davemackey

The last hybrid bus, 4044.

The news media have been covering NJT commuter rail's latest struggles as they race to meet a deadline to install positive train control on its locomotives and cab units. One of the factors that NJT has been citing to justify cancelled trains is that there aren't enough crews, and if you apply today to become an engineer, it takes about TWO years of training. The road to becoming an engineer is very structured. Bus driver training is like that too, very regimented and weeks of training before you even sit in the driver's seat of a NABI transit or MCI cruiser.

I always thought that the 317 - a poky, 3-1/2 hour ride through southern NJ making practically every local stop between Asbury Park and Philadelphia, including Joint Base MDL - thrived on older equipment and didn't warrant anything more than a 40 foot bus. Anyone know if the new buses on this route have restrooms?

18126-18129 could be Newton Ave. I didn't think 45-foot buses belonged there....

A NJ Transit train on the Bergen Line has collided with a Saddle River Tours transit bus (6072). No word on any casualties yet. Service on the line has been suspended with alternate bus service provided between Westmont and Broadway.

Looks like 18120 through at least 18125 have gone to Egg Harbor Twp. Egg Harbor now also has 18010 and 18011 from Washington Twp.

I am going down to Toms River today so I will look for any of those buses. 18125 is on the 559 right now, around Stafford Twp. heading towards Lakewood

I think 18107 through 18117 are Meadowlands. 18118-18119 are Saddle River Trails. Anyone seen 18120-18129?

NIIIIIICE Let the record show that 18118 and 18119 are Saddle River Trails.

Actually that was year two of the contract. Year One was 17000-17184. Year Two is 17185-17240 and 18001-18129. (I think 17185 is non revenue training unit above and beyond the contract.) As with last year, there may still be a bunch of 18000's before the 19000's start rolling off the assembly line.

I sure did. 18120-18129 are on the property. Year Two of the contract is completed.

Will look further into this later but there are some new MCI's 18020 and up on the property. Two confirmed have the VINs JP015005 and JP015006. Do not know where these buses are, or if they have brothers. Like I said, more research into this later.

If anyone happens across buses 5960, 5964, or 5970, can you tell me if the license plates are the older embossed style, or the newer flat type? These buses are all out of Orange Garage and have plates that begin a new series at OYB4600 so trying to see if that is the changeover point. The new plates come in boxes of 50 but I have no plates confirmed later than this. Thank you.

I'd love to see some of the Transdev Monmouth County routes reach into Ocean County a bit.

Generally, buses are sold to transit agencies with the expectation of a 12-year lifespan. NJT manages to make most of its equipment last lots longer than that - there are some NJT MCI coaches on the road today that have passed the million mile mark! But as I said, everyone hated those Eagles so much so can you blame NJT for wanting to dump them so quickly?