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Nova Demonstrator Seen @ 77th Garage


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Is CTA going to purchase new NOVA Buses to replace the old onespost-313-12913319088733_thumb.jpg

Couple of things here...

1) The NOVA LFS models we have were manufacured in 2001-2002, so the oldest ones are only going on 10 years of age. FTA rules say they must be in service for 12 years.

2) No bid was put out for new buses. The only bid out there is for two all Electric Buses through TIGGER. It does make you think that NOVA got wind of the TIGGER grant and have stopped to talk to CTA brass about them making two all-electric buses.

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Couple of things here...

1) The NOVA LFS models we have were manufacured in 2001-2002, so the oldest ones are only going on 10 years of age. FTA rules say they must be in service for 12 years.

As far as the CTA Budget is concerned, they don't contemplate anything until 2013, which would be consistent with this.

...

Update: Based on Deval's post below, I finally figured out the point of the thread. It would help if someone posting pictures would say in the text what the significance of the picture is.

Hence, I withdrew my second comment, although I think this is like other instances where manufacturers showed up at CTA to show their wares (sort of like what DesignLine did a couple of years ago and Eldo did with Pace with the Axess).

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I happened to be driving by when it came off I-90 / 94 and went into the Garage - shot these through the van window. The bus had Quebec plates on it.

Looks nice! I have to admit though, Im not too thrilled of the headlights. I wished they just redesign it horizontally across on both ends. But overall I like the new updated Nova LFS. I wouldnt mind driving one of these.

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I happened to be driving by when it came off I-90 / 94 and went into the Garage - shot these through the van window. The bus had Quebec plates on it.

Does anyone know why Nova changed the mechanical layout to a more "conventional" one on this bus? The CTA's Novas have the engine in a left rear closet whereas this bus

appears to a its engine mounted like New Flyer and other manufacturers. I find the conventional layout more comfortable as a passenger. I also think the "closet" layout

leads to the overly wide rear wheelwells which I dislike.

Gene King

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Does anyone know why Nova changed the mechanical layout to a more "conventional" one on this bus? The CTA's Novas have the engine in a left rear closet whereas this bus

appears to a its engine mounted like New Flyer and other manufacturers. I find the conventional layout more comfortable as a passenger. I also think the "closet" layout

leads to the overly wide rear wheelwells which I dislike.

Gene King

The theory (at least expressly stated by Orion with regard to the Orion VI, and actually implemented in Toronto, but not successfully; flckr gallery) was that the buses had the engine in the closet so that it would be low floor all the way to the back. I don't know that Nova ever had a complete low floor bus, but since U.S. specs now call for low floor to the back door and maximize the seating as you can, it makes more sense to have the rear engine.

Probably, in Nova's case, it is also an issue of from whom it is appropriating designs.I think someone posted here a couple of years ago that the back window and resulting big vent where the air conditioner was on New Looks was appropriated from corporate parent Volvo.

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The thing to see is if Nova can get a look from those at 567 W Lake St. Perhaps Nova wants to get a chance to get those two electric buses for CTA. However, I think it would be a waste of a trip to bring that nice looking new bus from Canada to Chicago without stopping at Pace. Perhaps once Nova gets wind that Pace has an Eldorado demo in service, they would be more inclined to send one or two Pace and CTA's way. Both agencies will need to retire buses soon (Pace: 1999 NABI's and 2001 Orion VI (in 2013) CTA: Novas in 2013).

Question, maybe Busjack can answer. Is there a federal or state law mandating bids for purchase of new buses, and if so, is there a minimum threshold for the amount of buses being purchased that must be bid or a maximum threshold where a bid would not be required by law?

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Looks nice! I have to admit though, Im not too thrilled of the headlights. I wished they just redesign it horizontally across on both ends. But overall I like the new updated Nova LFS. I wouldnt mind driving one of these.

The headlight configuration looks a lot like PACE 2010's.

post-451-12915010912627_thumb.jpg

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Question, maybe Busjack can answer. Is there a federal or state law mandating bids for purchase of new buses, and if so, is there a minimum threshold for the amount of buses being purchased that must be bid or a maximum threshold where a bid would not be required by law?

That's a tough one. The only thing I found relevant was in 4.06 of the RTA Act, which which has an exception for bidding requirements for

the acquisition of public transportation equipment including, but not limited to, rolling stock, locomotives and buses, provided that: (i) it is determined by a vote of 2/3 of the then Directors of the Service Board making the acquisition that a negotiated acquisition offers opportunities with respect to the cost or financing of the equipment, its delivery, or the performance of a portion of the work within the State or the use of goods produced or services provided within the State; (ii) a notice of intention to negotiate for the acquisition of such public transportation equipment is published in a newspaper of general circulation within the City of Chicago inviting proposals from qualified vendors; and (iii) any contract with respect to such acquisition is authorized by a vote of 2/3 of the then Directors of the Service Board making the acquisition.

This is, of course, subject to interpretation, as it appears that the Illinois Procurement Code only applies to the state, and while there are certain carve outs in the RTA Act for the CTA, that appears to be for facilities, which are covered, in the CTA's case, by section 32 of the MTA Act.

Since the boards are sheep, I suppose that the answer is no, and my recollection is that there wasn't an advertisement for bids for the Pace 6900s. Furthermore, CTA purchased options for the 4000s instead of going to competitive bidding. However, I think there would be a big stink, especially in this state, if any service board made a big order without taking bids. There was enough talk about lobbyists getting their noses into the CTA 5000s procurement, but, at least there, there appeared to be competition between Alstom and Bombardier.

Also, memory takes me back to when CTA had drafted specs for a nearly single source procurement to MAN for essentially the 4400s, and the other manufacturers successfully complained to FTA.

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I can only find one site that makes all-electric Transit Buses at this time. The company is called Ebus, site here. The only possible hangup on two buses from this manufacturer are the buses are only 22-ft. long, 8-ft. shorter than the Optimas. They are located in Downey, California. Even though the CTA has mentioned using these buses on shorter runs, I don't think a 22-ft. 22 seat bus will do.

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I can only find one site that makes all-electric Transit Buses at this time. The company is called Ebus, site here. The only possible hangup on two buses from this manufacturer are the buses are only 22-ft. long, 8-ft. shorter than the Optimas. They are located in Downey, California. Even though the CTA has mentioned using these buses on shorter runs, I don't think a 22-ft. 22 seat bus will do.

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After checking out the website and looking at those buses the only thing I can say is I truely hope cta does not get ANY 22ft buses even if it's only 2 those buses are horrible just horrible.

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  • 4 weeks later...

So as I was getting off at 55th on 94E I saw 2 of the new Nova Buses heading the other way on the expressway. Their destination signs read "None Stop" which I assume was heading to one destination. But the interesting thing about the buses were the paint scheme, They were white with gray on the bottom just above the wheels. Looks like they were getting a cta paint job. I wonder did cta purchase the new buses from Nova after all.

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But the interesting thing about the buses were the paint scheme, They were white with gray on the bottom just above the wheels. Looks like they were getting a cta paint job. I wonder did cta purchase the new buses from Nova after all.

If you look at the slide show on Nova's home page, the demonstrators (except for the LFX) all start that way. Your last two sentences are certainly a leap for faith or logic, especially since CTA says it doesn't have the money to buy buses. Of course, CTA has deceived about this before.

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  • 2 years later...

...

Lol yes! Yes they are it's funny that this was 3yrs ago when this subject was brought up. I now wonder was cta already negotiating with Nova about the purchase of the buses.

In that there was a posted procurement process, probably not. If there were [like apparently for the apparently off 3200 series car rehabs], someone would have blown the whistle on it.

This seems to be the usual demonstrator tour by the bus assemblers. Next you will be telling us that Pace has an agreement to buy both Compobuses [apparently the name is back] and Xcelsiors for its CNG requisition, recently posted.

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