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North County Transit District (NCTD)


Nabinut

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North County Transit District operates service in Northern San Diego County and into parts of the city of San Diego. NCTD runs the Breeze Bus service, Sprinter Light Rail line & Coaster commuter train. The breeze uses New Flyer D40LFs, C40LFs & Thomas SLF CNG mini buses. Sprinter runs on Diesel instead of conventional wire which makes for a fun ride.

First up is New Flyer D40LF #1147, stationed at Escondido Transit Center. 1147 is among the oldest buses in service:

WCT3102.jpg

Behind it is 2307, a C40LF operating on Route 305 to Vista Transit Center, one of the sprinter stops:

WCT3103.jpg

Riverside Transit Agency also serves Escondido with cutaways. Here is Cutaway 8520 arriving at the transit center:

WCT3106.jpg

New Flyer C40LF #2419 at Town Center North, one of NCTD’s main transit hubs:

WCT3108.jpg

New Flyer D40LF #1125 loading passengers at the Oceanside Transit Center:

WCT3111.jpg

Videos:

2107, A Thomas CNG SLF 230 on Route 333:

New Flyer D40LF #1125 on Route 303:

Sprinter Light Rail Train #4003:

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  • 6 months later...
The sick thing is that NCTD is replacing some of their D40LFs with....cutaways

Say it ain't so...it's happening. NCTD has begun receiving these Startrans E-LO low-floor cutaways for fixed-route service:

5284701864_e191eaa8cd_z_d.jpg

According to http://www.gonctd.com/pdf_agendas10/02_18_2010_Board.pdf, the initial award is for 24 buses, so I'm not sure what's going on with their numbering or if they decided to get more than 24. I'm also not sure how many of the D40LFs these will retire. All of the 1000s (1997 batch) are done for sure; they've been on reserve status for a long time and have just now begun to be retired in earnest. A lot of the 1100s (1999) are also being retired starting this week, but I'm not sure how many. Pics below -- apologies for iPhone camera quality at dusk.

Here's 1013, stripped of its decals and looking generally neglected:

5284103693_f0241e834e_b_d.jpg

1107, retired just yesterday and still looking good, but now sans bike rack. The red paper in the windshield says "Deadlined 12-21-10 -- Retired." A few Thomas SLFs from 2003 are in the background.

5284701740_70bcee7e0f_b_d.jpg

New and old: new cutaway 430 in front of retired D40LF 1107. Ah well, they're only supposed to last 7 years, maybe by then NCTD will come to its senses and order real buses again...

5284103915_047f8daebf_b_d.jpg

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I've said it before, and I'll say it again with more emphasis.

Aww, that's horrendous! Those cutaways look awful, if they were going with cutaways, at least they could have gone with El Dorado...

They look nice, I dont mind them, but how are their ridership? maybe they dont have a need for 40 ft buses.

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  • 1 year later...

While I was driving to school, I saw an ex NCTD cutaway bus (used on their FAST Dial-A-Ride service) in northern San Bernardino. I dont know if it was going to Walmart or to the gas station. It still had the NCTD colors & everything. Too bad I couldnt get a photo since the red light didnt last. Although no longer in service, it was a pretty cool thing to see a NCTD bus in Omnitrans land.

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  • 1 month later...

NCTD is ordering Xcelsiors this year!

Details and artist rendering here:

http://www.gonctd.com/userfiles/file/11%20-%2001-12%20Bus%20Procurement.pdf

Board authorization here:

http://www.gonctd.com/userfiles/file/1-19-12%20Board%20Actions.pdf

It's 18 buses in FY12 and another 12 in FY13, and they will replace some of the remaining D40LFs in the 1100 series.

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Were C40LFR more expensive? I cant wait till they deliver these, although it will mean the end of D40LF in the San Diego area & most of Southern California.

Not entirely. There are still D40LF's within the MTS system op'd by Veolia, the 8100's and the 6000's.

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Were C40LFR more expensive? I cant wait till they deliver these, although it will mean the end of D40LF in the San Diego area & most of Southern California.

Long Beach is still running D40LF's as well. 9600 & 9700 series will be retired out this year though. 9800, 2000 and 2200's series will continue but be phased out over the next few years.

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Looks like bus 2412 (2005 C40LF) found a sinkhole. I hope its alright.

The Coach Operator is A-OK... Ask me how I know... ;)

1111-1115, 1117, 1118, 1121-1123, 1127-1131, 1133, 1134, 1136-1139, 1141-1143, 1145, 1147, 1149, 1150, 1152, and 1153 is all that is left of the Active fleet of D40LFs.

1102, 1105, 1119, 1125, 1126, 1140, 1144, and 1146 are all Reserve Fleet.

2321 is the only C40LF that no longer exists.

2601-2618 have been out on the Road for a little while. 2619-2630 will be out there shortly. 2619-2630 is Equipped with 5.44 Axle Ratios (Allison B400R6), and Sportworks Apex 3s, vs 4.69 Axle Ratios (Allison B400R5), and Sportworks DL2 NPs.

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  • 2 weeks later...

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