Photos: Antelope Valley's Neoplan double-deckers

[R. McConnell]

The AVTA (Antelope Valley Transit Authority) operates bus service in the cities of Lancaster and Palmdale to the north of Los Angeles. As well as local routes served by a mixture of Gillig Phantoms and Advantages (typical), they also operate express service to Los Angeles with MCI commuter coaches and double-decker Neoplan Skyliners. As far as I know, these are the only double-deckers operated by a United States transit agency other than CAT in Las Vegas.

Here's Skyliner #722 in Downtown Los Angeles, working express route 785 to Palmdale and Lancaster. These buses originally came with flipdot signs, which have recently been replaced with orange LEDs.

The Los Angeles MTA (and presumably, other LA-region transit agencies) also tested similar coaches previously, although they obviously didn't purchase any. AVTA was the only purchaser of these unique buses, which are rather hard to find (I've lived in LA for 6 months already, and this is only the second time I've seen them!)

[IRT_BMT_IND]

Community Transit and Unitrans also operate double decker buses.

[A. Wong]

Those look to be in pretty good condition - are they 40' long?

[R. McConnell]

I think they're 12 meters long, as the bus is essentially a German design.

[NYC BUS FAN]

Very nice photos, Do you know how many of these buses are in service?

[R. McConnell]

Very nice photos, Do you know how many of these buses are in service?

Only a few are in service, I think.

[RTS_04]

Simply awesome.

[R. McConnell]

Thanks to everyone for the comments.

I've gotten more information on these vehicles -- these are 1996 Neoplan USA Skyliner AN122/3 buses. They are 40' long (but it's hard to tell that based on the pictures -- it looks rather short), 8'6" wide and 13'6" tall. Each bus seats 68 passengers. AVTA owns three of them, two of which are used in regular service and the third (which has lower headroom on the top deck) is a spare.

Unfortunately, I wouldn't expect these buses to be in service for much longer, as most of AVTA's commuter service is provided by new MCI coaches. The Neoplans may be retired in the next few years and replaced with more MCIs (unless the riding public likes the double-deckers -- and who wouldn't? )

[BCT-3122-D800-10240]

The Los Angeles MTA (and presumably, other LA-region transit agencies) also tested similar coaches previously, although they obviously didn't purchase any. AVTA was the only purchaser of these unique buses, which are rather hard to find (I've lived in LA for 6 months already, and this is only the second time I've seen them!)

AFAIK, Los Angeles MTA had Neoplan Double Deckers that were new in the late 1970's or early 1980's. They were numbered in the 9900's. Not sure when these were retired however. But I don't believe they had a very long life and I don't believe that was any sort of trial or test.

[RTS_04]

I don't believe that was any sort of trial or test.

I've seen some UMTA/DOT documentation on that fleet, so it may have doubled as a test of using high-occupancy buses in regular service. IIRC, the whole debate (as it is now) was whether a double-decker 40' bus was more productive than using a 60' artic that sat a similar number of people.

[sbs7207b]

AC Transit have tried the Dennis Trident back in few years ago, should Antelope Valley ask Alexander Dennis for the Enviro 500 demo?