Spirits Transport Posted November 16, 2021 Report Share Posted November 16, 2021 Very interesting indeed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spirits Transport Posted November 16, 2021 Report Share Posted November 16, 2021 61B on detour near my bus stop 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hp2ena Posted November 19, 2021 Report Share Posted November 19, 2021 LEA came for their buses today. 3118 and 3135 were towed, while 3147 was driven off. 3117 was to be driven off, but it didn’t want to go faster than 35mph. They take them to Ohio where they are either sold (I don’t know who does the selling, as LEA apparently just buys and tows them), or parted out and scrapped. A couple buses they bought have already been scrapped at Omnisource in Toledo. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bristolian Posted November 20, 2021 Report Share Posted November 20, 2021 Just a few photographs from today at Shingle Creek garage. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hp2ena Posted November 23, 2021 Report Share Posted November 23, 2021 Fresh roster update from Metro Transit. All D60s retired as of October. Metro Transit is officially the last agency in the United States and Canada to operate high floor articulated buses. Bus List 11_19_21 DPA Request.pdf 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MVTArider Posted November 23, 2021 Report Share Posted November 23, 2021 ^End of the standard floor era. Thank you Phantoms and D60s, it's been a wonderful ride. My very first photos for both types, taken in 2008. Wish I had gotten into photos a couple years earlier, but if you take pictures you still need to start sometime: The mileage on the shop queens 7290/7291 is like 1/3 -1/2 of the mileage on a lot of the 2012 73xx Gillig HEVs Also looking at mileage, the 71xx 2008 Gillig HEVs are getting up there! Thanks for sharing 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spirits Transport Posted November 24, 2021 Report Share Posted November 24, 2021 Plymouth metrolink in Saint Paul? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hp2ena Posted November 24, 2021 Report Share Posted November 24, 2021 1 hour ago, Spirits Transport said: Plymouth metrolink in Saint Paul? Those buses are operated by First Transit and are housed at the garage on Como. Might be on a training run. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MVTArider Posted November 25, 2021 Report Share Posted November 25, 2021 9 hours ago, Spirits Transport said: Plymouth metrolink in Saint Paul? I'm not sure if they're supposed to be using the Plymouth buses for non-Plymouth transit uses. However in past years I have seen them used occasionally on training runs in St. Paul, Mendota Heights, Roseville, and once saw one working the DELTA employee shuttle. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MVTArider Posted November 27, 2021 Report Share Posted November 27, 2021 Welp, that's it for the final D40LF to be operated in revenue service in the Twin Cities All will be auctioned on 12/11: 6046 6047 2608 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spirits Transport Posted November 29, 2021 Report Share Posted November 29, 2021 On 11/23/2021 at 1:44 PM, hp2ena said: Fresh roster update from Metro Transit. All D60s retired as of October. Metro Transit is officially the last agency in the United States and Canada to operate high floor articulated buses. Bus List 11_19_21 DPA Request.pdf I’m curious. Where would one find such PDF’s like this one? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hp2ena Posted November 30, 2021 Report Share Posted November 30, 2021 11 hours ago, Spirits Transport said: I’m curious. Where would one find such PDF’s like this one? I did a data practices act request. Metro Transit is a public agency, and all public agencies, cities, counties, states, and public transit agencies in MN, as well as nonprofits and companies who receive public, state, and federal funding, are subject to what is the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act, Chapter 13 of Minnesota Statute. The statute says most things the government agency creates are available to the public. This includes fleet rosters, maps, charts, salary information, pre-recorded voice announcements on transit vehicles, etc. However, they are not readily available. You have to ask the person who is the responsible authority (generally, whoever leads the agency). Many agencies have responsible authorities who delegate the handling of public records requests to what is called a designee. All requests should go to this designee. Metro Transit's designees are their PR people: Howie Padilla and Laura Baenen. To make a request, fill out this form on page 11 of this PDF and send it to [firstname].[lastname][at]metrotransit.org. Public Records Requests for the Met Council can be found at this link: https://metrocouncil.org/About-Us/Publications-And-Resources/Data-Access-Procedures.aspx Although they can charge fees (25¢/page or for the time the person has to spend to retrieve the data for you, depending on agency), I have never been charged. Yet. Public Records Requests for Greater MN transit agencies, as well as Jefferson Lines and Land to Air Express, can be done through MnDOT through this form: https://www.dot.state.mn.us/information/datapractices/index.html For all agencies, you do not need to provide your name or contact information to make a request. But keep in mind you'll need a place (not necessarily a place associated with you) to let them know where you would like to receive the data. I mostly do my requests through e-mail. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hp2ena Posted December 4, 2021 Report Share Posted December 4, 2021 Preview ride for media this morning 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hp2ena Posted December 5, 2021 Report Share Posted December 5, 2021 Happy post-Orange Line opening day! Was on the first run into Burnsville. They sent out 8110, which apparently had litter dating back to when it was on the C Line. Wish we could have had a meet up, would like to put faces to fans that I otherwise didn’t think exist much out here. It appears they are running 40s on the route right now. Also, the 8700s returned to service yesterday. 8707 was the first one out and the first one in. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spirits Transport Posted December 6, 2021 Report Share Posted December 6, 2021 Interesting choices Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MVTArider Posted December 6, 2021 Report Share Posted December 6, 2021 Nice to see the 8700's coming back! C Line assignments have been all over, it would be nice to see it running with a consistent group of the ABRT spec units again. I'm guessing the Gilligs running on it may have been partly due to icy conditions. I noticed Orange had 3 8000's on it this morning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hp2ena Posted December 6, 2021 Report Share Posted December 6, 2021 The remainder of the 2003 D60s and the last 3 Phantoms on property have been retired and listed for auction this morning: List of D60s 3120 - Lot 40051 https://minnbid.org/Mobile/AuctionLot/40508 3122 - Lot 40052 https://minnbid.org/Mobile/AuctionLot/40509 3123 - Lot 40053 https://minnbid.org/Mobile/AuctionLot/40510 3125 - Lot 40054 https://minnbid.org/Mobile/AuctionLot/40511 3128 - Lot 40055 https://minnbid.org/Mobile/AuctionLot/40512 3129 - Lot 40056 https://minnbid.org/Mobile/AuctionLot/40513 3133 - Lot 40057 https://minnbid.org/Mobile/AuctionLot/40514 3134 - Lot 40058 https://minnbid.org/Mobile/AuctionLot/40515 3138 - Lot 40059 https://minnbid.org/Mobile/AuctionLot/40516 3141 - Lot 40060 https://minnbid.org/Mobile/AuctionLot/40517 3144 - Lot 40061 https://minnbid.org/Mobile/AuctionLot/40518 List of Phantoms 1049 - Lot 40062 https://minnbid.org/Mobile/AuctionLot/40519 1052 - Lot 40063 https://minnbid.org/Mobile/AuctionLot/40520 1053 - Lot 40064 https://minnbid.org/Mobile/AuctionLot/40521 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bristolian Posted December 12, 2021 Report Share Posted December 12, 2021 A few more photographs from today at Shingle Creek garage. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spirits Transport Posted December 13, 2021 Report Share Posted December 13, 2021 I’ve notice there’ve been more 40’ Gillig’s on the 80 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hp2ena Posted December 13, 2021 Report Share Posted December 13, 2021 46 minutes ago, Spirits Transport said: I’ve notice there’ve been more 40’ Gillig’s on the 80 Looks like the 80 (and 323) are run by First Transit now. 22 hours ago, bristolian said: A few more photographs from today at Shingle Creek garage. Those look like 3200s as well. Looks like all retired. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hp2ena Posted December 18, 2021 Report Share Posted December 18, 2021 On 12/6/2021 at 11:30 AM, hp2ena said: The remainder of the 2003 D60s and the last 3 Phantoms on property have been retired and listed for auction this morning: List of D60s 3120 - Lot 40051 https://minnbid.org/Mobile/AuctionLot/40508 3122 - Lot 40052 https://minnbid.org/Mobile/AuctionLot/40509 3123 - Lot 40053 https://minnbid.org/Mobile/AuctionLot/40510 3125 - Lot 40054 https://minnbid.org/Mobile/AuctionLot/40511 3128 - Lot 40055 https://minnbid.org/Mobile/AuctionLot/40512 3129 - Lot 40056 https://minnbid.org/Mobile/AuctionLot/40513 3133 - Lot 40057 https://minnbid.org/Mobile/AuctionLot/40514 3134 - Lot 40058 https://minnbid.org/Mobile/AuctionLot/40515 3138 - Lot 40059 https://minnbid.org/Mobile/AuctionLot/40516 3141 - Lot 40060 https://minnbid.org/Mobile/AuctionLot/40517 3144 - Lot 40061 https://minnbid.org/Mobile/AuctionLot/40518 List of Phantoms 1049 - Lot 40062 https://minnbid.org/Mobile/AuctionLot/40519 1052 - Lot 40063 https://minnbid.org/Mobile/AuctionLot/40520 1053 - Lot 40064 https://minnbid.org/Mobile/AuctionLot/40521 LEA got them all except for 3128 and 1053. 3128 was bought by Jones Auto. 1053 was bought by a private owner over in Mpls. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hp2ena Posted December 27, 2021 Report Share Posted December 27, 2021 1053 was relisted for auction today. Auction ends 1/4/22 Lot 40287 https://minnbid.org/Mobile/AuctionLot/40744 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hp2ena Posted January 16, 2022 Report Share Posted January 16, 2022 So based on what I've heard from the Met Council over the past several months, it looks like there's a distinction between Metro Transit running service and MTS contracting out routes to operate. It appears MTS does not directly contract with Metro Transit to operate any routes. I'm wondering if any of the 60xx, 61xx, 600xx, and 602xx series pages that are nested under MTS should be moved such that they are under the Metro Transit name? Same with the 60036-60039 and 60044 series, which actually should be merged because they were part of the same order. And perhaps the units that Metro Transit lost to MTS/First Transit should be under MTS? What are the history behind the coaches? I think some of them were actually bought by the Met Council and operated by contractors, then transferred to Metro Transit when the Met Council wanted to consolidate operations, around the time the 275/288 and 467 were moved to Metro Transit? What do y'all think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tcmetro Posted January 16, 2022 Report Share Posted January 16, 2022 I think it might be better to just combine the MTS and the Metro Transit pages, given how many of the MTS buses are simply transferred over from Metro Transit and how the Council owns both fleets. Technically speaking, MTS and Metro Transit are separate divisions of the Metropolitan Council; however, Metro Transit does all the route/network planning and some of those routes become contracted through MTS. Historically, there were mixed MT/MTS operated routes or those that changed between direct and contracted operations, and more increasingly there has been more fleet transferred back and forth. It seems that MTS hasn't had its own 40-foot order since the D40LFs in 2006. Cutaways and 30-footers are all MTS exclusive though. Even more technically speaking, all regional buses are owned by the Metropolitan Council (even MVTA, SWT, MG, Plymouth). That's why some retired SWT transit buses were put into MTS service, because it's relatively easy to do so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MVTArider Posted January 25, 2022 Report Share Posted January 25, 2022 I agree the coaches and 60036-60039, 60044 make sense to be noted as the Metro Transit fleet. 60036-60039, 60044 were initially operated by Lorenz on the 62, 80, (weekend 25? maybe one other route?) before their contract ended in 2014. The buses were then transferred to Metro Transit for their increased vehicle needs due to the Green Line connecting service expansions. The interiors on them are different spec, with plastic seat backs and no plexiglass by the rear doors. Not sure about 275/288, but I recall the 467 was at one point 'contracted' to Metro Transit. IIRC First and Metro Transit bid on it and it was awarded to Metro Transit as the operating cost was lower. This may have had something to do with it serving Lakeville or the funding source at the time. Also; Zero-Emission Bus Transition Plan Final plan from the 1/24/22 Transportation Committee. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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