RailBus63

I've photographed on the Bronx elevated lines with a DSLR without issue. Generally speaking, be aware of your surroundings and try to stay in areas around other people, preferably with some way of avoiding any sketchy looking people if they start to take interest in what you're doing (in other words, don't get trapped by yourself out at the end of a platform with no exit that way).

This must be funded by bond or state money, since Prevost will be building these buses in Quebec and thus the contract would not met the federal 'Buy America' rules.

Sorry to be blunt, but forget about it - the MTA has a monopoly on public transportation in the city.

This incident in Bakersfield CA may delay the MTA's rollout of hydrogen buses - a New Flyer XHE40 was destroyed in a fire at the agency's fuel station. https://bakersfieldnow.com/news/local/fire-engulfs-new-hydrogen-bus-and-fueling-station-at-golden-empire-transit-kern-county-bakersfield-fire-department-get-bus

It's new technology that is still in the early development phase. If NFI or any manufacturer seriously believed that those batteries could spontaneously combust like that, they'd have done a lot of things differently.

You are going to have to deal with those situations wherever you drive if you plan on a career as a professional bus operator.

Most NYCT and MTAB buses are purchased using state funds (presumably transportation bonds funding). MTA typically reserves federal funding for the subway fleet, although some of those were bought with state funds also.

In my opinion, the MTA would be better off giving Gillig a shot (assuming that Gillig themselves would be interested in doing so, which is far from guaranteed) than going back to Proterra. It is very telling that Proterra did not receive any orders from the authority after participating in the electric bus test, while NFI did. Let other TA's be the guinea pigs while Proterra works through the various issues with their buses and tries to build up the capability to produce large orders with a high degree of quality. I do think that the days of the MTA throwing its weight around with bus manufacturers and getting multiple companies to do their bidding are over. Both Orion and Nova seemed to be hoping to be the authority's top bus manufacturer, but their European parent companies pulled the plug when the MTA/NY governor's office showed no favoritism for bidders with a factory located in the state (I'm not saying that they should have show favoritism, but I wouldn't be surprised if that mindset played a role at Daimler and/or Volvo). New Flyer is the last big manufacturer standing unless Gillig throws their hat into the ring, and the MTA frankly needs NFI more than NFI needs the MTA. Even if Gillig does decide to get involved with the MTA, I think it would be very much on their terms - their management has been conservative over the years and would almost certainly want to protect the company from getting entangled in a messy and expensive situation with the authority. A replay of the 2011 bus evaluation program would likely be ideal - say, 90 to 100 buses that could be assigned to a few depots to see how the Low Floor model performs in its most intensive test yet. I also wouldn't be surprised if the MTA reaches out to their counterparts at NICE to check on how their Gilligs are performing. Just my 2 cents worth.

Bi-articulated buses would only make sense on a route that featured a fully exclusive bus lane with stations. I can't imagine trying a load such a long vehicle at a standard bus stop.

This, 100% I've operated buses where the destination signs, farebox, cameras, automated stop announcements, AVL system, etc. were not functioning as designed, or at all. I've never operated a bus where the mirrors just decided to stop reflecting though, LOL.

Siemens built Boston's Blue Line fleet in 2007-09 - these cars have been very reliable. Given the company's global footprint and capabilities, they absolutely should be qualified if they express interest in these orders. They are also committed to the North American passenger rail and light rail markets in a big way.

I'm not sure about NJT's requirements, but at the agencies I've worked at the bus operators must be capable of pushing a manual wheelchair with passenger up the ramp. We had to undergo a physical exam and pass an occupational exam (lifting a weighted box and carrying it up a set of stairs, pushing a weighted sleigh device meant to simulate a wheelchair, etc.). Failing either exam would result in the job offer being terminated. In case of an emergency, you will also need to assist passengers in evacuating the bus.

It may be a 'freebie' but it's still only a small cost of providing the service compared to labor, fuel, maintenance and overhead expenses. Even using those 'free' buses on the weekends for charters can't be coming close to offsetting this if the operator isn't consistently running full buses on the weekdays.

So these would be MCI's (since New Flyer owns MCI)?

Doesn't NJT provide buses to the privates but no subsidy? As the articles have noted, De Camp is upset that NJT got COVID money from the Feds but refused to share with the private operators.