Least favorite

[RW 77 Operator]

I was just wondering... How come so many operators dislike the NABI buses? Just my personal experience, I think they're ok. I don't care for those NOVA buses though. TMC's are far better than NOVA's any day.

[Guest]

I was just wondering... How come so many operators dislike the NABI buses? Just my personal experience, I think they're ok. I don't care for those NOVA buses though. TMC's are far better than NOVA's any day.

The NABIs are good looking buses, too bad the quality isnt great but I like them still. The design is pretty cool. I drive Pace Nabi 35 footers, I like driving them. I like the shorter design, typical suburban transit buses, in my opinion theyre not bad buses like everyone thinks, they just take some getting used to. Nabi are of course, not the best built buses but they do have a design that still gives busfans something good to look at. My least favorite Chicago bus are the #500 Optimas, the most ridiculous looking vehicles.

[Busjack]

I was just wondering... How come so many operators dislike the NABI buses? Just my personal experience, I think they're ok. I don't care for those NOVA buses though. TMC's are far better than NOVA's any day.

We had a driver from Pace South who really disliked them (I haven't seen him here lately). His slogan was "the best NABI is the one on the junk line" to which I replied that he must really like 6173.

To summarize his position, he said they were cold and the tow truck had to come out a lot. Others have complained about the suspensions, but there have been complaints about the suspensions on other types of low floors, too.

It is somewhat interesting that Pace pulled most of the 35 foot NABIs out of Aurora and Elgin and replaced them with ElDorados. While some went to heavier areas (West and South) many were put on contractor duty (such as in 5750's case) or more significantly, feeders (especially in Lake County and Lisle, and some of the South ones have feeder duty). It is sort of unusual to put 4 or 5 year old buses on light duty that quickly. But maybe it was warranted by CMAQ grants to substitute smaller buses.

The CTA ones were criticized by CTA management for having a weak frame at the articulation, rear door engines that didn't line up, and various assembly flaws due to better help in Anniston Ala. going to the nearby Nissan plant. NABI claimed that the bugs in the CTA 60LFR were worked out in LA's 60BRT, but that didn't leave CTA happy. There were threats about CTA withholding money on the contract.