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The Bus (Honolulu, HI)


busfreak99

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Hopefully you will get a video of the LFS, which is a huge disfavor of drivers liking it!

Please elaborate. While I can understand issues with the seating and the rear-door opening slowly, I do like how the Novabus manages to stay somewhat quiet when idle.

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Some minor updates and speculations here.

Recently, I mentioned that the majority of the first-generation D60LF's from 2000 have converted to a Cummins ISL engine. Buses 097 and 098 might still have the original Detroit Diesel Series 50 engines. Meanwhile,

Can anyone confirm this? On top of that, some of the 1996 Phantoms that are planned to stay for extended service (785-795) might have their old engines swapped out and replaced with the engines that the first-gen D60LF's used before their conversion.

As a request, can anyone determine what the powertrain on

is?

Last but not least, can anyone determine the fate of the Grumman buses that TheBus used to have? I assume that the guys at OTS caught on to the A-Frame problem that made headlines a few decades ago.

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Add to that 665 and 667.

You're in the Big Island right? Did you see any RTS-08 buses pass by?

Meanwhile, I did some snooping around on Google and found two photos of the D60LF taken in 1998. They show an old color scheme with TheBus and NewFlyer logos on it. Source: http://www.chaffeeyiu.com/htm/hon.htm

honolulu-d60lf-1.jpg

honolulu-d60lf-2.jpg

Also, I found a Star-Bulletin story about a 6-month trial for two electric buses that provided free service. The article didn't provide a date of when this started, but it did show a partial interior shot of the bus. Check it out. This blurry picture also seems relevant. Source for that picture: http://www.servitokss.com/things-i-miss-about-hawaii/

thebus.jpg

I assume that they're fleet numbers 20-21. Looks like an ElDorado National Escort RE in a 35' length. I'm not too sure if OTS still owns these buses.

In case of pageloss...

Some minor updates and speculations here.

Recently, I mentioned that the majority of the first-generation D60LF's from 2000 have converted to a Cummins ISL engine. Buses 097 and 098 might still have the original Detroit Diesel Series 50 engines. On top of that, some of the 1996 Phantoms that are planned to stay for extended service (785-795) might have their old engines swapped out and replaced with the engines that the first-gen D60LF's used before their engine conversion.

As a request, can anyone determine what the powertrain on

is?

Last but not least, can anyone determine the fate of the Grumman buses that TheBus used to have? I assume that the guys at OTS caught on to the A-Frame problem that made headlines a few decades ago.

Lastly, I have more footage featuring

,
,
, and
. Riding on an Optima Opus bus seems to be on my bucket list right now.
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Yes, I was on the Big Island (until yesterday). No RTSs, just MCIs, Phantoms, and whatever the medium-duty buses are.

I was on Hawaii Island as well. Saw 665 and 699 in Hilo on the Volcano route. Hele On Bus just removed TheBus logo and kept everything else on exterior intact. Guess Hele On Bus usually don't hold on to them for a long time so does not make sense to repaint the buses.

Did not see RTSs as well, just MCIs and Phantoms (possibly not from TheBus). I last saw RTS in Hilo was over a year ago.

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Could those ten new buses be in addition to the 12 XDE60s, or are they scrapping the order for the remaining 8* XDE60s for 10 XD60s

*Says they already got 4 XDE60s and are thinking about buying 8 more.

http://khon2.com/2015/03/09/city-bus-service-expands-with-electric-hybrids-and-retrofitted-ambulance-bus/

http://www.newflyer.com/index/the-city-of-honolulu-awards-new-flyer-a-contract-for-ten-60-foot

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So they have 12 hybrid 60' buses being delivered and 10 more added, for a total of 22. They have 30 NFI D60LF's from 1999-2000, and though they (all now) have replaced Cummins engines in them they are still 15+ years old. The fleet is to the point where there are 40' buses running on the A CityExpress! and the E CountryExpress! along with many Route 1 and 2 keys. It almost seems as though the fleet needs additional 60' buses to accommodate some of the higher traffic routes, but this makes it seem as though they are downsizing the fleet.

Wishing there was more info from New Flyer on options...

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They have 30 NFI D60LF's from 1999-2000, and though they (all now) have replaced Cummins engines in them they are still 15+ years old.

I have two things regarding those buses.

1) Are 097 and 098 included now?

2) I thought some of them started service somewhere around late 1998.

As for the 40' buses, I can confirm that I'm seeing more Phantoms operate on Routes 1/1L. I do see very few of the 1997 Phantoms breaking down at that point. There may be a point where OTS might order more 40' buses to satisfy commuter demands. I also see some routes being cancelled on the Honolulu Estimated Arrival.

In the video regarding the Gillig Low-Floors, one person commented that some if not most of the 200's and possibly the 600's have Voith 864.5 transmissions.

If OTS is ordering 22 60' XCelsiors, then they should consider reorganizing some of their fleet numbers.

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You're not the only one who has been noticing more Gillig Phantoms on the Express routes, which may explain the reason behind the order for the additional artics. I've also noticed that the remaining 700s being less used so they might be looking at buying more low floors once they get the new artics on the road and just in time for the rail line to start service.

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I just got a response from someone who has a father that works with the mechanics at TheBus. He claims that fleet numbers 230-279 are made in 2012 while 280-297 are made in 2013. They - along with 601-629 - are equipped with the Cummins ISL9 and the Voith 864.5. If any wiki editors want to verify that information, you can shoot a message to Alika Valdez on Youtube.

Edit: Snooping around in TheBus article from Wikipedia, it seems that 230-297 is one solid order. Their date of shipping and assembly ranges from mid-2012 to late-2013.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:TheBus_(Honolulu)#Suggested_changes_to_fleet_information

In conclusion, 60-67, 230-297, and 601-629 have the Voith 864.5 automatic transmissions. The ones with the Allison B400R are 50-59, 366-368, and 501-555.

Interestingly enough, 201, which was an RTS-08 from 1993, was never delivered. That makes 202-283 in the retired roster.

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  • 3 weeks later...

It looks like 366-368 isn't going into sudden retirement after all. The three Low-Floors from 1998 will be refurbished and sent into service sometime later as a Pearl City bus. It's going to be available around 2016. I thank Alika Valdez and his father for this information.

Also, I uploaded a new video of

, a 1996 Phantom. Nothing much after that except for the Novabus LFS and the Optima Opus which is on my bucket list.

Edit: I'm starting to wonder if 774-784 has the regular M11 or the M11E.

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  • 4 weeks later...

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