Detroit Department of Transportation 4000-4024
Detroit Department of Transportation 4000-4024 were Chance American Heritage Streetcar (CNG-28) trolley replica buses built between 1998 and 2000. These were DDOT's first and only Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses. 4000-4013 arrived between April 1998 and June 1999, with the remaining buses arriving between July and August 2000.
4000-4013 were initially used on downtown shuttles and on the former downtown and midtown-area minibus routes, and were promoted with great fanfare at the opening of Comerica Park in April 2000, where they were used for 50-cent parking lot shuttles that transported fans from various downtown lots to the ballpark.
However, later in 2000, it was announced that the Cadillac Square Transit Center would close to make room for park space in a redevelopment of the Campus Martius area, with a new central layover area to be built at Times Square Park (which would become the Rosa Parks Transit Center), originally intended to open in 2001. This new location was located away from a central and convenient location for riders, and 11 additional trolleys were subsequently ordered for a shuttle that would run around the downtown area before ending at the transit center, however, the additional trolleys' original purpose never materialized, as a result of delays, the new transit center didn't begin construction until 2005, over a year after all of the trolleys had already been retired!
By 2003, they were relegated to limited usage on 2 Downtown Red Loop, 3 Cultural Attractions Trolley, and 4 Zoo Shuttle. As federal funding was used to purchase the trolleys, they were quickly placed into service on 24 Holbrook, 35 Meyers, 39 Puritan, and 99 Lahser, effective April 19, 2003.
Due to the expense of maintaining the trolleys, however, plans were in the works to sell them and replace them with diesel 40-foot buses. Following the delivery of 3975-3989, they were quickly and gradually withdrawn from service during June 2004 through Friday, June 25, 2004, when the last trolley, 4008, pulled back into the terminal at 11 PM after finishing a run on the 35.[1]
However, many, perhaps all, lingered at the back of the DDOT headquarters property for many years thereafter, with some staying as late as 2011. Some of these trolleys have been purchased by private shuttle operators that have committed them to continue to provide operation in downtown Detroit.
| Engine | Transmission | Seating | Destination sign |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cummins B5.9G | 25 | Vultron flipdot |
Details
| Fleet number | Thumbnail | Date | VIN | License plate at retirement | Terminal at retirement | Status/Disposal | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4000 | 1998 | 1C9S2CCS6WW535044 | ___X__ | RETIRED June 2004 |
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| 4001 | 1998 | 1C9S2CCS8WW535045 | ___X__ | RETIRED June 2004 |
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| 4002 | 1998 | 1C9S2CCSXWW535046 | ___X__ | RETIRED June 2004 |
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| 4003 | 1998 | 1C9S2CCS1WW535047 | ___X__ | RETIRED June 2004 |
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| 4004 | 1999 | 1C9S2CCSXXW535078 | ___X__ | RETIRED June 2004 |
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| 4005 | 1999 | 1C9S2CCS1XW535079 | ___X__ | RETIRED June 2004 |
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| 4006 | 1999 | 1C9S2CCS8XW535080 | ___X__ | RETIRED June 2004 |
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| 4007 | 1999 | 1C9S2CCSXXW535081 | ___X__ | RETIRED June 2004 |
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| 4008 | 1999 | 1C9S2CCS1XW535082 | ___X__ | RETIRED June 25, 2004 |
Last trolley in service | ||
| 4009 | 1999 | 1C9S2CCS3XW535083 | ___X__ | RETIRED June 2004 |
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| 4010 | 1999 | 1C9S2CCS5XW535084 | ___X__ | RETIRED June 2004 |
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| 4011 | 1999 | 1C9S2CCS7XW535085 | ___X__ | RETIRED June 2004 |
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| 4012 | 1999 | 1C9S2CCS9XW535086 | ___X__ | RETIRED June 2004 |
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| 4013 | 1999 | 1C9S2CCS0XW535087 | ___X__ | RETIRED June 2004 |
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| 4014 | 2000 | 1C9S2CCS9YW535106 | ___X__ | RETIRED June 2004 |
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| 4015 | 2000 | 1C9S2CCS0YW535107 | ___X__ | RETIRED June 2004 |
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| 4016 | 2000 | 1C9S2CCS2YW535108 | ___X__ | RETIRED June 2004 |
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| 4017 | 2000 | 1C9S2CCS4YW535109 | ___X__ | RETIRED June 2004 |
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| 4018 | 2000 | 1C9S2CCS0YW535110 | ___X__ | RETIRED June 2004 |
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| 4019 | 2000 | 1C9S2CCS2YW535111 | ___X__ | RETIRED June 2004 |
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| 4020 | 2000 | 1C9S2CCS4YW535112 | ___X__ | RETIRED June 2004 |
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| 4021 | 2000 | 1C9S2CCS6YW535113 | ___X__ | RETIRED June 2004 |
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| 4022 | 2000 | 1C9S2CCS8YW535114 | ___X__ | RETIRED June 2004 |
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| 4023 | 2000 | 1C9S2CCSXYW535115 | ___X__ | RETIRED June 2004 |
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| 4024 | 2000 | 1C9S2CCS1YW535116 | ___X__ | RETIRED June 2004 |
