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600-series Proterra BE40/ZX5 - Updates


Busjack

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  • 4 weeks later...
2 hours ago, busfan2847 said:

None of Chicago's Proterra have been out since Friday according to bustracker?

13 have not been out this month, with 4 having been absent since June. The 3 at 74th have been out in Oct - one at a time!

I have no idea what the issues are.  I don't know if there are equipment issues or infrastructure issues or a combination of both.  Again,  Standard Parking seems to be able to operate their Proterras every weekday during peak periods.  Obviously these are shuttles that operate in a small service area and mileage doesn't even add up to a one way trip on the 66 or 63.  

This is why I said CTA should consider ordering at least one more set of diesel buses.   

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 10/17/2023 at 10:12 AM, artthouwill said:

I have no idea what the issues are.  I don't know if there are equipment issues or infrastructure issues or a combination of both.  Again,  Standard Parking seems to be able to operate their Proterras every weekday during peak periods.  Obviously these are shuttles that operate in a small service area and mileage doesn't even add up to a one way trip on the 66 or 63.  

This is why I said CTA should consider ordering at least one more set of diesel buses.   

Also SP has nothing but Proterras to work with. When you only have one type of bus to deal with, you get very good at dealing with it, even if they are troublesome. Like when F was 100 percent Old Novas. They got real good at keeping the old beasts functioning.

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8 hours ago, andrethebusman99 said:

Also SP has nothing but Proterras to work with. When you only have one type of bus to deal with, you get very good at dealing with it, even if they are troublesome. Like when F was 100 percent Old Novas. They got real good at keeping the old beasts functioning.

Hopefully these troublesome #600s can get there issues worked out before the year is over. 

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15 minutes ago, YoungBusLover said:

Hopefully these troublesome #600s can get there issues worked out before the year is over. 

Maybe related, maybe not. MCTS pulled its Nova e-buses because of a battery recall, and is slowly bringing them back (MCTS release).No way to tell if these are the same or different batteries. Back to CTA, nobody has seen 700-701 at other than SS for a very long time.

 

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Just now, Busjack said:

Maybe related, maybe not. MCTS pulled its Nova e-buses because of a battery recall, and is slowly bringing them back (MCTS release).No way to tell if these are the same or different batteries. Back to CTA, nobody has seen 700-701 at other than SS for a very long time.

I think they'll be suffering the same fate as the #5900s unfortunately, just serving out the 12 year life span until they can shipped off somewhere.  

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4 minutes ago, YoungBusLover said:

I think they'll be suffering the same fate as the #5900s unfortunately, just serving out the 12 year life span until they can shipped off somewhere.  

Seeing that MCTS said that it's expecting several new LFSe buses, I doubt that CTA would exercise the option for the last 22 Proterra buses if there were something inherently wrong with them.

If you are referring to the 700s, they aren't subject to the 12-year requirement (was a 1- or 2-year test) but CTA spent $1 million to have NF rebuild them.

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7 minutes ago, Busjack said:

Seeing that MCTS said that it's expecting several new LFSe buses, I doubt that CTA would exercise the option for the last 22 Proterra buses if there were something inherently wrong with them.

If you are referring to the 700s, they aren't subject to the 12-year requirement (was a 1- or 2-year test) but CTA spent $1 million to have NF rebuild them.

Oh I see, so basically they're just collecting dust until further notice.  Kind of a waste since they went with Proterra and never fully utilized the #700s with current charging stations we have now. More than likely they'll have to go with NF now though with NovaBus leaving.

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2 hours ago, YoungBusLover said:

Oh I see, so basically they're just collecting dust until further notice.  Kind of a waste since they went with Proterra and never fully utilized the #700s with current charging stations we have now. More than likely they'll have to go with NF now though with NovaBus leaving.

I wasn't implying anything like that. I was saying that (unless CTA is completely nuts) it would not have agreed to buy 22 Proterras last month if the first 23 had some irremediable flaw. And if you are implying that CTA should go with NF, CTA paid $3 million for 2 NF  buses that you recognize aren't running, either.

The only thing I can say is that MCTS was transparent with the issue, while CTA isn't.

 

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11 hours ago, Busjack said:

Seeing that MCTS said that it's expecting several new LFSe buses, I doubt that CTA would exercise the option for the last 22 Proterra buses if there were something inherently wrong with them.

If you are referring to the 700s, they aren't subject to the 12-year requirement (was a 1- or 2-year test) but CTA spent $1 million to have NF rebuild them.

Yea cta just wasted money on those

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14 hours ago, artthouwill said:

The question is whether this recall affects the Proterras specifically or other manufacturers ( which may or may not affect CTA)?

I did a general search for recalls, and there is the one mentioned before of Nova Bus recalling MCTS buses for battery replacement, and NF recalls for liquid in the battery case (apparently the cause of the infamous battery fire).

So, it may be different components, but the big 3 have all had buses go out of service.

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  • 1 month later...

According to @maths22's Run History, some 600s are back on the street:

603: 5 (Chicago) 66 12/6/2023, 7:40 AM 12/6/2023, 12:40 PM 66 -811

604: 5 (Chicago) 66 12/5/2023, 9:10 PM 12/5/2023, 10:20 PM SN -855

605: 5 (Chicago) 66 11/27/2023, 6:40 AM 11/27/2023, 12:50 PM 66 -808

608: 5 (Chicago) 66 12/6/2023, 6:40 AM 12/6/2023, 12:40 PM 66 -808

609: 5 (Chicago) 66 12/6/2023, 7:40 AM 12/6/2023, 12:50 PM 66 -810

610: 6 (74th) 63 11/27/2023, 4:10 AM 11/27/2023, 9:40 AM 63 -601

611: 6 (74th) 63 11/28/2023, 4:10 AM 11/28/2023, 9:30 AM 63 -601

612: 5 (Chicago) 66 12/5/2023, 2:00 PM 12/5/2023, 11:50 PM 66 -852

615: 5 (Chicago) 66 12/5/2023, 4:10 PM 12/5/2023, 10:50 PM 66 -856

620: 5 (Chicago) 66 12/5/2023, 7:20 PM 12/5/2023, 8:30 PM 66 -858

622: 6 (74th) 63 11/20/2023, 4:10 AM 11/20/2023, 6:40 AM 63 -601

BOLD=today by 12:30 p.m.

Italic=yesterday

Only most recent reading.

 

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7 hours ago, Busjack said:

According to @maths22's Run History, some 600s are back on the street:

603: 5 (Chicago) 66 12/6/2023, 7:40 AM 12/6/2023, 12:40 PM 66 -811

604: 5 (Chicago) 66 12/5/2023, 9:10 PM 12/5/2023, 10:20 PM SN -855

605: 5 (Chicago) 66 11/27/2023, 6:40 AM 11/27/2023, 12:50 PM 66 -808

608: 5 (Chicago) 66 12/6/2023, 6:40 AM 12/6/2023, 12:40 PM 66 -808

609: 5 (Chicago) 66 12/6/2023, 7:40 AM 12/6/2023, 12:50 PM 66 -810

610: 6 (74th) 63 11/27/2023, 4:10 AM 11/27/2023, 9:40 AM 63 -601

611: 6 (74th) 63 11/28/2023, 4:10 AM 11/28/2023, 9:30 AM 63 -601

612: 5 (Chicago) 66 12/5/2023, 2:00 PM 12/5/2023, 11:50 PM 66 -852

615: 5 (Chicago) 66 12/5/2023, 4:10 PM 12/5/2023, 10:50 PM 66 -856

620: 5 (Chicago) 66 12/5/2023, 7:20 PM 12/5/2023, 8:30 PM 66 -858

622: 6 (74th) 63 11/20/2023, 4:10 AM 11/20/2023, 6:40 AM 63 -601

BOLD=today by 12:30 p.m.

Italic=yesterday

Only most recent reading.

 

Man unfortunately the 600's be having issues cta need to get em worked out if they want to go full electric 

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  • 5 weeks later...
On 12/6/2023 at 8:36 PM, Shannoncvpi said:

Man unfortunately the 600's be having issues cta need to get em worked out if they want to go full electric 

And definitely keep a broad view on range of available manufacturers just as they've done over the years with diesel buses as well as be ready to do one or more extra diesel orders as needed as a contingency as both federal and state laws leave room to do during transition. The activists would just have to squawk if that move does show itself to be necessary as CTA works out the kinks in expanding its electric fleet and moves further into the diesel to electric transition.

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On 12/6/2023 at 9:36 PM, Shannoncvpi said:

Man unfortunately the 600's be having issues cta need to get em worked out if they want to go full electric 

The cta says by 2040 they want to go full electric with there buses. What are the chances that happens. I think there is an pretty good chance once everything is all figured out with the buses.

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47 minutes ago, jajuan said:

And definitely keep a broad view on range of available manufacturers just as they've done over the years with diesel buses as well as be ready to do one or more extra diesel orders as needed as a contingency as both federal and state laws leave room to do during transition. The activists would just have to squawk if that move does show itself to be necessary as CTA works out the kinks in expanding its electric fleet and moves further into the diesel to electric transition.

This is what I have been saying for the longest time.   CTA's next order of buses needs to include diesel buses as a majority.  They can opt to buy some electric artics and electrics from New Flyer and/or Gillig, though I understand that vehicles purchased with federal funds has to go to the lowest bidder.  If zCTA can barely keep the handful of NEWER electric buses on the road, why not have a contingency plan?  I also don't understand what the rush is to electric buses is when there are alternatives like CNG that are still viable.

The government is supposedly so concerned about the air but could care less about the food we eat which is genetically modified and processed to the point that most of the foods we eat are BANNED IN a majority of other countries.  I won't go too far down this rabbit hole,  but the government us pushing electric buses but allows high fructose corn syrup which is detrimental to our health in a lot of our products including soda.  The world has banned high fructose corn syrup.  Taste Coca Cola in the U.S.  and COCA Cola from Mexico   .  End of rant 

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48 minutes ago, artthouwill said:

I also don't understand what the rush is to electric buses is when there are alternatives like CNG that are still viable.

 

Rant aside, this is easier to explain than the rest of this, at least as far as CTA is concerned. Electric requires garage modification, but so does CNG, to take care of such things as open flames in the furnace. As I mentioned, in 2019, 2023 was way too late for opening the Pace Wheeling garage, but the way it is now looking (especially given the revised timeline for River), 2030 might be lucky.

Thus, converting a garage twice might not be a good idea. The one out that CTA may have is that NP and FG are both outdoor and last on the environmental equity list, CNG there might be feasible. One might wonder about 208 electric artics if NP isn't going to get any (not that I believe that number; maybe a number that takes care of 103rd).

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  • 4 weeks later...
35 minutes ago, YoungBusLover said:

It was nice to see #620 out on the 74 yesterday, hopefully C can start branching these out for trippers on other routes in the months to come.

Haven't really been catching up on the 600s are they getting more active again? I know they've been barely running with all the issues.

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4 hours ago, Sam92 said:

Haven't really been catching up on the 600s are they getting more active again? I know they've been barely running with all the issues.

Yeah #620 returned on the 30th after being out for about a month but there still isn't much momentum towards the rest of the fleet coming back in mass. Hopefully before the early spring we'll see some new life with them all running at close to 80%.

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