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BrianD

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Everything posted by BrianD

  1. Due to a bus shortage bus 50 has been re licensed with new plates and brought back into service. I should be working a charter tomorrow (Friday)
  2. I operated the new Xcelsiors (71 & 72) a few times now. They are a nice driving solid feeling bus. The doors work decent!!! The power seems down on them. Maybe they are DE-tuned for break in? Both Xcelsiors seem quite slow accelerating. The 2010 DFLR's will easily out accelerate the Xcelsiors and the Nova's will easily out accelerate the DFLR's
  3. 71 was in service this afternoon on one of the ML routes. My buddy from work was operating it. He said it's very nice, the doors work fast but the bus is slower accelerating than the Novas. I'm assuming it's power will be on par with the existing New Flyer buses in our fleet.
  4. 71 should be in service by tomorrow afternoon.
  5. Yes they are very nice!!! I feel these two are the new Flag Ships for BT 49 is retired from service....the fare box is removed. 50 is still listed as active. I doubt it will ever see service again. 71 is in the shop getting 49's fare box installed.
  6. This is correct!!! The bus board in the barn has been updated with all the new buses (Handi and Regular). 71 & 72 are listed on it. I heard rumors that they are expected to arrive any day now. Update.... 71 & 72 are here...they arrived Wednesday May 16 2018 They have the same striping as the Nova Buses. 49 & 50 are parked outside...I expect these two buses to be retired soon after 71 & 72 become active. I got to drive bus 59 last night. (the bus that hit the building last fall) It drives and steers good but it runs like crap!!! Low on power and the transmission slips when up shifting from 3 to 4.
  7. New Handi buses 26 & 28 are on active duty. 28 has been operating for a couple of weeks, 26 became active this past Monday. Handi buses 25 & 27 should be operating soon. Handi Buses 22, 23 & 24 are now retired from service. The city is keeping Handi bus 21 as a spare. Currently Handi bus 20 is still active but only until the remaining new units become active. All the retired units including bus 20 were traded in as part of the tender for the new units. It remains to be seen if they are actually shipped back to Crestline or sent to Auction in Winnipeg. Either way it's not the cities concern. I've operated both 26 & 28, very nice units!!! These have gas engines. Much quieter and seem to have good power and acceleration.
  8. Bus 59 is back and repaired from the collision with the building last fall. It's not in service yet but will be soon
  9. I got to drive 57 today. It drives nice and runs good. It isn't the quickest New Flyer in the fleet but it's a smooth bus to operate.
  10. Buses 55 & 57 are both back in service since getting their new engines (57 received engine & transmission) 55 runs and drives good...I haven't operated 57 yet
  11. I hope the XD 40's are more operator friendly then the 4 Nova's BT has. The more I do this job the less I like the Nova buses. The Nova front doors are painfully slow. The Nova's have a bouncy ride and are not as good in icy/snowy conditions. The Flyers we currently have are much smoother and more operator friendly.
  12. I think it was the third time I applied when they got back to me and it didn't take long. Do apply...and keep applying if you don't get called this time!!! This posting closes March 22 2018 I suspect they will be contacting possible hires within a few days of the closing date. They will want the new hire(s) trained and ready by the end of April so they can gain experience for the busy summer time season. On a different topic 55 is back in operation with it's new engine. I haven't driven it yet but the doesn't smoke
  13. Brandon Transit has a posting for Temp Drivers Job closes Mar 22 2018 https://jobbank.brandon.ca/AvantiCareerConnector/Job/Details/180025 Once they hire people I'll finally get off the bottom...
  14. The four new Handi Transit Buses arrived over the past weekend Fleet numbers 25,26,27&28...they look good!!! Identical model to the four buses they are replacing with the exception of the new buses have gas engines instead of diesel. It will take about a month before all units are in service.
  15. Brandon Transit should be taking delivery of four new Handi Transit buses near the end of March and hope to have them operating in early April. Two new 40' Flyer buses should be arriving in early fall.
  16. https://purchasing.brandon.ca/ Maxim Truck & Trailer has been awarded the engine, engine & transmission replacement for buses 55 & 57 This can't happen soon enough....49 & 50 have been on consistent regular transit duty for the past couple of weeks. 49 is a great old bus when it decides to start but doesn't always cooperate... You never know if it will start....lol It has a problem with the ECM...sometimes it refuses to wake up. Award Document: Supplier:Maxim Truck & Trailer Amount:Various Award Date:2/1/2018 12:00:00 AM Description: Item Total Bid Price Engine Replacement – Bus 55 $50,921.39 Engine Replacement – Bus 57 $50,921.39 Transmission Replacement – Bus 57 $11,762.34
  17. More Cuts coming to BT service Shaving two hours off Sunday Service & cutting service completely on stat holidays.
  18. I hope they do hold on to 49 & 50 for awhile. I asked dispatch if they would ever recommission 65. I was told not unless they become desperate. I don't know what they consider desperate but it seems to be regular occurrence to have no spares available during the afternoon once the Maple Leaf routes start operating. Yes the Handi Buses are a replacement (Today I heard February is the delivery month). Transit traded in buses 20,22,23 & 24 on the new units...they are apparently keeping 21 as the 5th bus. (Spare) The new units are the same model as the current units (excluding bus 20)...Bus 20 is a beast but it does have a kick ass stereo!!! The only difference is this time they ordered 6.0L gas engines instead of the 6.6L diesel the current GM handi's have. IMO...Handi Bus 21 is the best of the current bunch...everything works well on it.
  19. Nobody seems to know when the Xcelsiors are arriving. The four new Handi Buses are supposed to arrive this month but we have to wait and see. Nobody seems to know for certain if 49 & 50 are to be retired but this is the rumor...Kind of too bad if they do...they still run and drive good.
  20. The city has tendered the replacement of two engines & one transmission for bus 55 & 57 Within a year most of the other New Flyers will be in the same situation https://purchasing.brandon.ca/ Quote - Engine & Transmission Replacement.pdf Quote - Engine & Transmission Replacement.pdf Quote - Engine & Transmission Replacement.pdf Quote - Engine & Transmission Replacement.pdf Quote - Engine & Transmission Replacement.pdf Quote - Engine & Transmission Replacement.pdf Quote - Engine & Transmission Replacement.pdf Quote - Engine & Transmission Replacement.pdf Quote - Engine & Transmission Replacement.pdf Quote - Engine & Transmission Replacement.pdf Quote - Engine & Transmission Replacement.pdf Quote - Engine & Transmission Replacement.pdf Quote - Engine & Transmission Replacement.pdf
  21. I had bus #50 on the Maple Leaf afternoon run today. The transmission is an Alison BR400 5 speed. In automatic mode it up shifts into 5th at 80km/hr. I put the transmission in manual mode and held it in 4th. I had it up to 90km in 4th and it was still accelerating I have no idea what the governed RPM is but the acceleration was starting to diminish at 90km so it was likely approaching the governed engine speed. Shifted into 5th and it began accelerating confidently again. Took it up to 98km/hr. I'm impressed with old #50 Told the dispatcher how I was impressed with 50 and how it ran..he agreed and said the Calgary buses were even better at highway speeds.
  22. I found out some info regarding the Maple Leaf runs.... Apparently the late night take home loops are chartered via Maple Leaf. This makes me wonder if "all" of the Industrial Runs are chartered. This would explain more the reasoning behind not including these with the regular bus routes. On a different topic... I've been operating regular routes quite often over the past weeks. My opinion on the two makes of buses we have. The Nova's are more modern, have better visibility, are extremely nice to drive, very comfortable and have good power. However the Nova doors are slow and the front door has a brake interlock which really slows you down at stops. The New Flyers are quicker on regular routes for this reason and have a nicer ride. The majority of the drivers prefer the New Flyer buses and I tend to agree.
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