Schaumburg trolley

[Busjack]

The Pace contract opportunities page includes a solicitation for "trolley wraps." Cracking it open, it is to wrap 10 EZ Riders or 10 Aerotech 240s (not both) for Schaumburg.

I guess that's the end of the Chance trolleys,but I don't see where Pace has 10 EZ Riders to turn over for this. I bet it ends up like Rosemont with the Aerotechs (14000 series illustrated), unless some other feeder operation gets stuck with the Aerotechs.

[Busjack]

At the moment, forget it, procurement cancelled.

[trainman8119]

At the moment, forget it, procurement cancelled.

They must have read your observation !!

[BusHunter]

So I was at Woodfield today and......   what the hell? I saw an Eldorko wrapped as the Woodfield Trolley. It was #2696. I was caught by surprise and it drove off, but I hung around the Woodfield bus entrance and did get some pictures. Here they are...

The bus has a deep forest green wrapped rear as you can see and also a green forest wrapped front. The sides are woody wrapped. Now that is an eldorko wrap!! I couldn't help but laugh at it cause it looks silly. If you notice the second picture, which I just did, they have put a few red seat inserts.

So if those buses come out of Glen Ellyn - First Student then #2696 is now assigned there? i thought at first maybe it was a christmas extra because they claim the trolley is running extra service for the holiday season, but now that I read this topic, it makes me believe these are permanent.

[Pace831]

Here's the link to an earlier discussion, where Busjack noted the 2015 budget referenced seven "trolley buses". This thread says the first solicitation which was cancelled was for 10 buses. Maybe 7 new buses + the 3 ElDorados from McHenry = 10 trolleys? Are they planning to increase service? Also, did you see any of the old trolleys still running during your visit?

[Busjack]

10 hours ago, Pace831 said:

Here's the link to an earlier discussion, where Busjack noted the 2015 budget referenced seven "trolley buses". This thread says the first solicitation which was cancelled was for 10 buses. Maybe 7 new buses + the 3 ElDorados from McHenry = 10 trolleys? Are they planning to increase service? Also, did you see any of the old trolleys still running during your visit?

Very unlikely that service is being increased, because it is entirely on Schaumburg's dime.

Since Pace never advertised a proposal to buy new trolleys, and I said then that Pace wouldn't pay $400K for an Elkhart type bus when their Eldos cost $~300K, Pace went to its previously announced plan--wrap some 30 foot buses.

Looks like they only need 2 buses to meet current schedule, but maybe they got all 3.

Still a mystery what McHenry was doing with the 3 buses for the last about 8 years.

[BusHunter]

12 hours ago, Pace831 said:

Here's the link to an earlier discussion, where Busjack noted the 2015 budget referenced seven "trolley buses". This thread says the first solicitation which was cancelled was for 10 buses. Maybe 7 new buses + the 3 ElDorados from McHenry = 10 trolleys? Are they planning to increase service? Also, did you see any of the old trolleys still running during your visit?

Yes they had the traditional trolleys, but this was the only wrapped Eldorko I saw.

[Pace831]

2 hours ago, Busjack said:

Very unlikely that service is being increased, because it is entirely on Schaumburg's dime.

Since Pace never advertised a proposal to buy new trolleys, and I said then that Pace wouldn't pay $400K for an Elkhart type bus when their Eldos cost $~300K, Pace went to its previously announced plan--wrap some 30 foot buses.

Looks like they only need 2 buses to meet current schedule, but maybe they got all 3.

The seven mentioned in the budget is likely just because that is the current number of vehicles. But in the cancelled proposal for the wraps, why would they think it necessary to wrap ten buses when a maximum of three are running at one time? To use them on other routes like they do with the special event buses? In the short term, they will probably just get the 3 McHenry buses wrapped which are enough to maintain service.

2 hours ago, Busjack said:

Still a mystery what McHenry was doing with the 3 buses for the last about 8 years.

They apparently supplemented the paratransits on 806-808. Take a look at this image from McHenry County Blog.

[Busjack]

55 minutes ago, Pace831 said:

They apparently supplemented the paratransits on 806-808. Take a look at this image from McHenry County Blog.

I got a message that hotlinking was not allowed. Copy, then "paste and go" worked, though.

The only place I saw them in operation was in Cary, which I assume was some DAR project.

1 hour ago, BusHunter said:

Yes they had the traditional trolleys, but this was the only wrapped Eldorko I saw.

Would indicate that they had to fill in because too many "trolleys" were dead.

[BusHunter]

Anyone know the fleet numbers for the schaumburg trolley? I'm trying to set up a roster under the Pace rosters for first Student Glen Ellyn. Also First Student - Glen Ellyn is it's own separate division of First Student?  It's not related to the other First Student's, Naperville or Westmont correct?

[Busjack]

13 minutes ago, BusHunter said:

Anyone know the fleet numbers for the schaumburg trolley? I'm trying to set up a roster under the Pace rosters for first Student Glen Ellyn. Also First Student - Glen Ellyn is it's own separate division of First Student?  It's not related to the other First Student's, Naperville or Westmont correct?

1-7

The different First Students are just different yards, but the same company. Similar to MV being in Batavia, Niles, and other locations.

At one time FS Glen Ellyn had the Wheaton-Glen Elllyn-Lombard contract, but lost Wheaton-Lombard to MV. Glen Ellyn hung on for a bit, but those routes were eventually cancelled.

[Busjack]

Pace has a solicitation for 30 ft low floor diesel trolleys. It is for 7 of them, they are supposed to be for a 12 year service life and it looks like the standard bus spec., so it looks like Pace is getting something like 2696, depicted above.

To be green with gold lettering (and wooden seats), but design not otherwise indicated.

[mel bernero]

Here is a picture of Pace 2696 in daylight. This was operating today along with two of the original trolleys.

[Busjack]

Looks like, from the Bid Tabulation, that ElDorado National was the only one to bid, but if I am reading this correctly, $2.862 million, or $408K per trolley isn't cheap. About $120K more than the vehicle depicted above, even if 8 years later.

[Busjack]

Agenda for August 10 includes

Ordinance authorizing the award of a contract for seven (7) 30′ Low Floor Diesel Trolleys.

So, that's going to happen.

[Busjack]

Amendment to 905 contract for 7 day service.

On the trolleys themselves, only discussion was that they were to replace the 7 Chance trolleys, and other companies were not willing to bid on Pace specs (time limit or standard Pace add ons such as cameras and IBS).

At least the board is no longer only doing "take the vote on the consent agenda."

[Busjack]

On 8/11/2016 at 11:28 AM, Busjack said:

..time limit...

Looking at the spec., it says "Delivery shall be complete within 8 months upon receipt of an executed purchase order." So look for these about Apr. 2017.

[Busjack]

25 minutes ago, andrethebusman said:

Gilligs exist in more cities than any other make of bus. New Flyer tends to have the bigger orders, but Gillig has more customers.

I find it hard to believe that Gillig refused to bid because of a camera system. More likely, they figured Champion has PACE sewed up for the past several years, and intend to do so in the future.

 

Well, either the Bid Tabulation Report and statement by staff in the Board Meeting Video mean what they say, or you have a charge of rigged bidding.

Also, both Champion bus and El Dorado National California Inc, are members of Rev Group, but they aren't the same company.

[Pace831]

Here's 2766 on the Schaumburg trolley, taken from inside 2696. Trolleys 2 and 3 were running as well.

Black Friday traffic was so bad that the trolleys couldn't stay on schedule. I was surprised there weren't more shoppers riding them, I only saw 3 other people riding.

[jajuan]

23 hours ago, Pace831 said:

Here's 2766 on the Schaumburg trolley, taken from inside 2696. Trolleys 2 and 3 were running as well.

Black Friday traffic was so bad that the trolleys couldn't stay on schedule. I was surprised there weren't more shoppers riding them, I only saw 3 other people riding.

Probably a sign that they were inside the stores, given you mentioned that the traffic was bad out there yesterday.

[Pace831]

1 minute ago, jajuan said:

Probably a sign that they were inside the stores, given you mentioned that the traffic was bad out there yesterday.

The parking lots looked nearly full, and most people in the traffic jam were just driving around looking for a place to park. I'd think if you found a parking spot, you'd want to keep it instead of having to look for another one if you wanted to visit a different store. Plus it seems a lot of Black Friday shoppers visit several stores. That's why I was surprised there weren't more people riding the trolley between the various shopping areas.

[jajuan]

1 minute ago, Pace831 said:

The parking lots looked nearly full, and most people in the traffic jam were just driving around looking for a place to park. I'd think if you found a parking spot, you'd want to keep it instead of having to look for another one if you wanted to visit a different store. Plus it seems a lot of Black Friday shoppers visit several stores. That's why I was surprised there weren't more people riding the trolley between the various shopping areas.

Yeah. Kind of why I was thinking maybe they were inside the stores still in the process of shopping because those who weren't inside a store were in their cars driving instead of on the trolley buses.

[Busjack]

3 hours ago, Pace831 said:

That's why I was surprised there weren't more people riding the trolley between the various shopping areas.

Was the NWTC relatively empty, thus meaning that most of those circling the parking lot couldn't figure out that there was a free alternative?

[Pace831]

1 hour ago, Busjack said:

Was the NWTC relatively empty, thus meaning that most of those circling the parking lot couldn't figure out that there was a free alternative?

Yes, the parking lot at NWTC was nearly empty. It seemed like everyone was trying to park close to the main mall entrances which was so unrealistic that it was comical. I'm not sure how crowded it was at Streets of Woodfield, but the traffic jam I saw seemed mostly contained to the ring road around the mall. People were flocking to the mall but the area around NWTC was deserted due to everyone having the day off. The 600 I rode only had 2 other people on it.

I guess you're suggesting that most people didn't ride the trolley because they didn't know they could park elsewhere, but I still find it unusual that people who parked at the mall weren't riding it to the other shopping areas. Maybe as @jajuan mentioned, it had to do with most people being in the store or in their car at that time of day (3-4 PM).

[Busjack]

8 hours ago, Pace831 said:

I guess you're suggesting that most people didn't ride the trolley because they didn't know they could park elsewhere, but I still find it unusual that people who parked at the mall weren't riding it to the other shopping areas. Maybe as @jajuan mentioned, it had to do with most people being in the store or in their car at that time of day (3-4 PM).

It probably had to do with people figuring that if they abandoned their cars at Woodfield they might be towed.  Like I said, I wonder why the shoppers did not use the free alternative.