Pace New Flyer buses

[chitowndude84]

WOW New Flyer @ Pace times 'are a changing ? Look forward to riding these next time i'm in town and hopefully NW gets some cause i'm never in the area that West division serves.

On a side note. I sure do miss the Orion 1's, Those were my "Childhood" buses 

[BusHunter]

On 5/17/2020 at 6:23 AM, chitowndude84 said:

WOW New Flyer @ Pace times 'are a changing ? Look forward to riding these next time i'm in town and hopefully NW gets some cause i'm never in the area that West division serves.

On a side note. I sure do miss the Orion 1's, Those were my "Childhood" buses 

Yeah well I miss the Grummans!! ? and the fishbowl GMC's!! Pace is changing again. It seems to be well managed. It's fleet is basically new and state of the art. CNG's at south, MCI's on I-55, Pulse rapid transit, Express I-90 service. It's come a long way. It is running efficient too. Short eldorkos on small routes. Even in the age of Corona they have stepped up and said hey we're cutting some service, but we are still serving our communities. They are not running routes with no ridership or if they are it's reduced. Smart. What is there future? More NF's most likely as it seems there may be a change in the guard. It's hard to keep the big tuna's of the world down. They are most likely underbidding Eldorado, but it was nice they gave the small bus company a chance. One of the reasons my charter company is so successful is they underbid everyone. They lure employees with lucrative incentives and buy all new equipment. Smart. Is Eldorado done? No not really, it mostly depends on who Pace goes with for it's short eldorko styled buses. Still they have the California market, but the big tuna's are swimming around in their waters so they need to keep there style fresh to be competitive. They have done well. I like Eldorados buses. Hopefully they'll end up with a mix from both companies. 

[artthouwill]

58 minutes ago, BusHunter said:

Yeah well I miss the Grummans!! ? and the fishbowl GMC's!! Pace is changing again. It seems to be well managed. It's fleet is basically new and state of the art. CNG's at south, MCI's on I-55, Pulse rapid transit, Express I-90 service. It's come a long way. It is running efficient too. Short eldorkos on small routes. Even in the age of Corona they have stepped up and said hey we're cutting some service, but we are still serving our communities. They are not running routes with no ridership or if they are it's reduced. Smart. What is there future? More NF's most likely as it seems there may be a change in the guard. It's hard to keep the big tuna's of the world down. They are most likely underbidding Eldorado, but it was nice they gave the small bus company a chance. One of the reasons my charter company is so successful is they underbid everyone. They lure employees with lucrative incentives and buy all new equipment. Smart. Is Eldorado done? No not really, it mostly depends on who Pace goes with for it's short eldorko styled buses. Still they have the California market, but the big tuna's are swimming around in their waters so they need to keep there style fresh to be competitive. They have done well. I like Eldorados buses. Hopefully they'll end up with a mix from both companies. 

I knew I I liked you for a reason.   I just watched a YouTube video on NYCTA'S Grunmann buses.   I actually liked ours better.   Grunmann was to New York York what the 7500 series NABIs were to CTA.  I didn't learn about the cracked frame until the late 80s or early 90s.  I learned in what turned out to be my last Grunmann ride.  I hadn't seen one in years.  I caught it when my friend was driving it on the 352. She explained why I hadn't seen them.  They were then in the Pace  livery.  They didn't last much longer here.

[BusHunter]

15 minutes ago, artthouwill said:

I knew I I liked you for a reason.   I just watched a YouTube video on NYCTA'S Grunmann buses.   I actually liked ours better.   Grunmann was to New York York what the 7500 series NABIs were to CTA.  I didn't learn about the cracked frame until the late 80s or early 90s.  I learned in what turned out to be my last Grunmann ride.  I hadn't seen one in years.  I caught it when my friend was driving it on the 352. She explained why I hadn't seen them.  They were then in the Pace  livery.  They didn't last much longer here.

Most of my grumman rides were from my childhood going to brookfield zoo or just rolling through the western suburbs. That's when they were in the original RTA livery. The buses were so modern compared to CTA it was like the Jetsons. When they painted them in white and yellow rail Pace livery they were not the same buses I remembered. Too bad. When CTA bought the modern Flxibles, it was sort of like a rebirth, while they were not grummans with there luxurious tinted picture windows and not as comfortable with there foam padded seats, they had the same square boxy design that resembled them. That's probably why I like the the modern flxs like the #6000's. Now that is a bus. This low floor stuff is like CTA low rider. They need to play Low Rider by War when they pull up!!?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mFxUIH5IaE

Here's a few grumman pics for nostalgia!! Whoa there is a paper bus Pace grumman, I might have to check that out!!!

https://www.google.com/search?q=pace+grumman's&sxsrf=ALeKk026GFAM8A419vYAFEt7eLYv2TqWYg:1589823767820&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjzsL6H-73pAhXCGM0KHT7iCGQQ_AUoA3oECAsQBQ&biw=1336&bih=631#imgrc=JXj-fJDxbYUncM

[artthouwill]

14 minutes ago, BusHunter said:

Most of my grumman rides were from my childhood going to brookfield zoo or just rolling through the western suburbs. That's when they were in the original RTA livery. The buses were so modern compared to CTA it was like the Jetsons. When they painted them in white and yellow rail Pace livery they were not the same buses I remembered. Too bad. When CTA bought the modern Flxibles, it was sort of like a rebirth, while they were not grummans with there luxurious tinted picture windows and not as comfortable with there foam padded seats, they had the same square boxy design that resembled them. That's probably why I like the the modern flxs like the #6000's. Now that is a bus. This low floor stuff is like CTA low rider. They need to play Low Rider by War when they pull up!!?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_mFxUIH5IaE

Here's a few grumman pics for nostalgia!! Whoa there is a paper bus Pace grumman, I might have to check that out!!!

https://www.google.com/search?q=pace+grumman's&sxsrf=ALeKk026GFAM8A419vYAFEt7eLYv2TqWYg:1589823767820&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjzsL6H-73pAhXCGM0KHT7iCGQQ_AUoA3oECAsQBQ&biw=1336&bih=631#imgrc=JXj-fJDxbYUncM

My first Grunmann ride was a STS bus.  I caught it at 63rd and Halsted and rode it to 79th and Morgan.  That portion of the route no longer exists and is today's 381.  I loved this bus and I loved its original livery.  I especially loved the 8V71 engines it came with.   However the majority of TA's opted for the 6V71s.

The New Flyers look nice, but those Grunmann buses were the best transit buses in Chicagoland history. I do give love to the Nova Classics. 

[BusHunter]

8 hours ago, artthouwill said:

My first Grunmann ride was a STS bus.  I caught it at 63rd and Halsted and rode it to 79th and Morgan.  That portion of the route no longer exists and is today's 381.  I loved this bus and I loved its original livery.  I especially loved the 8V71 engines it came with.   However the majority of TA's opted for the 6V71s.

The New Flyers look nice, but those Grunmann buses were the best transit buses in Chicagoland history. I do give love to the Nova Classics. 

Pace always  did have some oddball buses. It still is like that today with pulse buses and highway eldorados. It's nice to have a few luxurious transit buses. I never really quite understood why transit agencies use MCIs but I guess they want to draw the customers in with an even more luxurious bus. Seems like a waste all that luggage space not being used. I'm surprised the transit industry doesnt incorporate a double decker bus like what megabus has. They could move some really huge crowds but I guess our viaducts are too short. Seems like the newer ones are being raised higher than the old ones. 

You see lots of different parts of the city ubering. Didnt know but deep in the old stockyards area is the double decker trolley company I believe it's like at racine and 44th. I wonder how they get past all those bridges. 

[NewFlyerMCI]

2 hours ago, BusHunter said:

Pace always  did have some oddball buses. It still is like that today with pulse buses and highway eldorados. It's nice to have a few luxurious transit buses. I never really quite understood why transit agencies use MCIs but I guess they want to draw the customers in with an even more luxurious bus. Seems like a waste all that luggage space not being used. I'm surprised the transit industry doesnt incorporate a double decker bus like what megabus has. They could move some really huge crowds but I guess our viaducts are too short. Seems like the newer ones are being raised higher than the old ones. 

You see lots of different parts of the city ubering. Didnt know but deep in the old stockyards area is the double decker trolley company I believe it's like at racine and 44th. I wonder how they get past all those bridges. 

Coach buses are better for highway travel than a standard bus, which a lot of express/commuter routes in various transit agencies use. And, as you said, they're also more luxurious (though not always, one of my gripes with NJ Transit is no bathrooms and some of those trips can get very long). And some agencies do use the undercarriage space (for example, one of MTA Maryland's commuter routes that goes to the airport uses it, and the route that serves University of Maryland also uses it during break)

The PNW and some canadian agencies are making use of double decker buses. NYC MTA even tested one for a little bit.

[artthouwill]

9 hours ago, BusHunter said:

Pace always  did have some oddball buses. It still is like that today with pulse buses and highway eldorados. It's nice to have a few luxurious transit buses. I never really quite understood why transit agencies use MCIs but I guess they want to draw the customers in with an even more luxurious bus. Seems like a waste all that luggage space not being used. I'm surprised the transit industry doesnt incorporate a double decker bus like what megabus has. They could move some really huge crowds but I guess our viaducts are too short. Seems like the newer ones are being raised higher than the old ones. 

You see lots of different parts of the city ubering. Didnt know but deep in the old stockyards area is the double decker trolley company I believe it's like at racine and 44th. I wonder how they get past all those bridges. 

Chicago Trolley  and Double Decker, Megabus and Coach USA are all at 4400 S Racine.  Coach USA closed the trolley and double deckers January 1, when they also shut down the Indiana Airport SuperSaver service to O'Hare and Midway. 

Las Vegas used to operate the Deuce, double deckers along the Strip in the mid to late 2000s.  They were entirely enclosed 

I personally enjoy Coach buses.  I enjoyed driving them.   I preferred coaches over transits. Coaches are built to handle longer distance routes which is why TA's and charter companies use them on commuter routes.  The suspension is much better and so are the engines..  the Eldorado Axxess Suburban  looks great but still rides like a transit bus.  It's okay but not for the 755. Or 855. The luggage space can store cleaning supplies,  emergency flares and in the rarest if cases, passenger luggage.  My only issue with  Pace is why they don't order 45ft coaches? That gives them a little more seating and a little more standing room.   It also allows Prevost to bid on commuters bus contracts and could get them a better deal, whether its MCI or Prevost.

[geneking7320]

21 hours ago, artthouwill said:

My first Grunmann ride was a STS bus.  I caught it at 63rd and Halsted and rode it to 79th and Morgan.  That portion of the route no longer exists and is today's 381.  I loved this bus and I loved its original livery.  I especially loved the 8V71 engines it came with.   However the majority of TA's opted for the 6V71s.

The New Flyers look nice, but those Grunmann buses were the best transit buses in Chicagoland history. I do give love to the Nova Classics. 

I never got to see an STS Grumman bus. My first ride on an Grumman when I visited San Francisco in 1980 (I caught the #14 Mission Limited). I loved the large destination signs.

Did the STS Grummans have the red and green livery?

[artthouwill]

4 hours ago, geneking7320 said:

I never got to see an STS Grumman bus. My first ride on an Grumman when I visited San Francisco in 1980 (I caught the #14 Mission Limited). I loved the large destination signs.

Did the STS Grummans have the red and green livery?

They had the RTA livery which includes, blue, but not green.   

[MetroShadow]

On 5/18/2020 at 7:44 PM, BusHunter said:

Pace always  did have some oddball buses. It still is like that today with pulse buses and highway eldorados. It's nice to have a few luxurious transit buses. I never really quite understood why transit agencies use MCIs but I guess they want to draw the customers in with an even more luxurious bus. Seems like a waste all that luggage space not being used. I'm surprised the transit industry doesnt incorporate a double decker bus like what megabus has. They could move some really huge crowds but I guess our viaducts are too short. Seems like the newer ones are being raised higher than the old ones. 

You see lots of different parts of the city ubering. Didnt know but deep in the old stockyards area is the double decker trolley company I believe it's like at racine and 44th. I wonder how they get past all those bridges. 

AC Transit and WestCat has a bunch of Double Decker's; and Foothill Transit will be getting electric ones in a couple of years.

The agencies are starting to use them for more high capacity routes and corridors where artics and OTR hit a capacity issue (definitely the case with AC Transit on several lines). Other things come into play with clearance issues and maintenance but for any long distance route, you want comfort, ESPECIALLY if you're paying a premium fare for it.

[chitowndude84]

21 hours ago, MetroShadow said:

AC Transit and WestCat has a bunch of Double Decker's; and Foothill Transit will be getting electric ones in a couple of years.

The agencies are starting to use them for more high capacity routes and corridors where artics and OTR hit a capacity issue (definitely the case with AC Transit on several lines). Other things come into play with clearance issues and maintenance but for any long distance route, you want comfort, ESPECIALLY if you're paying a premium fare for it.

WOW !! Very interesting that AC trans got double deckers !!. Are they Van Hools ??  I remember when living in SF bay area a story were there was some "chicago'ish activities" going on between Van Hool and top level characters at AC transit leading them to ONLY purchase Van Hool vehicles and no other manufactures ??  I think once the "Dirty Closest" door was opened of all those shenanigans.  It lead to GIllig and other companies >fairly< able to bid on Alameda county contracts ??

 

 

Dave

[BusHunter]

Saw #20427 and #20426 out and about here at west. Seems like the NFs are coming in pretty fast.

[NewFlyerMCI]

17 hours ago, chitowndude84 said:

WOW !! Very interesting that AC trans got double deckers !!. Are they Van Hools ??  I remember when living in SF bay area a story were there was some "chicago'ish activities" going on between Van Hool and top level characters at AC transit leading them to ONLY purchase Van Hool vehicles and no other manufactures ??  I think once the "Dirty Closest" door was opened of all those shenanigans.  It lead to GIllig and other companies >fairly< able to bid on Alameda county contracts ??

 

 

Dave

No, Van Hool only makes coach double deckers. Almost all double deckers for public transit use in america are made by Alexander Dennis

[NewFlyerMCI]

Ever since they moved some of the pace buses to saturday schedule (including the 307), I've not seen any NF's when I pass BTC, no matter what day of the week it is.

[chicagocubs6323]

12 hours ago, NewFlyerMCI said:

Ever since they moved some of the pace buses to saturday schedule (including the 307), I've not seen any NF's when I pass BTC, no matter what day of the week it is.

Nah those NFs be dominating the 307 everytime I'm on Harlem

[NewFlyerMCI]

2 hours ago, chicagocubs6323 said:

Nah those NFs be dominating the 307 everytime I'm on Harlem

Strange that I no longer see them then. I used to see at least 2-3 on the weekdays when I pass BTC, but it’s been mostly NABIs and the odd Axess these last couple of days. Must be bad timing ??‍♂️

[chitowndude84]

15 hours ago, NewFlyerMCI said:

No, Van Hool only makes coach double deckers. Almost all double deckers for public transit use in america are made by Alexander Dennis

uhhh you sure about that ?? When I lived there i saw these running 

Dave

[artthouwill]

40 minutes ago, chitowndude84 said:

uhhh you sure about that ?? When I lived there i saw these running 

Dave

Just above the AC in the front if the bus in the black area just below the windshield it says VanHool.  The headlights are also specific to VanHool.  They are the A series .

They are supposed to be building a new plant in Tennessee to build transit buses.  If true, they could be a game changer if they can crack the U.S. or Canadian markets.

[chicagocubs6323]

4 hours ago, NewFlyerMCI said:

Strange that I no longer see them then. I used to see at least 2-3 on the weekdays when I pass BTC, but it’s been mostly NABIs and the odd Axess these last couple of days. Must be bad timing ??‍♂️

It's funny cause when I'm driving I see nothing but them but when I try to catch one and ride it, it's an Axess ?‍♂️

[artthouwill]

18 minutes ago, chicagocubs6323 said:

It's funny cause when I'm driving I see nothing but them but when I try to catch one and ride it, it's an Axess ?‍♂️

You aren't the only one!

[NewFlyerMCI]

8 hours ago, chitowndude84 said:

uhhh you sure about that ?? When I lived there i saw these running 

Dave

Are these double decker buses?

I will amend my statement to say that Van Hool doesn’t make double decker or coach buses specifically for public transit use, but they have been used that way before. MTA Maryland contractors use Van Hool coach buses for their commuter routes. SouthWest Transit in suburban Minneapolis tested a double decker coach for one of their commuter routes for a little bit. However, to my knowledge, AC Transit (nor any other American transit agency) has purchased a double decker bus (coach or otherwise) made by Van Hool. Other than Megabus ofc

[artthouwill]

2 hours ago, NewFlyerMCI said:

Are these double decker buses?

I will amend my statement to say that Van Hool doesn’t make double decker or coach buses specifically for public transit use, but they have been used that way before. MTA Maryland contractors use Van Hool coach buses for their commuter routes. SouthWest Transit in suburban Minneapolis tested a double decker coach for one of their commuter routes for a little bit. However, to my knowledge, AC Transit (nor any other American transit agency) has purchased a double decker bus (coach or otherwise) made by Van Hool. Other than Megabus ofc

Alexander Dennis is the only company that I know that makes doubledecker transit buses.  VanHool makes transit buses and highway double deck coach buses, but not transit DDs.  Although they don't make "commuter " coaches like MCI or Prevost. many charter companies use VanHool coaches for commuter and Line runs.  Coach USA's Van Galder and Wisconsin Coach Lines used MCI coaches on its services from Wisconsin to O'Hare and Midway  while Coach USA Indiana (Airport SuperSaver) primarily used VanHool ciaches with some MCIs mixed in  

[BusHunter]

40429 was out yesterday on the #330 and today at lagrange and cermak we had a broke down Xcelsior. Triangles were out on lagrange. It was #40407. You know I havent seen that bus until today. Maybe 7 is unlucky this time. It's not just 13!! Lol!!

[chitowndude84]

6 hours ago, BusHunter said:

40429 was out yesterday on the #330 and today at lagrange and cermak we had a broke down Xcelsior. Triangles were out on lagrange. It was #40407. You know I havent seen that bus until today. Maybe 7 is unlucky this time. It's not just 13!! Lol!!

 

Yikes already one down ??  Was it hanging out with one of the CTA New flyers ?? lol ??  

 

 

 

Dave