Gillig Spirit

Gillig Spirit
Spirit Front View
Years of manufacture	1989 to 1991
Length	28 feet
Width	96 inches
Power/Fuel	Diesel
Spirit Rear View

The Gillig Spirit was a transit bus available in the United States and built in Hillsboro, Texas. It was offered as a low-cost alternative to the Gillig Phantom. However, it was not very successful. It was introduced in 1989 and was discontinued in 1991. Less than 250 units were built.

Specifications

Specification Data Sheet

Dimensions
Length: 27.5'
Width: 96"
Height: 110.5"
Wheelbase: 139"
Engine		Availability
Caterpillar 3208T		1989-1991
Cummins B5.9		1991
Transmission		Availability
Allison MTB-643		1989-1991
Axles
Rockwell

Photo Gallery

Brochure featuring Union City Transit 611	Brochure featuring Monterey-Salinas Transit units	Specifications Brochure featuring Westmoreland County Transit Authority 204

Door Specification Brochure	Gillig Spirit Demo Brochure	Gillig Spirit Button (Promotional item)

Operators

United States

Original Operators

• Albany Transit System (OR) - Albany, OR
• Amarillo City Transit (ACT) - Amarillo, TX
• American Airlines (Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport) - Irving, TX
• Avis Rent-A-Car (Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport) - Irving, TX
• Banning Transit - Banning, CA
• Central New York Regional Transportation Authority - Fulton, NY
• Chesapeake Bus - Salisbury, MD
• Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority - Des Moines, IA
• Foothill Transit - San Gabriel & Pomona Valleys, CA
• Golden Rain Foundation - Walnut Creek, CA
• Greensboro Transit Authority (GTA) - Greensboro, NC
• Hertz Corporation (various airports) - Park Ridge, NJ
• Intercity Transit - Lacey, Olympia, Tumwater & Yelm, WA
• Metro Regional Transit Authority - Akron, OH
• Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority - Dulles International Airport Parking Shuttle - Dulles, VA
• Miami Valley Regional Transit Authority - Dayton, OH
• Milwaukee County Transit System - Milwaukee, WI
• Monterey Park Spirit - Monterey Park, CA
• Monterey-Salinas Transit - Monterey & Salinas, CA
• Municipal Area Express - Torrance, CA
• Pine Bluff Transit - Pine Bluff, AR
• Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) - Clearwater, FL
• Tahoe Area Regional Transit - Placer County, CA
• Pullman Transit - Pullman, WA
• Saginaw Transit Authority Regional Services - Saginaw, MI
• Santa Clarita Transit - Santa Clarita, CA
• Springs Transit - Colorado Springs, CO
• Tahoe Transportation District - Zephyr Cove, NV
• Torrance Transit - Torrance, CA
• Transportation & Research Center - Columbus, OH
• Union City Transit - Union City, CA
• Unitrans - Davis, CA
• Westmoreland County Transit Authority - Greensburg, PA

Second-Hand Operators

• Albany Transit System (GA) - Albany, GA
• Commuter Bus Lines/Lynwood Trolley - Lynwood, CA
• Fort Wayne Public Transportation Corporation (Citilink) - Fort Wayne, IN
• DJ Jaystar Transportation - ?, CA
• Lion Limousine - ?, CA
• Marguerite Shuttle (Stanford University) - Stanford, CA
• Teamsters Youth Boxing - South El Monte, CA
• Transportation Concepts Inc./Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority - Los Angeles, CA
• University of California, Santa Cruz - Santa Cruz, CA
• ?? - MT (sold by the State of Montana Property & Supply Bureau) on 10/3/2007

Demonstrator/Engineering Units

Fleet Number	Thumbnail	Build Date	VIN	Engine	Transmission	Notes
		1989	15G_E041_K2090001	Caterpillar 3208T	Allison MTB-643	Engineering & Test Bus Originally sported a single plug front door, but was later retrofitted with double plug front doors Sold to Transportation & Research Center (Columbus, OH). Eventually bought by Des Moines Metropolitan Transit Authority as a parts bus; spotted circa August 1993.
		1989	15G_E041_K2090002	Caterpillar 3208T	Allison MTB-643	Crash Test & Durability vehicle
		1989	15GFE0412K2090007	Caterpillar 3208T	Allison MTB-643	Demonstrator Sold to Unitrans as #?.
		1990	15GCE0418L2090050	Caterpillar 3208T	Allison MTB-643	Miami Valley Regional Transit Authority 231. Altoona test bus from 1991 to ?
		9/1990	15GCE0415L2090085	Caterpillar 3208T	Allison MTB-643	Demonstrator It was displayed at the 1990 APTA Expo in Houston, TX. Sold to Unitrans as #?.

Privately Owned Units

Thumbnail	Build Date	VIN	Engine	Transmission	Notes
	1990	15GCE041XL2090048	Caterpillar 3208T	Allison MTB-643	Ex-Union City Transit 611. Bought by a private owner via auction for a living space/partial RV conversion; (lic. plate 5XZA411) circa 2008.
	1990	?	Caterpillar 3208T	Allison MTB-643	Ex-Torrance Transit 320 series unit. Spotted at the San Francisco MUNI Islais Creek bus graveyard (likely under private ownership), graffitied circa 2003. It was likely auctioned off and or scrapped that year.
	1990	?	Caterpillar 3208T	Allison MTB-643	Ex-? Converted into a party bus by a private owner. It was listed on ebay in Staunton, IL in April 2016.
	1990-1991	?	Caterpillar 3208T	Allison MTB-643	Ex-? Bought by a private owner for an RV conversion project in the late 1990's. Bought by a 2nd private owner in Chelan, WA circa 2018.
	1990-1991	?	Caterpillar 3208T	Allison MTB-643	Ex-? (operated in Los Angeles County, CA). Bought by a real estate developer in Independence, OR in 2005 with plans about donating it for use of creating a transit system that would shuttle residents between Monmouth & Independence, OR. The later future of the bus and transit system remains unknown.
	1991	15GFE0417M2090149	Caterpillar 3208T	Allison MTB-643	Ex-Santa Clarita Transit 102. Bought by a private owner for an RV conversion project. It was listed for sale in Placentia, CA in February 2020. It was listed on Craigslist in Brea, CA on 7/13/2020.

Externals

• Unidentified demonstrator photo
• boardarchives.metro.net (Ctrl+F Spirit)
• flh.fhwa.dot.gov (Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge - Kauai, HI) (Ctrl+F Spirit)

References

• Andrew Novak - Rapid Transit Press
• Craig Barnes' Gillig-Spirit Production List