Whistler Transit

[MiExpress]

Another one here about the Olympic bus fleet:

VANOC races to bring in new fleet of Olympic buses

By Jack Keating, The Province

February 12, 2010

Vancouver Olympic organizers are scrambling to bring in 99 new buses and dozens of new drivers after officials determined that transit buses from California couldn't make the steep climb up Cypress Mountain.

"On paper, the buses looked good," said VANOC spokeswoman Lizette Parsons Bell Thursday. "However, when they arrived we determined they would not work on the hills."

The transit buses, from Riverside, Calif., broke down two days in a row while carrying Canada's Olympic women's mogul team to Cypress.

Parsons Bell said VANOC contracted Gameday Management Group of Orlando, Fla. "to design and operate the Olympic bus network, including providing buses, drivers and training."

The vast majority of the 1,000 buses procured by Gameday were from the U.S., but Parsons Bell said "half" of the new buses "are coming from Canada."

A Canadian bus owner whose company was bypassed when the American buses were secured said he was not surprised by the problems encountered by VANOC.

"I think those problems, at least by me, were entirely predictable," said Brendan McCullough of McCullough Coach Lines in Victoria. "Those buses from California were not in very good shape. Some were really old and worn-out transit buses. They have finally reached out to get some Canadian buses. All the [original] procurement was done by Gameday Management and they're the ones that seemed to have the preference for using American buses."

Parsons Bell said VANOC is trying to "smooth out" the problems encountered earlier this week.

[canuck600]

So is Edison tied into Gameday, I thought it was two seperate contracts. As far as the serviciability issue that should hve been put into the contract that they should be free of problems and not require any major servicing otherwise the company would inccur penalties for breakdowns that could have been prevented.

[M. Parsons]

So is Edison tied into Gameday, I thought it was two seperate contracts. As far as the serviciability issue that should hve been put into the contract that they should be free of problems and not require any major servicing otherwise the company would inccur penalties for breakdowns that could have been prevented.

I believe Edison is contracted by Gameday to provide drivers.

[Vancouver]

Are they still running Enviro 500's on the 98 Sea-to-Sky Whistler/Squamish Connector? I'm seriously thinking of coming next week just to ride that.

[Enviro 500]

Are they still running Enviro 500's on the 98 Sea-to-Sky Whistler/Squamish Connector? I'm seriously thinking of coming next week just to ride that.

Yup! They are

Dave

[Enviro 500]

Here are my photos of Enviro 500s running in Whistler / Squamish connector:

http://www.trans-continental.ca/bc-transit...500inWhx/"]http://www.trans-continental.ca/bc-transit...Enviro500inWhx/

Also added 99 photos of the massive fleet of Novabus T-drives up in Whistler

For those who haven't had a chance to check out my photos of the Yaxing community bus currently undergoing maintenance tests / evaluations in Squamish, HERE you go!

ENjoy!

Dave

[A. Wong]

Just for the record, the BC Certificate of Approval on the Yaxing expires July 2010.

(Assuming this is similar to the Alberta Commercial Vehicle inspection)

[323 Surrey Ctrl Stn]

Just for the record, the BC Certificate of Approval on the Yaxing expires July 2010.

(Assuming this is similar to the Alberta Commercial Vehicle inspection)

Yeah the two permits are basically the same, just different names.

Wonder what kind of insurance BC Transit has on the bus, which would determine whether or not it can carry passengers.

Did you guys happen to notice when the insurance decal (front plate) expires? I can't tell from the photos.

Chris Cassidy

[A. Wong]

Can't tell the expiry date from my full size ones either. Looks like it could be JUL like the other sticker. However I noticed that the new BC Transit Novas leased coaches have CH 78xx plates as well. Wonder if the Yaxing went into service at a similar time as them.

Closest one to CH 7788 I could find just skimming my pictures is 9351, with CH 7793.

The plates don't seem to be in any order - 9286, an older LFS, has CH 7836.

Seems like the H40LFRs have the Olympic plates.

[323 Surrey Ctrl Stn]

Can't tell the expiry date from my full size ones either. Looks like it could be JUL like the other sticker. However I noticed that the new BC Transit Novas leased coaches have CH 78xx plates as well. Wonder if the Yaxing went into service at a similar time as them.

Closest one to CH 7788 I could find just skimming my pictures is 9351, with CH 7793.

The plates don't seem to be in any order - 9286, an older LFS, has CH 7836.

Seems like the H40LFRs have the Olympic plates.

JUL would either be July 1st or July 31st.

Which new BC Transit leases? The STM's?

Chris Cassidy

[MCW Metrobus]

He's referring to BC Transit "coaches", which would be the ones running on the 98 Sea to Sky Commuter.

Also, it's probably significant to note that the Yaxing bus has been used in active service already in Squamish. I've seen photos of it on route 2 Garibaldi Highlands and route 3 Valleycliffe with passengers on board. Meaning the bus is already certified to carry passengers.

[A. Wong]

BC Transit reports that the Yaxing is in service in Squamish with fleet number 7130.

[BCT-3122-D800-10240]

Added 23 Photos to my Whistler Transit photo gallery: http://www.busdrawings.com/Transit/British...stler/index.htm

[A. Wong]

http://www.piquenewsmagazine.com/pique/ind...ogen+buses+1821

[SidneyTransitfan]

Squamish Commuter Operations will be discontinued as of the 30th of September...

http://www.thesquamishreporter.ca/index.php?id=253

I have a pretty good idea as to where the three commuter buses will end up... do you?

[323 Surrey Ctrl Stn]

Squamish Commuter Operations will be discontinued as of the 30th of September...

http://www.thesquamishreporter.ca/index.php?id=253

I have a pretty good idea as to where the three commuter buses will end up... do you?

Wouldn't surprise me at all if they went to the Cowichan Valley Commuter

So looks like some weekend coming up I'll be heading to Squamish to ride this route again

Chris Cassidy

[323 Surrey Ctrl Stn]

Forgot to share this photo but I just remembered to post it.

1:49am on October 1st, 9300 sitting in downtown Squamish after finishing the last ever 98 Whistler/Squamish commuter

http://www.flickr.com/photos/chsscassidy/6.../in/photostream

Jordan, Mike C, Laura and myself rode the last northbound trip and then the last southbound trip (we had the bus to ourselves heading SB)

Chris Cassidy

[Millennium2002]

I know it's been awhile, but I think the province should have continued to subsidize it. Anyway... until the BC government understands this mistake, it's now in the history books.

[kevlo86]

Uploaded 27 more photos of the New Flyer H40LFR's, these were all taken on July 17, 2011, the day of the D40 charter to Whistler, so some of you may recognize some of the photos!

See them here, http://www.kevinsbusrail.com/whistler_h40lfr.html

[MAX BRT]

Article on the hydrogen fuel cell buses in Whistler. The fleet is about halfway through its five-year pilot period, and in September the buses will pass a new milestone — 1.5 million road miles (over 2.5 million kilometres) on the road.

http://www.piquenewsmagazine.com/whistler/hydrogen-buses-pass-15-million-mile-mark/Content?oid=2327085

[ilikebuses]

Whistler is sharing their depot with Pacific Coach Lines. Article here: http://www.transitbc.com/news/newsitem.cfm?newsid=1722

[323 Surrey Ctrl Stn]

Whistler is sharing their depot with Pacific Coach Lines. Article here: http://www.transitbc...cfm?newsid=1722

Makes sense. As we all saw during the garage tour last year they got so much space it isn't even funny.

Chris Cassidy

[Cimon8000]

 

Article on the hydrogen fuel cell buses in Whistler. The fleet is about halfway through its five-year pilot period, and in September the buses will pass a new milestone — 1.5 million road miles (over 2.5 million kilometres) on the road. http://www.piquenewsmagazine.com/whistler/hydrogen-buses-pass-15-million-mile-mark/Content?oid=2327085

From the report they seems to be pretty happy with them, but how's their actualy reliability? So they will stay in Hydrogen fuel cell for at least 5 yrs before decision to make of keeping them or not? Any rumours of having them convert back to diesel or not? Thx

[Citaro]

Sorry about the bump. Below is a link to an article about the questionable future of the hydrogen bus fleet.

http://www.vancouversun.com/technology/Whistler+hydrogen+fuel+cell+program+jeopardy/9212028/story.html

[Blue Bus Fan]

 

Ben Williams, president of CAW 333 in Victoria, maintains the hydrogen buses should be scrapped and the money used to provide transit in other areas of the province, such as Victoria. It added it doesn’t make sense to haul fuel from Quebec when the idea is to run the buses to reduce carbon and greenhouse gas emissions.

Why can BC Transit not convert the buses into diesel or hybrid? They could still use the buses at reduce costs.