Best buses used by the city

[Eastman346]

Now that we have a unified nyc bus forum, I always wanted to know what you guys thought was/is the best bus used by nyc.

[nycbusfan]

I would go with the RTS or the MCI D4500's

[Harry]

I also agree with Rich on the RTS and then the MCI's a close second.

[sebbieprops]

I'm going to have to agree with Harry and Rich, and go with the RTS.

[Harry]

I'm sorry but them Orion's and New Flyers are just plain ugly. I like the idea of clean natural gas and less emitions but that's it.

[Mr. Harlem Line]

I'd go with the MCI D series.

[DOB2RTO]

As someone who drove different types (RTSs' 8800 series, 9664, 9665 (when at KB), and 8109 (twice) a WF repowered), Orion V 400 series, and 6000 series, Orion VII CNG, and 5200-5700 series New Flyer Articulateds, I will say they all do their job, and all have advantages, and all have flaws.

 

1. RTS.

Bad: When fully loaded, have to be cut off at times, after raising the kneeler, due to the interlock not disengaging. Cutting it off resets it. Small front doors.

 

Good: Great high view of the road ahead of you.

 

2. Orion V.

Bad: 400 series driver seat does not go back to far. 6000 series brakes drag sometimes. Both rock side to side to firmly, when going in/on uneven road.

 

Good: Wide front doors, and rarely has to be shut off after kneeler been raised.

 

3. Orion VII CNG.

Bad: Highly Flammable, and wheels that are prone to bend, and shocks that come apart, when driving over very bad road. The latter happened to me.

 

Good: Very comfortable drivers seat and area, huge control buttons, one touch kneeler button, low-floor, fold away quick wheelchair ramp, and huge front door.

 

4. New Flyer Arcticulated.

Bad: Long dwell times (due to lack of third door), heck to stop in the rain, can fishtail/jacknife if one accelerates too quickly at the wrong time (like after making U-Turn, without bus being straight, and stepping on the gas), most likely to overheat when heatwave hits, and the buses most farebeats sneak through the back door of.

 

Good: Less likely to flag a stop, wide front doors (wider than the Orions), wide rear doors, Ice Cold A/C, simple easily accessible switches, very roomy for drivers, huge opening for drivers window, fun to drive/ride.

 

If I had to pick, I would have to put the arctics and MCI's seperate, due to the MCI's being simply Express Buses, and the arctics, being dedicated to mostly high capacity lines, where standards would be costly these days.

 

Best standard bus that I actually drove, would be RTSs' 9664, and 9665, when I worked the M100, and they came to Kingsbridge for about a month.

Powerhouses they were.

 

Best Arctics would be the 5600-5700 series, and the refurbished and overhauled 5200-early 5500 series arctics.

 

MCI's I never drove for the MTA, but I have drove them for Campus Coach 266, 267, and 265 (former Ridgeway Travel Bus). I love the Van-Hools, but in bad weather I told them give me the reliable work-horse MCI D model.

[NYC Bus&Subway]

My favorites are:

Hybrid

RTS

ORION 5

New Flyer Arcticulated(NFA)

[error46146]

Now that we have a unified nyc bus forum, I always wanted to know what you guys thought was/is the best bus used by nyc.

 

My favorites are the Orion 5's, they are the best. The hybrids are pretty cool as well.