Waco Transit System

[Buzz2kb]

Hi! Waco Transit System in Waco, Texas seemed to amass a fleet of Optima Opus in all but the BRT-fronted (exclusive to Miami Dade Transit) variants between 2007-2009 (when Optima Opus production ended) as Flixible Metro replacements. They have 3 sub-types of the Optima Opus:

The 35ft. buses ending with 3x in their 4-digit fleet numbers (except bus 0830 to be explained below). There appears to be at least four 2007 buses, three 2008 buses, and two 2009 buses, as exemplified by buses 0733, 0834 and 0931.

One (?) 30ft. regular bus as illustrated by bus 0830.

30ft. trolley replicas ending with 9x in their fleet numbers. There are at least four 2007 buses and a single 2008 bus as illustrated by bused 0790 and 0890.

Their only buses that are not Optima's are small Chevy/Eldorado Aerotech cutaways in the 1010 series and larger 1030-series Chevy/Eldorado Passport HD low-floor cutaways used on a low-ridership local route and a rural route respectively, as illustrated by buses 1010 and 1030.

All pictures are taken on last February at its downtown terminal, except for bus 1010 (at the EOL of a connector route) and buses 0790, 0890 and 0931 (at the campus of Baylor University, where it runs the internal shuttle system and the DASH campus-downtown shuttle)

Hope that you'll find my report on this agency interesting!

[transit addict 327]

Waco Transit has a few ex-CCRTA Optima Opus' sitting in the yard.

Also, they appear to be receiving 2017 XD35 Xcelsiors, not yet in service.

[Buzz2kb]

Hi! I think the Opus buses from Corpus Christi will likely be used for spares only, considering that they are 13-14 year old buses, while the XD35's are more likely than not replacement for the 2007 Opus 0730-0734

[transit addict 327]

2 hours ago, Buzz2kb said:

Hi! I think the Opus buses from Corpus Christi will likely be used for spares only, considering that they are 13-14 year old buses, while the XD35's are more likely than not replacement for the 2007 Opus 0730-0734

That would make sense, seeing that all of the Opus' had all kinds of different parts missing (lights, exhaust system, etc.).  Google Maps last drove by in Nov 2016 and they already had 9.  When I was there this past week I only counted 7.  I did also see one of their Opus' front end covered in a tarp (severe head on crash I'm guessing) and another had a fire in the engine compartment.  Not sure if they looked like they would be rebuilding them from the CCRTA spares.  As for the XD35's I only counted 6.

[Buzz2kb]

I have pictured 4 out of 6 of the agency's 2017 New Flyer Xcelsior XD35's, numbered in the 1730-series.  All were pictured at the downtown Transit Center.

      

Once again, here is my Waco Transit System gallery:

Waco Transit System 

[transit addict 327]

WTS recently placed 2020 NFI XD35 buses into service.  I have only noticed buses 2030-2032 so far, not sure if they ordered more then 3.  The 700 Opus are being used less and less now and are probably on their way out.