What's wrong with NABIs?

[qwantae]

Cleveland's RTA is in love with Nabi, in 2006 they were operating at least 317 40-LFWs, with more on order and set to arrive. I personally don't like them but the drivers have no problem with them, at least the ones I talk to. They have air conditioning and run smooth.

All the operators have problems with the Flxibles, as one says: "You either have air conditioning on or you operate the bus, not both." She was chastizing a younger driver for having the AC on while operating the bus, which can cause it to break down." Also, as one bus driver pointed out to me about the RTS's "These things run like crap." The only buses any of the drivers like are the Novas (like the 6400s in Chicago) and the NABIs.

I personally love the Flxibles and RTS and think they're a good staple of transit operating, the NABIs are taking time but they're growing on me, the trip is pretty smooth on them I must say, at least in Cleveland.

Does Cleveland RTA still operating 1989 and 1997 model RTS buses? are they going to rehab 1997 ones?

Because RTSes are my favorite buses, along with Nova LFS.

[indygo2200]

Cleveland's RTA is in love with Nabi, in 2006 they were operating at least 317 40-LFWs, with more on order and set to arrive. I personally don't like them but the drivers have no problem with them, at least the ones I talk to. They have air conditioning and run smooth.

All the operators have problems with the Flxibles, as one says: "You either have air conditioning on or you operate the bus, not both." She was chastizing a younger driver for having the AC on while operating the bus, which can cause it to break down." Also, as one bus driver pointed out to me about the RTS's "These things run like crap." The only buses any of the drivers like are the Novas (like the 6400s in Chicago) and the NABIs.

I personally love the Flxibles and RTS and think they're a good staple of transit operating, the NABIs are taking time but they're growing on me, the trip is pretty smooth on them I must say, at least in Cleveland.

I have a funny story; well sort of! I was riding the bus in Pensacola, FL on bus 9212 ( to this day if a route is running that bus i will not get on it), it was overheating and dying. The garage says "just don't run the air conditioner." It's 90 degrees +, with no a/c we get going half way to where we're going, and it dies, in the middle of a 5 lane highway, luckly the driver coasted to the shoulder, and it took shop people an hour to get there. Back to the a/c. While we were going the driver had to turn of the a/c or let the bus die. Stupid thing, died 4 or 5 times, and they didn't even care.

[redlinerider]

Does Cleveland RTA still operating 1989 and 1997 model RTS buses? are they going to rehab 1997 ones?

Because RTSes are my favorite buses, along with Nova LFS.

While I don't have much inside knowledge in the RTA, but the '89s were taken out of service years ago, I'd say around 2000/2001. The '97s are still operating, they potentially may get rehabbed, but I doubt it, as RTA is essentially replacing the entire bus fleet (with exception to the Novas) with the NABIs, they've taken delivery of Nabis since 2002, which (at my estimation), brings their total to around 400-600.

The '97 RTS have some issues though, I boarded one at around 9PM on a weekday at the University Rapid Station and the driver was commenting on how the RTS are really junky, they ended up switching out that bus right after my stop with a NABI from Hayden.

Some RTS are used on Flyer routes with coach like seating, which will be kept, same with the Flxibles that are used like that.

It's rare to see Flxibles and RTS operating in Cleveland now, Nabis and Novas have essentially taken over. The only routes Flxibles and RTS tend to operate are when they are needed during Rush Hour.