592 replies to this topic

[MaT]

Hey what's this I hear about you guys maybe getting DE60LFRs next year, just a rumor I heard.

[Halifax_Route10]

MaT, on Sep 20 2008, 05:41 PM, said:

Hey what's this I hear about you guys maybe getting DE60LFRs next year, just a rumor I heard.

At the very least we definitely know we're getting New Flyer Artics next year. An insider confirmed that we'd be getting artics, and Metro Transit is not very warm to Nova, and dislikes Orion. Add that to the fact that there was DE60LFR demo here earlier this year, and it seems pretty likely. We badly need them too, what with ridership being up 25% and all. I'm almost always standing when I take the bus these days...

[hfx_chris]

MaT, on Sep 20 2008, 04:41 PM, said:

Hey what's this I hear about you guys maybe getting DE60LFRs next year, just a rumor I heard.

That's the rumour

Halifax_Route10, on Sep 20 2008, 05:58 PM, said:

...Metro Transit is not very warm to Nova, and dislikes Orion.

Where did you hear that?

[soo8513]

two more from Aug 21:

[Halifax_Route10]

hfx_chris, on Sep 20 2008, 07:50 PM, said:

Where did you hear that?

Indeed, there is a bit of speculation and assumption on my part, I should have said that.

My reasoning is based on almost every driver I've talked to (that's more than a few) saying that their least favourite bus to drive is the LFS, and I can't imagine that MT would order buses that their drivers don't like to drive. I'm sure the Novas have gotten better since then, but there is a stigma surrounding them in the eyes of some drivers. If Nova bid lower than New Flyer in a tender, that might be another matter, because Nova scored pretty close to New Flyer in everything but cost. But as it stands now, driver dislike + higher cost = no more LFS's.

As for Orion, in a tender document from the 2006 order of buses, Orion scored several points lower in the technical and vendor support categories than New Flyer and Nova, who were tied. Not to mention that Orion was asking for almost $50,000 more per unit.

[hfx_chris]

Well, I dunno if I would say they dislike Orion. If they're bidding higher, then they're just not an option. As for the LFS, I thought some of the drivers disliked them more from an ergonomic / comfort standpoint.


Oh by the way, two fantastic shots of 874 and 1007. Thanks for posting!

[306 Carlton]

1007 was the only D40LF I rode while visiting Halifax [I got it multiple times...]

From what I saw, the LFS are peak only? I could be wrong.

[hfx_chris]

Yes and no. The majority of them stay back at the garage and just see peak time usage, but they always have a few, maybe 4 or 5 out on specific routes, I remember they used to be on routes like the 17 and 18 religiously during the day. And every now and then they'll give them all a good run and you'll see them everywhere during the day

[dj.surf.lfs]

hfx_chris, on Oct 6 2008, 04:17 PM, said:

Yes and no. The majority of them stay back at the garage and just see peak time usage, but they always have a few, maybe 4 or 5 out on specific routes, I remember they used to be on routes like the 17 and 18 religiously during the day. And every now and then they'll give them all a good run and you'll see them everywhere during the day

Religiously?? I didn't know that religion had anything to do with bus manufacturers

Just kidding.

[hfx_chris]

Oh yes! The drivers have to pray to the diesel gods before they can release the brakes...

[Halifax_Route10]

I might as well just provide a few updates for people not on the halifaxtransit board:

We're finally getting a new garage! The two current garages are way over capacity, so a new garage is being built with a capacity of 150 buses. Estimated cost = $25 million.

Also, the city is spending $1.4 million to put security cameras in all buses by next year. Necessary? Not really, IMHO, but I guess if it makes people feel safer...

Two new routes and a bunch of service increases are on the way, but not on any routes that matter to me...

And a random comment: I was on an articulated Classic the other day on my way home, during rush hour. It has seating for 71 people, but by the time we reached the bridge, every seat was filled, plus there were about 30 standees! I got on at the beginning of the run (sitting in the "idiot" seat), but gave my seat to an older woman, and was thus standing for the rest of the run packed in like sardines. That was not fun, and neither was going up hills... The lesson? For a start, increase the 10 to run every 10 minutes during rush hour, darn it! I don't take the bus that often (although I will be soon), but I've never seen it packed like that before. Which brings me to the final point:

The official numbers are out (or at least I found them), and transit ridership has increased 25 percent over the last 4 years, and is now somewhere in the range of 18-20 million a year. Divided by 365 (but of course ridership will realistically be higher on weekdays) = 52,000 per day, and if you were to divide by two again, assuming that everyone uses the bus twice a day, 26,000 individual riders per day. Not bad for a service population of 282,000. At least it's a start, but there's a lot that can still be done to make the system better. The new garage and service expansions are a step in the right direction.

[esbdave]

M. Wright, on Sep 4 2006, 11:41 PM, said:

This from a Metro Transit Driver: "They can be found on any of 4 routes. (two I dunno what they are and this is me talking) You can find them on the 1,10,?? and the ??. But all runs on the 10 are susposted to be articulated buses."

Does this answer your question? BTW the other two routes they run on are near the outskirts.

Took this shot in August, route 33, sorry a little blurry but barely had time to get the camera ready

Cheers,
Dave

Attached Files

•  halifax_714.JPG   857.35K   77 downloads

[Halifax_Route10]

Well, it took long enough, but we're finally getting a new Bridge Terminal. The current one is a mess during rush hour, serving 18 routes, and 17,000 people use it every day (it's the third busiest terminal.) So, compared to the old terminal, the new one will have:

16 bus bays, 8 of which can accommodate artics
Heated/AC waiting room
Buses can layover in the terminal instead of on side streets
Passengers won't have to cross an active bus lane to board their bus

There's a rendering of the new terminal on Metro Transit's website. Looks nice!

[M.Wright]

btw someone spotted a Halifax D40LF driving through Ottawa on the 417 heading east, it's posted in the OC Bus Spottings thread.

[stm_5307N]

A few interesting sighting's from today:

GM New Look 511 on the 32 - rode it with a very friendly driver (got great shots of it too)
GM Classic 871 on the 59 & 31 (still has a rollsign)
GM Classic 874 on the 31 (still has a rollsign)
GM Classic 876 on the 80 (Luminator)
GM Classic 902 on the 81 (Luminator)
GM Classic 909 on the 20 & 23 (Luminator)
MCI Classic 928 on driver training today (last 1987 unit according to the wiki)

[mike from edmonton]

stm_5307N, on May 4 2009, 05:50 PM, said:

A few interesting sighting's from today:

GM New Look 511 on the 32 - rode it with a very friendly driver (got great shots of it too)
GM Classic 871 on the 59 & 31 (still has a rollsign)
GM Classic 874 on the 31 (still has a rollsign)
GM Classic 876 on the 80 (Luminator)
GM Classic 902 on the 81 (Luminator)
GM Classic 909 on the 20 & 23 (Luminator)
MCI Classic 928 on driver training today (last 1987 unit according to the wiki)

Sounds like you've had good hunting this month, Edmonton May 1/2, Halifax May 4th, you're sure putting on the frequent flier mileage too

[general682002]

mike from edmonton, on May 5 2009, 12:17 AM, said:

Sounds like you've had good hunting this month, Edmonton May 1/2, Halifax May 4th, you're sure putting on the frequent flier mileage too

Unless he will have some fresh Lobster too!

[mike from edmonton]

general682002, on May 4 2009, 09:50 PM, said:

Unless he will have some fresh Lobster too!

Steve has already hauled in a few beauties this month in Edmonton:

First Trolley Coach trip (BBC 121)

Last run of a route 135

Last run of a weekday route 120

Rode the Route 3 and 120 on last day of trolley coach service in Edmonton

Last Revenue BBC Trolley Coach Trip (BBC 148)

Last non-revenue CCF/Brill Trip (202)

LAST trolley coach trip in Edmonton, CCF/Brill 202

First Artic ride: ETS D60LF 4912

And a lot of pics of the BBC's and Jimmies

ALL BBC's in last full day of service

ALL BBC's in last day of service

What a haul! Wonder what he'll come back from Halifax with

[SMS]

Ah ah ah Mike! I rode a D60LF with him, 4901 IIRC to Northgate on the 9!!! And then later this month there are charters in Niagara, Ottawa, and Gatineau. He sent me a SMS msg today stating he got all three GM Fishbowls baby! Walalala and he's tapping the Classic artics hardcore. And this month we should be getting our third generation LFS. What a great month!

[Halifax_Route10]

stm_5307N, on May 4 2009, 09:50 PM, said:

A few interesting sighting's from today:

GM New Look 511 on the 32 - rode it with a very friendly driver (got great shots of it too)
GM Classic 871 on the 59 & 31 (still has a rollsign)
GM Classic 874 on the 31 (still has a rollsign)
GM Classic 876 on the 80 (Luminator)
GM Classic 902 on the 81 (Luminator)
GM Classic 909 on the 20 & 23 (Luminator)
MCI Classic 928 on driver training today (last 1987 unit according to the wiki)

Nice to hear you're seeing all the interesting buses, and I hope you're enjoying your stay in our city! Good to see you've ridden some Classic Artics.