FYBklyn1959 Posted January 8, 2013 Report Share Posted January 8, 2013 I remember a few years ago, it was easy to keep track of BCt buses: 8600s were at Ravenswood 8700s at Copans 9000s at Copans 9100s at Ravenswood 9200s at Ravenswood (except 9216 & 9217, which were actually 1993 models, so they ran w/ the 9300s) 9300s at Copans Then starting with the 9600s, lower numbered at Ravenswood, higher numbered at Copans. Only tricky thing with some of the Gillig Advantages, BCt would received them in 2 lots sometimes. For example, the 9900s, 9901-9920 came in first, then 9921-35. So: 9901-9910 Ravenswood 9911-9920 Copans 9921-9929 Ravenswood 9930-9935 Copans 0000s came in all at once, so it was a straight 0001-15/0016-30 split. But to add to the fun, 0008-0022 (I think) had orange LED headsigns 0100s were also split shipments: 0101-0110 R 0111-0120 C 0121-0130 R 0131-0141 C 0200s were the same as 0000s 0300s were 25 buses so it was split 0301-0312/0313-0325 It started to get screwed up when the NABIs arrived :angry: Also, didn't help that BCt would retire some of a series and leave the others active (happened with the 9700s and again with the 0000/0100s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chao-Hwa Chen Posted January 8, 2013 Author Report Share Posted January 8, 2013 Today on the 2: 0121 (7:00 departure from Westview), 0804 (7:20 departure from Westview), 0708 (7:40 departure from Westview), 0733 (8:00 departure from Westview), 0508 (8:20 departure from Westview), 0735 (9:00 departure from Westview), 0515 (9:30 departure from Westview), 0703 (10:00 departure from Westview) and 0732 (10:30 departure from Westview). 0111 and 0125, both Copans buses, appeared on 30. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chao-Hwa Chen Posted January 9, 2013 Author Report Share Posted January 9, 2013 Today's University Breeze bus assignment: 0837 (7:30-AM southbound from Westview) and 0129 (8-AM southbound from Westview), a Copans bus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chao-Hwa Chen Posted January 11, 2013 Author Report Share Posted January 11, 2013 After observing 5 weekdays, I think the regulars (peak + midday) on the 2 are the following: 0703 (6 AM from Westview, Ravenswood slot), 0730 (6:20 AM from Westview, Copans slot), 0834 (7 AM from Westview, Ravenswood slot), 0804 (7:20 from Westview, Ravenswood slot), 0733 (8 AM from Westview, Copans slot), 0508 (8:20 AM from Westview, Ravenswood slot), 0735 (9 AM from Westview, Copans slot) and 0825 (9:30 AM from Westview, Copans slot). I am very surprised at 0834, which appeared on the 7-AM-from-Westview slot on 4 of the 5 weekdays. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chao-Hwa Chen Posted February 18, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 18, 2013 Two weeks ago, I found that the rear LED of 1126 used the same as the 1160-series 42-BRT instead of the amber LED. What kind of LED do the buses 1126 and 1160-1173 have? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J. S. Bach Posted February 25, 2013 Report Share Posted February 25, 2013 Yesterday (24FEB13) BCT held it's 2013 Bus Safety Roadeo, here are a few random pictures (for some reason Photobucket loaded them in reverse order): http://s303.photobuc...20Bus%20Roadeo/ Edit: Note that the winner is Rendol Whidden "Sure Shot". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chao-Hwa Chen Posted March 13, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 13, 2013 Regarding the signs of 42-BRTs 1160-1173 and 1200, it looks that the front sign uses TwinVision Chroma IV, the side sign uses Chroma III and the rear sign uses Chroma. Am I correct about these info? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J. S. Bach Posted March 14, 2013 Report Share Posted March 14, 2013 Yesterday, I was on my way to my Ham Radio club meeting and saw 1307 in service on the route 81. I knew that they were on the property because I was seeing the fleet numbers showing up on the GFI farebox reports as the boxes were being installed and programmed for the bus that they are sssigned to. I did not get a good enough look to even tell what make the 1300s are, but with the large housing on the roof they may be hybrids. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chao-Hwa Chen Posted March 14, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 14, 2013 Just saw 1312 on University Breeze which was a 8-AM start from Westview Drive. The LEDs are the same as in the 1100 series. Silver series front and side and amber LED rear. The 1300 series are the 3rd-generation NABI 40-LFW. They look like hybrid buses because of the roof, but are actually diesels. The 40-LFW diesels are from 1301 through 1328. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FYBklyn1959 Posted March 14, 2013 Report Share Posted March 14, 2013 Just saw 1312 on University Breeze which was a 8-AM start from Westview Drive. The LEDs are the same as in the 1100 series. Silver series front and side and amber LED rear. The 1300 series are the 3rd-generation NABI 40-LFW. They look like hybrid buses because of the roof, but are actually diesels. The 40-LFW diesels are from 1301 through 1328. Hmm, goodbye 9900s (no loss for me personally, as I don't care for Gillig Advantages, and all the 9900s have the old boring flip dot signs (at least half of the 0000s have orange LED signs). (though I did see 9929 yesterday, I forget which route, but there's always a transition period)). Wonder if these will be split between Copans and Ravenswood (all the 1200s are in Copans, IIRC). Nice that BCt can still renew its fleet, unlike it's broke neighbor to the south I recently moved to Plantation, so I'm getting to see more Copans buses Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chao-Hwa Chen Posted March 14, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 14, 2013 1200 series have only 10 buses, but 1300 series have not only 28 diesels, but also 21 hybrids. It will be definitely split between Copans and Ravenswood. BTW, just got back from Sawgrass Mills and found 1304 on 36. Front and left side: Front and right side: Rear and left side: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J. S. Bach Posted March 14, 2013 Report Share Posted March 14, 2013 Yesterday (13MAR13) was the first revenue day for the 1300s according to the GFI reports: 1304 - 441108 1305 - 60110 1307 - 81111 1310 - 81112 1312 - 14109 These are all pm pullouts. Note that Midas-BD shows the following buses assigned: 1122 - 441108 0005 - 60110 0127 - 81111 0001 - 81112 0525 - 14109 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neoartic7101 Posted March 14, 2013 Report Share Posted March 14, 2013 That bus looks so good... Looks better than DART's new buses. Maybe it's the blue and silver and frameless windows. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAX BRT Posted March 15, 2013 Report Share Posted March 15, 2013 That bus looks so good... Looks better than DART's new buses. Maybe it's the blue and silver and frameless windows. It does look good. And with the lack of lettering, it almost looks like a private coach --maybe somebody's limo bus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FYBklyn1959 Posted March 15, 2013 Report Share Posted March 15, 2013 1200 series have only 10 buses, but 1300 series have not only 28 diesels, but also 21 hybrids. It will be definitely split between Copans and Ravenswood. BTW, just got back from Sawgrass Mills and found 1304 on 36. Front and left side: Front and right side: Rear and left side: Nice pics So 49 buses in all? That may be enough not only to retire the 9900s, but most, if not all of the remaining 0000s and 0100s. In a few years, BCt will be Gillig-free! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buzz2kb Posted March 16, 2013 Report Share Posted March 16, 2013 Nice pics So 49 buses in all? That may be enough not only to retire the 9900s, but most, if not all of the remaining 0000s and 0100s. In a few years, BCt will be Gillig-free! Sorry, but I'm curious why you despise Gillig buses with such a passion? IMHO, the Low Floor, especially the later examples, is a pretty solid bus and gives yeoman services to hundreds of TA's throughout the country. By the way, does anyone know what particular batch of bus that cause the relationship between BCt and Gillig to become sour, unlike most Florida TA's? Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neoartic7101 Posted March 16, 2013 Report Share Posted March 16, 2013 I live in Gillig Country out here in Kansas City. I am not a big Gillig fan, and a lot of the drivers are getting tired of Gillig and want something else other than Gillig, and I don't blame them. I would like to see those 40LFW's in Kansas City, but the state of Missouri is "buying America". What a stupid rule...... because honestly, Gillig really does not build that great of a bus, IMO. And a lot of TA's sleep on NABI. Great design and great bus, and in those BCT colors, man, they are sexy. I will be down that way this summer to catch pics of those when I visit my grandfather and family in Delray Beach and Ft Lauderdale/Miami area. And a few vids as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big CJ Posted March 17, 2013 Report Share Posted March 17, 2013 Gillig is the last American manufacturer left in the US, so that's something to take into consideration. Also TAs around Florida do not like to have mixed bus fleets, which is why some keep buying NABIs and others keep buying Gilligs (exceptions include articulated buses). Many do not want a large mixed fleet of buses around here like they had in the 1980s-early 2000s. That reasoning also goes for other TAs across the nation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neoartic7101 Posted March 17, 2013 Report Share Posted March 17, 2013 Yeah that;s one of the reasons, but in Missouri, that is the state's decision. They "buy America". And the mechanics love working on them. One Gillig I do like (and miss) was the Phantom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big CJ Posted March 17, 2013 Report Share Posted March 17, 2013 Yeah that;s one of the reasons, but in Missouri, that is the state's decision. They "buy America". And the mechanics love working on them. One Gillig I do like (and miss) was the Phantom. The Phantoms are dying around here sadly. Even though that's the case back in the 1980s and early 1990s there was a lot of great stuff rolling around the state. Like I can't even explain or show you what we had rolling around here. You had to have seen it for yourself face to face. I'm glad I experienced it when I did, cause I would never imagine everything would be come very rare to see now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neoartic7101 Posted March 17, 2013 Report Share Posted March 17, 2013 We have some 30 footers in service here in KC. The 1996 40 footers (had a M11/B400R5 powertrain) are sadly retired/in reserve. We have about 25 1999 30 footers still in service. So there are no more Phantoms in Florida? Mainly LF's? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big CJ Posted March 17, 2013 Report Share Posted March 17, 2013 We have some 30 footers in service here in KC. The 1996 40 footers (had a M11/B400R5 powertrain) are sadly retired/in reserve. We have about 25 1999 30 footers still in service. So there are no more Phantoms in Florida? Mainly LF's? Lynx still has some along with Gainesville RTS, SCAT, Citrus Connection, and Votran to name a few. Lynx had retired the last 300 series buses thus early this year. Those had Cummins M11/ZF 5HP-590 in them. The remaining ones have Cummins ISL and Voith 864.3E. Other then that there are a lot of Phantoms running for private companies around here and airport buses. Most of the private ones have Series 50 engines with Allison or ZF transmissions. Some also have Cummins M11s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neoartic7101 Posted March 17, 2013 Report Share Posted March 17, 2013 Some of our 30 footers (S69-S99) have the C8.3/B400 and the remaining (S100-S120) have ISC/B400/s. Now that would have been a lovely recording, an M11/ZF. Talk about beast mode. I can't wait to get to Florida now.. I will be in Tallahassee first, then Miami/Ft. Lauderdale/Delray Beach then in Jacksonville. I figured while I visit family, Imma check out some Florida TA's and BCT right now has me really liking their equipment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big CJ Posted March 17, 2013 Report Share Posted March 17, 2013 Some of our 30 footers (S69-S99) have the C8.3/B400 and the remaining (S100-S120) have ISC/B400/s. Now that would have been a lovely recording, an M11/ZF. Talk about beast mode. I can't wait to get to Florida now.. I will be in Tallahassee first, then Miami/Ft. Lauderdale/Delray Beach then in Jacksonville. I figured while I visit family, Imma check out some Florida TA's and BCT right now has me really liking their equipment. I have an audio of 353. I don't know when I will upload that as I need to transfer it to my system. I think I may have one of 361, but I need to check. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chao-Hwa Chen Posted April 2, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 2, 2013 After nearly 3 months of observation, I find that the University Breeze buses are totally dispatched by Copans since Ravenswood buses 0746-0748 and 0835-0837 moved to Copans since January 7. My guess is that both US 1 Breeze and 441 Breeze buses are totally dispatched by Copans. Also, some of the 1300 buses moved to Ravenswood. 1309 is the largest number I've seen to go to Ravenswood. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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