Trimetwes Fan1003 Posted February 8, 2023 Report Share Posted February 8, 2023 What if buses were in service for 30 years before being retired? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Squishy Bus Posted February 8, 2023 Report Share Posted February 8, 2023 Neat... good thought. I'd say in order for them to be in service, they'd need strong shells and everything! Take the TriMet D40LFs for example! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ns8401 Posted February 8, 2023 Report Share Posted February 8, 2023 56 minutes ago, Trimetwes Fan1003 said: What if buses were in service for 30 years before being retired? That depends on a variety of factors... where they run, what Maintanance they receive, how easily they can be replaced... Some of them would be unsafe as all get out. Others would be fine. Some buses make it only 12 years before being retired. 12 years Is actually supposed to be the design limit. Beyond that they are on borrowed time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trimetwes Fan1003 Posted February 8, 2023 Author Report Share Posted February 8, 2023 15 hours ago, ns8401 said: That depends on a variety of factors... where they run, what Maintenance they receive, how easily they can be replaced... Some of them would be unsafe as all get out. Others would be fine. Some buses make it only 12 years before being retired. 12 years Is actually supposed to be the design limit. Beyond that they are on borrowed time. TriMet has had several buses that have lasted past the 20 year age. Their 30 foot Flxible Metros were retired in 2015 after being in service since 1992. The 1990 and 1991 Gillig Phantoms were in service until 2015 also. And the 1972 Flxible New Looks were in service until 1999. So, it is possible for buses to be in service past the standard retirement age. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ns8401 Posted February 8, 2023 Report Share Posted February 8, 2023 22 minutes ago, Trimetwes Fan1003 said: TriMet has had several buses that have lasted past the 20 year age. Their 30 foot Flxible Metros were retired in 2015 after being in service since 1992. The 1990 and 1991 Gillig Phantoms were in service until 2015 also. And the 1972 Flxible New Looks were in service until 1999. So, it is possible for buses to be in service past the standard retirement age. Isn’t that Seattle or something? It’s quite common for buses to go beyond the 12 year design life. But every year beyond it is a blessing so to speak. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trimetwes Fan1003 Posted February 8, 2023 Author Report Share Posted February 8, 2023 1 hour ago, ns8401 said: Isn’t that Seattle or something? It’s quite common for buses to go beyond the 12 year design life. But every year beyond it is a blessing so to speak. No it's Portland. I always thought the design life was 20 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ns8401 Posted February 8, 2023 Report Share Posted February 8, 2023 35 minutes ago, Trimetwes Fan1003 said: No it's Portland. I always thought the design life was 20 years. Federal mandates state 12 years or 500,000 miles as the design life and that’s what they are tested to. Well the 500,000 miles not the 12 years. But if they are bought with any kind of federal money and most are then they are eligible for replacement after 12. Anybody who keeps them longer… more power to them. That’s getting harder and harder with all the new bells and whistles on em. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Transit Apologist Posted February 11, 2023 Report Share Posted February 11, 2023 I'd say it depends on how much usage + maintenance they get during their career and how sturdy the frame/drivetrain/other components are. With refurbishing, 20-25 years is not impossible for a modern bus, but I'm not so sure about after 25. Really it seems like 25-30 years was easier for older buses, for ex. Fishbowls. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MCIBUS Posted February 11, 2023 Report Share Posted February 11, 2023 I'm no bus expert, but I think it all depends on when the bus was built (old style vs newer style IE has more Eletronic's vs "old school technology), manufacture, model of bus, where you are( snow or no snow weather), how you use it for revenue service IE all day vs just express revenue, how it is run Battery vs Diesel vs CNG vs NG vs Hybrid vs Eletric(over head wires-Trolley bus) vs any other mod of fuel system. Todays buses are not made to last as they once did, Whether that's done on purpose so agencies need buy more buses more often then before that i don't know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buzz2kb Posted February 21, 2023 Report Share Posted February 21, 2023 Not an expert either. All I know is the retirement age of most transit buses in Hong Kong is 18 years (15 years for non-exempt buses), while agencies in south Florida, especially Palm Tran regularly retire 10 to 11 years old buses. I wonder what majes the difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
traildriver Posted July 27, 2023 Report Share Posted July 27, 2023 Age is limited in places like California, which frequently tightens up their pollution requirements, limiting their lifespans. Electrically powered buses will be a game changer there.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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