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Revision as of 00:03, 1 July 2005 by 72.11.219.230 (talk) (→Buses in the 1990’s)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)The General Fleet
MTA New York City Transit runs an estimated 4,500 buses on New York City streets. The bus fleet is very varied and each bus model has its perks and setbacks. A neighborhood can also be defined just by a bus model. The same goes for the Subway Cars used by the New York City Subway System. This can be proven recently when service on the Template:NYCS C was replaced with the Template:NYCS V due to a serious electrical fire. Passengers were fed up not because of the service changes, but the cars themselves.
Buses are manufactured by the following companies:
Buses are typically "governed" or rigged so that they can't exceed a certain speed (usually 40 M.P.H). However, some buses slip through the cracks.
Buses introduced from 1980 to 1989
Buses from 1980’s and before are mentioned here: Buses used by NYCTA before 1980
- 1981 GMC-RTS-04: LOCAL SERVICE: 1201-1297, 1318-1658, 2201-2579. EXPRESS SERVICE: 1298-1317.
These buses had Detroit Diesel 6V71 engines. All have been retired.
- 1982 GMC-RTS-04: LOCAL: 1659-1733, 2580-2704, EXPRESS SERVICE: 1734-1858.
These buses had Detroit Diesel 6V92 engines, except buses #1717 and #1721, which got converted to 6V92s. These have first-generation fluorescent flip-dot signs. All have been retired.
- 1983 GMC-RTS-04: LOCAL SERVICE: 3001-3325. (3160-4 Cylinder TEST BUS)
These buses have the old Detroit Diesel 6V92 engines. Bus #3160 was the first NYCT bus ever to receive a Detroit Diesel Series 50 engine in 1992. All have been Retired.
- 1984 GMC-RTS-04: LOCAL SERVICE: 3400-3799.
These buses have the old Detroit Diesel 6V92 engines. All have been Retired.
- 1985 GMC-RTS-04: EXPRESS SERVICE: 3800-3899, LOCAL SERVICE: 3900-4218.
These buses have the old Detroit Diesel 6V92 engines. Now, All have been Retired
- 1986 GMC-RTS-06: LOCAL SERVICE: 4300-4599.
These were GMC's last RTS's for New York City Transit. Also, These buses have the old Detroit Diesel 6V92 engines. Currently being retired in favor of newer hybrid electric buses.
- 1987 TMC-RTS-06: LOCAL SERVICE:4600-4872, 4889-4899, EXPRESS SERVICE: 4873-4888-Converted to soft seats by NYCTA. Bus# 4854-4899 are 2x2 hard seat.
These buses were the first buses built by the Transportation Manufacturing Corporation (TMC) parent company by MCI. Buses #4873-4888 have two different suburban-style seat types: two-tone blue cushioned pleather seats and cloth grey-and-blue seats.
Buses in the 1990’s
With the onset of the 1990’s things in general became more advanced. So did the buses. New Clean air technology was introduced and buses powered by Compressed Natural Gas hit the road.
- 1990 TMC-RTS-06: LOCAL: 8000-8396.
These buses have the old Detroit Diesel 6V92 engines. Now, Nearly all of these buses that are repowerable have been repowered by the MTA. All others have either been stored, scrapped or unrepowered. Repowered by Detroit Diesel Series 50s
- 1990 TMC-RTS-06: LOCAL: 8397 (ALTERNATIVE FUEL BUS DEMO)
Bus# 8397 was the first original Methanol conversion pilot demo. In the later years, MTA experiment 8397 turn to a Hybird prototype. It was fail, then scrapped in the mid 90's.
- 1990 TMC-RTS-06: LOCAL: 8398-8399 (ALTERNATIVE FUEL BUS DEMO)
Bus# 8398 was the first generation Diesel/Compressed Natural Gas bus prototype and Bus# 8399 was full Compressed Natural Gas bus (CNG) protoype, both buses have proven pass many testes. In recent years, MTA sold these two buses to Command Bus Company - Brooklyn, NY, which will be taken over back to MTA.
- 1993 TMC-RTS-06: LOCAL: 8400-8567. (8565-8566-4 CYLINDERS, 8567-CNG-4 CYLINDERS Demo).
Bus# 8567 sold to Command Bus Company - Brooklyn, NY. Also, These buses have the old Detroit Diesel 6V92 engines. Now, All of these buses have been repowered with a Detroit Diesel DDEC series 50 engine.
- 1993 BIA-ORION V: EXPRESS: 101-172, LOCAL: 173-316.
These buses, formerly buses #93001-93072, were the MTA's first Orion V's to be built. They have coach-style, or suburban-style, seats, and they are only used on Express bus (X) routes. Now, All of these buses have been repowered by the MTA recently. As of 2005, MTA NYCT recently move 101-119 and 121 to MTA Bus College Point Depot (ex- Queens Surface) for added service.
- 1994 BIA-ORION V: LOCAL: 317-Compressed Natural Gas prototype, 400-401.
317 is the MTA's first Orion CNG bus that was put in service in Brooklyn. All buses are now repowered by Detroit Diesel Series 50 except Bus #317 repowered by Detroit Diesel Series 50G.
- 1994 TMC-RTS-06: LOCAL: 8600-8703.
These buses have Detroit Diesel DDEC series 50 engine.
- 1994 TMC-RTS-06: LOCAL: 9700-9795
These buses are formally Queens Surface buses are now MTA Bus.
- 1995 BIA-ORION V: LOCAL: 402-610, (581-610-CNG production), EXPRESS: 611-630.
The exhaust pipe on buses #416 and #444 have been moved from the bottom to the top. Speculation is, by the sound of these buses, their engines have also been modified. #317, 580-610 are powered by clean Compressed Natural Gas. They have been operating out of Jackie Gleason Depot in Brooklyn. This is the CNG pilot fleet; i.e., they are the fleet that is operating in anticipation of purchasing and running more CNG buses. These buses have been repowered recently with Detroit Diesel series 50G engines, in favor of keeping the Cummins L10G engines they originally had. Bus # 473 and 543 SCRAPPED
- 1996 NOVA-RTS-06: LOCAL: 8750-9249.
Note: Bus# 8750-8751 are 1995 model. Buses #8752-8899 and #8979-9027 have LED tail lamps installed, similar to the 1999 RTS-06 buses. The buses are based out of Manhattanville Depot. Some buses in the 9000s, approximately between 9030 and 9080, were been sent to Atlanta during the 1996 Olympics games; that is the reason that these buses are scattered among several depots, including East New York and Jamaica Depots. Also, buses #9140-9149 have a Cummins M11-E engine.
- (1981-1982 Remanufactured GMC RTS-04 LOCAL/EXPRESS): 1996-1997 transit #7000-7049 and 1996-1997 transit #7500-7559 Note: These buses were remanucactured GMC RTS-04s from 1981-1982 and are running in Manhattan, Queens, and Brooklyn. Buses #7000-7049 were rebuilt in-house by NYCT 207 ST Overhaul Shop in Inwood, Manhattan (with #7038-7049 having semi-suburban seating operating on express routes); #7500-7559 were rebuilt by the Midwest Bus Corporation of Illinois. Now, Bus#7000-7559 has been Scrapped or kept in storage.
- 1996 BIA-ORION V: LOCAL: 631-680.
These buses equipped with Detroit Diesel Series 50 engine.
- 1997 NEW-FLYER D45SHF ITV "Viking" Suburban Intercity Transit Vehicle: EXPRESS: 996-998
These three Viking Cruisers have been tested in 1997-1998 inside Staten Island's Castleton Depot and at the Detroit Diesel maintenance facility in Lodi, NJ. All three of these buses have hit service on the x51 (Flushing-Midtown Express) line out of the Queens Division's Casey Stengel Depot in Flushing, Queens. These three buses, along with Houston METRO's 104 Vikings, were made in Holland (by Den Oudsten, New Flyer's parent company, before they went out of business) and are the only Vikings ever to be built.
- 1997 NOVA-RTS-06: EXPRESS: 9250-9349.
These are suburban RTS's with coach-style or suburban-style seats
- 1997 NEW-FLYER D60HF ARTICULATED: LOCAL: 1000-1069. Bus 1001 a 1996 prototype model.
This is the MTA's first production model articulated bus ever. These buses was first tested on the Bx1-Grand Concourse line in the Bronx. These special buses has a rubber accordion-like midsection where the bus bends in the middle to allow for a tighter turning radius. The maximum seating capacity is 62, and the maximum overall capacity (seats plus standees) is 140. The bus is 60 feet long by 10 feet high by 102" wide.
- 1997 New-Flyer D60LF (Low Floor) Articulate: 3064T - This bus was a loan and a demo to see low floor articulate can hold up in New York City streets. This bus has been returned to a transit agency in Midwest.
- 1997-98 NOVA-RTS-06: LOCAL: 9350-9699.
9351-9525, 9656 have cloth-padded seats, and 9350, 9526-9655, 9657-9699 have hard seats. Bus #9624 has a red LED Customer Information Sign; it tells people the date and time.
- 1998 NEW-FLYER D60HF ARTICULATED: LOCAL: 1070-1109.
These buses have LED destination signs. Buses #1106-1109 have cameras in them. With the exception of buses #1070-1074, and a few other articulated which have yet to be transferred to West Farms from Kingsbridge, these buses are only used on the Bx19 line out of West Farms.
- 1998 MCI 102DLW3SS suburban : EXPRESS: 1860-2039.
These buses are similar to Greyhound buses, but these have wheelchair accessibility via a hidden lift (third window from the front, passenger side, of course) through a door on the side of the bus. These buses are only used on Express bus (X) routes in Staten Island. Only buses #1880-2039 have LED destination signs. Bus #1861 is ACTUALLY a 1997 bus. Bus #1998 destroyed in 2001 terriost attack in the World Trade Center.
- 1999 BIA-ORION V: LOCAL: 6000-6349.
Except for buses #6001-6002, these buses have LED destination signage. All of them have LED tail lamps, a Detroit Diesel series 50 engine, and vandal-resistant cloth seats.
- 1998-2000 BIA-ORION VI Hybrids: LOCAL: 6350-6359 are low-floor hybrids.
Some hybrid-electric buses were originally part of a NJ Transit and Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) bus order, but they declined it and sent the buses to the MTA, purchasing them, with the help of the NY State government and the 1996 Clean Water-Clean Air Bond Act. They have soft cushiony cloth seats, similar to the seats in their (NJ Transit's) RTS buses, LED tail lamps, a small diesel engine above an electric motor, and batteries stored inside the bus' ceiling. They have regenerative braking as well as standard brakes to meet safety standards. 6354 bus has a mostly-white paint scheme, compared to the mostly-black color of the 1998 hybrid buses. UPDATE: These buses are out of service and put in storage until further notice.
- 1999 MCI 102DLW3SS suburban: EXPRESS: 2040-2139.
These buses are used only on the Staten Island Express bus (X) routes.
- 1999 NOVA-RTS-06: LOCAL: 4900-5249.
4900-4987-lower side signs & 4988-5249-upper side signs. These have LED destination signs AND LED tail lamps that are brighter, less expensive to replace, thinner, and easier to maintain than the conventional bulb lamps. These buses all have vandal-resistant seats. Bus #5075-5124 have a ZF Ecomat transmission, the rest have the Allison ATEC model.
- 1999 NOVA LFS (Low-Floor): LOCAL: 995, 999
These two buses are demo diesel buses, only intendent to see some routes are in good run on low floor buses. These two buses are now transfered to MTA Bridges and Tunnel Authority. Serving only to house shuttles for MTA workers.
- 1998-1999 BIA-ORION V CNG: LOCAL: 9827-9931, EXPRESS: 8568-8581, 9949-9999
These Orion CNG buses are formally Queens Surface Bus which is now taken over by MTA Bus.
The New Millennium
Buses became more and more innovative and matched the onset of the 2000’s. Nor cleaner air buses are still being introduced and Articulated buses being purchased.
- 1999-2000 NEW-FLYER D60HF ARTICULATED:LOCAL: 5250-5509.
These buses have added vandal-resistant seats and, with the exception of buses #5250-5279, and #5280-5309 with vandal-resistant back walls, blue vandal-resistant walls to match the seats. They also have LED destination signs. These buses are only used on busy routes in the Bronx. Bus #5250 first came in as bus #1110 and #5251 as #1111. Bus #5407 has had its engine modified and it engine compartment shaped much like the 2003 articulateds below.
- 1999-2000 NEW-FLYER C40LF LOW-FLOOR CNG: LOCAL: 800-989.
These low-floor buses are powered by Compressed Natural Gas. They have the new vandal-resistant seats. Note: these buses have interior lighting fixtures on the ceiling, unlike the 2000 order below. Bus #801 is a 1998 model. #857-989 have the interior lighting under the interior ad spaces, unlike #800-856 order above.
- 2000 MCI D4500 suburban: EXPRESS: 2705-2804.
These buses are used only on Staten Island and Brooklyn Express (X) routes.
- 2000 NOVA-RTS-06 HYBIRD Demo: LOCAL: 6360-6364.
This is a special RTS built in 2000, run in 2001 for about 6 months, and taken out of service in 2001 due to a number of problems and other issues including the sale of the NovaBUS Roswell plant to Millennium Transit Services, LLC (over a period of 12-24 months). This bus had a battery pack on the roof of the bus near the rear. This was one of five (#6360-6364) that were supposed to be delivered, but only #6360, which actually saw service, and #6361, which was never delivered, were actually built.This bus is a Hybrid-Electric bus with an electric motor, generator, Propulsion Control System (PCS), and roof-mounted battery storage packs. It features regenerative braking. #6360 has been in service for a couple of months and will have been the only one of the five to be delivered. This bus has been spotted in Lodi, NJ, at the Detroit Diesel facility. All have been in storage and will not likely be in service in the future.
- 2001-2002 MCI D4500 suburban: EXPRESS: 2140-2209, 2805-2824.
These buses are only used on Staten Island and Brooklyn Express bus (X) routes. These buses were formerly buses #2805-2874 before the MTA changed the numbers prior to delivery. Bus #2185 was badly damaged in the 2001 terriost attack in the World Trade Center collapse and has been restored with a brand new 9/11 United We Stand - American Flag around the bus.
- 2002 MCI D4501 suburban: EXPRESS: 2825-2924.
This is a modified version of the D4500 Cruiser. There are a few changes, including a slide door for wheelchair access versus am open-out door on the D4500.
- 2002-04 NEW-FLYER D60HF ARTICULATED: LOCAL: 5510-5769.
These buses have the same features as the 1999-2000 articulateds plus a larger engine compartment and fluorescent lighting in the midsection of the bus.
- 2001 OBI-ORION VII CNG LOW-FLOOR: LOCAL: 7560.
This is only ONE bus out of an order for about 250 compressed natural gas Orion 7s to be assigned to Jackie Gleason (Brooklyn), the West Farms formaly Coliseum depot (the Bronx), and Manhattanville (Manhattan) depots. (These buses are supposedly to be delivered first.) Currently, the bus has run on the Bx28 since Friday, 2/8/02. This bus has vandal-resistant seats and walls, a low-floor and high-floor area, and new technology (new to MTA New York City Transit) that announces bus stops via a prerecorded announcement system (currently not being used at this time). This bus has made a touring stop in Washington, DC, and a test stop in Austin, TX, and is believed to be at the Oriskany, NY plant. The rest of the CNG order is described below. Currently, 7560 has been Out of Service, repairs have began.
- 2002-2004 OBI-ORION VII CNG LOW-FLOOR: LOCAL: 7561-7819.
These buses will be built with the new vandal-resistant seats. They are to be assigned to Jackie Gleason and West Farms Depots. When delivered, Jackie Gleason Depot is supposed to receive the first 97 buses, #7560-7656, with West Farms getting the remaining number, #7658-7819. Buses #7685-7816 will have orange LED signage and ZF transmissions; the other buses have green LED flip-dot signs and Allison transmissions. Bus #8584 is a NYCDOT demo in NYCT colors and has been found in service on West Farms bus routes. It has now been renumbered in the 78XX series.
- 2004-05 OBI-ORION VII HYBRID: LOCAL: 6365-6689 Delivery still in progress.
They have the new vandal-resistant seats and will be assigned to Mother Clara Hale depot (60 buses) -finished, Queens Village depot (65 buses) -finished, Fresh Pond depot (135 buses) -still delivering and 126 Street depot (65 buses) -not yet deliver. This order is currently in progress. The order was increased from 125 buses to 325 buses. The next 200 buses is arriving right now. This order will be finished by around Fall, 2005. There is also a possibility of 50 more buses tacked on to this order, but information is not yet to be comfirmend as of right now.
- 2005 GILLIG PHANTOM HYBIRD (Low-Floor): LOCAL: 5770 (DEMO version only)
This is a Test bus that tests engine capabilites for hybrid buses to be brought form the MTA. Runs out of the Mother Clara Hale Depot. The liscence plate states the bus is originnaly from Indiana.
- 2004-2005 MCI D4500 suburban: EXPRESS: 3000-3124 Delivery still in progress.
These new buses featured the new CAT engine and only served MTA Bus Company.
- 2005-2006(?) NEW-FLYER ARTICULATED: 5770-5834. Delivery (Postponed) suspended.
NOTICE: This option order, Bus#5770-5835 will arrive sometime this year or next year and will be assigned to 100th Street, Casey Stengel Bus Depot, and Michael J. Quill garages, in that order most likely. These last 65 buses are to be low-floors, since New Flyer no longer produces high floor models. It is yet to be known if this order will be Hybird-Electric or Clean Diesel.