Metro Transit (Minnesota) 8700-8707: Difference between revisions
(→Details: more units active) |
(→Details: 8706 back in service) |
||
| Line 125: | Line 125: | ||
|Heywood | |Heywood | ||
|Cia Siab | |Cia Siab | ||
| | |<font color="green">Active</font> | ||
| align="left"| | | align="left"| | ||
*Spotted at the New Flyer plant in March 2019. | *Spotted at the New Flyer plant in March 2019. | ||
*Last in service on the C Line on March 1, 2021 | *Last in service on the C Line on March 1, 2021 | ||
*Returned to service on February 9, 2022 | |||
|- align="center" id="8707" | |- align="center" id="8707" | ||
|8707 | |8707 | ||
Revision as of 13:47, 9 February 2022
Metro Transit (Minnesota) 8700-8707 are 2019 New Flyer Industries XE60 buses. These are the first electric articulated buses to operate in the State of Minnesota, and the first production electric articulated buses to be built out of New Flyer's St. Cloud plant[1]. These buses operate exclusively on the METRO C Line, a bus rapid transit route that serves Downtown Minneapolis, North Minneapolis, and Brooklyn Center.
| Motor | Transmission | Seating | Destination Sign |
|---|---|---|---|
| Siemens PEM 1DB2016 ZF AVE130 |
None | 46: American Seating Vision 4: American Seating BC55 |
Luminator Horizon White |
History
These buses were ordered in 2018 and cost $1.3 million each.[2][3][4] The entire order was delivered in early 2019.
All of the units were pulled from service on March 2, 2021 due to charger problems.[5]
Features
They are equipped with a small diesel fuel tank (approximately 20 gallons) to provide additional power for heating. The buses have an expected range of 90 miles during the Spring, Summer, and Fall, and 70 miles during the Winter. In Year 1 of operation, the buses have an average fuel economy of 4.04 kwh/mi in the Winter, and 3.14 kwh/mi outside of Winter[1]
These buses are equipped with USB chargers.
Charging
These buses are charged in two ways. They are charged with eight AC/DC 10-150kw chargers in the garage. They are also charged on route with two DC 150-600kw overhead chargers at Brooklyn Center Transit Center.[1]
Due to garage charger problems, including phantom isolation faults due to design and construction that was poorly conceived[1], these buses were taken out of service in July and October 2019.[6] At a Metropolitan Council meeting in July 2019, the General Manager of Metro Transit reported having to import older model chargers from British Columbia in order to ensure the electric buses are able to continue serving the route.[7][8] These buses returned to service on the week of October 29, 2019.[9]
Metro Transit General Manager Wes Kooistra reported on the April 27, 2020 Met Council Transportation Committee meeting that they were able to negotiate longer warranties for the buses and associated chargers[10]
Naming
These buses, along with Metro Transit's 8100 series, are unique in that they have names given by local community organizations located on the C Line corridor.[11]
Details
| Fleet Number | Thumbnail | Date | VIN | License Plate | Garage | Name | Status/Disposal | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8700 | 5FYB8YJ1XKB071351 | None | Heywood | Active |
| |||
| 8701 | 01/2019 | 5FYB8YJ11KB071352 | None | Heywood | Active |
| ||
| 8702 | 2019 | 5FYB8YJ13KB071353 | None | Heywood | Active |
| ||
| 8703 | 2019 | 5FYB8YJ15KB071354 | None | Heywood | Active |
| ||
| 8704 | _8704-a.jpg)
|
2019 | 5FYB8YJ17KB071355 | None | Heywood | Active |
| |
| 8705 | 2019 | 5FYB8YJ19KB071356 | None | Heywood | Active |
| ||
| 8706 | _8706-a.jpg)
|
2019 | 5FYB8YJ10KB071357 | None | Heywood | Cia Siab | Active |
|
| 8707 | 2019 | 5FYB8YJ12KB071358 | None | Heywood | Active |
|
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Women's Transportation Seminar Minnesota Chapter: Metro Transit Electric Bus Pilot Program Lessons Learned in Year 1, July 15, 2020
- ↑ METRO Magazine: New Flyer to supply 60-foot electric buses for Minn. Metro's BRT line
- ↑ Metropolitan Council: Business Item 2018-29 SW Purchase of Eight Electric Transit Buses and Six Chargers
- ↑ Metro Transit: Electric Buses
- ↑ Metropolitan Council: Electric Bus Update
- ↑ Star Tribune: Metro Transit's first electric buses temporarily removed from service
- ↑ VIDEO: Met Council Transportation Committee meeting, July 22, 2019
- ↑ Met Council Transportation Committee meeting, July 22, 2019 Minutes
- ↑ Metropolitan Council: Minutes of the Regular Meeting of the Transportation Committee, October 28, 2019
- ↑ Metropolitan Council Transportation Committee Meeting April 27, 2020
- ↑ Metro Transit C Line Update, February 2019