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RideKC (Kansas City, MO)


SilentSpades

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On 9/10/2019 at 10:13 PM, SilentSpades said:

Nice pictures! Can't wait until these hit the streets. Summer 2020 is gonna be nice for sure. I'm guessing these will be numbered 5000-5001? or will they go back to the 2000s?

Also, if my math is correct. Since ATA has roughly 99 diesel units left, this order of 94 will completely replace those, and also note, that unless I'm missing something, There aren't going to be any more CNG units purchased (at least for the ATA).

I'd expect to see more CNG buses. One of the main reasons Kcata didn't go with New Flyer or Novabus was because of how the CNG tanks are positioned on the roof and the ata didn't want to spend more money to retool the maintenance line, provide additional training to service workers and buy additional fall protection equipment. Also since they've made the investment in a CNG fast fill fueling station on site, it wouldn't make sense to stop buying CNG buses, at least for now.

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1 hour ago, RyanB_69 said:

I'd expect to see more CNG buses. One of the main reasons Kcata didn't go with New Flyer or Novabus was because of how the CNG tanks are positioned on the roof and the ata didn't want to spend more money to retool the maintenance line, provide additional training to service workers and buy additional fall protection equipment. Also since they've made the investment in a CNG fast fill fueling station on site, it wouldn't make sense to stop buying CNG buses, at least for now.

Yeah, I figure so, speaking of replacement buses, The JoCo fleet is due to replace 203-225 here soon (units are 2006-2008). I wonder if some of those electric units are for them as well as the ATA fleet. Time will tell obviously

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17 hours ago, SilentSpades said:

Yeah, I figure so, speaking of replacement buses, The JoCo fleet is due to replace 203-225 here soon (units are 2006-2008). I wonder if some of those electric units are for them as well as the ATA fleet. Time will tell obviously

Those electric buses are exclusively for KCATA, not the Jo.

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Oh jeez. That's not good. Wonder why they're having so much trouble finding a mechanic.

Also, 3512 back? That's funny. Like I said before, curious as to why they didn't leave a few more of the original fleet in service, considering the need for buses. 

I wonder what JO is planning to do once replacement time comes for their buses. I mean I'm assuming Gillig CNG buses, but maybe a switch up?

Also caught 3550, nothing too different besides the fact the windows open again. I wish they would go with that style of window on the local buses instead of the frame-less without the ability to open.

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32 minutes ago, neoartic7101 said:

I don't know if 3512 is in svc or if they are taking the fareboxes out. We will see.

 

And with the Jo, probably a mix of diesel and CNG, like they have been doing.

 

Also word is KCATA and the No are looking at that new MCI low floor cruiser to use on ALL 500 Express routes. Including the ones on the Missouri side, but nothing is set in stone. 

I saw they had tested it for a few weeks over the summer on JO routes, and they tested another coach bus a few years back. That'd be interesting to see. 

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Something that's really grinding my gears right now. What's the deal with the signs on the old MAX buses (Main MAX especially) being all bunched up and halfway unreadable? I noticed that after the 3537-3547 batch came in that the older buses signs got all wonky and what not. I wonder if there is anyway for them to fix that and sync things up (since they're two different sign systems)

Also kind of wish they would just start addressing the MAX routes by number instead of MAX (would also kind of help the sign situation).

 

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38 minutes ago, SilentSpades said:

Also kind of wish they would just start addressing the MAX routes by number instead of MAX (would also kind of help the sign situation).

Once a system gets over two of a select service type (LRT, BRT, ABRT, tram, etc) using a letter or color is beneficial in my opinion. M1, M2, A, B, or GREEN, BLUE, etc. Technically they could also have a corresponding letter for the service line name, i.e. MAIN MAX = M, Troost = T, Prospect = P, etc. (Although then you run into the issue of needing to take a P on the way to work :D )

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1 hour ago, MVTArider said:

Once a system gets over two of a select service type (LRT, BRT, ABRT, tram, etc) using a letter or color is beneficial in my opinion. M1, M2, A, B, or GREEN, BLUE, etc. Technically they could also have a corresponding letter for the service line name, i.e. MAIN MAX = M, Troost = T, Prospect = P, etc. (Although then you run into the issue of needing to take a P on the way to work :D )

Well I doubt we would ever see letters comeback (The Johnson County Branch used letters forever), But man I wish they would just use a number, or nothing at all

Technically they still use colors on the headsigns. Orange for Main, Green for Troost, maybe Blue for Prospect. Whatever they do, they need to sync the signs, and get rid of the weird overlapping some of the signs are having.

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To be technical,  for drivers and dispatch, the MAX routes are identified by numbers. 

Main MAX is route 1, Troost is route 2 and Prospect is route 3.

But for passengers, it is supposed to be identified by color. Main MAX is orange, Troost MAX is green and Prospect MAX is purple.

But no one reads anyway..... so.

 

As for the destination signs, I can't answer that, that's just how 3520-3534's Luminator is set up.

On 9/17/2019 at 8:17 PM, neoartic7101 said:

I don't know if 3512 is in svc or if they are taking the fareboxes out. We will see.

EDIT: 3507 and 3512 no longer have the bike racks or fareboxes. They are done for. 

 

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1 hour ago, neoartic7101 said:

To be technical,  for drivers and dispatch, the MAX routes are identified by numbers. 

Main MAX is route 1, Troost is route 2 and Prospect is route 3.

But for passengers, it is supposed to be identified by color. Main MAX is orange, Troost MAX is green and Prospect MAX is purple.

But no one reads anyway..... so.

 

As for the destination signs, I can't answer that, that's just how 3520-3534's Luminator is set up.

 

I'm aware how they're identified Internally, just would make more sense to go ahead and number them for the public as well as internally.  Or if they chose to keep the "MAX" for public use, at least put some color coding (besides the Red) on the schedules/stops. Or heck, why not both?

Wishful thinking though, What can I say I'm an idealist.

Speaking of 3507 and 3512, aren't those (and the rest of the original fleet) isn't that the fleet (mentioned in the link) supposed to be sold and sent off to Lubbock, TX at some point?

https://fox4kc.com/2019/06/20/kcata-regifts-older-used-buses-to-smaller-cities-across-the-country/

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On 9/22/2019 at 8:46 PM, SilentSpades said:

@RyanB_69 I'll suspect to see S128-S129 pop up as well. I'm guessing they have no need for it? That or they have replacement units for those. 

 

@Orion6025 All but 2 were supposed to go to Lubbock. 3510 and 3511 are still in service, probably until years end. 

3510 and 3511 may be gone, too. 

They are gonna start getting those 2019 BRT Plus buses on the road really soon.

 

Seen 3505 without the bike racks, farebox and log in computers.

 

Sad I never got to drive any of the early 3500s, a lot of drivers loved the power those buses had.

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Well I'm guessing it's the end of an era. About time though I'll miss those buses for sure. Though they put in a great 14 years. Anyways about time the new ones get into service, Hopefully they get the signs up and going so it's not a guessing game as to which bus is which.

 Also fun piece of info, there are now more CNG MAX buses than Diesel.

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Update, passed by the ATA today, 3510 and 3511 are in the "boneyard" (with S228 for some reason). This ends the run of the original MAX fleet. 14 years, 2 months. Also of note, 2612, the Veterans bus is no longer in the veterans wrap, back to plain RideKC wrapping.

And what's with the large amount of CNG buses in that lot? I knew some of it was for overflow, but wouldn't you stick your older buses there, not newer? 

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