Orange County Transportation Authority

[Nabinut]

With three more stops to go, my tour brings us to Orange County, California and home to OCTA, one of the most interesting systems in the country. Until recently, the fleet was well diverse with RTSs, Gilligs, New Flyer D40HFs & 2nd Generation New Flyer D40LFs. All have been retired as OCTA is 100 % Low floor and 52% Alternative fueled. Recent service reductions has cast a unflattering light on an otherwise quality system.

To start, here is NFI C40LFR #5140 at Fullerton Park & Ride assigned to Route 721, a express route serving Downtown Los Angeles in AM & PM rush. 5140 is a semi-suburban bus and one of 20 buses specially purchased for this and Route 701:

5511, one of 249 New Flyer C40LFRs placed into service in 2008-2009 waits to depart from Fullerton Transportation Center:

5646 waits to depart on Route 89 at the Laguna Beach Bus Station, serving the city of Laguna Beach and Laguna Hills:

2250, one of 239 NABI 40.09 LFW buses purchased by OCTA in 2000-2001 lays over at the Laguna Hills Transportation Center, just shy of Laguna Hills Mall:

7202, one of 60 New Flyer D60LFs in service for OCTA has just reached the short turn of Route 60, one of the heaviest OCTA Lines:

Videos:

New Flyer C40LFR #5140 on Route 721: Cummins ISL-G/Allison B400R

NABI 40.09 LFW #2350 on Route 47: Cummins ISL-G/Allison B400R

New Flyer C40LFR #5578 on Route 26: Cummins C Gas Plus/Allison B400R

NABI #2250 hitting the freeway on Route 83:

NFI #5646 on the very scenic Route 89:

New Flyer D60LF #7316 working the always heavy Route 57:

See how the rear W/C lift works for OCTA 5646:

My music video featuring OCTA:

[George L.]

The suburban C40LFR's are also used on Line 83 and Express Line 794 from Orange to Riverside County

[George L.]

Here are some interesting shots I took recently of Ex-OCTA New Flyer D40 #5113, a suburban model formerly used on Express services, and retired & replaced by the 5100-Series New Flyer C40LFR's in 2008. This unit now lives out its second life on a shuttle service for East Los Angeles College, but is once a year borrowed for the Anime Expo hotel shuttle service, one that is available only to those who hold a shuttle pass or a 4 Day Event Badge. This is the second year that this unit has appeared for this service. Here are some shots I took on the 3rd day of the expo, as well as a video onboard (some of you have already seen it ):

Ex-OCTA New Flyer D40 on the Anime Expo hotel shuttle- Ride Video

and an interior shot:

[septa105R5/seClip9]

It is great to see this bus running for another operator after spending its first years with OCTA.

[George L.]

So here are some OCTA New Flyer C40LFR shots, taken just half a block from my school. I was amazed that this bus would even be in the neighborhood where I shot this...

Orange County Transportation Authority 2008 New Flyer C40LFR #5126

at Soto Street/Whittier Boulevard in Los Angeles, CA

Deadheading to Downtown LA

[BCT-3122-D800-10240]

So here are some OCTA New Flyer C40LFR shots, taken just half a block from my school. I was amazed that this bus would even be in the neighborhood where I shot this...

Why are you amazed the bus is in that neighborhood? Rough/bad area?

[George L.]

Why are you amazed the bus is in that neighborhood? Rough/bad area?

Sort of, but that bus was very far from where it was supposed to be. However, back in the day when I lived near there, OCTA did used to serve that intersection on northbound trips into Downtown LA. Since then, OCTA has moved their routes onto the 110 Freeway/Harbor Transitway going to/from Downtown.

Anyways, here are some more OCTA New Flyer C40LFR shots

Orange County Transportation Authority 2008 New Flyer C40LFR on Express Line 701

at the Patsaouras Transit Plaza (LA Union Station) in Los Angeles, CA

[George L.]

Here are some videos I took yesterday from my North Orange County fanning trip on Thursday. Also took photos, but I have backlog to take care of before I get to those...

[George L.]

So here are the bulk of my OCTA shots from my recent North Orange County fanning trip on September 16th. These shots were taken at the Fullerton Park & Ride, enjoy :

Orange County Transportation Authority 2007 New Flyer C40LFR #5569

About to start Line 21 to Sunset Beach via Valley View Street

Orange County Transportation Authority 2007 New Flyer C40LFR #5611

About to start Line 33 to Huntington Beach via Magnolia Street

Orange County Transportation Authority 2001 NABI 40-LFW LNG #2267

About to start Line 35 to Huntington Beach via Brookhurst Street

Orange County Transportation Authority 2007 New Flyer C40LFR #5609

About to start Line 25 to Huntington Beach via Knott Avenue/Goldenwest Street

Orange County Transportation Authority 2000 NABI 40-LFW LNG #2155

About to start Line 24 to the Village at Orange via Chapman Avenue

Orange County Transportation Authority 2008 New Flyer C40LFR #5127

About to start Express Line 721 to Downtown Los Angeles via 91/110 Freeways

Orange County Transportation Authority 2007 New Flyer C40LFR #5542

Starting Line 35 to Huntington Beach via Brookhurst Street

Orange County Transportation Authority 2001 NABI 40-LFW LNG #2302

Coming off Line 26 from Yorba Linda via Commonwealth Avenue

Photos from Brea Mall Transcenter coming soon

[sdlinguist]

D40LFs are back! Just saw 5360 on the 42.

Also see

[George L.]

D40LFs are back! Just saw 5360 on the 42.

Also see

They have been for a while, since late 2010 I think. My friend has been snapping photos like crazy since they went back into service. From what he told me, OCTA has about 40 left, 20 were from storage and the other 20 from the contingency fleet. My guess as to the reason they're back is that quite a few NABI 40-LFW's have been transferred to Anaheim Resort Transit.

[Ramirez]

Are their D40LF's still running?

[Ramirez]

There's this rumor going on that OCTA has ditched NFI in favor of Gillig, has there any mention of this by OCTA?

Remember, OCTA used to have Gillig Phantoms.

[Shakey077]

There's this rumor going on that OCTA has ditched NFI in favor of Gillig, has there any mention of this by OCTA?

Remember, OCTA used to have Gillig Phantoms.

I would not be surprised if Gillig were able to get this contract as well. They are bidding very aggressively to get business in So Cal.

[Ramirez]

I would not be surprised if Gillig were able to get this contract as well. They are bidding very aggressively to get business in So Cal.

Me either. They've been bagging some sweet contracts across the states lately.

[Shakey077]

Some new bus service from OCTA.

http://www.octa.net/Bus-Transit/Proposed-New-Bus-Service/Overview/

[bzcat]

Some new bus service from OCTA.

http://www.octa.net/...rvice/Overview/

OCTA needs to get its act together and do a complete revamp of its services. There are too many low frequency circular routes and not enough emphasis on high frequency main corridor and connection to Metrolink. The service map looks like it was stuck in 1992. Looking at it, you'd never guess that Orange County has a high frequncy (by US standards) commuter rail. And it's certifiably crazy that Orange County doesn't have a direct bus link to Long Beach Transit Plaza/Blue Line.

[Ramirez]

Cutting service to Long Beach Transit Mall was the stupidest thing they ever did...

[C40LFRZeke]

nevermind.

[MAX BRT]

Orange County Transportation Authority Exercises Option To Purchase 20 Xcelsior Artics

OCTA is buying Xcelsior compressed natural gas (CNG) 60-foot articulated heavy-duty buses.

The 20 buses are expected to begin production late in the first quarter of 2013 and are anticipated to be delivered early in the fourth quarter of 2013.

They were purchased under an umbrella contract with the procurement department of a US State. New Flyer entered into this umbrella contract in January 2012. The contract is a 'standing offer' open to any US public transit agencies for up to 650 buses.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-investor/news-sources/?date=20130117&archive=cnw&slug=C6806

[ieko]

Some video of a NABI 40 LFW LNG

[SidneyTransitfan]

Just thought I should post this... two former OCTA D60LFs are at Transit Sales International: 7303 being one of them.

http://transitsales.com/60-flyer-lf/

[jfs1988]

Here is a OCTA NFI C40LFR I saw during the weekend, traveling southbound on I-5, doing Route 83. I forgot the fleet number.

[BCT-3122-D800-10240]

Just thought I should post this... two former OCTA D60LFs are at Transit Sales International: 7303 being one of them.

http://transitsales.com/60-flyer-lf/

I realize that this is an older post, but I noticed that this website lists these units with Cummins ISC engines which doesn't make any sense to me. I believe they were originally Detroit Diesel Series 50 engines that were later retrofitted with Cummins ISL engines. When I checked the Wiki, I found that this is correct that they received ISL engines.

[Ramirez]

I realize that this is an older post, but I noticed that this website lists these units with Cummins ISC engines which doesn't make any sense to me. I believe they were originally Detroit Diesel Series 50 engines that were later retrofitted with Cummins ISL engines. When I checked the Wiki, I found that this is correct that they received ISL engines.

No, they did receive the ISC engines...