. (Highlight: Entire fleet is now in navy blue, and leased ex-Calgary Grande West Vicinity buses are in service) 17 photos in NRoute (Vicksburg, Mississippi) gallery. (Highlight: Mostly cutaways, but fleet has a special events-only trolley replica) 8 photos in Starkville-MSU Area Rapid Transit gallery. 39 photos in Capital Area Rural Transportation System gallery. (Highlight: New Flyer MD30's in San Marcos city route and 35ft. ElDorado National XHF spotted in service) 110 photos in Capital Metro (Austin, Texas) gallery (Highlight: Featuring new routes from the 2018 system redesign, sub-systems in Georgetown and Round Rock and brand-new MCI commuter coaches. Loads of Gillig BRT pictures as well) 1 photo in Texas State University Bobcat Shuttle gallery. 67 photos in the brand-new Trinity Metro (Fort Worth, Texas) gallery. (Highlight: System is re-named from The T and now features a large fleet of Gillig LF CNG buses. Older NABI's and New Flyers repainted as well, New Flyer XN60's also spotted in service) 33 photos in VIA Metropolitan Transit gallery. (Highlight: Now featuring Primo version of Novabus LFS and repainted New Flyer DE40LFR suburban buses) 4 photos in Waco Transit System gallery. (Highlight: All new pictures are New Flyer XD35's.) 23 photos in the brand-new Casper Area Transportation Coalition gallery. (Highlight: The final multi-route agency I've fanned on in Wyoming. Operation is 100% cutaway.) 23 photos in Cheyenne Transit Program gallery. (Highlight: Buses in system now spots a new livery with a purple front. Newer small cutaways are also spotted.) 13 photos in City of Loveland Transit gallery. (Highlight: Featuring the newly-renumbered and expanded route system.) 19 photos in Transfort (Fort Collins, Colorado) gallery. (Highlight: 40ft. Gillig BRT Plus CNG buses now spotted in service.) Hopefully, I will post narratives on most of this and the immediate past update once I get my personal career situation straight.

Must be New Flyer XN40's, right?

Why are these 3 buses retired at roughly 10 years old?

They'll probably replace all remaining 2002-03 Gillig's, as well as the 2005-2008 NABI's. Maybe even the worst of the 2009's as well.

This leaves Bis-Man Transit (Bismarck) as the last Gillig operator in North Dakota! And according to its Transit Development Plan, Gillig LF bus 403 has been retired. It and possibly another of the pioneering 2004 buses are being replaced by a couple of Alexander Dennis Enviro 200's according to this Facebook post (numbered 1909 and 1910). Coincidentally, Grand Forks is about to place two similar buses into service as well.

It's Piedmont Authority for Regional Transportation based in Greensboro, North Carolina and operates inter-city commuter buses in the Greensboro/High Point/Winston-Salem (Piedmont Triad) area plus outlying counties around them. It has replaced some Orion VII OG's with New Flyer XD40's of late.

Hi! Is London Transit Commission (LTC) part of the Ontario Metrolinx Consortium? If not, then it might be the difference as almost everyone else in Ontario are ordering Novabus LFS's heavily while LTC is almost 100% New Flyer. Can anyone confirm my theory? An interesting observation, all the systems listed here but LTC are in the Canadian Prairies. They are no doubt under the orbit of influence of New Flyer. The case of Winnipeg Transit is self-explanatory, as it is New Flyer's hometown agency (NFI's HQ is in Winnipeg).

Does anyone know why did COTA switch to New Flyer?

According to this accident report and the clip inside the Try Transit Day coverage, JATRAN in Jackson, Mississippi has purchased an unknown amount of ex-KCATA Gillig LF's. Can anyone confirm this? By the way, I think thr Oklahoma agency purchasing ex-KCATA uses was Lawton Area Transit System (LATS) in Lawton, Oklahoma. 30ft. Gillig Phantoms were involved in that deal. So can someone confirm this as well? Thanks!

June 18th Update: 15 photos in Oxford University Transit gallery (Highlight: Low-floor buses spotted on most routes, plus a restored community route utilizing cutaways). And in my first venturing into New England: 14 photos in Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority gallery (Highlight: I am only able to spot 29ft. Gillig LF's with regular body style and pre-EPA 2010 emission equipments alongside cutaways and a trolley replica) 27 photos in Lowell Regional Transit Authority gallery, (Highlight: Agency is now 100%-Gillig other than a few cutaways) 42 photos in Greater Attleboro Taunton Regional Transit Authority gallery (Highlight: Orion VII's are likely to be history there. The main networks are run with a mix of Gillig LF's and New Flyer MiDi's/Americanized Alexander Dennis Enviro200's) 46 photos in Martha's Vineyard Transit Authority gallery (Highlight: Agency has an eclectic mix of buses like school bus derivatives, New Flyer MiDi's, various BYD electric buses and a New Flyer XD40) 42 photos in Southeastern Regional Transit Authority gallery (Highlight: An 100%-Gillig LF agency) 34 photos in Brockton Area Transit Authority gallery (Highlight: Another 100% Gillig LF/BRT operation) Narratives on the above updates to come in the due course.

So just a couple of questions: 1. Why are CNG buses less prevalent in Canada compared to the US? 2. Why are they less common in Eastern Canada? Any insights are appreciated!

Then what makes Cummins more successful than the other two?

Can someone explain the reasons behind this Cummins monopoly? Thanks!

I am one of those affected by the derailment. Supposed to arrive in Dallas late afternoon but have to change to a later flight combo due to the related traffic chaos on my return from a Lowell, Massachusetts morning swing. PS: The derailment took place at JFK/UMass station, near where I had been staying for a professional convention.

No, the 9200's were retired by 2005, when I first took up the hobby of transit fanning in the US. My first visit to MDT's operating area was in 2006. so the 9300's were the oldest Flixibles still active back then.

Hi! I haven't finished the narrative part of my reply yet, and yes, the AN460 model is represented by bus 5310 there.

Here is my photo journal on Broward County Transit (BCT), serving Florida's second most-populous county of the same name. During my first spotting trips in 2005, high-floor buses were already a dwindling species in BCT's fleet. Flixible Metro buses 9208 and 9303 were among the last buses of their kind, tailending BCT's 12-year long relationship with the Grumman Flixible 870/Flixible Metro. Meanwhile, Gillig Phantom bus 9612 was one of the last high-floor, heavy-duty buses bought by BCT (excluding the recent MCI commuter coaches). BCT was a relatively early user of low-floor buses among Florida transit agencies, and New Flyer D40LF buses 9715 and 9736 in the 1990's honeycomb livery, together with all white sister bus 9728 were among the agency's first low-floor buses. They were also BCT's ony non-articulated New Flyers so far. BCT went on purchasing 161 Gillig Low Floor's (The staple non-articulated bus for Florida then and now) between 1999 and 2003, Buses featuring the original front were exemplified by buses 9926, 0020 and 0118 in the honeycomb livery, all-white bus 0028 and the same bus, plus buses 9912 and 0140 featuring the white-based version of the Breeze livery. Finally, bus 0141 -the final bus of the bunch- is also featured here. The 2001 deliveries pioneered the use of LED headsigns at BCT. Before switching to NABI's, purchased 55 further Gillig Low Floor's with the current regular front, like buses 0202 and 0308 in honeycomb livery, all-white bus 0325 (BCT's last Gillig until the 2018 BRT's) and buses 0216 and 0311 in the white Breeze livery. In 2005 and 2007, BCT introduced two batches of NABI 40-LFW Gen I's buses for a total of 73 buses. The 2005 buses were BCT's final buses delivered new in the honeycomb livery. They also lack roof-mounted HVAC pods, which became standard on all of its subsequent 40-LFW's. Featured here are bus 0502 in the honeycomb livery, all-white bus 0525 (final bus of batch), buses 0513, 0701 and 0730 in the white Breeze livery, plus buses 0745 and 0748 (final Gen I bus) in the silver Breeze livery (pioneered by last 7 buses of its batch and then reserved for limited-stop "Breeze duties") BCT then obtained 42 Gen II buses in 2008 (12 hybrid buses and 30 diesel buses). They are exemplified here by specially wrapped hybrid bus 0801, hybrid bus 0811 and diesel bus 0816 in the white Breeze livery, plus diesel bus 0838 in the silver Breeze livery (then reserved for the same duties as buses 0742-0748). The silver Breeze livery became BCT's standard livery from 2009 deliveries onward to this day. The 0800's were the only Gen II buses I've ever spotted. BCT introduced 6 New Flyer D60LFR's in 2006 for the 441 Breeze duty. They pioneered the Breeze livery and were the agency's first articulated buses. They were also the only such buses I've ever spotted before I left Florida in 2009. Last but not least, BCT once operated a few Ford E-Series/ElDorado National Aerotech cutaways in the M0790 series on low-ridership routes. They are illustrated here by buses M0797 and M0798 in the white Breeze livery. Sorry for finishing the narrative part of my response late, and here is my BCT gallery: Broward County Transit

Here is my photo journal on Miami Dade Transit (MDT) between April 2006 and September 2007. Back in 2006, MDT still had Flixible Metro's active in dwindling numbers. Buses 9335 and 9352 were Cummins-powered 1993 buses, while bus 9364 was a Detroit Diesel-powered sister bus. Meanwhile, bus 9425 was the final bus of its 1994 batch and mechanically identical to bus 9364. Finally, bus 9427 was one of just 5 Cummins M11-powered 1994 buses. All of MDT's Flixible Metro's were 40ft. long and 102 ft. wide. Remarkably, bus 9352 featured a late 1980's/early 1990's livery. After the closure of Flixible, MDT entered a long lasting relationship with American Ikarus/NABI between 1994 and 2006 (plus a batch of 2010 NABI 40-LFW Gen II's). The high-floor buses purchased as a result were exemplified by 1995 Ikarus 436 artic's 5015 and 5025; and 1997 NABI 416 buses 9714 and 9750. Bus 9750 turned out to be MDT's final high-floor heavy-duty bus. A long line of 713 NABI 40-LFW Gen I's dating from 1998 to 2006 followed, and they are still the mainstay of MDT's fleet (albeit in gradually dwindling numbers). 1999 Bus 9803 is one of just 19 in its batch, and belonged to the only series of such buses fully retired from MDT's fleet. Meanwhile, buses 9993 (the final bus of its batch) and 2006 featuring the late 1990s livery, bus 9953 and 2065 in the white version of the mid-2000's livery and bus 9936 in the silver version of the same livery belonged to two groups of late 1999 to early 2000 buses that are still hanging on at around 19-20 years old, with only buses 9993 and 2065 among these 5 confirmed to be retired. The 2002 deliveries saw the transition into LED headsigns, as exemplified by buses 2141 and 2210 (final bus of batch). They were followed by 2003 buses like 3103 and 3200 (final bus of its batch) and 2004 buses 4190 and 4204. The 2004 buses were MDT's final Detroit Diesel-powered transit-style buses, as well as the final buses delivered in the late 1990's livery. MDT than switched to Cummins to power its final 185 NABI 40-LFW Gen I's. While the 2005 buses feature both a white-based version (like bus 5135) and the silver-based versions (like buses 5181 and 5202) of the then new livery, all 2006 buses like 6101 (First bus of its batch)were delivered in the silver variant. The flagship buses back in 2006-07 were a batch of 13 MCI D4500CL commuter coaches, from which 12 units remain. Unusually for an agency of its size, MDT has a long-standing tradition of operating mid-sized buses on low-ridership/community feeder routes. At one time, MDT had 118 Blue Bird CSFE shuttles like 1999-2000 bus 1937, 2001 buses 1987 and 1990 (final bus of its batch); and 2003 buses 2305 and 2328 (MDT's final CSFE bus). For unknown reasons, some 1900's like bus 1987 and all 2300's featured trolley wraps. They were followed by 70 NABI 30-LFN (Americanized version of the British Optare Solo) new in 2003 like bus 3305 in regular livery and bus 3365 branded for the South Beach Local route. The final midibuses for MDT were 75 Optima Opus Streamlined buses new in 2006-07 like buses 6323 and 6334. MDT was the only transit operator for te 30-LFN, and the only overall operator for the Opus Streamlined. After the retirement of the 6300's at roughly 10 years old, the 3 Gillig BRT 29ft. buses delivered in 2012 are the last buses to carry the torch for MDT's midibus operations, with the midibus routes either discontinued, becoming outsourced cutaway operations or upgraded to 40ft. buses. Here is my Miami Dade Transit gallery: Miami Dade Transit

My long-awaited retro post on WMATA is finally here! Compared to other mega agencies like NYC MTA, SEPTA and LACMTA, WMATA always had a more diverse fleet until the recent influx of various New Flyer Xcelsior's. Back in my 2008 stay at its operating area for an academic rotation, it still operated a dwindling fleet of Flixible Metro buses at up to 18 years old, as exemplified by 1990 bus 9395 on a Virginia service. They were followed by mostly identical 1993-94 buses in the 9700 and low 9800 series like buses 9775 and 9818 (They were Cummins-powered buses like the 9300's, except that they feature roof-mounted HVAC pods). WMATA's final Flixible Metro's were Detroit Diesel-powered 1995 buses in the 4000-series like bus 4041 on a Maryland service. The 4000's lacked roof-mounted HVAC pods. Just after the delivery of the 1990 Flixible Metro's, WMATA introduced its first BIA/OBI Orion V 40ft. buses like 1992 BIA bus 9618 on a Maryland service. The 9600's were followed by 1997-1998 buses like 4217, 4336 and 4412. At the same time, 30ft. buses in te 3900 series like bus 3921 were also delivered. The 2100's and 2200's were WMATA's final Orion V's new in 2000, and members of this batch like buses 2117 and 2203 are still hanging on at an ripe old age of 19 years old. All other Orion V's were since removed from WMATA inventory. WMATA's relationship with Orion definitely went beyond the Orion V's, as it had 100 Orion VI's like buses 2053 and 2071 delivered at the same time as the 2100's and 2200's. In the end, the agency's first low-floor heavy-duty buses were outlived by their high-floor compatriots due to being unusually prone to fires. Meanwhile, WMATA also operated 42 of the Orion II 26ft. low-floor buses like bus 3721. Articulated buses back in that period were represented by 1995 American Ikarus 436's like bus 5209 and 2002 Neoplan USA AN460's like bus 5310. The 2001-02 New Flyer C40LF's were the buses that initiated WMATA's long association with the manufacturer which lasts up to this day. These 164 uses were represented by 2001 buses 2300 (The first of all) and 2322, as well as 2002 bus 2415. The Orion VII OG CNG buses from 2005-06 are the oldest low-floor buses still active with WMATA by now. The early 2500's among the 40ft. buses were wrapped in a promotional livery brandishing their green credential, as illustrated by bus 2503. Meanwhile, bus 2582 from the same 2005 batch featured normal fleet livery, and bus 2607 was branded for route 38B, a flagship Virginia service. 2006 bus 2668 was branded for the flagship Pike Ride corridor along the Columbia Pike in Virginia, and 2676 from the same batch was branded for the Richmond Highway Express (REX) service in Virginia as well. Finally, sister bus 2702 featured regular livery like bus 2582. In fact, all 40ft. Orion VII's were delivered new as Virginia buses (Some moved on to the DC later in their careers as interim C40LF replacements). The 2006 Orion VII delivery also featured 30ft. variants in the low 3000-series split between Virginia and the DC, as exemplified by DC bus 3020 and Virginia bus 3033. Subsequent New Flyer LF's/LFR's were represented here by 2007 C40LFR bus 2825 (WMATA's last-ever LFR-series bus), DE40LF buses 6021 and 6039 (WMATA's last-ever LF-series bus), DE40LFR buses 6040 and 6042; plus D40LFR buses 6176 and 6205. The 6000's through the 6200's were new in 2006 and were all assigned to Maryland duties when new, while te 2800's were always based in the DC. Finally, WMATA also introduced New Flyer DE42LFA's like 2008-09 buses 6396 and 6400. They were the only LFA's from WMATA I've ever pictured, and they were new as Virginia buses. Here is my WMATA Metrobus gallery: WMATA Metrobus