35 ft Buses

[trainman8119]

Does the CTA have plans to get back into the 35 ft bus market. I seem to remember reading something about this in another post that they were in the plans for the U of C routes. It would make sense to have smaller buses operating in off peak and night hours that might be a tad bit better in fuel efficiency. Walking around the train stations last night (a Sunday) at midnight, I saw a 7600 NABI artic running on the 124 without a soul on it. Heck, at that time of night on a (especially a Sunday) you could probably run a Pace paratransit van and have enough to cover the demand !!!! Might make sense on a 151 that has a long way to go and have long headways, but on the shorter routes I would think smaller might be wiser.

[Busjack]

There was the request for proposals for 30 foot buses. The main concern with regard to the U of C buses is that a 102 inch wide bus is too wide for Hyde Park streets.

I don't think that a 35 foot low floor bus makes much sense anymore. A 40 foot bus has less seating than an old 35 foot one. A 30 foot bus with no center door has the same seating as a 35 foot bus with one. However, it appears that the capital cost for all three is over $300,000 each.

[venom_20]

[attachment=34]Dang, it would be nice of chicago had those buses too. O.K. i know that everyone here is tired of hearing about Pittsburgh buses. But, We've allways had them. They're nice for all of the non downtown routes, plus the late-nite routes that we have.

[Busjack]

Pace had that type in Waukegan in 1986. See Novabus LF and Gillig Low Floors.