University of Michigan

[A. Wong]

University of Michigan sustainability initiative brings 3 more hybrid buses to campus

http://annarbor.com/news/university-of-michigan-introduces-new-hybrid-buses-to-campus/?cmpid=mlive-@mlive-news-a2#.UF44pKSiHrq

[MAX BRT]

Anyone know more about these buses? Manufacturer?

Found a photo here:

http://www.michigandaily.com/news/last-coleman’s-promised-hybrid-buses-arrive-campus?page=0,0

Looks like a Gillig to me.

[Bus_Medic]

Yep, it's a gillig. I'm going to hazard a guess that it's an Allison drive.

[MAX BRT]

http://www.ur.umich.edu/update/archives/131004/hybridbus

Campus commuters will have a greater chance of riding a hybrid bus as three more diesel-electric buses join the U-M Ann Arbor fleet this month.

Three more diesel-electric hybrid buses similar to this one will join the Ann Arbor campus fleet this month. (Photo courtesy of Parking & Transportation Services)

This brings the number of hybrid buses on campus to 10. The new vehicles will replace current university buses that run on diesel fuel. There are 58 buses in the university's fleet.

"One out of every six university buses is now a hybrid," says Keith Johnson, associate director of transportation operations. "Our long-term goal is an entire fleet of highly efficient and sustainable vehicles."

Since introducing them to the fleet in 2012, the use of hybrid buses has led to a decrease in fuel consumption and reduced emissions by 25 percent compared to diesel-powered buses.

[140 Southshore]

Seems like U-M got even more hybrids, as I saw this newer one today-on, all of things, a Detroit Zoo charter.

[140 Southshore]

A 20-year-old photo of one of the old Flxible Metros that was posted on the U-M transit system's Facebook page, specifically here.

Destination sign is most certainly a rollsign and their first Gilligs from 2000 had LED signs, which brought me to this question: did U-M ever have any buses with flipdot displays?

[dtwtransit]

It looks like UM has switched to New Flyer.

Their first XE40, #3028, was delivered on Friday; the replies tease more Xcelsiors on the way, both diesel and electric, with some artics in the mix.

Looks like the order was announced back in Nov '21: they ordered three XE40s and one XE60, with options for a bunch more.
https://www.masstransitmag.com/bus/vehicles/hybrid-hydrogen-electric-vehicles/press-release/21247001/new-flyer-nfi-announces-first-batteryelectric-bus-order-from-university-of-michigan-for-up-to-54-buses

[ns8401]

12 hours ago, dtwtransit said:

It looks like UM has switched to New Flyer.

Their first XE40, #3028, was delivered on Friday; the replies tease more Xcelsiors on the way, both diesel and electric, with some artics in the mix.

Looks like the order was announced back in Nov '21: they ordered three XE40s and one XE60, with options for a bunch more.
https://www.masstransitmag.com/bus/vehicles/hybrid-hydrogen-electric-vehicles/press-release/21247001/new-flyer-nfi-announces-first-batteryelectric-bus-order-from-university-of-michigan-for-up-to-54-buses

From my understanding part of the decision was based on NFI being able to build them 60’ artics that were electric. They also looked at NOVA, Gillig and Proterra. Their comment on their own post says there will be diesels and electrics in 40’ and 60’ configurations. Hopefully the build quality is there. 

[Border City Transit]

21 hours ago, dtwtransit said:

Their first XE40, #3028, was delivered on Friday; the replies tease more Xcelsiors on the way, both diesel and electric, with some artics in the mix.

Great find. Almost surreal to see that. With New Flyers at UM and Novas at TheRide (kind of), Ann Arbor is at last released of Gillig's 25-year stranglehold. Hallelujah.

Interesting that UM is recycling fleet numbers so soon. The buses are inter-numbered with other University-owned vehicles, so they can't take up too much space.  Nonetheless, I was kind of thinking they'd crack the 3200 series for these. Oh well.

Will also be interested to see the interior/seating arrangement.

For several years (2004~2008), UM spec'ed Gilligs with max standing room:

...and wide rear doors:

 

I never loved any Gillig -- but these spec changes -did- lead to meaningful operational improvements. Don't be fooled by the empty bus shown above -- these things routinely get jam-packed.

Keep us posted -- can only imagine what the artic will look like!

[ns8401]

6 hours ago, Border City Transit said:

Great find. Almost surreal to see that. With New Flyers at UM and Novas at TheRide (kind of), Ann Arbor is at last released of Gillig's 25-year stranglehold. Hallelujah.

Interesting that UM is recycling fleet numbers so soon. The buses are inter-numbered with other University-owned vehicles, so they can't take up too much space.  Nonetheless, I was kind of thinking they'd crack the 3200 series for these. Oh well.

Will also be interested to see the interior/seating arrangement.

For several years (2004~2008), UM spec'ed Gilligs with max standing room:

...and wide rear doors:

 

I never loved any Gillig -- but these spec changes -did- lead to meaningful operational improvements. Don't be fooled by the empty bus shown above -- these things routinely get jam-packed.

Keep us posted -- can only imagine what the artic will look like!

The 3000-3065 series is and will be indefinitely for buses. They will recycle those numbers infinitely until somebody decides 3000 is a stupid number and redoes everything. Back in the day the 3100’s were hospital shuttles. Before somebody settled on 3000 everything transit was 700’s that had been infinitely recycled. 

[ns8401]

3031, an XDE60, has been delivered:

[chasbo2]

1 hour ago, ns8401 said:

3031, an XDE60, has been delivered:

Expect to see this one travel on the Bursly-Baits route. BTW 3033 and some of the 2007 gilligs are expected to be retired by the end of august. 

[dtwtransit]

I guess I'll have to make a couple D2A2 runs out there this summer...

On 6/20/2023 at 6:13 PM, Border City Transit said:

Ann Arbor is at last released of Gillig's 25-year stranglehold. Hallelujah.

Don't be so sure now, with Nova pulling out of the states... though AAATA says they're going all-electric after the current orders for diesels are done, so that might broaden their options.

[ns8401]

22 minutes ago, dtwtransit said:

I guess I'll have to make a couple D2A2 runs out there this summer...

Don't be so sure now, with Nova pulling out of the states... though AAATA says they're going all-electric after the current orders for diesels are done, so that might broaden their options.

If they shut the plant down in 2025 they may not get all 40 NOVA’s they ordered. They only have 16 now. By my math they’ll be a year short. 

[dtwtransit]

I figure they would've picked the date to fulfill the remaining orders on the books.

[ns8401]

8 hours ago, dtwtransit said:

I figure they would've picked the date to fulfill the remaining orders on the books.

You would think but they are also behind… maybe if Prevost gets out of there in time the extra space will help. 

[dtwtransit]

Today I paid a visit to the new UM bus garage; it's located at North Campus between Northwood V and the Green Road Park & Ride.

Most of the buses are stored outdoors in an open lot; kind of nice to be able to see them, unlike on S Industrial.

My NES run heading back to downtown pulled into the lot for a shift change so I got a nice view from on the lot as well. 

#3028 and #3031 were sitting in the maintenance bays; from what I've read, they expect to roll the Flyers out for service in the fall.

Notably absent were the '05 Gilligs. I think it's probably safe to assume that those have been retired, especially given that three of their fleet numbers have already been recycled. Plenty of the '07s and '08s were still around, however.

I also saw a previously unknown minibus, 3000. It and 3001 (which I spotted a few months ago) appear to be older ARBOC Spirit of Mobility units.

[chasbo2]

@dtwtransit The new UMICH bus garage is built not too far from the neighborhood I grew up in. Everyone was complaining that it would bring noise and increased traffic when construction plans were being laid out. It does seem very nice although I kinda prefer the garage to be built in it's previous location which was right next to Michigan Stadium. 

Nevertheless those articulated buses will surley help with crowds on the BBaits route.

[dtwtransit]

Flyers still aren't running in service, but I did overhear someone addressing the driver of #3029 on the two-way radio system while riding the other day.

[ns8401]

1 hour ago, dtwtransit said:

Flyers still aren't running in service, but I did overhear someone addressing the driver of #3029 on the two-way radio system while riding the other day.

I saw 3031 I believe (it was an artic) on North Campus headed south on Wednesday. It was not in service. 

[chasbo2]

@ns8401 The new #3031 is a New Flyer bus and not a Nova Artic. If I recall U of M never ordered any NOVA's. I'm still use to #3031 being an old 2005 gillig bus

[ns8401]

39 minutes ago, chasbo2 said:

@ns8401 The new #3031 is a New Flyer bus and not a Nova Artic. If I recall U of M never ordered any NOVA's. I'm still use to #3031 being an old 2005 gillig bus

Artic is shorthand for articulated and is not specific to any manufacturer. I am aware it's a New Flyer as I posted a picture of the thing being delivered.

[dtwtransit]

Flyers seem to be sporadically in service from my observations on Magic Bus- though I had no luck catching one in service on a visit to A2 today. The oldest Gilligs - even #3033 - are still running.

[chasbo2]

The Spring semester is coming to an end which means the old Gilligs could be retired in exchange for new electric ones. 

I could see some of the 2007/08 models for one more year but it would not surprise me to see #3033 be auctioned off by this summer.  

[dtwtransit]

I saw one of the old-livery units while in A2 last week, I didn't catch a number.