Jump to content

Valley Metro (Phoenix)


ABQ RIDE

Recommended Posts

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?

I saw 4507 today, with the wrap.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Spotted 6732 (Express Coach) operating on a 72 today. Sadly I was in my car going the other way and couldn't grab a quick photo.

Certainly not a good route to run a one-door bus on. I saw one on Ray Road doing driver training last week.......

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

One thing I have been wondering about is the nomenclature of express routes in the system, where the second digit indicates the main city or area served. 51x is Scottsdale, 52x is Tempe, 53x is Mesa, 54x is Chandler, 56x is the Southwest Valley, and 57x is the Northwest Valley.

I wonder why 55x was skipped. Perhaps 55x may be reserved as a placeholder for Gilbert if the town sees an expansion of express routes in the future. Currently, the only express route that serves Gilbert is 531.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

One thing I have been wondering about is the nomenclature of express routes in the system, where the second digit indicates the main city or area served. 51x is Scottsdale, 52x is Tempe, 53x is Mesa, 54x is Chandler, 56x is the Southwest Valley, and 57x is the Northwest Valley.I wonder why 55x was skipped. Perhaps 55x may be reserved as a placeholder for Gilbert if the town sees an expansion of express routes in the future. Currently, the only express route that serves Gilbert is 531.

I'm not sure, I've never been on an Express route.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

One thing I have been wondering about is the nomenclature of express routes in the system, where the second digit indicates the main city or area served. 51x is Scottsdale, 52x is Tempe, 53x is Mesa, 54x is Chandler, 56x is the Southwest Valley, and 57x is the Northwest Valley.

I wonder why 55x was skipped. Perhaps 55x may be reserved as a placeholder for Gilbert if the town sees an expansion of express routes in the future. Currently, the only express route that serves Gilbert is 531.

I believe the naming system is based on a 10-point clock centered in Phoenix, with the 0 pointing straight up, 1 towards Scottsdale, 2 towards Tempe, 3 towards Mesa, 6 towards Buckeye/Avondale/Goodyear and 7 towards Glendale. Note that the 590 used to serve the Deer Valley area, and if I'm not mistaken there were at one time 50x routes that went into the north Phoenix area (Pre-Dating Rapid). There are no longer any 5xx series express routes that extend from downtown Phoenix to other parts of Phoenix, they are all subsidized by surrounding cities. Phoenix seems to invest solely in Rapid service.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I believe the naming system is based on a 10-point clock centered in Phoenix, with the 0 pointing straight up, 1 towards Scottsdale, 2 towards Tempe, 3 towards Mesa, 6 towards Buckeye/Avondale/Goodyear and 7 towards Glendale. Note that the 590 used to serve the Deer Valley area, and if I'm not mistaken there were at one time 50x routes that went into the north Phoenix area (Pre-Dating Rapid). There are no longer any 5xx series express routes that extend from downtown Phoenix to other parts of Phoenix, they are all subsidized by surrounding cities. Phoenix seems to invest solely in Rapid service.

Before Valley Metro, the (Phoenix Transit) express routes were 81-99 . In 1981, it went all the way as far east as Price and SR360. But there were three routes to Palo Verde.

8.6% sales tax? I certainly will avoid buying anything in Phoenix, and Phoenix residents can just go to some neighboring city (except Glendale). Problem solved.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

8.6% sales tax? I certainly will avoid buying anything in Phoenix, and Phoenix residents can just go to some neighboring city (except Glendale). Problem solved.

But your taxes will be going to expanding light rail which in my opinion should make people in Phoenix still shop in the city and shop.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

BTW, I just got word that the numbers for the Phoenix Gilligs will start at 5121.

I wonder what is going on with the RPTA order. Has it been finalized yet? Does anyone know the updated delivery schedule?

The last budget showed 15 RPTA, 3 Scottsdale, 8 Tempe (Express/BRT) in the current fiscal year (which ends July 1, 2016). If they order now, they're not going to make it.

This does not include the 8 Scottsdale Gilligs which replace the last of the trolleys; they should be arriving shortly.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

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?

I drove by the Dunn yard earlier and saw two buses with the full trolley package, and one of the standard buses with the trolley wrap. The trolleys were way in back, so I couldn't get numbers; they could be new.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

They have also converted the 35 footers. The wrap seems to be pretty extravagant as in its not just a vinyl wrap. They have the lights around the roof and a light installed in the middle of the front of the bus.

Any idea when their new buses will be delivered, what length and will they arrive as trolleys or buses?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On the 2013 order, 4 were supposed to be full trolley packages. I guess Gillig sends them out to Cable Car Classics. Scottsdale was going to limit these and go with wraps on other buses due to cost. The 2015 order was supposed to be for 30-foot buses. Four were budgeted for the FY that ended June 30, and another four in the current fiscal year.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Looks like another bus strike is looming in the City of Phoenix, this time with the North and South Phoenix divisions operated by Transdev:

http://www.valleymetro.org/pressreleases/detail/passengers-advised-of-possible-bus-strike-after-vote

Considering the Transdev-Phoenix drivers are the highest paid in the Valley, I wonder how greedy can they be.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't know what the pay rate is for Transdev operators, but First Transit has a shockingly low starting salary.

The North and South Phoenix divisions have always been the highest paid divisions in the entire Valley, even when Veolia had the Tempe and RPTA contracts. In fact, when Tempe unified its bus contract with the RPTA and First Transit got the contract, I heard the RPTA drivers out of Mesa actually got a pay raise to match the Tempe rate.

Not sure how the First Transit-Phoenix drivers compare to the First Transit-RPTA drivers in terms of pay, although I know they are paid less than Transdev-Phoenix.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

New schedules today, and the requisite bus movements...

I rode 6655 on the 72, and spotted 6648 on Flash, both operating with Mesa sign programming. Both coaches were at Mesa, as of last week, I believe.

That's weird, last Wednesday, I rode 6599 on the 72S and someone thought the bus had pull-cords.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

New schedules today, and the requisite bus movements...

I rode 6655 on the 72, and spotted 6648 on Flash, both operating with Mesa sign programming. Both coaches were at Mesa, as of last week, I believe.

Perhaps they might be back at Tempe now. Flash is a City of Tempe funded service, so I think it is required to operate from the Tempe garage. If they are indeed back at Tempe, I assume they didn't change the sign programming yet.

That's weird, last Wednesday, I rode 6599 on the 72S and someone thought the bus had pull-cords.

The green buses that Tempe owns have pull cords. Usually the 72 uses one of the green Tempe-owned buses based on my experience, so that isn't surprising.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...