Pace Roster

[artthouwill]

3 hours ago, chgofan78 said:

6079 has moved from SW to NW.

Like the previous generation of Pace Orions,  they just don't go away easily.   Question is will they outlast the NABIS? 

[Busjack]

2 hours ago, artthouwill said:

Like the previous generation of Pace Orions,  they just don't go away easily.   Question is will they outlast the NABIS? 

6156-61 probably will outlast the 2003 ones, since they are newer. Probably not the 2005s.

The real question is that while Pace always cries in its budget that there isn't enough money to meet its capital needs, suddenly at least 90 buses* showed up on a budget of 72, and that's Pace's usual M.O. Then for 2017, we are supposed to get the remaining 71 CNGs, 53 small buses, whatever of this year's order that's still at Chandler or South Holland, plus anything on 2017 budget's 76 fixed route buses. Sure, there's growth for stuff like the I-90 project, but what really is in the pipeline?

The other weird thing is that while NW Orion VIs were headed to SW, now SW's are headed in the opposite direction.

___

*Based on the assumption that 6575 is on WebWatch.

[rotjohns]

On 12/29/2016 at 0:19 PM, Busjack said:

6156-61 probably will outlast the 2003 ones, since they are newer. Probably not the 2005s.

The real question is that while Pace always cries in its budget that there isn't enough money to meet its capital needs, suddenly at least 90 buses* showed up on a budget of 72, and that's Pace's usual M.O. Then for 2017, we are supposed to get the remaining 71 CNGs, 53 small buses, whatever of this year's order that's still at Chandler or South Holland, plus anything on 2017 budget's 76 fixed route buses. Sure, there's growth for stuff like the I-90 project, but what really is in the pipeline?

The other weird thing is that while NW Orion VIs were headed to SW, now SW's are headed in the opposite direction.

___

*Based on the assumption that 6575 is on WebWatch.

*6575 is confirmed out and about, I have seen it physically twice in the last week.  

6091 was just on 381 earlier this week so that's a fast turnaround.  Obviously the Orions were going to move from SW, although I thought it would be to retirement or at worst, West.  Not NW.  Maybe they are out during rush hour only?  That's what I've seen lately on Webwatch when it comes to the Orions.

[BusHunter]

#6156 was out this morning at west. Saw it on the #332. I guess the rest of the Orions will soon be leaving sw if they havent already.

[busfan2847]

1 hour ago, BusHunter said:

#6156 was out this morning at west. Saw it on the #332. I guess the rest of the Orions will soon be leaving sw if they havent already.

6161 was on a west route last night.

[rotjohns]

6 hours ago, busfan2847 said:

6161 was on a west route last night.

They are both out there now.  6157-6160 should join them next week.

[busfan2847]

18 hours ago, rotjohns said:

They are both out there now.  6157-6160 should join them next week.

6157 and 6159 are already at West. On 301 and 322 Thursday afternoon. 6156 was on 322 and 6161 on 309 at that time.

There were no Orion's on SW routes Thursday afternoon.

[garmon757]

#6975 is now in service. 

[RJL6000]

Until the end of last week, the WB trip on the #318 that leaves the Forest Park Transit Center at 6:02 AM used primarily Orion VI's. But this week, the ones that I rode have been NABI's instead of Orions. This is fueling the speculation that the Orions may be mostly retired.

[BusHunter]

Depends on the operator. The first bus on the #303 or #332 are almost always orions. Have the picks changed recently? It might be the operator likes orions or its the only bus thats available.

[Busjack]

2 hours ago, RJL6000 said:

Until the end of last week, the WB trip on the #318 that leaves the Forest Park Transit Center at 6:02 AM used primarily Orion VI's. But this week, the ones that I rode have been NABI's instead of Orions. This is fueling the speculation that the Orions may be mostly retired.

 

1 hour ago, BusHunter said:

Depends on the operator. The first bus on the #303 or #332 are almost always orions. Have the picks changed recently? It might be the operator likes orions or its the only bus thats available.

They're petering out, but not dead yet.For instance, gong around the NW Garage during rush hour, there are still some Orions hitting the road, and while 423 has been mostly EZ Riders and Axess, an Orion has been on it this week. So, BH is  undoubtedly correct.

[BusHunter]

Its really a toss up who will have the last orions. On one hand you have Pulse getting started and on the other you have south getting its cng's. Both will most likely retire the orions once and for all.

[artthouwill]

7 hours ago, BusHunter said:

Depends on the operator. The first bus on the #303 or #332 are almost always orions. Have the picks changed recently? It might be the operator likes orions or its the only bus thats available.

That  early in the  morning,  Prions aren't the  only buses available.   It just may be some driver's  preference.   I usually  see at least one  Orion on the 301, 303, 305, 307, 313, 332.  Undoubtedly  there's  one  row of Orion  buses in the ready line each weekday at West.   I don't  see them out at all on the weekend. 

Sometimes I  see one on the 250.  As a matter of  fact,  the  last  time I was on the  250, I rode  one.  I suppose  NW also has to send a few out each weekday also.

[rotjohns]

On 4/20/2017 at 11:30 AM, BusHunter said:

Its really a toss up who will have the last orions. On one hand you have Pulse getting started and on the other you have south getting its cng's. Both will most likely retire the orions once and for all.

Not only retiring the Orions, but you'll see some 6162s and 6600s probably heading out too.  I wonder when the "small" buses will arrive to the feeder routes?  

[Busjack]

18 hours ago, rotjohns said:

Not only retiring the Orions, but you'll see some 6162s and 6600s probably heading out too.  I wonder when the "small" buses will arrive to the feeder routes?  

That brings up the "nothing in either agency's budget has hit the procurement stage." I suppose it doesn't take as long to procure a small bus as a large one, but since Pace still has its specifications on such things as the driver's cabinet and the type of gps in it (remembering specs for the Downers Grove and paratransit buses), it should have advertised it by now to get them by the end of 2017. Also, since they are to be funded out of a transfer from operating funds, any excuse relating to the state shouldn't be there.

[qwantae]

On 12/29/2016 at 0:59 PM, artthouwill said:

Like the previous generation of Pace Orions,  they just don't go away easily.   Question is will they outlast the NABIS? 

R.I.P 6079.  I rode that one many times on SW Routes.  

[qwantae]

On 4/22/2017 at 5:18 PM, rotjohns said:

Not only retiring the Orions, but you'll see some 6162s and 6600s probably heading out too.  I wonder when the "small" buses will arrive to the feeder routes?  

Would all the 6162s and 6600s be gone before Orion VI (6156s) ?

[Busjack]

22 minutes ago, qwantae said:

Would all the 6162s and 6600s be gone before Orion VI (6156s) ?

Maybe based on age, but Pace also has a history of retiring oddballs,* and 6156-6161 are now more than 12 years old, so they are technically eligible. I was surprised by the shifting from NW to SW to W.

Also, as the Orion Is prove it takes a long time before "all" of any series is gone. As with them and the CTA 6400s, those that are still serviceable tend to hang around. For instance, at this point I don't see why there are any more Orion VIs at NW, but there are still a few reflected on Web Watch.

__________

*The Nova Classics (2379-2400) bit it a bit early.

[qwantae]

23 hours ago, Busjack said:

Maybe based on age, but Pace also has a history of retiring oddballs,* and 6156-6161 are now more than 12 years old, so they are technically eligible. I was surprised by the shifting from NW to SW to W.

Also, as the Orion Is prove it takes a long time before "all" of any series is gone. As with them and the CTA 6400s, those that are still serviceable tend to hang around. For instance, at this point I don't see why there are any more Orion VIs at NW, but there are still a few reflected on Web Watch.

__________

*The Nova Classics (2379-2400) bit it a bit early.

Now It's seems hard to believe that oldest 2600s (Eldorado EZ Riders) will be eligible for retirement next year.  

[BusHunter]

18 minutes ago, qwantae said:

Now It's seems hard to believe that oldest 2600s (Eldorado EZ Riders) will be eligible for retirement next year.  

Yes they are Lol!! But then technically also the cta #1000's can be retired, but they cant even retire the #6400s. Does eldorado still make ez riders? 

[Busjack]

1 hour ago, qwantae said:

Now It's seems hard to believe that oldest 2600s (Eldorado EZ Riders) will be eligible for retirement next year.  

 

38 minutes ago, BusHunter said:

Yes they are Lol!! But then technically also the cta #1000's can be retired, but they cant even retire the #6400s.

While the first will be 12 year buses about now, one also has to consider that (based on the proposals for contract routes) only the ones in divisions have big mileage.  Take for instance the following from the Lisle-Downers Grove contract proposal (May, 2015):

While the 2010s won't be eligible until 2022, still even the oldest, formerly at FV (2602-2604), only had 228,000 or so as of 2015, and it usually takes about 500,000 to retire a bus.

38 minutes ago, BusHunter said:

Does eldorado still make ez riders? 

Yes, Still on their website, only difference seems to be that only the BRT front is available. And two things have been mentioned before:

• The 7 trolleys to come (apparently in August) are still 30' EZ Riders.
• If, according to the 2017 budget, Pace is going to get 35' buses, there is a choice between EZ Rider and Axess,

[BusHunter]

Hmm... then that means the trolley buses should have the newer aero front.

[Busjack]

4 hours ago, BusHunter said:

Hmm... then that means the trolley buses should have the newer aero front.

Since the Pace literature only has pictures of the Elkhart Interurban Trolley. it looks so.

Embedded from interurbantrolley.com:

[BusHunter]

Thats one thing i dont understand. If pace has buses with 70k on them why they dont just rotate them. I bet the newer 30' buses from sw and nw have more miles and are newer. What ever happened to Pace segregating the 30 footers to a few outlying garages? Now the danger in that is without putting any of them on the busier city/immediate suburban routes they might never get any miles. I bet the stevenson express buses build up alot of miles and the same could be said for the I-90 express' which most of the time are driving on a high speed corridor.

[Busjack]

3 hours ago, BusHunter said:

Thats one thing i dont understand. If pace has buses with 70k on them why they dont just rotate them.

That's a good question. Most of them are allocated to contractors, but the contract gives Pace the right to yank the buses, so I suppose they could. They did when they yanked about 10 buses because FV needed them.

If Pace gets the "smaller buses," obviously more will be yanked from contractors and given to divisions.

3 hours ago, BusHunter said:

What ever happened to Pace segregating the 30 footers to a few outlying garages?

As far as NW and SW,  that's mostly a result of the TIGER buses. Before that, NW only had a few for light routes (210, 690 [canceled] and 694.) In fact, NS had about 19 before and 12 now.

SW also had growth when Pace took over direct operation of 895 and decided to use EZ Riders to run that.

Again, note the comment on the "smaller buses."