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  • 2 weeks later...

Request for Proposal (RFP) No. 13FK005, issued June 25, 2014, was seeking proposals from qualified firms to provide 45’ Mall Shuttle Buses (24 each with an Option for an Additional 14 each). Written proposals were received by Contracts and Procurement, RTD, 1600 Blake St., Denver, Colorado 80202 until 2:00 p.m. prevailing local time on October 10, 2014. Two proposals were received: BYD Motors Inc. and Shaw International Inc. Award recommended to BYD Motors Inc. pending Board of Directors approval.

Interesting to note that Shaw International Inc. contracts manufacturing to King Long and Bonluck Bus, both from China.

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Denver has recieved the first of its 3600 series MCI D4500s for the Flatiron Flyer "BRT" from Denver to Boulder.

http://www.rtd-fastracks.com/us36_25

For those that care, RTD has changed headlight styles. The old version:

This also their 2013 order went with the older halogen headlights too!

So, farewell Neoplan coach!

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This also their 2013 order went with the older halogen headlights too!

So, farewell Neoplan coach!

I've spent many a ride on the Neoplans, and I'm going to miss the roar of the DD60 and the excellent legroom right next to the wheelchair lift.

Still, given the fact some of the old 102-DL3s are in reserve service, I bet a few will stick around for a couple of years.

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More info on the Mall Shuttles from the Board Packet available here:

RTD issued Request for Proposals (RFP) 13-FK-005 in June of 2014. Two proposals were received on September 9, 2014. Shaw International, Inc. proposed conventional CNG buses, and BYD Motors, Inc. proposed fully electric buses.

Shaw International is a distributor for King Long Bus of China. King Long Bus is one of China’s largest coach and bus manufacturers, annually producing 25,000 buses and over 30,000 mini vans. The proposed buses would be produced entirely in China and imported into the US.
BYD Motors is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BYD Ltd, which is 50% US owned through shareholders. Warren Buffet’s Berkshire Hathaway is the company’s single largest shareholder with 9.9%. BYD is a large international corporation established in 1995 with over 200,000 employees worldwide. BYD is the world’s largest manufacturer of rechargeable batteries. It is also the largest Chinese auto manufacturer and the world’s largest electric bus manufacturer. BYD produces over 1000 electric buses a year. BYD has built buses similar to the mall buses with the driver position on the right for countries that have adopted the British road rule. BYD proposed the bus chassis to be built in China, and shipped to its final assembly plant in Lancaster, California for completing the manufacturing process. The BYD buses will meet all US vehicle safety standards and Buy America Requirements.
The evaluation by Staff indicates the proposal by BYD as the best value, lowest risk proposal providing the most advanced and clean power technology desirable for the 16 th Mall Street operation at a reasonable initial purchase cost and lowest lifetime operating cost. BYD has proposed an accelerated bus production process. The first pilot bus is scheduled for completion of manufacturing and delivery for testing and evaluation in April 2016. The rest of the buses are scheduled for completion between May and September 2016.
The 45’ mall shuttle buses are fully low and flat floor with three wide passenger doors for ease of passenger boarding and de-boarding. For safety reasons, they have the driver platform on the right hand side similarly to existing mall buses. They will be equipped with a wheelchair ramp and two wheelchair access areas to allow for ADA compliance. Their clean battery electric power system produces zero vehicle exhaust emissions. The buses will have a passenger air conditioning system to improve passenger comfort. They will be equipped with an automatic passenger count system and a security digital camera system. They can carry up to 111 passengers to meet the heavy demand of mall service.
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  • 1 month later...

Denver has recieved the first of its 3600 series MCI D4500s for the Flatiron Flyer "BRT" from Denver to Boulder.

http://www.rtd-fastracks.com/us36_25

For those that care, RTD has changed headlight styles. The old version:

MCI Commuter Coach to launch Denver's Flatiron Flyer Bus Rapid Transit

http://www.mcicoach.com/media-center/2015-09-01-rtd-denver.htm

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  • 10 months later...

Been a while since I've had updates on RTD, so here we go:

The Neoplans are on their way out, replaced with the 3700 series D4500s. Pretty much the same spec as the 3600 Flatiron Flyer Buses, but with the normal RTD Colors and seats. There are still a few 2800s around though.

Both the A and B Lines have opened. The A Line has been having teething troubles, but the B Line seems to be running smoothly.

August 29th is when RTD's revealing the BYD Mall shuttles to the public, more info here. I might sneak by Platte Division and see if I can catch a glimpse of them before the official start.

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  • 4 weeks later...

I see what you mean. I can't wait to see more photos. It was supposed to be a real custom design, with right hand drive, among other unique features.

The original mall shuttles were built by a now extinct company which I believe was founded by the same guy who went on to start Proterra, some time later.

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  • 4 months later...

Here's my take on Colorado's largest transit agency:

RTD is one of the few transit agencies that operate a substantial fleet of Over-the-Road (OTR) commuter coaches.  Coach 1543 is a 2013 MCI D4500CL and is taken at the ground transportation center of Denver International Airport (DIA).

RTD-AT-1543-1.JPG

Coaches 3622 and 3735 are both 2016 D4500CT's.  The former is branded for the Denver-Boulder area Flatiron Flyer BRT-lite service, while the latter is in regular livery.  Both are taken at the Union Station bus concourse.

RTD-FF1-3622.JPGRTD-MLX-3735-1.JPG

The free 16th Street Mall Ride is another distinctive service from the RTD.  During my Labor Day weekend 2016 visit, the BYD's were not yet ready.  As a result, the service was still in the hands of 2000-built TransTeq EcoMark CNG-Electric hybrid's like bus 1606.

RTD-MR-1606-2.JPG

Bus 1402 is a 2006 Gilig BRT 40ft. hybrid, while bus 2070 is one of the dwindling band of Orion V 40ft. buses (Probably the last non-OTR coach high-floor buses).  Both are taken at the Union Station bus concourse as well.

RTD-r000-1402-1.JPGRTD-r000-2070-2.JPG

Artic 9318 is a 2014 New Flyer XD60.  The XD60's from RTD are the first examples I've ever pictured.  The only other Xcelsior artic's I've spotted and pictured so far are XDE60's with BRT modifications at Nashville MTA, and the Xcelsior artic next closest to me are MARTA (Atlanta)'s XN60's.

RTD-r015L-9318.JPG

Gillig LF 40ft. are now the agency's most numerous type by far, with 565 buses purchased since 2005.Bus 5009 is among the first of the bunch (a 2005 bus), and was 1 of the buses I've traveled on during that visit.  Both it and 2006 bus 5104 are pictured at Central Park Station along the A line commuter rail.  More on the rail line later

RTD-r073-5009X-1.JPGRTD-r088-5104C-1.JPG

Subsequent batches of similar buses are represented by 2008 bus 5246C, 2014 bus 6009 and 2015 bus 6289.  All 3 are pictured in downtown Denver.

RTD-r052-5246C.JPGRTD-r000-6009.JPGRTD-r083L-6289.JPG

RTD apparently has at least 76 Gillig LF 29ft. numbered in the 3900-series.  However, I am unable to spot any of those.  I bet these baby Gillig's run only in the suburbs or in Boulder County, with no routes serving downtown Denver using these buses.  (PS: Can the wiki editor at RTD's page revise the chassis designation for these buses, as Gillig uses the letter "E" after the Gxx part to denote a 29/30ft/ LF, instead of "A" that used to represent 30ft. Phantoms.  Thanks!)

Onto the rail side of RTD's operations, Hyundai Rotem rail car 4011 is seen wrapped with advertisement for University of Colorado at the DIA terminal of the A line commuter rail.  By the way, University of Colorado has secured the naming right of this airport-to-downtown commuter rail line, hence the appearance of its advertisement.  Meanwhile, unwrapped rail car 4015 is seen at the Union Station terminal of the same line.  As I've taken the A line from the airport and back, I must say it is a quite pleasant ride if everything works properly.  Meanwhile, commuter rail car 4030 is pictured at the Union Station on the B line to Westminster.

RTD-A-4011.JPGRTD-A-4015.JPGRTD-B-4030.JPG

As for the light rail network, 2006 Siemens SD-160 rail car 228 is spotted in downtown Denver on the D line, and an example of the 2009-12 delivery of identical light rail cars, car 303 is spotted at the Union Station on the E line.

RTD-D-228-2.JPGRTD-E-303.JPG

I've also put my RTD bus and rail galleries online as part of my Flickr collection.  Thanks for viewing my take on the best known RTD in the country!

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@Buzz2kb

Great report and great pictures from the Mile High City! Thanks!

Any sightings of the 9100/9200-series NABI 436 artics? Or are they all gone?

Last time I was in Denver, they were running side-by-side with the first 60 (or so) Xcelsior artics... seemed to be particularly well represented on the 83L.

At least cosmetically, they looked and rode great for 12-13 year old buses.

 

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5 minutes ago, Border City Transit said:

@Buzz2kb

Great report and great pictures from the Mile High City! Thanks!

Any sightings of the 9100/9200-series NABI 436 artics? Or are they all gone?

Last time I was in Denver, they were running side-by-side with the first 60 (or so) Xcelsior artics... seemed to be particularly well represented on the 83L.

At least cosmetically, they looked and rode great for 12-13 year old buses.

 

replaced by the XD60's

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  • 5 months later...
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Hi!  I've been through a photography spree on much of RTD's bus system right before and after my March seminar in the state of Wyoming, and here's my insights on RTD's bus operations:

1. It seems that all MCI motorcoaches, New Flyer XD60's and of course the Mall Ride electric buses are operated in-house.

2. On the other hand, it seems that all 29ft. Gillig Low Floor's are contractor buses.

3. There are 3 contractors operating from at least 4 garages, and are identified by suffixes behind the fleet numbers.  First Transit (F-suffix) has 2 garages: 1 in Denver that chiefly operates in the northern sections of RTD's operating area, especially Adams County (Northglenn, Thornton and Westminster areas) and the City/County of Bloomfield; and the other in Longmont that handles the entire sub-network there (The 320-series of routes) as well as many of the 200-series Boulder County locals, plus at least 2 branded routes there (BOUND and JUMP).  It has a third garage located at Commerce City in Adams County, which buses are identified with a C-suffix.  It is a 100% 40ft. garage.  Finally, Transdev is based at Englewood in southern Arapahoe County and operates chiefly in the Englewood and Littleton areas.  It also handles the 400-series of routes that serves Douglas County (mainly Highland Ranch but one route, the 483, also serves Parker).

For reference, here is the list of operator of the routes I've photographed so far:

In house (Platte. Boulder and East Metro/Aurora garages): 0, 1, 3, 9, 10 (part), 12, 15, 15L, 16, 19 (part), 21, 38, 42, 43, 44, 45, 48, 65, 83D, 83L, 105, 120X, 121, 122X, 130, 131, 133, 135, 139, 153, 169, AA, AB, AT, BOLT, DASH, Flatiron Flyer (FF) family, Mall Ride  and SKIP.

First Transit (Boulder): 204, 205, 208, 225, 228, 323, 324, 326 , 327, BOUND and JUMP

First Transit (Commerce City): 11, 29 (part), 36L, 76, 52, 88

First Transit (Denver): 6, 8. 10 (part), 19  (part), 20, 40, 92, 104, 112, 120, 128, 157

Transdev (Englewood): 29 (part), 31, 35, 36, 51, 59, 67, 73, 77, 85, 100, 401, 402L, 403 and 483.

I don't rule out that some buses have changed hands but still identified with their former contractors though.  Can anyone provide a definite list of route-contractor match in RTD's system?  Thanks!

Now comes my fanning tips for the non-40ft. low floor fleets (RTD's 40ft. buses are nowadays over 95% Gillig Low Floor's):

1. The hotbeds for 29ft. Gillig Low Floor's are Littleton Mineral Station (C and D lnes, at weekday peaks), as routes 77, 85 (peaks only), 401, 402L and 403 predominantly uses them; and the 8th & Coffman Park and Ride in Longmont (Boulder County) served by routes 323, 324, 326 and 327.  Don't bother to visit the former on weekends and the latter on a Sunday/Holiday though, as only route 402L from the former has weekend service and route 324 from the latter has Sunday service.

2. The best routes to spot artics are 15L, 83D/83L (weekdays only), 120X (Mon-Sat only) and 122X (weekdays only).  They will also appear on routes 0L, 3L, 72L, 100L and 169L according to my Next Ride observations.  The first 3 routes serves Downtown Denver, and both the 120X and 122X serves the Wagon Road Park and Ride in Westminster.  Don't forget to spot those in dedicated Metro Ride livery on weekday peaks in Downtown Denver as well.  The best light rail stations to spot artics are Aurora Metro Center (R line, served by route 3L on peaks and 15L seven days a week), I-25 Broadway (C, D, E, F and H lines, served by route 0L on peaks)  and Nine Mile (H and R lines, served by routes 83D/83L).  Routes 0L, 3L, 83D/83L and 100L also serves the Civic Center and route 72L the Union Station.

3. While the Union Station and Civic Center are undoubtedly great places to spot MCI coaches during weekday peaks, Downtown Boulder Station and the 8th & Coffman Park and Ride are the best spots to spot all-day coach routes, with the BOLT, the FF family of routes (chiefly the FF1) and route N serving the former and the BOLT and LD family (Mon-Sat only) serving the latter.  For extra peak hour actions, try both the Federal Center light rail station (W line, served by routes CS, ES and GS) and Boulder Junction at Depot Square Station (some FF routes).

Please feel free to correct me or add to my above insights.  Hope that the above tips are useful to future fans on the agency!

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Now to my pictures taken during my March trip!  First comes three different contractor operated Gillig Low Floor 40ft. buses.  First Transit (Denver) bus 6347F is the highest-numbered such bus I've pictured (I've found 6350's on the agency's Next Ride page).  It is pictured at the Aurora Metro Center station.  First Transit (Commerce City) bus 5254C new in 2008 is pictured at the Littleton Downtown station and Transdev (Englewood) bus 5027X new in 2005 is pictured at the Nine Mile station.

RTD-r157-6347F-1.JPGRTD-r036L-5254C.JPGRTD-r035-5027X-2.JPG

As I've mentioned before, all 76 Gillig Low Floor 29ft. buses appear to be contractor buses.  First Transit (Longmont) bus 3907F new in 2006 is taken at the 8th & Coffman Park and Ride in Longmont, while Transdev bus 3953X new as a 2007 model bus is pictured at the Littleton Mineral station.  Finally, 2008 Transdev bus 3972X is pictured at the Nine Mile station.

RTD-r324-3907F.JPGRTD-r077-3953X-1.JPGRTD-r483-3972X.JPG

Meanwhile, more 2014 New Flyer XD60 artics are featured. with bus 9321 pictured at the Nine Mile station and bus 9323 pictured just outside the Thornton Park and Ride.

RTD-r083D-9321.JPGRTD-r120X-9323.JPG

2010 MCI coach 1995 is one of the six operated by the Boulder garage.  They are unique among the MCI's currently operated by RTD by carrying the traditional silver motorcoach skirt panels.  All other MCI's there have skirt panels carrying either the fleet livery or the Flatiron Flyer color.  1995 is pictured at downtown Boulder on FF1 duty to Denver.

RTD-FF1-1995-1.JPG

Now comes a family of named routes in Boulder County.  The BOLT links Boulder and Longmont, the two main cities there.  It is the only one operated by motorcoaches.  There used to be branded coaches on the service, but by the time of my Longmont visit, I could only picture fleet-liveried coach 1510.

RTD-BOLT-1510-1.JPG

The BOUND, DASH and SKIP are all 40ft. routes.  Branded Gilllig Low Floor's 5211, 6221 and 6227 are pictured on Broadway in Boulder.  I also have pictures of a mostly white bus on the DASH and a bus with regular RTD livery on the SKIP in my RTD Bus gallery.

RTD-BOUND-5211.JPGRTD-DASH-6221.JPGRTD-SKIP-6227.JPG

The HOP functions as a high frequency link between downtown Boulder and University Colorado Boulder.  It is actually operated by a local contractor called Via Mobility, but is included in the RTD website for information purposes.  Gillig Low Floor 29ft. buses are the mainstay there.  EPA-2007 bus 23 and EPA-2010 bus 29 are both pictured in downtown Boulder.  Finally, similar but fleet-liveried bus 3907F is pictured at Downtown Boulder Station on the JUMP.  I am unable to spot any branded JUMP buses on my visit.  One more question, I've seen an oddly-shaped bus which I am unable to picture on the HOP.  Can anyone reveal what it is?

RTD-HOP-23.JPGRTD-HOP-29.JPGRTD-JUMP-3907F.JPG

RTD has one other family of bus service called the Call-n-Ride using green cutaways.  Cutaway 810 is pictured at Littleton Mineral station on the South Jeffco Call-n-Ride and 980V is pictured at the Wagon Road Park and Ride, presumably on the Thornton Call-n-Ride.  A tip for future spotters: The E, F and R line light rail stations from Bellview, Denver and south are hotbeds for Call-n-Ride's with scheduled departures, with each station hosting at least one (Dry Creek and Lincoln stations host two each) for eight such services.

RTD-SJCnR-810-4.JPGRTD-ThorntonCnR-980V.JPG

Here's my online RTD Bus gallery:

RTD Denver Bus

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