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Some updates on the joint Phoenix/RPTA bus procurement, it looks like only Gillig and ElDorado attended the pre-proposal conference:

http://phoenix.gov/webcms/groups/internet/@inter/@sols/@transit/documents/web_content/109563.pdf

I'm not sure if this means that New Flyer, NABI, and Nova are not interested in the contract or are not allowed to submit a final bid, however, it seems odd that they (specifically New Flyer and NABI) wouldn't attend the pre-proposal conference. After all, neither Gillig nor ElDorado make artics, so I would think that NFI/NABI/Nova would probably be interested if they are allowed to bid. New Flyer did send in an XN40 for the RPTA to demo last year.

Also, the requirement for having wheelchair positions behind the rear door has been deleted in a recent addendum per Gillig's request.

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  • 2 weeks later...

They pushed a lot of buses out the door last weekend.....

As I was driving to work the other day, I saw a 1998 or 1999 NABI 40LFW being towed to a scrapyard by the Deer Valley Airport. I still see a number of 1998s around (especially on the South Division routes). It also looks like the North and South division are sharing more runs as before as I've recently seen several D40LFs on the 7, 19, 27, and 35 which are all primarily South Division routes and I've seen more 2002 NABIs and D60LFs on the 50 which is primarily a North Division route.

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Probably being towed from the auction.

It seems that most of the the buses that have been auctioned are from West Division. Conversely, most of the Veolia-operated 1998s are still around.

I don't know if the remodeling of the Desert Cove facility is complete; this resulted in moving several buses to Lower Buckeye.

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Some updates on the joint Phoenix/RPTA bus procurement, it looks like only Gillig and ElDorado attended the pre-proposal conference:

http://phoenix.gov/w...tent/109563.pdf

I'm not sure if this means that New Flyer, NABI, and Nova are not interested in the contract or are not allowed to submit a final bid, however, it seems odd that they (specifically New Flyer and NABI) wouldn't attend the pre-proposal conference. After all, neither Gillig nor ElDorado make artics, so I would think that NFI/NABI/Nova would probably be interested if they are allowed to bid. New Flyer did send in an XN40 for the RPTA to demo last year.

Also, the requirement for having wheelchair positions behind the rear door has been deleted in a recent addendum per Gillig's request.

Very interesting, ABQ. I don't know why NFI would not be there since Valley Metro has been a great customer of theirs. Almost sounds like Gillig is primed to win.

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FYI, according to some source, there are no longer any 1998 NABIs at the Phoenix West Division (First Transit). Also, now that the C40LFRs are making their way to the North Veolia Phoenix Division, I wouldn't be surprised if the 1999 NABIs are sent to the South Veolia Phoenix Division soon.

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More fleet updates:

  • All Tempe-owned NABI 35-LFWs have been retired.
  • The 2001 RPTA-owned NABI 40-LFW CNGs have also been retired.
  • Buses 1521 and 1529 (ElDorado National Aerotech), which were former East Valley Dial-a-Ride vehicles leased to the City of Tempe for the Orbit have been retired.
  • Scottsdale StarTrans Replica Trolleys 5001-5007 have been retired.
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More fleet updates:

  • All Tempe-owned NABI 35-LFWs have been retired.
  • The 2001 RPTA-owned NABI 40-LFW CNGs have also been retired.
  • Buses 1521 and 1529 (ElDorado National Aerotech), which were former East Valley Dial-a-Ride vehicles leased to the City of Tempe for the Orbit have been retired.
  • Scottsdale StarTrans Replica Trolleys 5001-5007 have been retired.

The StarTrans trolleys 5001/2/4/5/7/8 were auctioned a week ago; they brought in $2100-2300 each. The NABIs auctioned brought in $2200-2600.

Not for nothing, but the (Mesa) NABI CNG buses have 2000 model year serial numbers....

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FYI, there are some interesting proposed changes for October 27, 2014:

  • Four new routes are being proposed. Those routes include 28 (Lower Buckeye), 75 (75th Avenue), 83 (83rd Avenue), and 561 (Avondale/Downtown Express). I am pretty sure the 75 and 83 will be Phoenix West (First Transit) routes, while the 561 will be a Valu Trans-RPTA/Glendale route. The 28 could either be a Veolia-Phoenix South or a First Transit-Phoenix West route.
  • Several routes (10, 60, 72, 80, 81, and 138) will have increased frequency on weekends.
  • Routes 562 and 563 will be modified to address overcrowding and better serve the City of Avondale.
  • The south end of Route 96 in Chandler will be modified to serve the Price Road corridor.
  • Routes 48, 56, and 77 will no longer loop at Arizona Mills Mall. I wonder why.
  • Route 511 will be eliminated. Not surprised about this one; the writing has been on the wall for this route for over a year now due to low ridership.
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FYI, according to some source, there are no longer any 1998 NABIs at the Phoenix West Division (First Transit). Also, now that the C40LFRs are making their way to the North Veolia Phoenix Division, I wouldn't be surprised if the 1999 NABIs are sent to the South Veolia Phoenix Division soon.

It looks like what has happened instead is that several (I'm guessing around 30) 2007 D40LFs in the 653X - 656X range have been sent from the North Veolia Phoenix Division to the South Veolia Phoenix division.

I've seen 2007 D40LFs over the last two weeks on Virtually all of the North / South routes operated by the South Veolia Phoenix Division (35, 27, 19, 8, 0, 7) and I've seen virtually no 1998 NABIs on those routes. The 19 is almost exclusively D40LF/D60LF now. In the mean time I've seen several 1999 NABIs on their traditional routes for the North Veolia Phoenix Division (60, 80, 90, 106).

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Addendum #2 for the joint Phoenix/RPTA RFP has been posted:

http://phoenix.gov/w...tent/111481.pdf

Looks like New Flyer has joined in the bidding process. Still no sign of NABI, though.

Thanks for posting, interesting to see all the stuff manufacturers have to go through on one of these contracts. Looks like Nova isn't in on it either unless they are nameless as well.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Just to share, the City of Tempe has recently revived its plans for a new Orbit Saturn route:

http://documents.tempe.gov/sirepub/cache/1207/nontuw45wlj4wm55poubrb55/178856970429201405203487.PDF

The route is supposed to be the first Orbit route south of the Superstition Freeway (US 60), and could actually serve part of the Town of Guadalupe.

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  • 1 month later...

An update on the joint Phoenix/RPTA bus purchasing RFP, I just got confirmation that New Flyer, Gillig, and ElDorado have all submitted bids. However, award recommendations have not been made yet. Still, I think it is safe to assume that the 60-foot bus part of the contract will most likely go to New Flyer, since they are the only manufacturer who makes artics that submitted a bid.

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  • 2 months later...

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