600-series Proterra BE40/ZX5 - Updates

[Shannoncvpi]

1 hour ago, BusHunter said:

Yeah that would be my answer. The buses were sent for a rehab after that and never really went into service.  #701 had limited service bit I believe #700 has not been in service since the fire.

Yea & stayed at 7 never returned to K 

[YoungBusLover]

Just saw #618 testing out in the boneyard bus appears to be just fine.

[artthouwill]

17 minutes ago, YoungBusLover said:

Just saw #618 testing out in the boneyard bus appears to be just fine.

Just fine in the the boneyard bu dead on the streets?

[BusHunter]

1 hour ago, artthouwill said:

Just fine in the the boneyard bu dead on the streets?

Maybe they were just testing it out earlier. It's been sitting so long, the tires might be flat spotted. They probably wanted to see also if the battery was keeping a charge. 

[YoungBusLover]

10 hours ago, artthouwill said:

Just fine in the the boneyard bu dead on the streets?

Well remember the eastern edge of the boneyard has pavement along with an obstacle course used for training all of the #600s i've seen this month except the ones on the SS fence have been active moving around SS, with the #8350s almost out of the picture the focus has ramped back up on the #600s again.

9 hours ago, BusHunter said:

Maybe they were just testing it out earlier. It's been sitting so long, the tires might be flat spotted. They probably wanted to see also if the battery was keeping a charge. 

Yeah #618 has sat in the garage bay for so long I'm sure it may have received a new set of tires along with the other 6 or 7 that have sat with it. For some odd reason #600 was sitting in the main garage bay among our current fleet. 

[busfan2847]

15 hours ago, Shannoncvpi said:

Yea they been laying up lately last time I seen one out of like last winter or before when on of my homies still worked at CTA before he went to the railroad he had the green on out that day I think 

From my records 700 was last in passenger service around 8/9/21 (79) and 701 3/17/21 (79)

[BusHunter]

3 hours ago, busfan2847 said:

From my records 700 was last in passenger service around 8/9/21 (79) and 701 3/17/21 (79)

Yeah I remember #701 on #79, but #700??? Maybe it was out just a day or two because I haven't heard of it running post rehab

 

[NewFlyerMCI]

3 hours ago, BusHunter said:

Yeah I remember #701 on #79, but #700??? Maybe it was out just a day or two because I haven't heard of it running post rehab

 

I’m pretty sure these buses have spent more time out of service than in. And right now is the longest stretch, almost a year and a half. CTA might as well have just gotten demo units

[Mr.NewFlyer1051]

4 hours ago, BusHunter said:

Yeah I remember #701 on #79, but #700??? Maybe it was out just a day or two because I haven't heard of it running post rehab

 

you stand correct #700 never ran since that fire only #701 ran i think once or twice on 79th but that’s pretty much it 

[BusHunter]

Went over by south shops to see what's going on with the Proterras. #618, #620 and other one was lined on the west end of the shops building. Lined up on the 79th fence, (these are the ones that haven't moved) is #609, #615, #617 and #622. So the rest of them are gone unless they are in the boneyard. Went by 74th didn't see any activity over there concerning any Proterras. 

[Shannoncvpi]

9 hours ago, busfan2847 said:

From my records 700 was last in passenger service around 8/9/21 (79) and 701 3/17/21 (79)

Dam it's been that long ago 

[artthouwill]

I haven't closely followed the Prudential/Aon shuttle buses    but it seems interesting that their Proterras have been running for close to 5 years.  Granted, the pandemic killed the Metra ridership, and by extension the shuttle ridership.   Maybe a reduction in the amount of buses used now for the shuttle is now 4 instead of 8.  That could mask any maintenance issues.   But I need to get to the Prudential Building and observe or maybe @YoungBusLovercan report any observations when doing the 4.  It seems incredible that Standard Parking can run electric buses and CTA can't. 

[YoungBusLover]

1 hour ago, BusHunter said:

Went over by south shops to see what's going on with the Proterras. #618, #620 and other one was lined on the west end of the shops building. Lined up on the 79th fence, (these are the ones that haven't moved) is #609, #615, #617 and #622. So the rest of them are gone unless they are in the boneyard. Went by 74th didn't see any activity over there concerning any Proterras. 

Negative they've been in the bays for a good while but were recently active and washed last week. #618 was among those from the bays that was active and washed. 

 

59 minutes ago, artthouwill said:

I haven't closely followed the Prudential/Aon shuttle buses    but it seems interesting that their Proterras have been running for close to 5 years.  Granted, the pandemic killed the Metra ridership, and by extension the shuttle ridership.   Maybe a reduction in the amount of buses used now for the shuttle is now 4 instead of 8.  That could mask any maintenance issues.   But I need to get to the Prudential Building and observe or maybe @YoungBusLovercan report any observations when doing the 4.  It seems incredible that Standard Parking can run electric buses and CTA can't. 

Those prudential proterras are running like clock work, hardly any breakdowns and they look more appealing to look at with there colorful ad wraps.

[artthouwill]

37 minutes ago, YoungBusLover said:

Negative they've been in the bays for a good while but were recently active and washed last week. #618 was among those from the bays that was active and washed. 

 

Those prudential proterras are running like clock work, hardly any breakdowns and they look more appealing to look at with there colorful ad wraps.

Maybe CTA and Pace should send their people to Prudential and find out what they are doing over there.

[NewFlyerMCI]

#622 will be the last Proterra from this order, right?

Is 23 buses enough to run all the proterras on the 66 during peak with no other diesel buses? 

[YoungBusLover]

27 minutes ago, NewFlyerMCI said:

#622 will be the last Proterra from this order, right?

Is 23 buses enough to run all the proterras on the 66 during peak with no other diesel buses? 

Good question, I haven't seen anything past #622 I could of sworn I thought I saw #623 or #624 but that may be my mind playing tricks on me at this point. I think it will always be an hybrid mixed fleet of #600s and eventually #81-8350s working the 66 together. 

[BusHunter]

#619 is on the #66. So it does look like all proterras are heading to Chicago garage. That bus was missing yesterday at SS. #621, #616, #611, #610 are all on the Mia list but they might be at Chicago garage.

I was thinking in order for the #66 to be truelly a electric bus route it will probably need all buses. That would probably be a better pr success than half and half. Maybe send the 10 buses they are receiving to 74th. 

[busfan2847]

20 hours ago, BusHunter said:

Yeah I remember #701 on #79, but #700??? Maybe it was out just a day or two because I haven't heard of it running post rehab

 

During 2021 it was out on 1/15, 2/1, 5/19, 6/21-7/9 and 8/4-8/9 according to bustracker. I check on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays during the periods.

[BusHunter]

11 minutes ago, busfan2847 said:

During 2021 it was out on 1/15, 2/1, 5/19, 6/21-7/9 and 8/4-8/9 according to bustracker. I check on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays during the periods.

Your quite the tracker!! I believe you I just didn't visually see it or remember it. You are referring here to #700 or #701???

#701 might have been out all those days I remember working 79th myself around that time and seeing it. 

[Mr.NewFlyer1051]

50 minutes ago, BusHunter said:

Your quite the tracker!! I believe you I just didn't visually see it or remember it. You are referring here to #700 or #701???

#701 might have been out all those days I remember working 79th myself around that time and seeing it. 

it was 701 you and him are both correct……700 came from NFI and sat in SS ever since 

[NewFlyerMCI]

2 hours ago, BusHunter said:

#619 is on the #66. So it does look like all proterras are heading to Chicago garage. That bus was missing yesterday at SS. #621, #616, #611, #610 are all on the Mia list but they might be at Chicago garage.

I was thinking in order for the #66 to be truelly a electric bus route it will probably need all buses. That would probably be a better pr success than half and half. Maybe send the 10 buses they are receiving to 74th. 

Speaking of sending the next 10 buses to 74th, I just find it so interesting they built a charger at Midway, but only announced the 66 as part of the pilot program. Then, the 6 electric novas will most likely be running on the 29, but 95th has no charging infrastructure.
 

Ofc, I guess that could fall under good future planning, but there also hasn’t been any indication of another procurement of electric buses. I suppose they’re waiting to see how the Proterras will do, and whether they can evade the issues that have befallen other agencies like SEPTA

[Mr.NewFlyer1051]

45 minutes ago, NewFlyerMCI said:

Speaking of sending the next 10 buses to 74th, I just find it so interesting they built a charger at Midway, but only announced the 66 as part of the pilot program. Then, the 6 electric novas will most likely be running on the 29, but 95th has no charging infrastructure.
 

Ofc, I guess that could fall under good future planning, but there also hasn’t been any indication of another procurement of electric buses. I suppose they’re waiting to see how the Proterras will do, and whether they can evade the issues that have befallen other agencies like SEPTA

yea there was that one nova hovering around SS at one point but no news ever since

There is charging stations at midway but have they ever finished that one up on stony island? or have they even started on it? what it looks like now is the program is going down the wrong path……. also 103rd is slated to be the next garage for electric buses meaning maybe some 600’s head that way? or are they gonna wait on the next electric buses/series?

[Busjack]

44 minutes ago, NewFlyerMCI said:

but there also hasn’t been any indication of another procurement of electric buses.

The contract is for up to 45, and CTA has 23 so far. CTA never explained how it procured the Nova LFSes but the presentation says the grant also includes 6 chargers.

[NewFlyerMCI]

6 minutes ago, Busjack said:

The contract is for up to 45, and CTA has 23 so far. CTA never explained how it procured the Nova LFSes but the presentation says the grant also includes 6 chargers.

They didn't go through the standard procurement process. They got about $7mil from the FTA's 2021 Low-No grants, and used that to directly buy the 6 Novabus LFSe's and additional charging equipment for 103rd. You or Art would know better about the rules surrounding the competitive bidding process, as my guess is they didn't have to do so since it was a purchase made with grant money.

I now also realize CTA's won that award back to back, since the 2022 Low-No grant was for ~$29 mill and that was for more Proterras and additional equipment and training for Chicago's garage.

[YoungBusLover]

I'm still surprised 74th hasn't gotten anything this year, I was told that they were long overdue to receive some #600s delivered and that was back in Feb/March.