Old Bus back in Service(sort of)

[sw4400]

Possible photo op, depending on where this CTA Bus pops up... A Beat-Up CTA Bus spared from the scrapper is being prepared to be rolled out into Service again. It doesn't mention what model Bus it is, the only thing the article mentions is that it was put Out of Service because it's been used for more than 12 years. All the blue seats and lighting have been removed and replaced with shelves and signs to be used by Food Desert Action.

Wonder what kind of Bus it is....(Article)

-GM Fishbowl?

-Flyer D901?

-M.A.N Americana?

-TMC RTS?

-Flxible 5300?

-Flxible 6000?

-New Flyer 5800?

[Busjack]

There was an article earlier in the Tribune, but isn't as prominent on the home page now. The embedded video makes it quite clear that it is a Forest Glen Flx, and undoubtedly a 6000.

On the merits, the second page indicates what the real problem with the project is, that " there is no guarantee residents accustomed to eating french fries, fried fish and pizza will welcome fresh asparagus, cabbage, spinach and other vegetables." If there were such demand, some ethnic grocer would have filled it. There used to be a Dominick's in Lawndale, but, according to what's up on Yelp, was replaced by an independent grocer who sells garbage (nutritionally speaking).

Maybe someone here will help is cause by buying the pile of seats.

[trainman8119]

You mean to tell me that they didn't cut the fuel lines in fear of lawsuits...

BLASHPHEMY !!!!

[guineapigbus]

its a 6000 series flxible detroit diesel that came from forest glen garage i bet its last run was 2/7/2010

[BusHunter]

its a 6000 series flxible detroit diesel that came from forest glen garage i bet its last run was 2/7/2010

If you look closely at the bus you can tell it was one that had the new logo installed as well. Figure in what's been retired and not in storage and that should narrow down the field of possible buses.

[trainman8119]

Channel 9 had a story on the bus tonight at 9. It was clear from the video inside

that this is former bus 6127. Still had the F sticker in the window.

[artthouwill]

There was an article earlier in the Tribune, but isn't as prominent on the home page now. The embedded video makes it quite clear that it is a Forest Glen Flx, and undoubtedly a 6000.

On the merits, the second page indicates what the real problem with the project is, that " there is no guarantee residents accustomed to eating french fries, fried fish and pizza will welcome fresh asparagus, cabbage, spinach and other vegetables." If there were such demand, some ethnic grocer would have filled it. There used to be a Dominick's in Lawndale, but, according to what's up on Yelp, was replaced by an independent grocer who sells garbage (nutritionally speaking).

Maybe someone here will help is cause by buying the pile of seats.

As one who grew up in the 'hood:

You won't find too many Jewel's either. When I lived in Hammond, the Dominick's Store on 165th had to close. Prices were too expensive and there was a nearby Wal-Mart, Sterks, and VanTils. The reason bad food sells in the 'hood is because its cheap. That is why you won't see a Whole Foods and stores like that because those neighborhoods can't financially support that type of product.

I think there will be some usage, if the price is right. Question is how long will this bus project last? You can only lose so much money for so long.

[Busjack]

As one who grew up in the 'hood:

You won't find too many Jewel's either. When I lived in Hammond, the Dominick's Store on 165th had to close. Prices were too expensive and there was a nearby Wal-Mart, Sterks, and VanTils. The reason bad food sells in the 'hood is because its cheap. That is why you won't see a Whole Foods and stores like that because those neighborhoods can't financially support that type of product.

I think there will be some usage, if the price is right. Question is how long will this bus project last? You can only lose so much money for so long.

I am familiar with the Hammond situation, and also don't know if this is the proper forum for this, but since the original article pointed out that it was questionable that this guy can make a profit in this venture, and I would add, having to fuel up* and garage an obsolete bus....

While I mentioned Dominick's in Lawndale, one can figure that the reason Dominick's, and especially Jewel, run so many gimmick deals, is that both have priced themselves out of this market, including on the north side and the north suburbs.

On the other hand, they are being squeezed in those areas by various ethnic establishments that specialize in produce. I can name successful ones, like Fresh Farms on Touhy, which is right next to a Walmart. Even most carnecerias also have futerias, although the fruit in a couple I visited wasn't fresh, unlike what Rick Bayless shows.

Yet, in the hood, those places are few and far between. There are some Pete's Fresh Markets that picked up some closed Dominick's in the periphery (118th St. and Calumet City) and some guy on Chicago Now says that there is another Pete who sells rotten produce, but basically you hear about places like Moo and Oink and Harold's. Apparently the Moo and Oink and More in Hazel Crest has more variety.

Hence, I am making the argument that if there were a demand, it would be filled, and at about half the price that Jewel or Dominick's charges. I commend this guy for making the entrepreneurial step of trying to find out if the demand exists, but I have already come to my opinion on that.

_________

*125 gallon tank at $4.05 a gallon at the moment is $506. Have to sell a lot just to cover that.

[jajuan]

I am familiar with the Hammond situation, and also don't know if this is the proper forum for this, but since the original article pointed out that it was questionable that this guy can make a profit in this venture, and I would add, having to fuel up* and garage an obsolete bus....

While I mentioned Dominick's in Lawndale, one can figure that the reason Dominick's, and especially Jewel, run so many gimmick deals, is that both have priced themselves out of this market, including on the north side and the north suburbs.

On the other hand, they are being squeezed in those areas by various ethnic establishments that specialize in produce. I can name successful ones, like Fresh Farms on Touhy, which is right next to a Walmart. Even most carnecerias also have futerias, although the fruit in a couple I visited wasn't fresh, unlike what Rick Bayless shows.

Yet, in the hood, those places are few and far between. There are some Pete's Fresh Markets that picked up some closed Dominick's in the periphery (118th St. and Calumet City) and some guy on Chicago Now says that there is another Pete who sells rotten produce, but basically you hear about places like Moo and Oink and Harold's. Apparently the Moo and Oink and More in Hazel Crest has more variety.

Hence, I am making the argument that if there were a demand, it would be filled, and at about half the price that Jewel or Dominick's charges. I commend this guy for making the entrepreneurial step of trying to find out if the demand exists, but I have already come to my opinion on that.

_________

*125 gallon tank at $4.05 a gallon at the moment is $506. Have to sell a lot just to cover that.

The demand is there. The problem is getting it fresh at a reasonable price especially now in what is an enemic to brutal economy depending where you live. So yes Jewel and Dominick's are pricing themselves out of the market if they haven't gotten close to doing so already. That's one of the biggest and first complaints that I heard from folks in the hood during time spent as a Jewel employee. When given a decent sale on the fresh items, folks actually did buy more fresh healthier items especially produce and less of the crap food. Art is right the junk and crap is cheaper a lot of these days, so yes of course that's what you're going to see people buy, the crap over the fresh produce. This is why when people hear about a farmer's market during the spring going into the early fall, people do tend to flock to them.

Now bringing this post on to the question of the bus, valid questions do come to mind of how he is going to maintain it. Apart from space to park it when not in use, there's keeping the engine in operable condition. Does he know anyone that knows how to repair transit bus engines? If he were to use the same outside shop people as CTA or similar for the heavy work, would he be able to handle the cost? There's the cost to keeping the bus fueled. There's where to go to get the fuel. Well there are a number of places to get diesel so the question would be more along the lines of where to find better deals. Even with a void in getting fresh produce filled hypothetically, does he get what money he makes even if it came from a booming market in what he's chosen to sell eaten up by choosing to go with an former transit bus instead of a truck? Is it more complicated to maintain a bus than a truck for that matter since the questions posed in maintaining a used bus could also apply to a truck? This brings up the question of how long did that south side church manage to actually hold on to and use those Americanas bought as is from the Minneapolis transit agency before maintenance issues might have gotten more complicated to keep them?

[Busjack]

There's where to go to get the fuel. Well there are a number of places to get diesel so the question would be more along the lines of where to find better deals.

I was basing the $4.05 on the price posted on signs in my neighborhood. Speedway's web site has Truck Diesel at 34th and California at 3.999. Basically, though, unless he has some sort of tax exemption, there probably isn't a deal.

.. does he get what money he makes even if it came from a booming market in what he's chosen to sell eaten up by choosing to go with an former transit bus instead of a truck?

Again, what I was thinking. I remember (and probably in art's neighborhood, mentioned above, but before that) the guy at the end of the block who was a "fruit peddler" and had a truck.

This guy is getting some free publicity for using a bus, but I doubt that it will be worth the cost of keeping the air conditioner running, which he will have to do.