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MVTArider

MVTArider

Posted
Posted

Seems like the XE60 fleet has been really under-performing lately based on the C Line 2 week operating stats. Only 7% of C Line trips have been operated by them, while 13% have been operated with D60LFR and another 1-2% with 40 footers. I suppose some of this could be due to vehicle/charger maintenance or diagnostics being delayed if maintenance staff are off during the holiday period. I hope the incoming order of XE60 for Gold works out better.

Well, at least we didn't do something stupid like rip out a perfectly good trackless trolley network in the last couple decades because battery buses will be just as reliable in a few years... :rolleyes:

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Glennwood Road Ent.

Glennwood Road Ent.

Posted
Posted
7 hours ago, MVTArider said:

Seems like the XE60 fleet has been really under-performing lately based on the C Line 2 week operating stats. Only 7% of C Line trips have been operated by them, while 13% have been operated with D60LFR and another 1-2% with 40 footers. I suppose some of this could be due to vehicle/charger maintenance or diagnostics being delayed if maintenance staff are off during the holiday period. I hope the incoming order of XE60 for Gold works out better.

Well, at least we didn't do something stupid like rip out a perfectly good trackless trolley network in the last couple decades because battery buses will be just as reliable in a few years... :rolleyes:

Are the EV artics having issues during winter storm season every year? 

Tcmetro

Tcmetro

Posted
Posted

Metropolitan Council has a bid out for the "Small Bus Transit Services 2024". This includes routes 33, 83, 219, 225, 227, 615, 716, and 717. Proposals are due 2/1/24, and the contract would run from 8/17/24 to 7/31/29.

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MVTArider

MVTArider

Posted
Posted
On 1/13/2024 at 2:16 PM, Tcmetro said:

Metropolitan Council has a bid out for the "Small Bus Transit Services 2024". This includes routes 33, 83, 219, 225, 227, 615, 716, and 717. Proposals are due 2/1/24, and the contract would run from 8/17/24 to 7/31/29.

It'll be interesting to see if TransDev is as competitive for it as First was. Looks like other plan holders include Keolis, Schmitty, MTN and RTW. Pretty sure St. Cloud Metrobus won't be bidding. :lol:

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hp2ena

hp2ena

Posted
Posted

More buses listed for auction:

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  • 3 weeks later...
hp2ena

hp2ena

Posted
Posted

More buses listed for auction:

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MVTArider

MVTArider

Posted
Posted

From what I've seen it looks like some or all of the Schmitty operated MTS baby Gilligs have received BenTech operator shields similar to what is installed on the Metro Transit fleet. At first I thought it was just included on the 2023 ones, however today I also spotted a couple older units with them installed. I have not seen any on the TransDev fleet yet. (the exception being 8020-8025 which came with them installed from Metro Transit) The setup is similar to Metro Transit where the operator can keep the shield open or closed per their preference. Old fareboxes are still being installed/used even on the 2023 order of baby Gilligs.

53542514558_18a4e3ee21_t.jpg

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hp2ena

hp2ena

Posted
Posted
On 1/29/2024 at 11:36 PM, hp2ena said:

Updated roster from the Met Council. Gosh they sure are burning through the A Line fleet. Also attaching the MTS roster. 2024-01-22_Data_Request_rail.xlsx2024_01_18_Data_Request_bus.xlsxMTS Fleet List 11-3-23.xlsx

Heads up, I noticed some fleets in the MTS page being put in the retired section. I know the roster shows they are retired, but it appears some of the buses the roster is showing as retired are still in service today. Series include: 6100-6110, 60034-60035, 60036-60044. There's actually been 6100s running on the 250 over the past several days. Cc @19adam99 (btw @19adam99 keep up the good work!)

19adam99

19adam99

Posted
Posted
On 3/10/2024 at 12:12 AM, hp2ena said:

Heads up, I noticed some fleets in the MTS page being put in the retired section. I know the roster shows they are retired, but it appears some of the buses the roster is showing as retired are still in service today. Series include: 6100-6110, 60034-60035, 60036-60044. There's actually been 6100s running on the 250 over the past several days.

I know from at least my standpoint, I had forgotten to cross-reference with pantograph to see if they were in fact out of service.

I know it's probably easy to take the Council's word at face value sometimes, but I guess you can never really trust them! Gotta love it.

Thanks!

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JLiu1596

JLiu1596

Posted
Posted

An update on some retired Metro Transit buses: a few were spotted at Luxxor Campus Shuttles in Des Moines, IA. They provide private bus/limousine service in the area as well as a construction worker shuttle to the Meta facility in Altoona. 1202, as well as a few 29ft Gillig Low Floors, were seen at the garage.

In addition, Luxxor has a number of ex-MVTA Gillig Low Floors which are wrapped (I believe for the construction worker shuttle). I saw 4730, 4732, 4733, and 4945 there in November. Ex-MVTA Nova Bus LFX 4258 was also spotted. I also saw a number of white Gillig BRTs with purple roof in November - not sure which agency those were originally from Edit: they are ex-Concord, NC buses. I did see two 35ft Gillig BRTs in the regular Luxxor livery there yesterday, and one of them is numbered 4405. Luxxor tends to keep the original fleet numbers of buses, and seeing Metro Transit and MVTA don't have any 4400-series Gillig BRTs, they might be those white/purple ones I saw in November that are now in the Luxxor livery Edit: I believe they are ex-Concord Kannapolis Area Transit 500-series.

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MVTArider

MVTArider

Posted
Posted
On 4/5/2024 at 4:36 PM, hp2ena said:

Official word that Metro Transit plans to get 20 Belugas. Up for consideration Monday at Transportation Committee. 8 of those were intended for Proterra.

https://metrocouncil.org/Council-Meetings/Committees/Transportation-Committee/2024/04-08-2024/2024-95-pwrpt.aspx

https://metrocouncil.org/Council-Meetings/Committees/Transportation-Committee/2024/04-08-2024/2024-98-pwrpt.aspx

I'm not surprised per se, but it's nice to see they're actually moving forward on a new order. I look forward to riding one when they get into service.

To geek out a bit, I'm guessing they'll be 7400-7419, continuing with the 7xxx bracket for non-standard diesel regular route 40' units.

This also raises the question of what is going on for plans to replace the 12xx-14xx Gilligs? These are all going to be hitting the 14 year retirement time by 2026. 1240-1344 are hitting 13 years this summer. Some of these will be indirectly replaced by more XD60 operating on the new rapid bus services, but that's not a significant amount. I'm guessing they'll need to get an RFP out soon for a multi-year order for clean diesel 40' buses to keep up with the replacement schedule. Battery-electric is still in the trial phase, and funding for the extra cost on those is limited so I don't see them suddenly signing an RFP for 150 BEBs.

I found 209 back in action a couple weeks ago on the 275. Also 60106 has a new farebox.

53633083433_d04878d575_t.jpg 53632869036_d52b140190_t.jpg 53633082728_c7d7c2bee3_t.jpg

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hp2ena

hp2ena

Posted
Posted
On 2/20/2024 at 9:23 PM, hp2ena said:

More buses listed for auction:

Note these links and all Minnbid links have been broken as they have retired their old site and migrated things over to a new site. Auctions before 2024 are also no longer visible. I'm not sure if you're able to request the invoices still. To request the invoices, you would send a DPA to Department of Administration Surplus Services and include the Lot number.

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MVTArider

MVTArider

Posted
Posted

This YT video of opening day at Mall of America in 1992 includes a couple shots of the transit center and MTC 1540 boarding for the 54 Express. Man, I can just barely make out 1540 purring away with that 6V92TA. I'll post a frame grab of one of the shots for reference. Original image content credit to the filmer of course.

Screenshot.thumb.png.73759fea729da2bf78d78b6bf1f8e5c1.png

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Tcmetro

Tcmetro

Posted
Posted
12 hours ago, MVTArider said:

This YT video of opening day at Mall of America in 1992 includes a couple shots of the transit center and MTC 1540 boarding for the 54 Express. Man, I can just barely make out 1540 purring away with that 6V92TA. I'll post a frame grab of one of the shots for reference. Original image content credit to the filmer of course.

Screenshot.thumb.png.73759fea729da2bf78d78b6bf1f8e5c1.png

Caught the 538 and 539 many times from that stop where the 54 is! (I think was Gate C?)

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MVTArider

MVTArider

Posted
Posted

End of the line for the remaining decent artics :(

Enjoy the D60LFRs while they're around... I'll certainly miss their solid ride quality.

I assume the incoming regular route XD60 order will also be starting to arrive soon, if not already. 35xx series?

hp2ena

hp2ena

Posted
Posted
On 6/1/2024 at 1:50 AM, MVTArider said:

End of the line for the remaining decent artics :(

Enjoy the D60LFRs while they're around... I'll certainly miss their solid ride quality.

I assume the incoming regular route XD60 order will also be starting to arrive soon, if not already. 35xx series?

All 51 artics coming this year are for aBRT routes.

MVTArider

MVTArider

Posted
Posted
On 6/2/2024 at 10:27 AM, hp2ena said:

All 51 artics coming this year are for aBRT routes.

So the 40 XD60 for 2024 off contract 19P321 noted in On Order on the Wiki page are not happening, or just delayed?

hp2ena

hp2ena

Posted
Posted
7 hours ago, MVTArider said:

So the 40 XD60 for 2024 off contract 19P321 noted in On Order on the Wiki page are not happening, or just delayed?

I don’t know

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