ABQ RIDE Posted May 4, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 4, 2015 Looks like the joint bus procurement link on the Valley Metro procurement website has been removed. I wonder if the RPTA has backed out of the joint procurement and will instead procure buses separately from Phoenix. I was told by someone from the RPTA that an update should be made in late May, so perhaps a final decision should be looming. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3we Posted May 5, 2015 Report Share Posted May 5, 2015 If that were to happen, then I think the bidding would have to start over. They had better get moving if they expect FY16 deliveries. On another note, I see the ValuTrans contract is going to be extended out through FY19. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ABQ RIDE Posted May 10, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 10, 2015 FYI, I was told by a friend today who is a driver at Tempe that the NABI artics have all been sent back to Mesa. From what he told me, Tempe was not happy with these buses while they operated from there due to numerous issues with them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
northwesterner Posted May 13, 2015 Report Share Posted May 13, 2015 FYI, I was told by a friend today who is a driver at Tempe that the NABI artics have all been sent back to Mesa. From what he told me, Tempe was not happy with these buses while they operated from there due to numerous issues with them. Seems a bit unclear to me what exactly is going on. I'd assumed that the NABIs were at Mesa the whole time. Then they showed up on Tempe local routes, for about three weeks just before the new driver bid went into effect on the 27th. You wouldn't move equipment mid-bid, as the runs they need to operate on would also have to move, and that would be a huge mess. Thus, they had been at Tempe for at least the duration of the bid that started in late January. Would First actually move the vehicles (and the associated runs) back to Mesa just because the Tempe mechanics didn't like them? If it is more cost effective to operate those runs (mostly express runs, I'm assuming) out of Tempe, then what? Finally, I stood downtown last week and watched the east valley express runs rolling out from about 1640-1725. Equipment was a mishmash across routes, with obviously Tempe equipment (45ft NABIs and silver NFIs) running on the far out Mesa and Mesa/Gilbert routes. Also saw a D60LFA and quite a few NABIs. The only "for sure" Mesa coach was a 6400 running on the last Mesa Express of the evening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flyer59 Posted May 15, 2015 Report Share Posted May 15, 2015 Fleet was swapped between the two locations temporarily for a ridership data collection project. Hence why Mesa equipment was spotted on Tempe routes and Tempe equipment on Mesa routes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The XDE60 Posted May 22, 2015 Report Share Posted May 22, 2015 If I were to predict who will use the 2015 Phoenix Gillig Low Floor buses, it would be a split house between the two Transdev garages, no? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3we Posted May 22, 2015 Report Share Posted May 22, 2015 Does Lower Buckeye have CNG fueling yet? I thought they were delaying that until the facility was refurbished. The contract for that was done in April, so I'd think completion sometime next year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ABQ RIDE Posted May 23, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 23, 2015 I presume that most of the first batch will go to the Transdev North Division, which could send its 1999 and 2002 NABIs to the West Division as an interim replacement for their 1998 NABIs. Another thing that may not be out of the realm of possibility could be that the North Division will get all 80 initial Gilligs, and send some of its 2014 New Flyer C40LFRs to the West Division. This would give the West Division a common fleet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3we Posted May 23, 2015 Report Share Posted May 23, 2015 On an old topic, I found on an APTA presentation that the Phoenix buses will stay with Allison transmissions while Valley Metro will stay with ZF. Also, the 8 buses Scottsdale has ordered are options from an Akron contract. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The XDE60 Posted June 5, 2015 Report Share Posted June 5, 2015 I made history by seeing 6122 on the 41W today. For the past couple months, I had not been seeing a single 1998 Phoenix NABI 40-LFW on the 41 in either direction. It's hard when there's like 10-15 of those buses left in service. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The XDE60 Posted June 19, 2015 Report Share Posted June 19, 2015 Any word on the new buses yet? But if I were to guess, the 80 Phoenix Gillig Low Floor buses would be the first to arrive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ABQ RIDE Posted June 19, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 19, 2015 Any word on the new buses yet? But if I were to guess, the 80 Phoenix Gillig Low Floor buses would be the first to arrive. On the Phoenix side, it looks like they have finalized the order last month for delivery next year: https://www.phoenix.gov/publictransitsite/Documents/050715%20CTC%20Packet.pdf On the RPTA side, the final decision has been delayed until at least August. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3we Posted July 8, 2015 Report Share Posted July 8, 2015 On a less than pleasant note, this Saturday the City of Phoenix is auctioning the Twin Coach (#507) and the RTS (#4401) that were on display at Central Station. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ABQ RIDE Posted July 25, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 25, 2015 I would like to know, does anyone have a full list of routes that have some buses that interline at their endpoints? It would be interesting to know. Here are some routes that I know: 45-Broadway and 61-Southern 104-Alma School and 112-Arizona/Country Club 108-Elliot and 156-Chandler/Williams Field 156-Chandler/Williams Field and 184-Power Both LINK routes Orbit Earth and Mars Note that in my dream light rail system for the Phoenix area (mentioned in another thread), I would have four lines that would interline at their endpoints. The Orange Line (serving Glendale, Peoria, Phoenix, Tempe and Chandler from Arrowhead Towne Center to Chandler Fashion Center via Bell Road, 59th Avenue, Glendale Avenue, Central Avenue, I-10, Loop 202, 24th Street, Broadway, McClintock, and Chandler Blvd) would interline with the Brown Line (serving Scottsdale, Tempe, and Chandler from Frank Lloyd Wright to Chandler Fashion Center via Scottsdale Road, Rural Road, and Chandler Blvd) at Chandler Fashion Center. Similarly, the Pink Line (serving Ahwatukee, Chandler, Gilbert, and East Mesa from 48th Street to Superstition Springs Center via Chandler Blvd, Williams Field Road, and Power Road) would interline with the Purple Line (serving Phoenix, Tempe, Mesa, and Gilbert from 75th Avenue to Superstition Springs Center via Baseline Road and Power Road) at Superstition Springs Center. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The XDE60 Posted August 4, 2015 Report Share Posted August 4, 2015 Question about the 1998 Phoenix NABI 40-LFW buses- same 25? Even though I saw 6125 on the 41W this morning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3we Posted August 5, 2015 Report Share Posted August 5, 2015 Nothing has moved out since March (6021). My list isn't at all official, but my count is 32 left. The low number is 6012. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The XDE60 Posted August 10, 2015 Report Share Posted August 10, 2015 I spoke with the driver of 6022 today, he agrees that we should retire the rest of the 1998 Phoenix NABI 40-LFW buses at the end of the month, although this isn't official. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
northwesterner Posted August 10, 2015 Report Share Posted August 10, 2015 Any Gilligs in service yet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The XDE60 Posted August 10, 2015 Report Share Posted August 10, 2015 Any Gilligs in service yet?Not yet, I figured you'll probably see a 1998 Phoenix NABI 40-LFW or two for the remainder of 2015 and a tiny bit into 2016. Unless I see a Gillig on the 41, I'll tell you otherwise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ABQ RIDE Posted August 11, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 11, 2015 The Phoenix Gilligs have been delayed until next year, as the contract was actually finalized in May. I think the RPTA is expected to finalize their contract this month. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
northwesterner Posted August 11, 2015 Report Share Posted August 11, 2015 Saw a Ford/Starcraft cutaway van operating an Orbit route today with the unit #1600. I don't pay that much attention to the cutaways, but I know that I would have noticed a van with a non-15xx series fleet number before today. Been out of the valley for most of the summer, so I don't know when this appeared, or how many others came with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flyer59 Posted August 12, 2015 Report Share Posted August 12, 2015 Today I noticed Scottsdale Trolley bus 4505, which was delivered as a bus, has been converted to a replica trolley. It's different from 4501-4504 in that the roof pods are original with the "trolley" trim attached to the sides. I wonder if all Scottsdale Gilligs will undergo this conversion? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3we Posted August 12, 2015 Report Share Posted August 12, 2015 The plan was to put the trolley "wrap" on most (if not all) of the 30 footers. One of the buses was supposed to be the trolley body, but I don't think it among the group delivered last year. Maybe it will come with this year's deliveries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
t.1.1 Posted August 12, 2015 Report Share Posted August 12, 2015 Saw a Ford/Starcraft cutaway van operating an Orbit route today with the unit #1600. I don't pay that much attention to the cutaways, but I know that I would have noticed a van with a non-15xx series fleet number before today. Been out of the valley for most of the summer, so I don't know when this appeared, or how many others came with it. 1600 - 1604, they went into service in July. 1544, 45, 46 have been retired and 1547 will be retired soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
northwesterner Posted August 12, 2015 Report Share Posted August 12, 2015 1600 - 1604, they went into service in July. 1544, 45, 46 have been retired and 1547 will be retired soon. Thanks for the update. The older units were getting beyond long in the tooth. However, I generally avoid the Orbit this time of year (never mind the methheads riding one Orbit after another for a free place to hand out all day). Neither generation of cutaways can keep up with the a/c demands here in the valley. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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