Cityflyer Posted August 10, 2009 Report Share Posted August 10, 2009 Don't know if this was mentioned but on Aug 12 at 100 King St W, there is a press conference to celebrate the launch of Coach Canada's double decker buses. There will be two of those VanHool dd buses there. Here's the link. http://wx.toronto.ca/inter/city/events.nsf...Date=2009-08-12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2044 Posted August 12, 2009 Report Share Posted August 12, 2009 Just got back from the event. Thanks to global happy traveler and CityFlyer for the heads up. Coach Canada has bought 15 Van Hools for Megabus service, and it looked like around 10 were at the event. At 09.30 a convoy of TD925s paraded down King St. W, followed by Megabus cheerleaders chanting: Let's cheer, let's holler! Go to Montreal for a dollar! For you, for us! We'll take the Megabus! Two TD925s stopped at 100 King St. W. - DD42460 and DD42462. Coach Canada exectutives and representatives along with Van Hool representatives got off with and walked the blue carpet to the media event past the cheerleaders. I will have pictures up on Flickr later today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Board Admin A. Wong Posted August 12, 2009 Board Admin Report Share Posted August 12, 2009 Cool, thanks for the update! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
global_happy_traveller Posted August 12, 2009 Report Share Posted August 12, 2009 Cool, thanks for the update! just bought 4 x $1 tickets from Toronto-Montreal for September! 2 persons round trip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2044 Posted August 12, 2009 Report Share Posted August 12, 2009 Cool, thanks for the update! No problem! Here are some photos from the event: Megabus Canada Launch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
global_happy_traveller Posted August 12, 2009 Report Share Posted August 12, 2009 No problem!Here are some photos from the event: Megabus Canada Launch and u did not stick around and take photos of the interior of the bus??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2044 Posted August 12, 2009 Report Share Posted August 12, 2009 and u did not stick around and take photos of the interior of the bus??? Just been added to the set linked above. Thanks for viewing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D. DeLarge Posted August 13, 2009 Report Share Posted August 13, 2009 This begs the question...will there be cheerleaders on the regular runs? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TC60102N Posted August 13, 2009 Report Share Posted August 13, 2009 This begs the question...will there be cheerleaders on the regular runs? No!, I Took them home to be part of my "Bus Collection" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaun Posted August 13, 2009 Report Share Posted August 13, 2009 i am guessing since my place is between Montreal and Toronto, i can get one or 2 of the girls to come to my place for the price on their T-shirt.Joking aside: I think its great that both local and highway transits are buying/testing double deckers. i really am impressed with the bus design and hopefully i can ride one soon. I wonder why GO Transit chose Alexander Dennis over Vanhool. I wonder why coach canada chose Vanhool over Alexander Dennis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheAverageJoe Posted August 13, 2009 Report Share Posted August 13, 2009 I wonder why GO Transit chose Alexander Dennis over Vanhool. I wonder why coach canada chose Vanhool over Alexander Dennis. Stagecoach wants to keep its Megabus fleet simple so they can easly be transfered between divisons like what was done with the Western divison before it closed and its Midwest (some transfered to Northeast divison) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uwe Posted August 13, 2009 Report Share Posted August 13, 2009 Stagecoach wants to keep its Megabus fleet simple so they can easly be transfered between divisons like what was done with the Western divison before it closed and its Midwest (some transfered to Northeast divison) There are no luggage compartments on the AlexanderDennis DDs, adding some would reduce seating capacity below the VanHool. Also, the VanHool is an inter-city coach, where the AD is better taylored to commuter/transit operations. Uwe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheAverageJoe Posted August 14, 2009 Report Share Posted August 14, 2009 There are no luggage compartments on the AlexanderDennis DDs, adding some would reduce seating capacity below the VanHool. Also, the VanHool is an inter-city coach, where the AD is better taylored to commuter/transit operations.Uwe Do you know if Stagecoach has any VanHools in its UK megabus fleet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seashore_518203 Posted August 14, 2009 Report Share Posted August 14, 2009 I wonder why GO Transit chose Alexander Dennis over Vanhool. I wonder why coach canada chose Vanhool over Alexander Dennis. The initial reason for Megabus to choose Vanhool was due to overall vehicle height. Megabus needed the buses to be able to have enough clearance for the Lincoln Tunnel between NY and NJ. At 13'2", the buses just barely make it. The Alexander Dennis Enviros are 14'0" (I believe) which would not have had sufficient clearance for the Lincoln tunnel. Kevin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uwe Posted August 14, 2009 Report Share Posted August 14, 2009 Do you know if Stagecoach has any VanHools in its UK megabus fleet? I don't think they make righthand drive units of the Astromega.(?) Last I checked, they had purchased 50-foot Plaxton single-deck coaches for the Megabus service. In general they seem to have a wide variery of coaches in the UK, from standard, to artics to DDs. Uwe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheAverageJoe Posted August 14, 2009 Report Share Posted August 14, 2009 I don't think they make righthand drive units of the Astromega.(?)Last I checked, they had purchased 50-foot Plaxton single-deck coaches for the Megabus service. In general they seem to have a wide variery of coaches in the UK, from standard, to artics to DDs. Uwe I seem some pics of Megabus there and the do have a wide range of models in their fleet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PrevostH3-45 Posted August 14, 2009 Report Share Posted August 14, 2009 I wonder why GO Transit chose Alexander Dennis over Vanhool. I wonder why coach canada chose Vanhool over Alexander Dennis. There were a few reasons why GO Transit chose the Alexander Dennis Enviro500. The Alexander Dennis is considerably more wheelchair friendly both for the Customer and for the Driver. On the VanHool, the Driver has to get out of the seat and set up a folding ramp at the rear door. The seats require stowing which is more time consuming than the "flip-up" design of the Enviro500. The stairs are more like a ladder than they are stairs. GO Transit felt it was safer for customers to use the conventional style stairs that are standard on our double decker coaches. Lastly, the reduced headroom was a concern. There may be other reasons however those were the ones that stood out from my chat with one of the people involved in the purchase of these units. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2044 Posted August 14, 2009 Report Share Posted August 14, 2009 The initial reason for Megabus to choose Vanhool was due to overall vehicle height. Megabus needed the buses to be able to have enough clearance for the Lincoln Tunnel between NY and NJ. At 13'2", the buses just barely make it. The Alexander Dennis Enviros are 14'0" (I believe) which would not have had sufficient clearance for the Lincoln tunnel.Kevin That's right, the Enviro500 for North America is just under 14' at 4.267m, while the TD925 is 4m. I don't think they make righthand drive units of the Astromega.(?)Last I checked, they had purchased 50-foot Plaxton single-deck coaches for the Megabus service. In general they seem to have a wide variery of coaches in the UK, from standard, to artics to DDs. Uwe It is offered in RHD. Stagecoach has recently purchased some TD925s for their Oxford Tube service. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
global_happy_traveller Posted August 14, 2009 Report Share Posted August 14, 2009 Transit properties (GOT, BCT etc....) wants something more transit-related (Alexander Dennis)....whereas Coach Canada wans something thats more coach related (Vanhool)..... Also Dennis will require provincial exemption and follow through strict routing procedures whereas the Vanhool can operate on roads that could accomodate a tractor trailer/regular motorcoach. I am not a big fan of the Vanhool front stairs....too big of a liability...... And you can add luggage racks on the Alexander Dennis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheAverageJoe Posted August 15, 2009 Report Share Posted August 15, 2009 The initial reason for Megabus to choose Vanhool was due to overall vehicle height. Megabus needed the buses to be able to have enough clearance for the Lincoln Tunnel between NY and NJ. At 13'2", the buses just barely make it. The Alexander Dennis Enviros are 14'0" (I believe) which would not have had sufficient clearance for the Lincoln tunnel.Kevin That makes sence as I was on the PANYNJ site looking at bridge and tunnel delays and I seen before that one of the Vanhools broke down and couldnt even be towed out of the tunnel due to the height in the tunnel so if a Vanhool DD just fits in a E500 would not Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TTCNLFBT Posted August 16, 2009 Report Share Posted August 16, 2009 Spotted VanHool TD925 #DD42452 exiting STC yesterday afternoon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2822 Posted August 16, 2009 Report Share Posted August 16, 2009 Spotted VanHool TD925 #DD42452 exiting STC yesterday afternoon. Thats one nice looking bus! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bus_Medic Posted August 18, 2009 Report Share Posted August 18, 2009 Spotted VanHool TD925 #DD42452 exiting STC yesterday afternoon. i guess that proves they DO fit in the Triton Road tunnel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D40LF Posted August 19, 2009 Report Share Posted August 19, 2009 They are stopping in Kingston too. Here is DD42454 leaving Kingston on August 16, you can see where they have extended the concrete for the bus bays so that the bus doesn't hit the roof overhang. http://johnsbusphotos.fotopic.net/p60322495.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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