New Eldorados?

[Busjack]

Funny. I've never seen 6323 or 6324. Are we sure this series doesn't start at 6325?

Webwatch debunks this for 6324

[artthouwill]

It appears that there are about 24 more Eldo Axxess buses to be delivered to West (6356 ,6379). Considering Pace is contracting out 877 and 888, perhaps the 15 Express Axxess buses go to Joliet to replace leased OTRs. But whst happens to 6900 series? Will those buses go to the ,877/888contractor? Will they go to West to operate the 757? Will they go to Northwest and/or River and operate the 610? Those coaches still have service life and value.

[artthouwill]

It appears that there are about 24 more Eldo Axxess buses to be delivered to West (6356 ,6379). Considering Pace is contracting out 877 and 888, perhaps the 15 Express Axxess buses go to Joliet to replace leased OTRs. But whst happens to 6900 series? Will those buses go to the ,877/888contractor? Will they go to West to operate the 757? Will they go to Northwest and/or River and operate the 610? Those coaches still have service life and value.

[Busjack]

It appears that there are about 24 more Eldo Axxess buses to be delivered to West (6356 ,6379). Considering Pace is contracting out 877 and 888, perhaps the 15 Express Axxess buses go to Joliet to replace leased OTRs. But whst happens to 6900 series? Will those buses go to the ,877/888contractor? Will they go to West to operate the 757? Will they go to Northwest and/or River and operate the 610? Those coaches still have service life and value.

• The agenda said that the single bid contract for the OTRs was before the board. Not clear whether this is for I 55 or I 90.
• The owned 6900s will hit their service life by the time Pace gets those (budget says acquired in 2002, which sounds right).
• There are still leased buses on I 55 that have to be replaced (6920 series).
• The requisition for 877.888 says that the contractor has to provide the buses. Remember the debate at that time when you claimed that those buses didn't have to be dedicated only to Pace, even though that's what the specifications at least implied.
• Other than that, while Pace is more transparent than the other agencies, the statements are too contradictory to reach a firm conclusion. Heck, there were statements that the 69 would be received by Christmas, but obviously weren't.

[BusHunter]

Didn't know this, but it seems the Eldorado Axess' must have wi-fi aboard the buses. I was trying to get an internet wi fi connection this morning, and I took a look at what the network connections were at the time, not being familiar with the place I was at. As I was logging in #6343 passed by and "Pace Bus 6343" shows up under the network connections for a quick second and disappeared. I only thought wi fi was for the express corridor buses, but it seems to be a part of all future bus purchases.

[Busjack]

Didn't know this, but it seems the Eldorado Axess' must have wi-fi aboard the buses...

With all the reports of iThefts on CTA buses, they better get this feature quick, too. However, as you indicate, I suppose that users look for WiFi connections before using the cell phone one.

Metra is under a legislative mandate to provide WiFi, but only if it can do so at no cost, and the RTA to have studied putting it on all fixed route services. Maybe what you reported is the result of the latter.

[artthouwill]

6364 is on the 307 today

[BusHunter]

With all the reports of iThefts on CTA buses, they better get this feature quick, too. However, as you indicate, I suppose that users look for WiFi connections before using the cell phone one.

Metra is under a legislative mandate to provide WiFi, but only if it can do so at no cost, and the RTA to have studied putting it on all fixed route services. Maybe what you reported is the result of the latter.

The signal was good for about a half a block from the bus. There might actually be a benefit living close to a bus terminal.

[jesi2282]

6369 was on #320 this morning.

[RJL6000]

It appears that there are about 24 more Eldo Axxess buses to be delivered to West (6356 ,6379). Considering Pace is contracting out 877 and 888, perhaps the 15 Express Axxess buses go to Joliet to replace leased OTRs. But whst happens to 6900 series? Will those buses go to the ,877/888contractor? Will they go to West to operate the 757? Will they go to Northwest and/or River and operate the 610? Those coaches still have service life and value.

Actually, it is not 15 of the first 69 buses that will be of an "Express" configuration. The firm order of 69 buses will be of the conventional configuration. Rather, 15 buses out of the maximum total of 416 (including options) will be of the "Express" configuration.

[Busjack]

Actually, it is not 15 of the first 69 buses that will be of an "Express" configuration. The firm order of 69 buses will be of the conventional configuration. Rather, 15 buses out of the maximum total of 416 (including options) will be of the "Express" configuration.

That's not how I read the Pace minutes. Of course, Pace has been contradictory.

Go back to the references about putting the express buses on 877/888.

Update: The Nov. 2012 minutes say:

"Ms. Metzger updated the Board on the status of the bus procurement and mentioned the new bus

that was outside prior to the Board meeting. The current contract is for 416 buses over the next

five years. There are sixty-nine buses currently on order. Fifty-four are transit style buses and

fifteen are express style. The express style is a one door bus with loading only in the front." Empahsis added.

So, art was correct.

[RJL6000]

That's not how I read the Pace minutes. Of course, Pace has been contradictory.

Go back to the references about putting the express buses on 877/888.

Update: The Nov. 2012 minutes say:

"Ms. Metzger updated the Board on the status of the bus procurement and mentioned the new bus

that was outside prior to the Board meeting. The current contract is for 416 buses over the next

five years. There are sixty-nine buses currently on order. Fifty-four are transit style buses and

fifteen are express style. The express style is a one door bus with loading only in the front." Empahsis added.

So, art was correct.

Thanks. I lost count. Assuming that 6323 exists and everything in sequence has been delivered, bus 6369 would mark only the 47th bus (sequentially). The 54 buses will top out at number 6376 or 6377 (again, depending on whether or not 6323 exists), while the 15 express-style Axesses may get an entirely different set of numbers from the 54 standard Axesses.

[Busjack]

...while the 15 express-style Axesses may get an entirely different set of numbers from the 54 standard Axesses.

They might, but given the precedent of 2379-2400 (comparable Nova Classic).....

Or even 6323 and up being tacked onto a 7 year old set of 2005 NABIs, which I didn't expect.

[RJL6000]

They might, but given the precedent of 2379-2400 (comparable Nova Classic).....

Or even 6323 and up being tacked onto a 7 year old set of 2005 NABIs, which I didn't expect.

Other options include (but are not limited to) starting the express-style Axesses with bus 2832 (picking up from the two hybrid Orion VII buses) or bus 6685 (picking up from the 35-foot 2003 NABIs). In fact, the "express" Axesses would fit perfectly in the 6685-6699 block.

[Busjack]

Other options include (but are not limited to) starting the express-style Axesses with bus 2832 (picking up from the two hybrid Orion VII buses) or bus 6685 (picking up from the 35-foot 2003 NABIs). In fact, the "express" Axesses would fit perfectly in the 6685-6699 block.

In that Pace now seems to distinguish buses by length (2600s approximately 30 foot; 6600s 35 foot, and 6000s 40 foot), I'm not going in that direction.

The current set of paratransits starting with 5130 was sort of strange, though, given that the 5000s were the short ones.

[RJL6000]

In that Pace now seems to distinguish buses by length (2600s approximately 30 foot; 6600s 35 foot, and 6000s 40 foot), I'm not going in that direction.

The current set of paratransits starting with 5130 was sort of strange, though, given that the 5000s were the short ones.

In fact, the last time that 35- and 40-foot buses shared the same block of numbers was the 1999 order of NABIs: Both 35- and 40-foot buses shared the 2401-2453 block although there were some divisions in the number groups.

[Busjack]

In fact, the last time that 35- and 40-foot buses shared the same block of numbers was the 1999 order of NABIs: Both 35- and 40-foot buses shared the 2400-2453 block although there were some divisions in the number groups.

Yes, and there was also the oddity that the 2500 series of ElDorado Transmarks was older than the 2401 series of NABIs.

And technically 2401-2453, as 2379-2400 were Novas.

[RJL6000]

Yes, and there was also the oddity that the 2500 series of ElDorado Transmarks was older than the 2401 series of NABIs.

And technically 2401-2453, as 2379-2400 were Novas.

I stand corrected.

[busfan2847]

In that Pace now seems to distinguish buses by length (2600s approximately 30 foot; 6600s 35 foot, and 6000s 40 foot), I'm not going in that direction.

The current set of paratransits starting with 5130 was sort of strange, though, given that the 5000s were the short ones.

The Pace paratransit numbering is a mess!

You are correct that the 19' vehicles new 2000-4 were 5000-5127. The long (23') vehicles from 2001-4 were numbered 5800-5891 & 5500-5644.

When these vehicles were replaced (from 2008) the 23' vehicles were numbered 5130-5499 and 5981-5999 and the 19' ones 5700-5746.

I assume they were trying to avoid numbers already used by the previous batch which meant the largest gap was between 5128 and 5499.

[Busjack]

The Pace paratransit numbering is a mess!

Not to mention if they got any paratransits since then (i.e. sighting of 195? on 895),

[Busjack]

The long angst is over. 6323:

Also, looking at Waukegan, there were only 2 2401s out, but I assume that it is spring break, and there were 3 ghost buses.

[jesi2282]

You beat me to it... I saw it at Villa/St. Charles the dest. sign was not working, also the fleet numbers seem more fat than the other's.

[trainman8119]

And technically 2401-2453, as 2379-2400 were Novas.

I missed something...why were the 2400s technically Novas ?? I thought they were

NABIs and if anything they would have been Ikarus ? Did Nova own Ikarus before

it became NABI ?

[Busjack]

And technically 2401-2453, as 2379-2400 were Novas.

I missed something...why were the 2400s technically Novas ?? I thought they were

NABIs and if anything they would have been Ikarus ? Did Nova own Ikarus before

it became NABI ?

You misread it.

Nova Classics were 2379-2400.

NABIs were 2401-2453.

[RJL6000]

You misread it.

Nova Classics were 2379-2400.

NABIs were 2401-2453.

And those Pace Nova Classics were built at Nova Bus's now-defunct Niskayuna, NY plant (although most Classics were built entirely in Canada).