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Valley Metro (Phoenix)


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On the city of Phoenix website, its mentions that the bids are due by April 5 and delivery is scheduled by July 1.

Actually, the 5-year contract begins on July 1; the bid prices are good for orders placed during the time frame.

If you keep digging through the files, you'll see a lot of requested specification exceptions that the City has "politely" denied. I don't know how that will affect who stays in the game. You'll also notice that the paint specification is the 2006 scheme. Looks like only RPTA/Tempe buses will have the updated colors.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Also, does anyone know if the new Phoenix buses will be assigned to the North/South division, or the West Division (the former currently operated by Veolia, the latter currently operated by First Transit)?

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I have a question to ask about Valley Metro. Which garage does Valley Metro have their 1997 Nova RTS at? I will be heading to Phoenix next month and would like to see them, however, I am sure they do not run on weekends. Maybe I can get a glimpse of the RTS from outside the fence.

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I have a question to ask about Valley Metro. Which garage does Valley Metro have their 1997 Nova RTS at? I will be heading to Phoenix next month and would like to see them, however, I am sure they do not run on weekends. Maybe I can get a glimpse of the RTS from outside the fence.

They are in the RPTA garage in Mesa.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I will be in the Phoenix area and would like to know which areas are recommended to see Valley Metro's fleet. I would like to see both the NABIs and New Flyers.

Do the New Flyer and NABI BRT artics run on weekends? Where can I find them?

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I will be in the Phoenix area and would like to know which areas are recommended to see Valley Metro's fleet. I would like to see both the NABIs and New Flyers.

Do the New Flyer and NABI BRT artics run on weekends? Where can I find them?

The New Flyer LFA artics are found on the LINK routes (mostly on the Main Street LINK in Mesa, and during rush hours, the Arizona Avenue LINK in Chandler). The NABI 60-BRTs are mostly found on the 30-University, 45-Broadway, and 61-Southern Avenue routes.

Also, the Tempe division operates New Flyer DE60LFRs on the 72-Scottsdale/Rural and the 77-Baseline routes.

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Your absolute best bet is downtown, during the week during rush hour, since you get the Phoenix Compobuses, the RPTA D40LFR and NABI and New Flyer BRTs running the Rapid and Express services. The next place would be the east end of the Light Rail, where the two Link lines start. These use New Flyer BRTs (42 & 60). Unfortunately, the Main St Link doesn't run on the weekend, and Chandler runs once/hour.

I don't see much BRT activity on the trunk routes on the weekend.

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  • 4 weeks later...

According to this link:

http://www.valleymet...for_Posting.pdf

In FY 2013, RPTA will be getting 20 new buses, while Tempe will be getting 16 (all by New Flyer). The models are yet to be deterimned. I presume these will replace the RPTA Nova RTS buses as well as additional NABI LFWs.

If the RPTA buses are planned to replace the Nova RTS fleet, I presume the new RPTA buses will be either diesel or diesel-electric hybrid models. The reason is because there are some Nova RTS buses based out of the Glendale facility, and as far as I know Glendale isn't equipped for CNG nor LNG.

As for Tempe, I'd expect they will probably be more CNG or LNG models, or perhaps diesel-electric hybrids.

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According to this link:

http://www.valleymet...for_Posting.pdf

In FY 2013, RPTA will be getting 20 new buses, while Tempe will be getting 16 (all by New Flyer). The models are yet to be deterimned. I presume these will replace the RPTA Nova RTS buses as well as additional NABI LFWs.

Cool thanks! Are you saying both the RPTA and Tempe buses will be NFI?

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Cool thanks! Are you saying both the RPTA and Tempe buses will be NFI?

Yes, both will be New Flyer. Remember that the City of Tempe now does joint fleet procurements with the RPTA, and the RPTA still has an ongoing contract with New Flyer.

The City of Phoenix, on the other hand, does their own fleet procurements. A new contract for 200 buses should be awarded by June 1.

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Yes, both will be New Flyer. Remember that the City of Tempe now does joint fleet procurements with the RPTA, and the RPTA still has an ongoing contract with New Flyer.

The City of Phoenix, on the other hand, does their own fleet procurements. A new contract for 200 buses should be

awarded by June 1.

Let us know who wins! Oh and I think there is a thread somewhere about who is getting new buses and you could post it there as well.

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The City of Phoenix, on the other hand, does their own fleet procurements. A new contract for 200 buses should be awarded by June 1.

The next City Council meeting is June 13, so it looks like they won't make June 1. We'll know at the end of the month if the contract is on the agenda.

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I just got back from Phoenix and noticed at the Central Station downtown Metro removed that historical display with the PCC streetcar, GMC RTS, and GM Old Look? Where did they put these now?

I wished I could've seen these when i was there. :(

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.....historical display with the PCC streetcar, GMC RTS, and GM Old Look? Where did they put these now?

Actually, this is a Twin Coach. But this display disappeared about two years ago. The buses were taken to the South Operating Facility, and the PCC car went to the Arizona Railway Museum.

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BTW, I decided to give RPTA a call, and they told me that the buses for both RPTA and Tempe will be 40-foot LFR models.

EDIT: Just got a call back, and he said all the buses will be 40-foot CNG models, so that means C40LFRs.

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  • 1 month later...

Just as a little update, the unification between RPTA and Tempe is scheduled to be decided in December, and if successful, should come into effect in July 2013.

Here are the routes I expect to operate out of both the Tempe and Mesa facilities if the unification occurs:

  • 30 University Dr
  • 40 Apache Blvd/Main St
  • 45 Broadway
  • 61 Southern Ave
  • 108 Elliot Rd
  • 156 Chandler Blvd/Williams Field Rd

Also, the unification may open up the possibility of extending the 77 Baseline route east to Superstition Springs Mall, and would be operated out of both facilities if that were to occur. However, the Town of Gilbert would have to agree to such extension, since such a route would straddle the boundaries of Mesa and Gilbert.

Key:

  • Red - Current RPTA route (served from Mesa)
  • Green - Current Tempe route

One thing I wonder though: Do the RPTA buses have Tempe routes programmed into their destination signs or vice-versa? I know the RPTA-owned 2008 C40LFRs that operate for Tempe do, and the 2006 RPTA C40LFRs that formerly operated for Tempe probably sill have Tempe route information still programmed in.

One issue if Tempe and RPTA consolidate: will the destination sign supplier be Luminator or TwinVision? Tempe seems to have a preference for Luminator while RPTA has a preference for TwinVision. I hope they go with TwinVision.

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Just as a little update, the unification between RPTA and Tempe is scheduled to be decided in December, and if successful, should come into effect in July 2013.

Here are the routes I expect to operate out of both the Tempe and Mesa facilities if the unification occurs:

  • 30 University Dr

     

  • 40 Apache Blvd/Main St

     

  • 45 Broadway

     

  • 61 Southern Ave

     

  • 108 Elliot Rd

     

  • 156 Chandler Blvd/Williams Field Rd

     

Also, the unification may open up the possibility of extending the 77 Baseline route east to Superstition Springs Mall, and would be operated out of both facilities if that were to occur. However, the Town of Gilbert would have to agree to such extension, since such a route would straddle the boundaries of Mesa and Gilbert.

Key:

  • Red - Current RPTA route (served from Mesa)

     

  • Green - Current Tempe route

     

One thing I wonder though: Do the RPTA buses have Tempe routes programmed into their destination signs or vice-versa? I know the RPTA-owned 2008 C40LFRs that operate for Tempe do, and the 2006 RPTA C40LFRs that formerly operated for Tempe probably sill have Tempe route information still programmed in.

One issue if Tempe and RPTA consolidate: will the destination sign supplier be Luminator or TwinVision? Tempe seems to have a preference for Luminator while RPTA has a preference for TwinVision. I hope they go with TwinVision.

Interesting. I would assume that the 72 be operated by both facilities, but I guess we'll have to see. I wouldn't expect the 40 to be operated by both since the route doesn't run west of Price Road anymore.

Even if a few 2006 D40LFR's were still programmed for the Tempe routes, they'd definitely need to be reprogrammed since the majority of the routes have either been cut or extended since they ran for Tempe (62 now terminates at Tempe marketplace.. 72 extended up to Thompson Peak, and I believe the 108 was recently cut down on the Tempe side) but I'm sure it wouldn't be an issue to reprogram all the signs.

Another thing- have any of the new C40LFR's on order been spotted in service? Reason I ask is Tempe just sold off 6169, 6173, 6209, 6205 and 6203 today, so I assume they probably had some of the new order delivered already.

The Scottsdale Trolley wrapped 4160, 4148, 4147 and 416-? have also been sold... does Scottsdale have any new buses on order to replace these or were they just surplus to requirements?

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The Scottsdale Trolley wrapped 4160, 4148, 4147 and 416-? have also been sold... does Scottsdale have any new buses on order to replace these or were they just surplus to requirements?

I'm not sure about Scottsdale. Perhaps they should consider ordering some Gillig Trolley Replicas.

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Just as a little update, the unification between RPTA and Tempe is scheduled to be decided in December, and if successful, should come into effect in July 2013.

Here are the routes I expect to operate out of both the Tempe and Mesa facilities if the unification occurs:

I think it wants to move as many buses out of Mesa as possible, so I would guess that all of the east-west routes, and Tempe (RPTA operated) express routes would move to Tempe. The north-south routes (Dobson and east) as well as Mesa express routes and Link routes would stay in Mesa.

The Scottsdale Trolley wrapped 4160, 4148, 4147 and 416-? have also been sold... does Scottsdale have any new buses on order to replace these or were they just surplus to requirements?

Last one is 4163. I saw one of the EZ Riders in service three weeks ago. There are provisions for Scottsdale replacements in this fiscal year (just started), but these would be 40-foot buses. But I think anything that says "Scottsdale Trolley" is outside the scope of Valley Metro.

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Last one is 4163. I saw one of the EZ Riders in service three weeks ago. There are provisions for Scottsdale replacements in this fiscal year (just started), but these would be 40-foot buses. But I think anything that says "Scottsdale Trolley" is outside the scope of Valley Metro.

I wonder if they'll run out of the Tempe facility, like 6255 did until it was sold off.. or if they'll just go straight to Dunn Transportation?

Does anyone have information on the new Tempe/ RPTA order?

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I wonder if they'll run out of the Tempe facility, like 6255 did until it was sold off.. or if they'll just go straight to Dunn Transportation?

Does anyone have information on the new Tempe/ RPTA order?

Looking deeper, it looks like the budget calls for 16 40-foot buses for Tempe and 20 Nova replacements this fiscal year. Somewhere above it was said they would all be C40LFRs. Additionally, there is funding to replace all of the Orbit buses, and add a 30-foot bus to the Orbit fleet. Scottsdale is funded for replacing 8 30-foot buses; Scottsdale's Transportation Department shows preference for low-floor trolley replicas.

The Scottsdale 40-foot buses are budgeted for the fiscal year beginning July 2013.

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  • 3 weeks later...

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