Flxible Metro

Flxible Metro
Years of manufacture	1983 to 1996
Length	30, 35, 40 feet
Width	96, 102 inches
Power/Fuel	Diesel, CNG, LNG

The Flxible Metro was a high floor transit bus sold in the United States. Grumman sold Flxible to General Automotive Coporation in 1983 who continued production of the Grumman Metro under the Flxible name.

Production of the Flxible Metro ended in 1996 after Flxible ceased operations.

Generations by letter

A letter designation is often used by transit authorities and enthusiasts to denote the different generations of the Metro. An actual model designation system is listed below.

Letter	Photo	Produced	Description
A		Early 1983 to early 1987	The Metro A retained a number of features from the 870 such as flush-mounted or sliding passenger windows and a sloped rear. Exterior changes from the 870 included a four slot grill on the front and a rear side engine grill with a cris-cross pattern. Interior changes included the Transmatic Light System in place of the Luminator system which illuminated the ad racks from behind, and stainless steel overhead standee rails in place of the molded rubber rails.
B		Early 1987 to early 1992	The size of the sliding sash on the driver's window was increased. Later Metro Bs had a straight back wall instead of a sloped on to accommodate a Carrier HVAC unit.
C		1992	The straight rear wall was made standard on the Metro C. A side control panel was added to the driver's area, thicker window frames were used for passenger windows, and there was an option for a rooftop HVAC.
D		Early 1993 to early 1995	The Metro D featured a larger driver's area, and the the circuit breaker panel was relocated to the top portion of the drivers window.
E		Early 1995 to closing	The Metro E was similar to the D, but the rooftop HVAC option was discontinued and a new larger rear HVAC vent was used at the rear..

Models

Initally, model designations carried over from the Grumman Flxible 870:

Length	Width	Engine type	Air conditioning
30 = 30 ft 35 = 35 ft 40 = 40 ft	096 = 96 in 102 = 102 in	-6 = Detroit Diesel 6V71 -8 = Detroit Diesel 8V71	-0 = No air conditioning -1 = Air conditioning

Following the purchase of Grumman by General Automotive, model naming was revised to clearly identify the engine:

Length	Width	Engine type	Air conditioning
30 = 30 ft 35 = 35 ft 40 = 40 ft	096 = 96 in 102 = 102 in	-4D  = Detroit Diesel Series 50 -6C  = Cummins L10 -6CG  = Cummins L10G -6C8  = Cummins C8.3 -6CTG = Cummins C8.3G -6M  = Cummins M11 -6N  = Detroit Diesel 6V71N -6T  = Detroit Diesel 6V92TA -6TL  = Detroit Diesel 6V71TA -8  = Detroit Diesel 8V71N	-0 = No air conditioning -1 = Air conditioning

Engine	hp	Transmissions					Years offered
		Allison V730	Allison V731 ATEC	Voith D863.2	Voith D863.3ADR	ZF Ecomat 4/5HP500/590
Cummins C8.3	250/275				✓	✓	1993-1995
Cummins C8.3G
Cummins L10	240/270			✓	✓	✓	1984-1991
Cummins L10 CELECT Plus	280						1992-1993
Cummins L10G	240/260				✓	✓	1989-1993
Cummins L10G Alpha							1994-1995
Cummins M11 CELECT Plus	280				✓	✓	1994-1995
Detroit Diesel 6L71TA	230	✓	✓				1990-1992
Detroit Diesel 6V71N	190						1983-1987
Detroit Diesel 6V71TA	225						1983-1989
Detroit Diesel 6V92TA*	253/277	✓	✓		✓	✓	1983-1993
Detroit Diesel 8V71N	250	✓					1983-1984
Detroit Diesel Series 50 DDEC	250/275		✓		✓	✓	1993-1995

* DDEC available from 1987-1993

Operators

Canada

• Clarington Transit - Clarington, ON
• Guelph Transit Commission - Guelph, ON
• Niagara Falls Transit - Niagara Falls, ON

United States

• Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority (AAATA) - Ann Arbor, MI
• Bee-Line System - Westchester County, NY
• Beloit Transit System - Beloit, WI
• Blacksburg Transit - Blacksburg, VA
• Broward County Transit - Fort Lauderdale & Broward County, FL
• Cambria County Transit Authority (CamTran) - Johnstown, Cambria County & Somerset County, PA
• Capital Area Transportation Authority (CATA) - Lansing, MI
• Central Arkansas Transit Authority (CATA) - Little Rock, AR
• Central Florida Regional Transit Authority (LYNX) - Orlando, FL
• Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) - Columbus & Franklin County, OH
• Champaign Urbana Mass Transit District - Champaign and Urbana, IL
• Charleston Area Regional Transit Authority (CARTA) - Charleston, SC
• Charlotte Area Transit System (CATS) - Charlotte, NC
• Chattanooga Area Regional Transportation Authority (CARTA) - Chattanooga, TN
• Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) - Chicago, IL
• Cities Area Transit (CAT) - Grand Forks, ND & East Grand Forks, MN
• Cobb Community Transit - Marietta & Cobb County, GA
• Colonial Williamsburg Shuttle - Williamsburg, VA
• Columbia Transit System (Maryland) (ColumBus) - Columbia, MD
• Commerce Municipal Bus Lines - Commerce, CA
• Corpus Christi Regional Transportation Authority (CCRTA) - Corpus Christi, TX
• CoTran - Palm Beach County, FL
• Crown Heights Community Bus - Brooklyn, NY
• Culver CityBus - Culver City, CA
• Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) - Dallas, TX
• Davenport CitiBus - Davenport, IA
• Decatur Public Transit System - Decatur, IL
• DART First State
• Denver Regional Transit District - Denver, CO
• Double A Transportation - Rocky Hill, CT
• Duluth Transit Authority - Duluth, MN
• Elk Grove Transit (e-tran) - Elk Grove, CA
• Fort Wayne Public Transportation Corporation (Citilink) - Fort Wayne, IN
• Fort Worth Transportation Authority (The T) - Fort Worth, TX
• Fresno Area Express (FAX) - Fresno, CA
• Fresno Transit - Fresno, CA
• Gainesville Regional Transit System (RTS) - Gainesville, FL
• Gardena Municipal Bus Lines - Gardena, CA
• Gary Public Transportation Corporation (GPTC) - Gary, IN
• Gastonia Transit - Gastonia, NC
• Go West Transit (Western Illinois University) - Macomb, IL
• Golden Gate Transit - San Francisco Bay Area, CA
• Greater Cleveland RTA - Cleveland, OH
• Greater Portland Transit District (METRO) - Portland, ME
• Greater Richmond Transit Company (GRTC) - Richmond, VA
• Green Bay Transit - Green Bay, WI
• Hampton Roads Transit (HRT) - Virginia Beach/Norfolk/Newport News, VA
• Hillsborough Area Regional Transit (HART)- Tampa & Hillsborough County, FL
• Island Transit - Galveston, TX
• Jacksonville Transportation Authority - Jacksonville, FL
• Jefferson City Transit - Jefferson City, MO
• Kansas City Aviation Department - Kansas City, MO
• Kenosha Transit - Kenosha, WI
• Knoxville Area Transit (KAT) - Knoxville, TN
• Lakeland Bus Lines - Dover, NJ
• Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA) - Los Angeles County, CA
• Lowell Regional Transit Authority (LRTA) - Lowell, MA
• Luzerne County Transportation Authority (LCTA) - Wilkes-Barre & Luzerne County, PA
• Madison Metro - Madison, WI
• MetroLINK - Rock Island, IL
• Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) - Atlanta, GA
• Metro Transit - Kalamazoo, MI
• Maryland Transit Administration (MTA)- Baltimore, MD
• Miami-Dade Transit - Miami & Dade County, FL
• Miami Valley Regional Transit Authority - Dayton, OH
• Montebello Municipal Bus Lines - Montebello, CA
• Monterey-Salinas Transit - Monterey & Salinas, CA
• Muskegon Area Transit System (MATS) - Muskegon, MI
• Nashville Metropolitan Transit Authority (Nashville MTA) - Nashville, TN
• NJ Transit
• North County Transit District (NCTD) - Oceanside & North San Diego County, CA
• Norwalk Transit District - Norwalk, CT
• Ohio Valley Regional Transit Authority - Wheeling, WV
• Oshkosh Transit System - Oshkosh, WI
• Petersburg Area Transit (PAT) - Petersburg, VA
• Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) - Pinellas County, FL
• Port Authority of Allegheny County (PAT) - Pittsburgh, PA
• Prince George's County Transit (The Bus) - Prince George's County, MD
• Red Rose Transit Authority - Lancaster, PA
• Regional Transit Service - Riverside, CA
• Ride-On - Montgomery County, MD
• Riverside Transit Agency - Riverside, CA
• Rochester-Genesee Regional Transportation Authority (RGRTA) - Rochester, NY
• Rockford Mass Transit District (Rockford MTD) - Rockford, IL
• St. Louis Metro - St. Louis, MO
• Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) - San Jose & Santa Clara County, CA
• Seashore Trolley Museum - Kennebunkport, ME
• Sheboygan Transit System - Sheboygan, WI
• Shuttle-UM - University of Maryland
• South Coast Area Transit - Ventura County, CA
• Southeastern Michigan Transportation Authority (SEMTA) - (Suburban) Detroit, MI (1984-1989)
• Southern California Rapid Transit District (SCRTD) - Los Angeles, CA
• Spokane Transit Authority (STA) - Spokane, WA
• SporTran - Shreveport & Bossier City, LA
• Springfield Mass Transit District (SMTD) - Springfield, IL
• StarTran - Lincoln, NE
• Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART) - (Suburban) Detroit, MI (1989-1995)
• Suffolk County Transit - Suffolk County, NY
• Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority (TARTA) - Toledo, OH
• Topeka Metropolitan Transit Authority - Topeka, KS
• Transit Authority of Northern Kentucky (TANK) - Fort Wright, KY
• Transit Authority of River City (TARC) - Louisville, KY
• Transfort - Fort Collins, CO
• TRANSPO - South Bend, IN
• TriMet - Portland, OR
• Tulsa Transit - Tulsa, OK
• University of Michigan
• Valley Metro - Phoenix, AZ
• Volusia County Transit (Votran) - Volusia County, FL
• Waco Transit - Waco, TX
• Washington Metropolitan Area Transportation Authority (WMATA) - Washington, DC
• Winona State University Shuttle - Winona, MN
• Winston-Salem Transit Authority (WSTA) - Winston-Salem, NC

Demonstrator/Engineering Units

Below is a list of known demonstrator and engineering buses

Fleet number	Thumbnail	Year	VIN	Engine	Transmission	Notes
?		1983	DD094884	Detroit Diesel 6V92TA	Allison V730	40102-6T sliding window demo.
?		1983	DD094968	Detroit Diesel 6V92TA	Allison V730	40102-6T demo. Sold to Colonial Williamsburg B-1.
592		1984	ED095850	Cummins L10	Voith D863.2	Green Bus Lines 40102-6C demo. To Tri-County Transit 620 in 1987.
?		1984	ED096345	Detroit Diesel 6V71N	Allison V730	30096-6N demo To MTA Maryland 8581.
?		July 1984	ED096478	Detroit Diesel 6V92TA 275 hp	Allison V730	40102-6T demo. To Tri-County Transit 634 in 1987.
?		1988	JD099650			40102 Test/Development bus. Sold to Hertz.
		1989	1GF5AAKK3KD100406	Detroit Diesel Series 50G	Allison VR731RH	40102-6CG CNG Test/Development bus. Repowered with Detroit Diesel engine. Submitted for Altoona Test in 1994.
?		Nov. 1989	KD100408	Cummins L10G		40102-6CG CNG Test/Development bus.
?		Apr. 1990	LD101352	Detroit Diesel 6V92TA		40102-6T Particulate Trap Test/Development bus.
9504		1991	1GF5FBNK5MD102938	Cummins L10G	Voith D864	30102-6C CNG Demo. Equipped with 27 American Seating seats Tested in 1995.
?		Feb. 1993	ND103827	Cummins L10 CELECT		1992 model. 40102-6C Cummins Electronic Control Engine demo. Sold to New Jersey Transit 8083.
?		July 1993	PD104198	Detroit Diesel Series 50		Port Authority of Allegheny County 40102-4D prototype.
?		Nov. 1993	PD104198	Cummins C8.3	ZF 4HP590	New Jersey Transit 40102-6C8 prototype
?		Jan. 1994	1GF5ARVK4RD104873	Detroit Diesel Series 50	ZF 5HP590	Golden Gate Transit 40102-4D prototype.
?		Jul. 1994	RD105007	Detroit Diesel Series 50		Chicago Transit Authority 40102-4D prototype.
2000		1994	RD105008			40102-? Customer Satisfaction Bus #2
?		Sept. 1994	RD105290	Detroit Diesel Series 50		WMATA 40102-4D prototype.
?		1995	SD105009			40102-? Customer Satisfaction Bus #3 Body only, not a complete bus
?		1995	SD105010			40102-? Customer Satisfaction Bus #4
?		1995	SD105651			Dallas Area Rapid Transit 30102 LNG prototype. Not accepted Sold to ?.
?		Jun. 1995	SD106075	Detroit Diesel Series 50G		South Coast Area Transit 40102-4D CNG prototype.
?		Mar. 1996	TD106179			Santa Cruz 40102 prototype.

Preserved buses

Year	Thumbnail	Serial	Original owner	Fleet number	Current owner
1988		JD099525	Greater Portland Transit District	8801	Seashore Trolley Museum
12/1989		KD100809	Southen California RTD	2737	Private owner
1990		LD101939	Greater Richmond Transit Company	309	Commonwealth Coach and Trolley
6/1992		1GF5ANPK1ND103468	TriMet	1801	Private owner
1/1994		1GF5ARVK4RD104873	Golden Gate Transit	1401	Private Owner
1994		1GF5ARVK9RD104898	Golden Gate Transit	1426	Private Owner
1994		1GF5ACUK7RD105224	NJ Transit	1976	New Jersey Transportation Heritage Center
1994		1GF5ARUKXRD104782	NJ Transit	3778	New Jersey Transportation Heritage Center

References

• Personal notes & sightings
• Flxible 870/Metro History Lesson, Benjamin Edge - FlxibleLovers Yahoo! Group