BusHunter Posted August 22, 2017 Report Share Posted August 22, 2017 Was out and about downtown today and came across this new bus for Aries charter so i filmed it and made some pictures. I kind of like the curved back. What is this a different model from the free enterprise gillig buses? I think I saw one in LA but this one was a BRT styled Gillig. Unless this is a BRT model like Eldorado Axess has a BRT model. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted August 22, 2017 Report Share Posted August 22, 2017 Yes this is a BRT. Gillig has the Advantage, BRT, BRT Plus, Commuter, and Trolley. https://www.gillig.com/buses The Commuter isn't an independent style, though, as it comes in standard, BRT and BRT Plus. The BRT Plus has the roof hood so this is a BRT. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted August 22, 2017 Report Share Posted August 22, 2017 Also, this is not a new type of bus in this area, as it is also used on the Northwestern U Shuttle (starting around here). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BusHunter Posted August 22, 2017 Author Report Share Posted August 22, 2017 Yeah forget nu had the one bus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BusHunter Posted November 28, 2017 Author Report Share Posted November 28, 2017 Been seeing this Aries charter bus almost everyday around Irving Pk and Mannheim. Do they have a garage or something over there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artthouwill Posted November 29, 2017 Report Share Posted November 29, 2017 On 11/28/2017 at 10:04 AM, BusHunter said: Been seeing this Aries charter bus almost everyday around Irving Pk and Mannheim. Do they have a garage or something over there? They park some buses in a lot on the SW corner near Manheim and the I 294 bridge. They run a shuttle at the airport. Airseev also runs a shuttle at the airport One runs for airport employees like STA and one is for airline employees I believe. I don't know which one runswhat. Aries main garage is on Kostner near Roosevelt. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BusHunter Posted November 29, 2017 Author Report Share Posted November 29, 2017 They've been running that same new bus but today I actually saw a Aries School bus if you can believe that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctrabs74 Posted March 7, 2018 Report Share Posted March 7, 2018 I'm guessing this is an ex-Orlando or Jacksonville bus, judging by the manual run sign common to those two fleets (as best as I can recall). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BusHunter Posted May 31, 2018 Author Report Share Posted May 31, 2018 Found another Aries Charter garage. This one is on Roosevelt (1/2 block North) about a block west of kostner. Interesting its a pretty big place. Heres some pics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Busjack Posted May 31, 2018 Report Share Posted May 31, 2018 I'm not sure what 206 (2nd picture) is supposed to be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artthouwill Posted May 31, 2018 Report Share Posted May 31, 2018 8 hours ago, BusHunter said: Found another Aries Charter garage. This one is on Roosevelt (1/2 block North) about a block west of kostner. Interesting its a pretty big place. Heres some pics. This is the main garage and has been for about the last 3 years. They moved there from their former locationjust north of the Eisenhower just east of the RRR tracks west of Kostner. Aries also acquired American Sightseeing about a year plus ago. Apparently they don't use the Wabash site anymore, though there are a couple of buses not belonging to them still parked in the parking lot on the west side of Wabash. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BusHunter Posted May 31, 2018 Author Report Share Posted May 31, 2018 Yeah interesting Art, they have all kinds of gilligs there new and old. Coach buses, you name it. Out by the Mannheim location which is right by the tri state is way smaller but they have school buses there painted in a Aries livery. Interesting how at the Roosevelt location they just park the buses on the grass. With my discussion about the irm buses it's a wonder they don't sink into the ground. I'm surprised the city let's them do that but I guess they own the land. I wanted to explore further but there was a police response nearby and I didn't want to alert anyone. You know by taking pictures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pokemonprime Posted July 10 Report Share Posted July 10 Bumping as this seems to be "the thread" for Aries Charter buses. I've been able to photograph a fair number running routes in The Loop, a bunch seem to be running from 300 E Randolph, which makes Randolph & Michigan a great bus-spotting corner, as you can see a nice mixed fleet between CTA buses, the Aon-Pru BYDs, and Aries' Gilligs. I've included 302 here as an example, it's a 2007 Gillig BRT, secondhand from LYNX in Orlando, FL 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glennwood Road Ent. Posted July 12 Report Share Posted July 12 On 7/10/2025 at 6:51 PM, pokemonprime said: Bumping as this seems to be "the thread" for Aries Charter buses. I've been able to photograph a fair number running routes in The Loop, a bunch seem to be running from 300 E Randolph, which makes Randolph & Michigan a great bus-spotting corner, as you can see a nice mixed fleet between CTA buses, the Aon-Pru BYDs, and Aries' Gilligs. I've included 302 here as an example, it's a 2007 Gillig BRT, secondhand from LYNX in Orlando, FL How many transit buses does Aries Charter have? Did they have their own body work shop at charter company? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pokemonprime Posted July 12 Report Share Posted July 12 It's hard to tell how many buses they have as they don't publish a full roster. Approximately ~48 buses can be counted at their two storage lots at Grenshaw/Kolmar and Grenshaw/Kostner from aerials, but that wouldn't include any buses operating when the aerial was taken. They have a small garage also on Grenshaw, but I doubt they can do anything beyond basic maintenance there. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
artthouwill Posted July 12 Report Share Posted July 12 29 minutes ago, pokemonprime said: It's hard to tell how many buses they have as they don't publish a full roster. Approximately ~48 buses can be counted at their two storage lots at Grenshaw/Kolmar and Grenshaw/Kostner from aerials, but that wouldn't include any buses operating when the aerial was taken. They have a small garage also on Grenshaw, but I doubt they can do anything beyond basic maintenance there. They also have some buses on Manheim just north of the Tri State but south of Seymour Ave. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glennwood Road Ent. Posted July 15 Report Share Posted July 15 On 7/11/2025 at 11:10 PM, pokemonprime said: It's hard to tell how many buses they have as they don't publish a full roster. Approximately ~48 buses can be counted at their two storage lots at Grenshaw/Kolmar and Grenshaw/Kostner from aerials, but that wouldn't include any buses operating when the aerial was taken. They have a small garage also on Grenshaw, but I doubt they can do anything beyond basic maintenance there. Thanks for the advice, 10-4 and over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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