StarTran (Lincoln, NE)

[MAX BRT]

http://www.fleetsand...ets-in-lincoln/

Lincoln’s StarTran has ordered five 35-foot CNG-fueled New Flyer buses – with Hexagon Lincoln fuel cylinders – which are to be delivered in June to enter service this summer. The agency intends to order eight more, as well as 11 paratransit vehicles to be CNG-fueled. When all 24 are in service, nearly a third of StarTran’s 75-vehicle fleet will be CNG-fueled, confirms manager Mike Davis.

StarTran plans to introduce a new color scheme and logo when the CNG New Flyers arrive.

[busfreak99]

StarTrans XN35! Photo Courtesy Lincoln Journal Star.

[MAX BRT]

Interesting tri-color livery. News report says these first 5 buses will serve U of Neb routes.

[MVTArider]

StarTrans XN35! Photo Courtesy Lincoln Journal Star.

Is it me or is that fleet unit # on the side really hard to see

Thanks for posting, it seems that the X_35 model is becoming rather popular.

[ctrabs74]

Is it me or is that fleet unit # on the side really hard to see

Thanks for posting, it seems that the X_35 model is becoming rather popular.

Reminds me of the way Centre Area TA (which serves the Penn State campus and surrounding area) has their bus numbers on the side. You can't miss them. And CATA's buses are all CNG.

[aandersen93]

As of this month, they are now making the rounds on non UNL routes. Been interesting. There are now 13 in service numbered 300-312, and at least 3 more are on the way rumored to be in a green paint scheme intended for non UNL routes.

[busfreak99]

As of this month, they are now making the rounds on non UNL routes. Been interesting. There are now 13 in service numbered 300-312, and at least 3 more are on the way rumored to be in a green paint scheme intended for non UNL routes.

I live not to far from the St. Cloud plant. Ill be keeping my eyes open for the green xcelsiors!

[aandersen93]

I live not to far from the St. Cloud plant. Ill be keeping my eyes open for the green xcelsiors!

Sweet! Regardless of color you'll know they're for Lincoln because they say LINCOLN on the top. The latest I had heard was to have them on the street by January for a rebranding campaign. If you get a pic, please share!

[aandersen93]

Here is 309 when it hit the streets in mid July. I took this within the first 5 days of service.

[busfreak99]

305 during the final build stage at New Flyer. Photo Courtesy Go West.

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[aandersen93]

305 during the final build stage at New Flyer. Photo Courtesy Go West.

​

Wow this is awesome!!!

[aandersen93]

StarTran's fleet has now gotten to the age where it's first set of low floor Gilligs it ever acquired in 2001 are now beginning to be auctioned off to make room for new CNG New Flyers.

[aandersen93]

Awesome find for me today when I went out in the area around my house today. I found former StarTran 109, a Flxible still wrapped in the Coke advertisement that it had when it was last in revenue service in the late 90's/early 2000's. This bus was an interesting one when it was in service because it was not allowed to run on the University of Nebraska Campus routes that StarTran operates because they are a Pepsi campus so it caused a stir. It looks like the seats are still in it and it has been well cared for. This was from one of the last fleets of the Flxibles that StarTran operated. It was great to see a blast from my childhood today.

[Buzz2kb]

Apparently, the green-liveried XN35's haven't materialized just yet, although this may change as a result of the Grand Forks bus consortium.  By the way, during my visit, the city routes in Lincoln were totally in the hands of Gillig Low Floor's (35ft. buses dating from 2001, 2004 and 2006; plus the 29ft. buses from 2011),  Illustrated here are 2001 bus 659, 2004 bus 670 and 2006 bus 691.  This means the 35-footers are already between 11-16 years old.  All three are taken at the S 11th Street/N Street transit mall in downtown Lincoln.  Also attached here is bus 200, the first of the 2011 29ft. bus taken at the North 27th street Walmart.  Apparently, outside the dedicated use on the Star Shuttle downtown circulator, the use of the 29ft. buses on other city routes is heaviest during the peaks, where some 35ft. buses are impressed into school-oriented booster/tripper routes.

Meanwhile, StarTran also operates a sub-system for University of Nebraska at Lincoln (UNL).  While New Flyer XN35's buses 300-312 are the first choice buses for such duties, buses from the city fleet still appear on them as well.  Illustrated here are XN35 bus 310 and 29ft. Gillig bus 203 at UNL's Innovation Campus, and 35ft. Gillig bus 678 at UNL's City Campus.

Here is the link to my Flickr gallery for StarTran:

 StarTran (Lincoln, Nebraska)

[StarCityRider]

I live in Lincoln, and as a user of Public transport, I have not only seen, but riden these new green-liveried buses, which entered service in August 2018.