15 replies to this topic

[ADB]

It appears ShopDineTour has acquired some new buses as of late. There are at least two old Prevost H3-40s. One is wrapped for and used for a free Unionville shuttle and the other is all white with legals listing "URBAN INC". Both have a Detroit Diesel Series 92 engine (not sure if it's a six or eight cylinder) with an automatic transmission. They also appear to have a Ford/Girardin minibus wrapped as the "SHORTBUS" promoting I believe a short films festival. It might be the same yellow minibus that was visible from the GO Train at their yard last month.

Photo of the white Prevost H3-40:

[Shaun]

What's a free Union-ville Shuttle? Like it will take you to Unionville to hang out? I have never heard of this.,

[ADB]

Shaun, on Jun 4 2010, 11:12 PM, said:

What's a free Union-ville Shuttle? Like it will take you to Unionville to hang out? I have never heard of this.,

It started this month and runs until December. It's a free coach ride from Union Station to Main Street Unionville to give an oportunity to tour and spend time in Unionville.

Schedule from June 1st to October 11th, 2010 (Thanksgiving):

Lunch shuttle:
depart Union Station at 10:30am
arrive Unionville at 11am
depart Unionville at 2pm
arrive Union Station at 2:45pm

Dinner shuttle:
depart Union Station at 3:00pm
arrive Unionville at 4pm
depart Unionville at 7pm
arrive Union Station at 7:30pm


Schedule from October 12th to December 31st, 2010 (no shuttle December 25, 2010):

Lunch shuttle:
depart Union Station at 10:30am
arrive Unionville at 11am
depart Unionville at 2pm
arrive Union Station at 2:45pm

More information see unionvilleinfo.com.

Here is a photo of the bus used on the service:

[D. DeLarge]

I wonder if those were Pacific Western coaches that were once on the Airport Express run...probably not.

[BCT-3122-D800-10240]

D. DeLarge, on Jun 5 2010, 08:05 PM, said:

I wonder if those were Pacific Western coaches that were once on the Airport Express run...probably not.

Do these H3-40's have wheelchair lifts like (possibly all of the) PWT Airport H3-40's did? I see the H3-40 in the first post does not have a wheelchair lift on it, so I kind of doubt that was one of the PWT Airport Express units.

Edited by MBTA9244-9640b, 07 June 2010 - 02:45 PM.

[TDE]

A. Badaraco, on Jun 4 2010, 09:22 PM, said:

[color="#008000"]It appears ShopDineTour has acquired some new buses as of late. There are at least two old Prevost H3-40s. One is wrapped for and used for a free Unionville shuttle and the other is all white with legals listing "URBAN INC". Both have a Detroit Diesel Series 92 engine (not sure if it's a six or eight cylinder) with an automatic transmission. They also appear to have a Ford/Girardin minibus wrapped as the "SHORTBUS" promoting I believe a short films festival. It might be the same yellow minibus that was visible from the GO Train at their yard last month.

I wonder who is footing the bill? A Unionville tourism agency of some sort?

[Articulated]

TDE, on Jun 7 2010, 06:47 PM, said:

I wonder who is footing the bill? A Unionville tourism agency of some sort?

I would expect the BIA for Main Street Unionville, or some similar organization.

[TDE]

YRTeen, on Jun 7 2010, 06:44 PM, said:

I would expect the BIA for Main Street Unionville, or some similar organization.

I see a bunch of logos on the bottom of the page... probably sponsors?

Is there a catch to ride this shuttle for free? Do you have to sign yourself up for a hotel room or anything?

ADDITIONAL QUESTION: Where exactly do you pick up/drop off at Union Station?
on Front? GO Bus Terminal?

[Gil]

TDE, on Jun 8 2010, 01:58 AM, said:

I see a bunch of logos on the bottom of the page... probably sponsors?

Is there a catch to ride this shuttle for free? Do you have to sign yourself up for a hotel room or anything?

The only catch with the Unionville shuttle like their Vaughan Mills shuttle is that the passengers are wristbanded so that you don't get locals riding downtown for free.

Onto another question, regarding these double-decker tour buses, which one seems likely to invest in Van Hool double deckers so that they can operate them in the winter? They either stop running altogether or operate more winter-friendly (read enclosed) buses. The ones that MegaBus operate seem to fit under the overpasses at Union and the various streetcar overhead lines on the way up to the Bus Terminal.

[ADB]

MBTA9244-9640b, on Jun 7 2010, 01:44 PM, said:

Do these H3-40's have wheelchair lifts like (possibly all of the) PWT Airport H3-40's did? I see the H3-40 in the first post does not have a wheelchair lift on it, so I kind of doubt that was one of the PWT Airport Express units.

There's no wheelchair lift on the other one either.

TDE, on Jun 8 2010, 12:58 AM, said:

ADDITIONAL QUESTION: Where exactly do you pick up/drop off at Union Station?
on Front? GO Bus Terminal?

Pick up and drop off is infront of Union Station on Front Street.

Gil, on Jun 8 2010, 02:06 AM, said:

Onto another question, regarding these double-decker tour buses, which one seems likely to invest in Van Hool double deckers so that they can operate them in the winter? They either stop running altogether or operate more winter-friendly (read enclosed) buses. The ones that MegaBus operate seem to fit under the overpasses at Union and the various streetcar overhead lines on the way up to the Bus Terminal.

My guess is that these smaller companies may favour second hand buses since buying a brand new coach may not be viable financially for them. A Van Hool TD925 with skylight option would be a nice inclement weather alternative, but it comes with quite the price. So the alternative for a company like ShopDineTour is an enclosed second hand coach or a low cost trolley replica.

[D. DeLarge]

When by Star Coach on Cherry St today, there's a whole bunch of double decker tour buses, both the Gray Line and Shop Dine Tour Toronto, parked on one side with large tarps over their roofs.

[D. DeLarge]

Spotted a white Prevost, looked like an H3-40, with Shop Dine Tour Toronto on the side near the ends and license plate 333 3BF. It was numbered 4781. I'm assuming this was the other Prevost listed in the wiki as acquired in 2010.

It appears the fleet might be getting real numbers. BB-5 (the trolley replica) has been driving around as 5470 for a while. I haven't seen any of the double deckers lately to confirm them.

[Articulated]

D. DeLarge, on 12 March 2012 - 10:41 PM, said:

Spotted a white Prevost, looked like an H3-40, with Shop Dine Tour Toronto on the side near the ends and license plate 333 3BF. It was numbered 4781. I'm assuming this was the other Prevost listed in the wiki as acquired in 2010.

It appears the fleet might be getting real numbers. BB-5 (the trolley replica) has been driving around as 5470 for a while. I haven't seen any of the double deckers lately to confirm them.

I'm wondering if they have a new "contractor" for the service, the same one who is operating the other sightseeing service (their trolley replicas also have similar 4-digit numbers, and have recently undergone a name change IIRC). I haven't been paying attention to the tour fleet lately, I'll have to stick around Yonge-Dundas Square to see if the CVOR or "operated by" stickers/logos are different.

[D. DeLarge]

Articulated, on 12 March 2012 - 11:46 PM, said:

I'm wondering if they have a new "contractor" for the service, the same one who is operating the other sightseeing service (their trolley replicas also have similar 4-digit numbers, and have recently undergone a name change IIRC). I haven't been paying attention to the tour fleet lately, I'll have to stick around Yonge-Dundas Square to see if the CVOR or "operated by" stickers/logos are different.

That's what I'm thinking. Just the other day I remember seeing their replica trolley bus parked at the Galaxy Truck/Star Coach Lines/Gray Line tours garage on Cherry St. I've seen their ex-GO 102A3 (MCI-6, Vanghan Mills wrap) there before too.

4781 had 1295542 Ontario Ltd (not sure about the first few digits, blurry photo) on the front left. Not the Urban Inc that was on the previous Prevosts.

[* Mr. Black *]

D. DeLarge, on 13 March 2012 - 12:34 AM, said:

That's what I'm thinking. Just the other day I remember seeing their replica trolley bus parked at the Galaxy Truck/Star Coach Lines/Gray Line tours garage on Cherry St. I've seen their ex-GO 102A3 (MCI-6, Vanghan Mills wrap) there before too.

4781 had 1295542 Ontario Ltd (not sure about the first few digits, blurry photo) on the front left. Not the Urban Inc that was on the previous Prevosts.

ShopDineTour was bought out by Star Coach (Magic Bus Company) last fall..... They also have aqquired the Gray Line Toronto sightseeing contract from Greyhound..... Found out that Info when I applied there in January....

heres some pics I took of their "fleet"

[D. DeLarge]

Interesting shots, thanks for confirming that info too.

I guess they now have 4 ex-GO 102A3's, although they don't look like they're used much.

Are the ex-TTC fishbowls/D40's still on the property? I haven't seen them around in the last little while.