8350-series Nova LFS - Updates

[jajuan]

7 hours ago, Busjack said:

Source?

The issue is that the CTA plan is to string out the options into 2026 (so that the last diesel bus lasts until 2040), but Nova says the Plattsburg plant will close in 1st Qtr. 2025.

Here's the article @Busjack. Looking at it closer though, it's actually a local assemblyman who's quoted as saying that the company is cranking up its production so that it can meet its contractual obligations before closing up shop at its chosen timeframe of Q1 2025. But that still puts a wrinkle in CTA's plan to spread options out through 2026 as you already noted. Interestingly enough, Nova has just announced too long ago that it won two contracts with MTA in NYC. 

[YoungBusLover]

3 hours ago, Busjack said:

If the deal were such an assignment, NF would make NFs. Presumably, Volvo would have to pay the difference. (Disregarding subsidiaries like MCI) NF says it makes one type of bus (Xcelsior).

Gotcha, I hope that ends up being the case.

[jajuan]

12 hours ago, YoungBusLover said:

Gotcha, I hope that ends up being the case.

That would be interesting if CTA actually got XD40s after all by this quirk of Nova Bus closing up US operations and CTA sticking to its plan to spread options on the current into 2026, necessitating a need for Nova to reassign the remaining options to another manufacturer. One thing we do know for sure is that the 8350s and possibly the six electrics everyone keeps mentioning will likely be the last Novas CTA gets. 

[Busjack]

38 minutes ago, jajuan said:

One thing we do know for sure is that the 8350s and possibly the six electrics everyone keeps mentioning will likely be the last Novas CTA gets. 

Not any different than the last MANs (similar situation; foreign manufacturer decided it could not make money in this market), Flxible Metros, and NABIs. Same with other TAs and Orion (again Germans acquired the brand and pulled out).

[Policeman]

8522 hit service on the 6

[alphabetlore1044]

8518 hit service on the 29

[alphabetlore1044]

8487 finally hit service on the 28

[alphabetlore1044]

8530/8533 have entered service at 103rd

[jajuan]

On 6/24/2023 at 9:12 AM, Busjack said:

Not any different than the last MANs (similar situation; foreign manufacturer decided it could not make money in this market), Flxible Metros, and NABIs. Same with other TAs and Orion (again Germans acquired the brand and pulled out).

True. MAN actually came to mind after I hear Nova was pulling out of the US to concentrate on its market among the Canadian TAs. Focusing back here though, CTA seems to want to exercise all the options to get the potential max 600 buses spoken of in the contract based on its statements made related to the order. The question for them to consider now in that scenario is whether they want to stick to spreading the options out into 2026 and potentially trigger Nova assigning what remains in the order to another manufacturer. True they said they want their final diesel buses to last into 2040, but I don't rebidding the contract as someone else posed in a question because between selecting another manufacturer on that separate contract, giving notices to proceed and inspection upon receipt, that's adding several months to a year to the process when Nova can work with CTA and reassign final options. Not to mention that CTA has committed to no longer opting for diesel buses after this current diesel contract. 

[Javi75]

On 6/26/2023 at 3:26 PM, jajuan said:

True. MAN actually came to mind after I hear Nova was pulling out of the US to concentrate on its market among the Canadian TAs. Focusing back here though, CTA seems to want to exercise all the options to get the potential max 600 buses spoken of in the contract based on its statements made related to the order. The question for them to consider now in that scenario is whether they want to stick to spreading the options out into 2026 and potentially trigger Nova assigning what remains in the order to another manufacturer. True they said they want their final diesel buses to last into 2040, but I don't rebidding the contract as someone else posed in a question because between selecting another manufacturer on that separate contract, giving notices to proceed and inspection upon receipt, that's adding several months to a year to the process when Nova can work with CTA and reassign final options. Not to mention that CTA has committed to no longer opting for diesel buses after this current diesel contract. 

Is a large number of electric buses realistic for CTA going off how long it for the 600s to roll out or the 700s? 

[alphabetlore1044]

8528 hit service on the 29

[artthouwill]

2 hours ago, alphabetlore1044 said:

8528 hit service on the 29

Wake me up into when 8551 goes into service and/or another garage starts receiving the NEW or Optiin 2 Novas  

[YoungBusLover]

1 hour ago, artthouwill said:

Wake me up into when 8551 goes into service and/or another garage starts receiving the NEW or Optiin 2 Novas  

103rd will be the go to place for the foreseeable future. I still have Kedzie on my radar to getting them but that theory is slowly dwindling away as they keep receiving 103rd's elderly Flyers.  

[artthouwill]

6 minutes ago, YoungBusLover said:

103rd will be the go to place for the foreseeable future. I still have Kedzie on my radar to getting them but that theory is slowly dwindling away as they keep receiving 103rd's elderly Flyers.  

Yes but we are still in Options 1 so that's to be expected.  It looks like the plan was is for 103rd to have all of its 40' buses be Novas. 

[Busjack]

Chicagoland Transit has a video, which, about here, shows base order 8400s on 53A, which is a 77 route, with 7 run numbers. Loaners?

[YoungBusLover]

8 minutes ago, Busjack said:

Chicagoland Transit has a video, which, about here, shows base order 8400s on 53A, which is a 77 route, with 7 run numbers. Loaners?

That was an emergency fill run for the weekend due to a lack of service in the morning on the 53A. That bus later returned to the 53 a few hours later. 77th still has #8405 with no sign of getting anything else for the time being. 

[alphabetlore1044]

8535 enter service on the 119

[YoungBusLover]

#8542, #8544 and #8551 are at SS.

[Mr.NewFlyer1279]

1 hour ago, YoungBusLover said:

#8544, #8546 and #8551 are at SS.

#8551? nice to see the 8550’s started

[alphabetlore1044]

6 hours ago, YoungBusLover said:

#8542, #8544 and #8551 are at SS.

I'm shocked that 8551 is the 8550s group of the third batch of the 8350s

[artthouwill]

7 hours ago, YoungBusLover said:

#8544, #8546 and #8551 are at SS.

8551?  I'm certainly interested in where this bus winds up.  Then again, they aren't necessarily coming in numerical order so it might not matter.

[Bus1883]

8 hours ago, YoungBusLover said:

#8542, #8544 and #8551 are at SS.

Funny that the first option 2 bus is here before #8450 & #8549

[andrethebusman99]

On 6/24/2023 at 7:12 AM, Busjack said:

Not any different than the last MANs (similar situation; foreign manufacturer decided it could not make money in this market), Flxible Metros, and NABIs. Same with other TAs and Orion (again Germans acquired the brand and pulled out).

Me thinks Nova realizes that thanks to the Troubles most US transit systems are in financial trouble and there might not be enough demand for new buses for a long time if ever to support three major builders. This does not seem to have affected Canada as much, but then Gillig does not sell to Canada.

[YoungBusLover]

#8550 is at SS,probably delivered earlier  last week.

[YoungBusLover]

#8560 is at SS.