Niagara Falls Transit

[general682002]

9001-9009 definitely have Allison B500R transmissions, looking at 97SCT's videos.

I don't know where the other ones came from.

I've told the others have ZF, which I believe for the NFT version while NPC will have the Allison.

[dj.surf.lfs]

Nice shot, but I am confused. With the destination sign, the bus is heading northbound to the Queenston Traffic Circle. But it is loading at the platform normally used for Peoplemovers travelling southbound to Rapidsview Parking Lot. Have they revised the routing at Table Rock?

Looking at the video, Green Line destination sign seems to alternate between Queenston and Rapidsview all the time, regardless of which way it's going.

[Seashore_518203]

Looking at the video, Green Line destination sign seems to alternate between Queenston and Rapidsview all the time, regardless of which way it's going.

Now I am more confused. For the stops that are serviced by both directions (Butterfly Conservatory and Spanish Aerocar) how does the customer know which way the bus is travelling?

[* Mr. Black *]

Seems I was right the the NPC units have narrow centre and rear doors, and the Transit ones have Wide centre and narrow rear doors. wonder why the different specs?

[97SCT]

Now I am more confused. For the stops that are serviced by both directions (Butterfly Conservatory and Spanish Aerocar) how does the customer know which way the bus is travelling?

They still kept the North/South signs that were displayed on the IV's. When the front door opens, I think the AA system tells where the bus is headed

[niatrans10]

the NPC units have Green Line-AEROCAR in the evening instead of the QUEENSTON one, does anyone know what time they cut off at the Aerocar?

[vivablue5215]

the NPC units have Green Line-AEROCAR in the evening instead of the QUEENSTON one, does anyone know what time they cut off at the Aerocar?

Should be around 6pm if I remembered correctly from last year...

[Articulated]

Should be around 6pm if I remembered correctly from last year...

Why guess when you can check for sure?

Note: The last southbound bus leaving Queenston Heights is at 5:53 p.m., the last southbound bus leaving the Butterfly Conservatory leaves at 7:05 p.m., and the last bus southbound bus leaving the Aero Car is at 10:07 p.m.

[cmc12]

They still kept the North/South signs that were displayed on the IV's. When the front door opens, I think the AA system tells where the bus is headed

Not sure if this was mentioned, but the NPC units do not appear to have rear signs like the Niagara Transit units.

The Niagara Transit units also have the regular routes programmed into the signs. IIRC 5203 was headed towards Table Rock today signed as a "2 DOWNTOWN" in the orange LEDs.

[Articulated]

Not sure if this was mentioned, but the NPC units do not appear to have rear signs like the Niagara Transit units.

Based on your picture, it's not only the lack of rear signs... there are completely different stickers and placements on the units:

-City units (5210, left) have the accessible sticker next to the rear window, no Yield to Bus sign, no government of Niagara Falls/Ontario/Canada stickers, and a railway crossing sticker

-NPC units (9004, right) have the accessible sticker below the right taillight, a Yield to Bus sign, a government of Niagara Falls/Ontario/Canada sticker, and no railway crossing sticker

I'm completely stumped as to why the two agencies would have such dramatic differences in specs (although the stickers might just come down to application by two different teams).

The Niagara Transit units also have the regular routes programmed into the signs. IIRC 5203 was headed towards Table Rock today signed as a "2 DOWNTOWN" in the orange LEDs.

Niagara Falls Transit probably added the new WEGO routes in to their regular sign programming for all buses, therefore all WEGO buses have normal city routes (and vice versa, the regular fleet probably has the WEGO routes in case they need to cover runs).

I really wish they would've done the Green Line signs properly, that's extremely confusing to have two different termini on the signs at once, like Seashore_518203 said, there are numerous locations where buses in both directions serve the same stop.

In addition: Did anyone observe boarding, and are the WEGO buses (specifically the Green Line) using all-door boarding or front door only? Could explain why the Parks commission specifically ordered narrow centre/rear doors, to prevent fare evasion and force the driver to check for the stickers.

[general682002]

In addition: Did anyone observe boarding, and are the WEGO buses (specifically the Green Line) using all-door boarding or front door only? Could explain why the Parks commission specifically ordered narrow centre/rear doors, to prevent fare evasion and force the driver to check for the stickers.

Tale of the two different systems ordering so many different things, good lord!

Passing by Niagara Falls today and the drivers are opening the front to check the fares, so they are solo. They also have a farebox too.

But man, pure blue destination sign equals it's so hard to see!

[97SCT]

cmc12 has just brought up something that wasn't mentioned, that the NPC operated units indeed do not have rear displays.

As for fare evasion. I don't think it is a problem as most people have an Adventure Pass or the WEGO 2-day pass and that there's a Parks worker at the back section where the microphone is. Those units have no farebox, only the scanner part where you tap your pass.

When i went on Monday, 5304's signs had malfunctioned.

[smallspy]

I'm completely stumped as to why the two agencies would have such dramatic differences in specs (although the stickers might just come down to application by two different teams).

It doesn't matter if it was one or 10 different teams. Agencies specify the paint scheme, colours used, stickers and their location on the vehicle. No sticker, no placement. The crews installing them have no idea what does or doesn't need to be put on there from a regulatory standpoint - they just follow the instructions given to them.

I'm starting to think that the buses were actually ordered individually of each other, rather than as one big group order.

Dan

[cmc12]

Another difference which I just noticed is that the NPC units are not branded as LFX models (compare the above rear photo). Would there be another identifier to distinguish between an LFS Artic and an LFX?

[* Mr. Black *]

Another difference which I just noticed is that the NPC units are not branded as LFX models (compare the above rear photo). Would there be another identifier to distinguish between an LFS Artic and an LFX?

Just a thought, The NPC units were supposed to have that special wrap applied to them originally, so they could have been ordered with a logo-delete.

[niatrans10]

Not sure if this was mentioned, but the NPC units do not appear to have rear signs like the Niagara Transit units.

The Niagara Transit units also have the regular routes programmed into the signs. IIRC 5203 was headed towards Table Rock today signed as a "2 DOWNTOWN" in the orange LEDs.

for some reason the " 2 DOWNTOWN" is a default setting if the buses are running ahead of schedule

[smallspy]

Would there be another identifier to distinguish between an LFS Artic and an LFX?

There is no way to distinguish between the two other than the branding - because there is no difference between the two other than branding.

Dan

[TheAverageJoe]

There is no way to distinguish between the two other than the branding - because there is no difference between the two other than branding.

Dan

Would be easier for Nova to keep the 40 footer as LFS and 60 footer as LFX from an easy marketing point.

[smallspy]

Would be easier for Nova to keep the 40 footer as LFS and 60 footer as LFX from an easy marketing point.

I don't know. Have you suggested that to them?

Dan

[TC60102N]

The interior between Niagara city owned and Parks owned buses are two completely different set ups. Totally different seating configuration, different colors and different seating types used. As well as all the aforementioned differences

[general682002]

The interior between Niagara city owned and Parks owned buses are two completely different set ups. Totally different seating configuration, different colors and different seating types used. As well as all the aforementioned differences

I've looked at the interior and the NPC had more wider aisle space than the NFT.

[97SCT]

WEGO officially a go.......already over 100,000 passenger trips in the last 10 days

http://www.niagarafallsreview.ca/2012/08/23/wego-officially-a-go?utm_source=addThis&utm_medium=addthis_button_facebook&utm_campaign=WEGO+officially+a+go+%7C+Local+%7C+News+%7C+Niagara+Falls+Review#.UDabszF7zIU.facebook

[Seashore_518203]

WEGO officially a go.......already over 100,000 passenger trips in the last 10 days

Call me a skeptic ... but come on, who came up with these numbers? That would equate to 3.65 million over a year and with only 27 buses that would be next to impossible.

Hamilton carries 21 million per year with 219 buses and our buses have a lot more people on them than some of the WEGO passenger loads that I have seen.

[vivablue5215]

Call me a skeptic ... but come on, who came up with these numbers? That would equate to 3.65 million over a year and with only 27 buses that would be next to impossible.

Probably 10,000 of those took WEGO to take part in the Marineland protests.

[A. Wong]

http://www.metro-magazine.com/News/Story/2012/08/Canada-puts-Niagara-buses-into-service.aspx