NJ Transit's First Low Floor Buses: The NABI 31LFW, Due to Arrive to a Low Ridership Route Near You!

[D.J.]

Besides the ALP-45DP, there was another bit of good news for NJ Transit brought out today: NEW LOW FLOORS COMMNG TO SERVICE!!

 

 

http://www.njtransit.com/tm/tm_servlet.srv?hdnPageAction=PressReleaseTo&PRESS_RELEASE_ID=2676

 

NEWARK, NJ — The NJ TRANSIT Board of Directors took action today to introduce the State to its very first low-floor buses, approving the purchase of 39 buses featuring the customer-friendly, low-floor design that will enable the agency to better serve bus routes throughout New Jersey.

 

“The purchase of 39 new buses represents our commitment to investing in New Jersey’s expansive bus system, and we are pleased to introduce the State’s first low-floor buses, with features that allow for faster, easier boarding and alighting,” said Transportation Commissioner and NJ TRANSIT Board Chairman James Simpson. “These new low-floor buses will supplement the 1,145 transit and suburban-style buses that are already being delivered as we renew and expand the fleet.”

 

The Board authorized a $17.2 million contract with North American Bus Industries, Inc., of Anniston, Alabama, for the purchase of 39 low-floor, 30-foot transit buses to replace some of the agency’s older buses.

 

“These buses will help us to better serve customers and meet ridership demand along key areas of our bus network,” said NJ TRANSIT Executive Director James Weinstein. “The low-floor buses will allow us to replace some of our older buses in both Atlantic and Morris counties.”

 

The new low-floor buses will improve service reliability and offer comfortable interiors for customers. The low- floor design will enable customers to board and exit the bus more rapidly than buses with steps. A ramp in the front door and a kneeling feature will accommodate customers with disabilities.

 

Twenty-six of the low-floor buses will be used on NJ TRANSIT routes in southern New Jersey—primarily on the Nos. 501, 504 and 505 in the Atlantic City area. The remaining 13 will be used on the Nos. 871, 872, 873, 874, 875 and 880 in Morris County.

 

The new buses will meet or exceed the latest environmental standards by incorporating technologies to reduce exhaust emissions.

 

Delivery of the 39 low-floor buses is expected by the end of next year.

 

[Nova RTS 9147]

lol, about time.

[553 Bridgeton]

O cool the short bus pulls up...........

[Cait Sith]

They gonna die in Atlantic City.

[qjtransitmaster]

 

They gonna die in Atlantic City.

so true especially on 505 how is that gonna work??

[553 Bridgeton]

I have no idea how this is going to work. 30ft buses is a horrible idea. The 501 can hardly handle crowds now with the 30ft novas....

 

I thought about picking the locals when the 40ft Nabis came but never mind now that were getting 30ft Nabis also.

[SirJokaPlaya]

if they're gonna use a 30 footer, u might as well pick them up and drop them off in a old Amish horse and buggy. no way that's gonna work. they need 40 footers and maybe that compubus 45 footer that NABI has

[Pablo M 201]

I have no idea how this is going to work. 30ft buses is a horrible idea. The 501 can hardly handle crowds now with the 30ft novas....

 

I thought about picking the locals when the 40ft Nabis came but never mind now that were getting 30ft Nabis also.

Keep pushing those MCIs brotha!

[qjtransitmaster]

Keep pushing those MCIs brotha!

 

They have MCIs on the 459!!!!!!!!! but they cant do the same for buses like 505 that badly need it. If 501 is so bad ppl how frequent do you believe the 501 should be??

[qjtransitmaster]

I have no idea how this is going to work. 30ft buses is a horrible idea. The 501 can hardly handle crowds now with the 30ft novas....

 

I thought about picking the locals when the 40ft Nabis came but never mind now that were getting 30ft Nabis also.

 

30 ft in AC hmm what were they smokin??? did a monkey make the decision??? cause this is a fail waiting to happen I wonder what the scorecard for 501 and 505 will be?? after this foolishness!!!

[metsfan]

Specs page:

 

http://www.nabiusa.com/nabi/nabi-LFW-specs.htm

 

 

And for those wondering about compobus:

 

http://www.nabiusa.com/nabi/metro-45c-bus.htm

 

- A

[D.J.]

They have MCIs on the 459!!!!!!!!! but they cant do the same for buses like 505 that badly need it. If 501 is so bad ppl how frequent do you believe the 501 should be??

If crowds are a problem... MCIs wouldn't fix it... they actually have limited asile space....

 

Maybe it would be better to just get 40 foot transits. and besides, they're getting 39 30ft buses but there are 80 30ft Novas. I'm surprised that no one caught that but this means that a the other 41 Novas will be replaced with something else....

 

30 ft in AC hmm what were they smokin??? did a monkey make the decision??? cause this is a fail waiting to happen I wonder what the scorecard for 501 and 505 will be?? after this foolishness!!

a fail WAITING to happen? They BEEN had 30 footers in AC!

[553 Bridgeton]

Yeah we been had them but there not logical. 40ft you can move more people around. The drivers already dont like the 30ft novas and to top it off with 30ft nabis is stupid.

[Cait Sith]

I have no idea how this is going to work. 30ft buses is a horrible idea. The 501 can hardly handle crowds now with the 30ft novas....

 

Too add onto that, the seating configuration will determine how well the 30fters will take the crowds....If its anything like its 40ft relative, oh lord....they better think long and hard about it...

[qjtransitmaster]

Too add onto that, the seating configuration will determine how well the 30fters will take the crowds....If its anything like its 40ft relative, oh lord....they better think long and hard about it...

 

unless they plan on running buses every 5 minutes which could make this idea less stupid may the GOD BE WITH AC PPL ON 501 AND 505!!!!!

[qjtransitmaster]

Yeah we been had them but there not logical. 40ft you can move more people around. The drivers already dont like the 30ft novas and to top it off with 30ft nabis is stupid.

 

how well does the 504 and 505 handle loads I am curious

[553 Bridgeton]

Again I havent worked the locals since I learned the route on them but when I was in that process the crowds was annoying and a small bus is not logical for the heart of AC. I thought the 30ft bus was getting wiped out after the Nabi 416s came

 

In shorter terms NJT has the fail award of the year. I

[qjtransitmaster]

Again I havent worked the locals since I learned the route on them but when I was in that process the crowds was annoying and a small bus is not logical for the heart of AC. I thought the 30ft bus was getting wiped out after the Nabi 416s came

 

In shorter terms NJT has the fail award of the year. I

 

a BIG understatement 30 ft buses ahh there is no way they would work on any line in NJ except a few 700 series lines

[D.J.]

a BIG understatement 30 ft buses ahh there is no way they would work on any line in NJ except a few 700 series lines

 

They worked on the 601, 604, and 611 lines but for some odd reason they decided to do the 40 foot take over on those lines as opposed to the AC lines, which I can never understand... now they got 416s running with like 3 people riding a day

[553 Bridgeton]

They worked on the 601, 604, and 611 lines but for some odd reason they decided to do the 40 foot take over on those lines as opposed to the AC lines, which I can never understand... now they got 416s running with like 3 people riding a day

 

Mercer County is not a high ridership area for NJT. The 409 & the RiverLine is the money winner out of there. If anything the 30ft Nabis should be there; not AC. There is a reason NJT Bus routing is limited in Mercer County. There is no demand. If it werent for the Trenton Transit Center those 6xx routes would be nothing; Because at some point all of those 6xx routes feed the ones that head to the Trenton Transit Center for points North via NEC or South via 409 & RiverLine.

 

They worked on the 601 604 & 611 because those routes are low ridership runs. They may look like they work down here but they arent logical. Washington Twp or Newton or both had some 30ft Novas and got replaced with 416s and now those runs that used em now using 416s are moving people at a much more efficient pace.

[SirJokaPlaya]

Mercer County is not a high ridership area for NJT. The 409 & the RiverLine is the money winner out of there. If anything the 30ft Nabis should be there; not AC. There is a reason NJT Bus routing is limited in Mercer County. There is no demand. If it werent for the Trenton Transit Center those 6xx routes would be nothing; Because at some point all of those 6xx routes feed the ones that head to the Trenton Transit Center for points North via NEC or South via 409 & RiverLine.

 

They worked on the 601 604 & 611 because those routes are low ridership runs. They may look like they work down here but they arent logical. Washington Twp or Newton or both had some 30ft Novas and got replaced with 416s and now those runs that used em now using 416s are moving people at a much more efficient pace.

 

I would think that NJT would give those new NABI's to Mercer County, and give their 40's to the south garages that need it, as long as the bus is in good condition, not shitty condition. Otherwise, I'd go to my Amish friend, and see if I can borrow his horse and buggy. Cuz that's what it's gonna be like that on that NABI on the 500's if NJT has their way.

[qjtransitmaster]

I would think that NJT would give those new NABI's to Mercer County, and give their 40's to the south garages that need it, as long as the bus is in good condition, not shitty condition. Otherwise, I'd go to my Amish friend, and see if I can borrow his horse and buggy. Cuz that's what it's gonna be like that on that NABI on the 500's if NJT has their way.

 

I knew I could squeeze out more info here by the way do u know anyone with this email address SZucker@njtransit.com ???? I got am email from him after I spoke at an NJT meeting

[qjtransitmaster]

Mercer County is not a high ridership area for NJT. The 409 & the RiverLine is the money winner out of there. If anything the 30ft Nabis should be there; not AC. There is a reason NJT Bus routing is limited in Mercer County. There is no demand. If it werent for the Trenton Transit Center those 6xx routes would be nothing; Because at some point all of those 6xx routes feed the ones that head to the Trenton Transit Center for points North via NEC or South via 409 & RiverLine.

 

They worked on the 601 604 & 611 because those routes are low ridership runs. They may look like they work down here but they arent logical. Washington Twp or Newton or both had some 30ft Novas and got replaced with 416s and now those runs that used em now using 416s are moving people at a much more efficient pace.

 

which 600 routes have HIGH ridership???

[metsfan]

The 600, 608, 609 and 611 all have pretty good numbers based on what i've seen in trenton.

 

As far as 30 foot vs 40 foot... I have this to say:

 

Ever since has retired/reassigned the el dorados on roster and replaced them with mainly DE40LF/S they've had to change the route through town here to accommodate the bigger turning radius on the small town streets. I mean, also in the depots space does matter and smaller size = more space as well. Plus there's fuel economy to think about. And i believe they may be planning on increasing the interval on those AC routes, probably seasonally but it will likely be changed.

 

- A

[SirJokaPlaya]

I knew I could squeeze out more info here by the way do u know anyone with this email address SZucker@njtransit.com ???? I got am email from him after I spoke at an NJT meeting

 

Personally, I do not. I don't know who he is, yet I checked on LinkedIn.com, a website where professionals link up and meet. This might be him since he works at NJT, but again, it MIGHT.

 

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/scott-zucker/3/b98/9bb

 

Hope that helps.