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Valley Metro (Phoenix)


ABQ RIDE

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On 8/31/2017 at 10:45 AM, ABQ RIDE said:

Now one thing to wonder if the new XD40s for Valu Trans will be standard transits, semi-suburban, or full suburban configuration.  I think the reason why most of the D40LFRs were ordered semi-suburban were due to the fact that when some were in the East Valley they mostly operated local routes rather than express routes (express routes were mostly operated with Nova RTS and artics), and thus this gave the RPTA the flexibility to move the buses back and forth between the divisions to allow usage of the buses on East Valley local routes.  Now that they are all with Valu Trans, there really isn't a need for that anymore and a full suburban layout can be ordered.  The exception would be the 251, which is the only local route that Valu Trans operates (GL is considered a local route by Valley Metro fare-wise, but operates like an express route).

You're about the only one that refers to that seating arrangement as "semi-surburban."

Obviously thats what they were trying to do, but a USSC Aries seat with a "headrest" does not make a bus "semi-suburban." Its a terrible attempt at splitting the difference, and I'd be shocked to see those seats reappear on a future bus order. 

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On 9/2/2017 at 2:32 PM, northwesterner said:

You're about the only one that refers to that seating arrangement as "semi-surburban."

Obviously thats what they were trying to do, but a USSC Aries seat with a "headrest" does not make a bus "semi-suburban." Its a terrible attempt at splitting the difference, and I'd be shocked to see those seats reappear on a future bus order. 

They are also set up that way on 8511-8520 7001-7009 and 8521

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On 9/2/2017 at 5:01 PM, 3we said:

Has Dunn relocated the Scottsdale fleet? The last few times that I have been by Dunn's yard, only the charter buses have been there, no transits.

According to the recent transportation commission minutes (available Here) it appears that the City did not elect to continue the trolley operation contract with Dunn and is carrying out the fleet maintenance in-house. It's not clear who was awarded the operations contract, however.

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23 hours ago, Flyer59 said:

They are also set up that way on 8511-8520 7001-7009 and 8521

Yes, because the artics are often rotated between local and express routes, and I'm guessing for the former LINK buses they wanted a nicer interior.  The only RPTA-owned artics that do not have such seating are the NABI artics.

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12 hours ago, Flyer59 said:

According to the recent transportation commission minutes (available Here) it appears that the City did not elect to continue the trolley operation contract with Dunn and is carrying out the fleet maintenance in-house. It's not clear who was awarded the operations contract, however.

Looks like it's RTW Management.

If the buses are running out of the North Corp Yard, that's going to be a tight fit.

 

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2 hours ago, 3we said:

Certainly these have to be from the 2013 contract, and not from the options announced in May.

The options that New Flyer announced in May were still from the 2013 contract, not the 2017 contract. Phoenix did not yet finalize the 2017 contract at the time they exercised those options. 

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1 hour ago, 3we said:

True, and I wasn't clear. The original firm order was (supposed to be) for 80 firm orders and 20 options. Somehow this spring it converted 32 options.  Nonetheless, you can convert options in May and expect delivery in 4 months.

I think the buses for RAPID are from the BRT options. 

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Maybe not.  The 80 (+20 options) were all New Flyer, which received the award for BRT and 60-foot buses.  The breakdown for the 80 was 30 artics and 50 Rapid. There certainly aren't 50 new Rapid buses on the property, so I think these are part of the firm orders for Rapid buses. And I am guessing that the 7165-7172 buses are part of the artic firm orders.

 

And above, it should have said, "Nonetheless, you can't convert options in May and expect delivery in 4 months. "

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16 hours ago, 3we said:

Maybe not.  The 80 (+20 options) were all New Flyer, which received the award for BRT and 60-foot buses.  The breakdown for the 80 was 30 artics and 50 Rapid. There certainly aren't 50 new Rapid buses on the property, so I think these are part of the firm orders for Rapid buses. And I am guessing that the 7165-7172 buses are part of the artic firm orders.

 

And above, it should have said, "Nonetheless, you can't convert options in May and expect delivery in 4 months. "

Note that Phoenix didn't say deliveries will be this month, they said it will be in the coming months.  That photo is from the New Flyer factory in Anniston, Alabama.

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3 hours ago, ABQ RIDE said:

Note that Phoenix didn't say deliveries will be this month, they said it will be in the coming months.  That photo is from the New Flyer factory in Anniston, Alabama.

It takes at least a year from the time you say "go" until the time you see your first bus.

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  • 2 weeks later...

A photo of Gillig bus 6579 for the RPTA at the Gillig factory was posted on Facebook.  According to the post, they should be delivered starting in December.  One difference that these new Gilligs should have from the 2016 Gilligs is that these will have Voith transmissions instead of ZF.  I wonder if the RPTA is dissatisfied with the ZF EcoLife.

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14 hours ago, ABQ RIDE said:

A photo of Gillig bus 6579 for the RPTA at the Gillig factory was posted on Facebook.  According to the post, they should be delivered starting in December.  One difference that these new Gilligs should have from the 2016 Gilligs is that these will have Voith transmissions instead of ZF.  I wonder if the RPTA is dissatisfied with the ZF EcoLife.

You mean 6759? 6579 is a 2007 D40LF from Transdev-Phoenix.

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As for the new contract with New Flyer, it appears that the RPTA plans on replacing the 2008 C40LFRs before the 2007 D40LFRs.  I wouldn't be surprised if the 2008 C40LFRs have more mileage on them than most of the 2007 D40LFRs, especially compared to the semi-suburban D40LFRs.

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  • 2 weeks later...
3 hours ago, ABQ RIDE said:

FYI, someone on Wikipedia changed Route 60-Bethany Home as operated by the Transdev South Division.  Can anyone confirm?  As far as I know this was a North Division route.

I didn't change that. Though, I have seen Transdev-South buses on the 60 in past.

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This week the City exercised more options with New Flyer: 16 XN40s and 14 XN60s. The release indicated that these would all be for RAPID.  Additionally, the City Council approved the new contract with New Flyer. The first buses from that award won't arrive until FY2019.

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On 9/29/2017 at 10:19 AM, ABQ RIDE said:

FYI, someone on Wikipedia changed Route 60-Bethany Home as operated by the Transdev South Division.  Can anyone confirm?  As far as I know this was a North Division route.

Route 60 is operated by South Transdev yard

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5 hours ago, PhxCNG said:

Route 60 is operated by South Transdev yard

Interesting.  I wonder why would the 50 be operated by North while the 60 would be operated by South when the 60 is further north, unless the 50 has been moved to South as well.

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