Nova Bus LFS (all models)

[MiExpress]

6 hours ago, Buzz2kb said:

I thought New Flyer XN40's will be the future of this agency after reading this press release.  So if they are getting a massive fleet of Nova Bus LFS CNG's, what's the point for them to get XN40's?

And a couple more questions on this order:

1. What will these LFS's replace at VIA?  I assume they will replace all of their diesel NABI's and most D40LF's, right?

2. Why does the XN40 lose out to the LFS CNG for this massive order above?

I will appreciate any insights into my queries above.

 

 

I'd appreciate some insight into your own queries as well.

A relatively small 15 bus order, taken on an option off another transit system , signals to you that the XN40 was the future bus of VIA? Ignoring that contracts for buses are subject to tender/RFP and usually selected on the basis of price, warranty, specifications, etc. With multiple manufacturers out there and the bid process there is no single bus that is the "future" of any transit agency anywhere.

This may also help you answer your question #2.

[M. Parsons]

6 hours ago, Buzz2kb said:

1. What will these LFS's replace at VIA?  I assume they will replace all of their diesel NABI's and most D40LF's, right?

2. Why does the XN40 lose out to the LFS CNG for this massive order above?

Considering the options are for upwards of 500 buses, they could practically replace everything 40' up to and including the XN40's if the options were to run that long!

The 2010 buses are already approaching mid-life and given the base contract is quite large itself, I'd bet it's safe to say the 2010's are part of phase 5, and failing that, they most certainly would fall under the options.

On top of that, there's still buses for any expansion that could occur.

[MVTArider]

18 hours ago, Buzz2kb said:

I thought New Flyer XN40's will be the future of this agency after reading this press release.  So if they are getting a massive fleet of Nova Bus LFS CNG's, what's the point for them to get XN40's?

Those 15 buses were probably a stop gap order to replace some units before the initial buses from their next contract would arrive. It doesn't say when those 15 buses would be built. Since they're options they could be in production now, while the NovaBus order won't have any built until the end of the year.

Looking at the current VIA fleet, I'm not surprised they would go to Nova, none of the manufacturers (Gillig, ElDo, NFI, Nova) really have anything that would be compatible with the current fleet for parts commonality*, which would be one reason to stay with a certain manufacturer if bid prices are competitive. So VIA was likely looking solely at those factors Silley Tilley mentioned and not much else.

 

*Glass, trim, body panels, lights, etc.

[MAX BRT]

NFI has been doing so much business, its almost a surprise when Nova wins one

[140 Southshore]

Couple questions:

1. Where is the oldest LFS in service operating and when it was built?
2. Aside from Transit Windsor and TARTA, are there any LFS operators in or close to Michigan?

My 400th post, BTW.

[RailBus63]

On 5/17/2016 at 8:17 PM, MAX BRT said:

NFI has been doing so much business, its almost a surprise when Nova wins one

Nova stole three major NFI customers (SEPTA, CTA and the Ontario consortium), plus they captured the TTC order.  I think they're doing just fine.

[Seashore_518203]

On 15/05/2016 at 6:20 PM, Buzz2kb said:

I thought New Flyer XN40's will be the future of this agency after reading this press release.  So if they are getting a massive fleet of Nova Bus LFS CNG's, what's the point for them to get XN40's?

I will appreciate any insights into my queries above.

Off topic for this topic, but here is a shot of one of the San Antonio XN40 buses on delivery on April 26, 2016. The photo was taken on I-35 between Ames and Des Moines, IA. The destination sign said 3-San Pedro, and along with the number that falls in line with recent delivieries, I am pretty sure that this bus was destined for VIA.

[Andru]

On 2016-05-17 at 11:09 PM, mattb816789 said:

Couple questions:

1. Where is the oldest LFS in service operating and when it was built?
2. Aside from Transit Windsor and TARTA, are there any LFS operators in or close to Michigan?

My 400th post, BTW.

1. There are a couple of 1996-model second-hand LFS still active with small operators. If STL (Laval QC) still has any 96xx or 97xx active (built in 1996 and 1997 respectively) they would probably be the oldest LFS still active with their original owner.

2. Chicago, Cleveland and Columbus are your next closest destinations, though I'm not sure how many LFS are left in the latter two fleets.

 

[140 Southshore]

10 minutes ago, Andru said:

2. Chicago, Cleveland and Columbus are your next closest destinations, though I'm not sure how many LFS are left in the latter two fleets.

OK then. Does Kenosha Transit still have a few of their ex-Chemung County (Elmira, NY) LFSes in service? Same question applies to Indianapolis' second-hand LFSes.

Also I noticed that Sarnia Transit and Sault Ste. Marie Transit along the Ontario-Michigan border have LFS vehicles too.

Side note: well, I noticed something: there are presumably no Michigan-based LFS operators yet Ontario and every state that borders Michigan has at least one LFS operator (including Transit Windsor, whose LFSes are presumably the only LFSes that show up in Michigan due to the Tunnel Bus).

EDIT: Just realized that sometime last month I was watching a news report that included what seems to be stock footage of an American Airlines aircraft with what looked very much like an LFS passing by in the foreground, so I wonder if American Airlines may happen to have an LFS based at DTW.

[G.A]

A lot of systems in Ontario are apart of the Metrolinx order.

1 hour ago, mattb816789 said:

OK then. Does Kenosha Transit still have a few of their ex-Chemung County (Elmira, NY) LFSes in service? Same question applies to Indianapolis' second-hand LFSes.

Also I noticed that Sarnia Transit and Sault Ste. Marie Transit along the Ontario-Michigan border have LFS vehicles too.

Side note: well, I noticed something: there are presumably no Michigan-based LFS operators yet Ontario and every state that borders Michigan has at least one LFS operator (including Transit Windsor, whose LFSes are presumably the only LFSes that show up in Michigan due to the Tunnel Bus).

EDIT: Just realized that sometime last month I was watching a news report that included what seems to be stock footage of an American Airlines aircraft with what looked very much like an LFS passing by in the foreground, so I wonder if American Airlines may happen to have an LFS based at DTW.

 

[140 Southshore]

Just found out today that in 2014, DDOT came really close to having an LFS fleet (as it was rumored at the time to have been a piggyback from a SEPTA order) but got Xcelsiors instead.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/DetroitTransitMemories/permalink/742482759128361/

https://www.facebook.com/groups/DetroitTransitMemories/permalink/769029996473637/

[tomsbuspage]

I spotted three Chicago LFS buses on US Route 11 in New York State this afternoon: 824? and 8251 in Canton, and 8252 in Potsdam. 

And there I was without my camera...

EDIT: It wasn't 8246, as that bus has been in service in Chicago since 06/15 (post here).

[RailBus63]

12 hours ago, tomsbuspage said:

I spotted three Chicago LFS buses on US Route 11 in New York State this afternoon: 8246 and 8251 in Canton, and 8252 in Potsdam. 

And there I was without my camera...

I spotted CTA 8245 parked in a Syracuse shopping center early this morning (photo here).

[Transit man2015]

I really hope Novabus step up their game and build a bigger plant and get aggressive with bidding I hope they are developing a CNG Articulated bus also 

[RailBus63]

1 hour ago, Transit man2015 said:

I really hope Novabus step up their game and build a bigger plant and get aggressive with bidding I hope they are developing a CNG Articulated bus also 

They built their U.S. plant just a few years ago and they've been very aggressive.  They are a major player now in New York City and won large orders from New Flyer customers like Philadelphia and Chicago.

[MAX BRT]

Anyone hear anything about a Nova CNG artic being developed?

[MiExpress]

Capital Metro in Austin is ordering 15 more Nova LFS buses - 8 40' buses and 7 60' buses for MetroRapid

http://www.capmetro.org/uploadedFiles/Capmetroorg/Public_Involvement/Board_Meetings/July 25, 2016 Board Packet.pdf

[tomsbuspage]

New Nova Bus orders total 525 buses

Quote

PLATTSBURGH — Nova Bus is in the midst of building 525 buses here for two metropolitan transit authorities in Texas.

The order from VIA Metropolitan Transit in San Antonio calls for 425 40-foot CNG (compressed natural gas) buses.

And the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County in Houston has ordered 80 40-foot Nova LFS buses and 20 60-foot LFS Artic (articulated) buses.

 

[transit addict 327]

On ‎5‎/‎15‎/‎2016 at 11:50 PM, M. Parsons said:

Considering the options are for upwards of 500 buses, they could practically replace everything 40' up to and including the XN40's if the options were to run that long!

The 2010 buses are already approaching mid-life and given the base contract is quite large itself, I'd bet it's safe to say the 2010's are part of phase 5, and failing that, they most certainly would fall under the options.

On top of that, there's still buses for any expansion that could occur.

Looking at the entire diesel fleet of NABI's and New Flyer's it's exactly 425, including the 2010 hybrids.  So phase 5 definitely includes replacing the hybrids.  At this point, the only room for expansion would be for CNG artics for 2 proposed PRIMO BRT routes along 2 different corridors.  As far as I know New Flyer currently makes the only artic-CNG, unless Nova is working on it (which seems unlikely to me).

[TheAverageJoe]

On 11/15/2016 at 1:03 AM, transit addict 327 said:

 unless Nova is working on it (which seems unlikely to me).

There was a demo/test CNG artic spotted at the Nova plant earlier this year with a few pics as proof. 

[2044]

Some early Nova Bus photos

[A. Wong]

Nice! Probably one of the first LFSes without square windows.

[MTL66]

When did Nova start using the letter J in their VINs for the LFS

According to the VIN decoder on the WIKI, J would be for the 6V92TA Engine, whcih I highly doubt they would put in a 2015 LFS.

[Andru]

15 minutes ago, MTL66 said:

When did Nova start using the letter J in their VINs for the LFS

According to the VIN decoder on the WIKI, J would be for the 6V92TA Engine, whcih I highly doubt they would put in a 2015 LFS.

The decoder is out of date. From 2014 on, engine codes are J=diesel, K=alternate fuel (CNG), L=hybrid and M=electric. The codes no longer stand for specific engines.

[XN40]

Is Nova Bus developing a CNG LFS artic? San Diego MTS has a RFP for 60' CNG artics and Nova bus is a bidder for this project.