8350-series Nova LFS - Updates

[artthouwill]

On 9/17/2025 at 5:45 AM, YoungBusLover said:

Well seeing as the bus entered service for the PM rush around 3 PM, it appears that again there were no buses available at 77th so #8901 got the go ahead to enter on the 2. A lot of runs on the 2 pull out between 3 and 4 PM when 77th is low on buses so they'll take whatever is available from there own shops or anything released by SS that hasn't been picked up by other garages. 

The next question is why is 77th so low on equipment?  Are they having maintenance problems or should they be assigned more buses to increase their spare ratio?  This current way of operating will lead to missed runs .  Or perhaps 103rd or 74th are better suited to handle the 2.  

[Mr.NewFlyer1279]

1 hour ago, artthouwill said:

The next question is why is 77th so low on equipment?

a lot of their buses are down for maintenance.

[Erin Mishkin Jr.]

8499 has been at the south fence since December of last year appears to have an Electrical issue that they did not fix.

Is 8660 still on CTA property as of right now with burn damage?

8640 was involved in accident 4/7 on the 60 and has not made a return.

8568 and 8714 (mentioned above) have been OOS for some time.

8791 was spotted on a tow truck on 8/12 and has somehow not returned, must be at SS?

8397 and 8649 hit the one month mark of OOS

Other than that the fleet is in good shape.

[Mr.NewFlyer1279]

52 minutes ago, Erin Mishkin Jr. said:

8397 and 8649 hit the one month mark of OOS

8397 has a broken tracker. 

[Busjack]

On 9/17/2025 at 5:45 AM, YoungBusLover said:

Well seeing as the bus entered service for the PM rush around 3 PM, it appears that again there were no buses available at 77th so #8901 got the go ahead to enter on the 2. A lot of runs on the 2 pull out between 3 and 4 PM when 77th is low on buses so they'll take whatever is available from there own shops or anything released by SS that hasn't been picked up by other garages. 

 

6 hours ago, artthouwill said:

The next question is why is 77th so low on equipment?  Are they having maintenance problems or should they be assigned more buses to increase their spare ratio? ...

Since this is the 8350s topic, the more relevant question is that approximately 6 months from when the last was supposedly received, why does it take something like this to get an 8350  on the street?

[Mr.NewFlyer1279]

50 minutes ago, Busjack said:

 

Since this is the 8350s topic, the more relevant question is that approximately 6 months from when the last was supposedly received, why does it take something like this to get an 8350  on the street?

mainly fareboxes, a lot of the 8900’s left at shops don’t have boxes, 8938, 8931, 8886, 8936 were used for the 2025 CTA Bus Rodeo this past saturday they don’t have ventra readers or fareboxes. 

[Erin Mishkin Jr.]

8791 made a return today.

[Busjack]

17 hours ago, Mr.NewFlyer1279 said:

mainly fareboxes, a lot of the 8900’s left at shops don’t have boxes, 8938, 8931, 8886, 8936 were used for the 2025 CTA Bus Rodeo this past saturday they don’t have ventra readers or fareboxes. 

Explains it, but doesn't excuse it. It must be cheaper to contract someone to install the fareboxes than to try to keep junk on the road, unless some craft union is in the way. But unlike the direction @artthouwill was going, it's not that 77th is short buses, but that shops can't get the final 8350s out unless put under pressure.

[Mr.NewFlyer1279]

3 hours ago, Busjack said:

Explains it, but doesn't excuse it. It must be cheaper to contract someone to install the fareboxes than to try to keep junk on the road, unless some craft union is in the way. But unlike the direction @artthouwill was going, it's not that 77th is short buses, but that shops can't get the final 8350s out unless put under pressure.

and your statement is true, there is a 3rd party company who comes out and installs the new boxes on the buses, i’ve seen em at FG and NP. 

[YoungBusLover]

On 9/18/2025 at 8:28 AM, artthouwill said:

The next question is why is 77th so low on equipment?  Are they having maintenance problems or should they be assigned more buses to increase their spare ratio?  This current way of operating will lead to missed runs .  Or perhaps 103rd or 74th are better suited to handle the 2.  

You'd be suprised with how many defective buses that get put on the trouble track from the AM rush and before the PM rush. That's where the shortages come from. Defects range from horns,stop request chords, transmission not properly going into gear, check engine/stop engine lights, loss of air pressure, low suspension, wheelchair ramps, safety shields, and thats just the tip of the iceberg. Other Miscellaneous issues that pull buses from service is infestations of bedbugs and roaches before they even get a chance to leave the garage bay. On average there is always 20- 25 buses OOS waiting to receive maintenance while another 7 - 10 come from the trouble track line. The spare ratio really becomes 6 - 8 buses held for priority runs or streets such as the 1, 2,3, 4 and 8. Hence why you'll see buses from other garages via SS Blocks running on those routes mentioned quite often because 77th is short on equipment for the PM rush. 

[YoungBusLover]

22 hours ago, Busjack said:

 

Since this is the 8350s topic, the more relevant question is that approximately 6 months from when the last was supposedly received, why does it take something like this to get an 8350  on the street?

CTA has a third party install the fareboxes after they've done there part by wiring the buses and setting up the software for ventra and clever device. The issues arise when the backlog for receiving fareboxes caused a delay for the remaining 100 #8350s to enter service. I was puzzled when I saw #1600s on up getting new farboxes just to get retired several months later. It was counter productive in my honest opinion. The process to install them takes upwards to 3 weeks.

[YoungBusLover]

4 hours ago, Busjack said:

Explains it, but doesn't excuse it. It must be cheaper to contract someone to install the fareboxes than to try to keep junk on the road, unless some craft union is in the way. But unlike the direction @artthouwill was going, it's not that 77th is short buses, but that shops can't get the final 8350s out unless put under pressure.

77th was never on the priority list for receiving anymore 8350s from what maintenance told me so I'd assume they'll be here as loans until we get our quota back up.

[andrethebusman]

Where are the breaks between the two (or is it three) noticeably different types of New Novas? Early with hopper windows, later slab, two different destination sign models,.two or three slightly different interiors?

[jajuan]

On 9/22/2025 at 10:00 PM, andrethebusman said:

Where are the breaks between the two (or is it three) noticeably different types of New Novas? Early with hopper windows, later slab, two different destination sign models,.two or three slightly different interiors?

Basically the breakdown in fleet numbers of the 7900s and 8350s based on the physical differences you mentioned is:

7900-8324

8325-8349 (Part of the 7900s contract order of Novas but nicknamed 8325s because of the different destination signs, the slab windows you mentioned and lack of a rear window)

8350-8949 (Completely separate contract order from the 7900s hence why they are referred to as 8350s. Exterior body design based on that of the 8325s with the main exception being the lack of the roof canopy in front of the roof mounted A/C unit. Interior differences are blue seat inserts similar but not identical to those on units 8200-8249 and instead of the original red BusTracker bus stop info screens, video monitor screens are mounted near the front and rear doors of the bus that show not only next approaching stop, which flashes at the top of the screen, but also a rotation of info that flips between a BusTracker map showing bus progress along the route and the next four stops, connecting CTA, Pace and Metra services to those stops, and number of minutes until reaching those stops. To the right of each of those displays flashes internal CTA info such as random Rules of Conduct with accompanying picture and any detour info that may be in effect for the route the bus is presently assigned)

[Mr.cta85]

On 9/27/2025 at 3:06 AM, jajuan said:

Basically the breakdown in fleet numbers of the 7900s and 8350s based on the physical differences you mentioned is:

7900-8324

8325-8349 (Part of the 7900s contract order of Novas but nicknamed 8325s because of the different destination signs, the slab windows you mentioned and lack of a rear window)

8350-8949 (Completely separate contract order from the 7900s hence why they are referred to as 8350s. Exterior body design based on that of the 8325s with the main exception being the lack of the roof canopy in front of the roof mounted A/C unit. Interior differences are blue seat inserts similar but not identical to those on units 8200-8249 and instead of the original red BusTracker bus stop info screens, video monitor screens are mounted near the front and rear doors of the bus that show not only next approaching stop, which flashes at the top of the screen, but also a rotation of info that flips between a BusTracker map showing bus progress along the route and the next four stops, connecting CTA, Pace and Metra services to those stops, and number of minutes until reaching those stops. To the right of each of those displays flashes internal CTA info such as random Rules of Conduct with accompanying picture and any detour info that may be in effect for the route the bus is presently assigned)

Incredible breakdown indeed 😎👌🏽

[YoungBusLover]

#8903 has entered service on route 1 out of 77th.

[YoungBusLover]

#8948 has entered service on route 1 out of 77th.

[ajm522]

1 hour ago, YoungBusLover said:

#8948 has entered service on route 1 out of 77th.

I think it’s safe to say 7 getting rest?

[Bus1883]

7 hours ago, ajm522 said:

I think it’s safe to say 7 getting rest?

It feels like they’re scattering buses to any garage at this point. They still got a few 8325s and a small block of 8600s from last years DNC picks

[Chammon Moore]

8913 has entered service at 103rd currently on the 71

[EasyMoney]

1 hour ago, Chammon Moore said:

8913 has entered service at 103rd currently on the 71

Its Been A While Since 103rd Got a New Nova

[YoungBusLover]

#8946 has entered service on route 3 out of 77th.

[jajuan]

On 9/29/2025 at 9:59 PM, Mr.cta85 said:

Incredible breakdown indeed 😎👌🏽

Thanks though I gotta correct myself on the 8350s. The BusTracker map is displayed on the right on the onboard screens and the detour and other internal CTA and info are displayed on the left portion on a flip with the next four stop info,  which I did get the position correct about. 

[Chammon Moore]

8927 has entered service on the 34 out of 103rd