M. Parsons Posted June 8, 2019 Report Share Posted June 8, 2019 4508 and an LFR have been fitted with air conditioning for the driver as part of the driver shield retrofit project. From my brief glance, it just looks like a white box on the driver side at the front. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M. Parsons Posted June 11, 2019 Report Share Posted June 11, 2019 And the LFR retrofitted is 4639. The first two of about 635 buses to be retrofitted. Get used to it, it's the new look for the legacy LF/ LFR fleet, save for 2000 and old LF's, and the D60LF's. The A/C unit is a Grayson eComfort 100. Mississauga Bus Group is the vendor for this retrofit, and we believe these two buses were done down east. We're not sure if the intention is to send all units down east, or, if ETS will do the work themselves now that the first two prototypes have been done. ETS has an aggressive timeline of April 2020 to complete the HVAC/ driver shield work, so, I suspect it will be in house. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Dunlop Posted June 11, 2019 Report Share Posted June 11, 2019 Is the air-conditioner only for the driver? I'm just curious why it's above the drivers area and not in the middle of the roof like most. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrandeWest_B35G Posted June 11, 2019 Report Share Posted June 11, 2019 1 hour ago, Matt Dunlop said: Is the air-conditioner only for the driver? I'm just curious why it's above the drivers area and not in the middle of the roof like most. Only for the driver, yes 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick B Posted June 11, 2019 Report Share Posted June 11, 2019 That is the most aesthetically atrocious modification I've ever seen on a transit bus. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LRT Posted June 11, 2019 Report Share Posted June 11, 2019 17 minutes ago, Nick B said: That is the most aesthetically atrocious modification I've ever seen on a transit bus. If they stuck a roof top cargo carrier (Costco) on top of that thing it would greatly improve the looks.. that's for sure 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Dunlop Posted June 11, 2019 Report Share Posted June 11, 2019 1 hour ago, Imgursdownvote4love said: Only for the driver, yes Wow, another ETS cost cutting measure. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrandeWest_B35G Posted June 11, 2019 Report Share Posted June 11, 2019 3 minutes ago, Matt Dunlop said: Wow, another ETS cost cutting measure. I mean, they do have hundreds of buses to install this on 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
armorand Posted June 11, 2019 Report Share Posted June 11, 2019 13 minutes ago, Matt Dunlop said: Wow, another ETS cost cutting measure. I can only imagine the uproar this would cause, if Winnipeg Transit dared to provide their drivers with AC and let everyone else boil in +30... I'm just wondering, why an A/C unit? Couldn't they just spend $30 at Princess Auto, for one of those small fans you could plug into the dash, or something? Across the fleet, that'd be only ~$10,000 (versus assuming hundreds per AC unit), and basically does the same thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrandeWest_B35G Posted June 11, 2019 Report Share Posted June 11, 2019 4 minutes ago, armorand said: I can only imagine the uproar this would cause, if Winnipeg Transit dared to provide their drivers with AC and let everyone else boil in +30... I'm just wondering, why an A/C unit? Couldn't they just spend $30 at Princess Auto, for one of those small fans you could plug into the dash, or something? Across the fleet, that'd be only ~$10,000 (versus assuming hundreds per AC unit), and basically does the same thing. They already have those fans Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phillip Posted June 11, 2019 Report Share Posted June 11, 2019 1 hour ago, LRT said: If they stuck a roof top cargo carrier (Costco) on top of that thing it would greatly improve the looks.. that's for sure Or at least paint it blue to make it more discreet 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
armorand Posted June 12, 2019 Report Share Posted June 12, 2019 6 hours ago, Imgursdownvote4love said: They already have those fans Are they just not effective then? I had one in the family truck as a kid - wasn't full A/C but was grateful enough for a fan. I'd imagine that with the drivers window open, plus the doors letting in fresh air, and a dash fan as well - plus layovers and sufficient hydration - it would be sufficient enough for long-duration operation of a transit bus. ATU/driver demands, maybe? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LRT Posted June 12, 2019 Report Share Posted June 12, 2019 1 hour ago, armorand said: Are they just not effective then? I had one in the family truck as a kid - wasn't full A/C but was grateful enough for a fan. I'd imagine that with the drivers window open, plus the doors letting in fresh air, and a dash fan as well - plus layovers and sufficient hydration - it would be sufficient enough for long-duration operation of a transit bus. ATU/driver demands, maybe? Not at all! They suck ass! They are so loud and all they do is push around the hot air. They're used in the Calgary U2's and the original SD160s Yuck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrandeWest_B35G Posted June 12, 2019 Report Share Posted June 12, 2019 1 hour ago, armorand said: Are they just not effective then? They are smaller than my hand. They do nothing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Dunlop Posted June 12, 2019 Report Share Posted June 12, 2019 From what I remember, the LFs have a couple fans on the dash and one in the drivers side corner, and the LFR's have an additional fan on the side window by the destination sign. They just push hot air. Also don't forget, the drivers shield will trap air in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrandeWest_B35G Posted June 12, 2019 Report Share Posted June 12, 2019 1 hour ago, Matt Dunlop said: From what I remember, the LFs have a couple fans on the dash and one in the drivers side corner, and the LFR's have an additional fan on the side window by the destination sign. They just push hot air. Also don't forget, the drivers shield will trap air in. I believe there is one fan facing the door and one facing the driver (mounted below the destination sign), and one over the wheel well (which I photographed). Will double check in about 10 minutes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LRT Posted June 12, 2019 Report Share Posted June 12, 2019 7 minutes ago, Imgursdownvote4love said: I believe there is one fan facing the door and one facing the driver (mounted below the destination sign), and one over the wheel well (which I photographed). Will double check in about 10 minutes Most of those fans were designed to keep the windshield from fogging up. It kind of sort of works but not really though. The installation of a shield would dramatically increase the temperature around the driver's area that's for sure! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M. Parsons Posted June 12, 2019 Report Share Posted June 12, 2019 Remember folks, this is because of driver shields being installed. They're going to turn the drivers workstation into a largely enclosed area. The drivers shields they're using actually look like a really good design in my non-driver opinion and readily allow interaction customers. And this is far from a cost cutting measure as Dunlop suggests. It's a $20 million package around safety and security $4.5 million for the driver A/C upgrades. If these shields weren't being installed there would be no driver A/C being installed. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
awstott Posted June 12, 2019 Report Share Posted June 12, 2019 Don't forget the wonderful heat sucking dark blue upper paint colour too. If you're in stop and go traffic the open window is not going to do much for airflow at all. Keep in mind these are prototype units and the final installs will likely be tweaked (maybe including painting the cover to match?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Dunlop Posted June 12, 2019 Report Share Posted June 12, 2019 10 minutes ago, M. Parsons said: Remember folks, this is because of driver shields being installed. They're going to turn the drivers workstation into a largely enclosed area. The drivers shields they're using actually look like a really good design in my non-driver opinion and readily allow interaction customers. And this is far from a cost cutting measure as Dunlop suggests. It's a $20 million package around safety and security $4.5 million for the driver A/C upgrades. If these shields weren't being installed there would be no driver A/C being installed. ETS may have been ordered to put the driver shields in from WCB. Over in Victoria, BC Transit has been ordered by WorkSafeBC to put in driver shields. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M. Parsons Posted June 12, 2019 Report Share Posted June 12, 2019 7 minutes ago, Matt Dunlop said: ETS may have been ordered to put the driver shields in from WCB. Over in Victoria, BC Transit has been ordered by WorkSafeBC to put in driver shields. They weren't. Nothing in the news to indicate that. As I already said, it was a part of an overall $20 million safety and security package which include everything from security guards to more inspectors, vehicles for inspectors, vehicles for peace officers, more peace officers etc... 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benton Harper Posted June 12, 2019 Report Share Posted June 12, 2019 15 minutes ago, Matt Dunlop said: ETS may have been ordered to put the driver shields in from WCB. Over in Victoria, BC Transit has been ordered by WorkSafeBC to put in driver shields. Please do some proper research before making your usual error laden postings... 1 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrandeWest_B35G Posted June 12, 2019 Report Share Posted June 12, 2019 1 hour ago, Imgursdownvote4love said: I believe there is one fan facing the door and one facing the driver (mounted below the destination sign), and one over the wheel well (which I photographed). Will double check in about 10 minutes. There is one in the driver's side corner facing the door, one behind the mirror facing the driver, and one above the wheel wells facing the passengers. 56 minutes ago, LRT said: Most of those fans were designed to keep the windshield from fogging up. It kind of sort of works but not really though. The installation of a shield would dramatically increase the temperature around the driver's area that's for sure! This arrangement seems to be to cool the driver (other than the passenger-facing one). Am I missing something? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LRT Posted June 12, 2019 Report Share Posted June 12, 2019 14 minutes ago, Imgursdownvote4love said: There is one in the driver's side corner facing the door, one behind the mirror facing the driver, and one above the wheel wells facing the passengers. This arrangement seems to be to cool the driver (other than the passenger-facing one). Am I missing something? If I can try to remember back in my bus driving days I'm pretty sure that fan facing the passengers right above the wheel well helped control the window from fogging up. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
armorand Posted June 12, 2019 Report Share Posted June 12, 2019 3 hours ago, M. Parsons said: Remember folks, this is because of driver shields being installed. They're going to turn the drivers workstation into a largely enclosed area. The drivers shields they're using actually look like a really good design in my non-driver opinion and readily allow interaction customers. And this is far from a cost cutting measure as Dunlop suggests. It's a $20 million package around safety and security $4.5 million for the driver A/C upgrades. If these shields weren't being installed there would be no driver A/C being installed. I'm just wondering, what type of shields are being installed? I just saw Winnipeg Transits the other day - they desperately needed them back home - and I haven't seen any in Calgary since i moved, but am curious what ETS is installing, in terms of shields. As for AC, makes sense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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