The Millennium RTS Discussion

[Far Rock Depot]

Maybe I can explain it better. The RTS is a "modular" design. With the exception of the bulkends, the bus is designed down to the frame in 5 foot sections welded together. The "porkchop" window was in the rear bulkends which houses the ac and engine. Now originally, the bus used a v-drive configuration. Two drive shafts to the rear axle, which also gave the bus a short rear "overhang"-distance from rear axle to rear bumper. A standard T-drive requires approximately a 10' rear overhang-about 2.5 feet longer than a v-drive. So when MTS redesigned the RTS, what they basically did was take a standard 40'rts and split one module to fit a T-drive.

 

From front to back, you'll see an RTS bus arranged like this: front door - window/front axle - window - window - window - rear door - window/rear axle - engine/ac(older models had porkchop here). On the new generation RTS, it will be as such: front door - window/front axle - window -window - half window - rear door - window/rear axle- half window - engine/ac.

Now the 42.5' RTS bus will be the original but with a half window between the engine and rear axle.

I hope this helps. I'd rather would have shown you scale drawings, but I'm not home at the moment.

 

For the lowfloor, well 2 things needed to be accomplished. One was to yet again fit a T - drive. The other was to provide underfloor space for battery, fuel tank, etc. To move the rear door back would eliminate precious underfloor space. Otherwise, you'll have a seating arrangement similar to the rear section of an LFSA.(in front of the rear door, left side of bus has forward facing seats while right side of bus has side facing seats where either the battery or fuel tank is located under there. I'm not sure which)

[MTARegional Bus]

The hard part is now over. The next 2 phases are final assembly and shaker testing. As of right now, preliminary details state that Altoona is not requiring a full scale test on this bus structure because it is identical to the MTS 40 footer, which is already certified and in service. After that, they can continue talks and negotiations with the MTA about acceptance in NBQP.

 

The Demo/Pilot would look near identical to the bus in the photo below of a 40 foot RTS Express that was sold to the Artesia Bulldogs.http://artesiabulldogfootball.com/

 

MTS wanted to send this bus to MTA, however it is unavailable a are most all MTS build RTS buses. The only agency that actually has one to spare is Texas A&M, and that is only because they have 25 ex-NJT units. http://www.ttmg.org/...millennium.html

 

This is Artesia's second RTS (below). The next RTS Express off the line will be the new 42.5 footer built 100% to MTA specs.

Photo Courtesy Millennium Transit Services, LLC

Official 2013 Branding : "The Million Mile Bus"

 

 

[Burrstone]

Are these buses designed to be just a city bus or can it also be an over the road coach?

[Joel Up Front]

That front bumper makes me want to hurl.

[jragland]

You guys have 25 of them with the new Roscoe mirrors. I got a chance to hang out with 634 for the days this past October. I can't believe you guys are still on your original set of brakes! Blew that 80,000 mile guarantee right out of the water!

 

Word on the street is you guys may be getting 10 high floors and 2 low floors as part of the Advanced RTS Validation Program. I can't wait to get down to your facility sometime soon and check out that fleet!

 

 

 

Looks like the new Luminators will show up on the low floor. Hanovers are Standard on the TA New Flyers, the proposed RTS, and are on 5105-5112, 9444. If nothing has changes, they should be added to more Nova RTS' sometime in the future.

 

 

 

 

Wow didn't know our brakes lasted that long

 

I just found out today that we are currently trying to run up the miles on our international fleet that we have a lease agreement with the local transit agency here. The reason why is A) they suck....period and B) headquarters wont allow a purchase of any new buses (which we really need) until we get rid of some of the oldies (nova's and the horrible internationals). So Hopefully they did have talks with Millennium have you heard any specifics about what TAMU is interested in?

[East New York]

@Burstone - The Express is OTR, the Legend and Extreme are transit/suburban.

 

There is the RTS-08 a.k.a. the Legend, which is just like the RTS-06. The RTS-10 a.k.a. the Extreme will also have the narrow front doors...

 

 

The RTS-08 is not the Legend. It was launched in 1989 for CTA. It was the original wide front door model, and when Nova took over they changed it to the RTS-06 WFD. The RTS-09 quick is officially know as the RTS R80THN is the Legend. The RTS-10th is the extreme, however it is not, and will not be narrow from door. I don't know why you would think that it would be either. You can't put a wheelchair ramp on a narrow front door model. The only version available with the classic front plug type door is the Legend.

 

 

Wow didn't know our brakes lasted that long

 

I just found out today that we are currently trying to run up the miles on our international fleet that we have a lease agreement with the local transit agency here. The reason why is A) they suck....period and B) headquarters wont allow a purchase of any new buses (which we really need) until we get rid of some of the oldies (nova's and the horrible internationals). So Hopefully they did have talks with Millennium have you heard any specifics about what TAMU is interested in?

 

 

Last I was told you all wanted 14 more RTS buses with low floor options on the table. You guys are currently the largest Millennium RTS operator, and 14 more would boost your fleet to 39. You all have also reached your 6 year mid-life overhaul point, and none of your buses needs to be overhauled at all. To date all MTS buses have far exceeded the expectations of their owners.

[jragland]

Well i will say that they still drive amazingly. Every time a shift needs to be covered the routes that exclusively use millenniums are the first to go. Also at the end of the semester when its time to choose routes for the next semester the millennium routes are with out a doubt the first to go leaving the new drivers and freshman with the Novabus routes. Honestly i can see why they want 14 more our ridership levels are increasing at a good clip and its getting difficult to move 50,000 students during class changes with our current fleet. I hope millennium really pulls this off because we are ready for more buses and all i know is that no other bus manufacturer is even being considered for our next round of orders

[Turbo19]

Well i will say that they still drive amazingly. Every time a shift needs to be covered the routes that exclusively use millenniums are the first to go. Also at the end of the semester when its time to choose routes for the next semester the millennium routes are with out a doubt the first to go leaving the new drivers and freshman with the Novabus routes. Honestly i can see why they want 14 more our ridership levels are increasing at a good clip and its getting difficult to move 50,000 students during class changes with our current fleet. I hope millennium really pulls this off because we are ready for more buses and all i know is that no other bus manufacturer is even being considered for our next round of orders

 

You're 21 and driving Millenniums? My F-ing dream job.

 

P.S. Welcome to the forums.

[jragland]

Thanks

 

yea we have 18-19 year olds roughing these things around campus......so i can honestly say these buses are built TOUGH because some of these kids really don't know how to treat these beautiful beasts

[Turbo19]

Thanks

 

yea we have 18-19 year olds roughing these things around campus......so i can honestly say these buses are built TOUGH because some of these kids really don't know how to treat these beautiful beasts

 

Nice.

 

Yeah, I was planning to become an operator for Foothill Transit, a local transit agency out here in Cali, however the new contractor wants 21+, so I'm screwed. By the time I'm eligible, my favorite fleets will be gone.

[East New York]

Maybe I can explain it better. The RTS is a "modular" design. With the exception of the bulkends, the bus is designed down to the frame in 5 foot sections welded together. The "porkchop" window was in the rear bulkends which houses the ac and engine. Now originally, the bus used a v-drive configuration. Two drive shafts to the rear axle, which also gave the bus a short rear "overhang"-distance from rear axle to rear bumper. A standard T-drive requires approximately a 10' rear overhang-about 2.5 feet longer than a v-drive. So when MTS redesigned the RTS, what they basically did was take a standard 40'rts and split one module to fit a T-drive.

 

From front to back, you'll see an RTS bus arranged like this: front door - window/front axle - window - window - window - rear door - window/rear axle - engine/ac(older models had porkchop here). On the new generation RTS, it will be as such: front door - window/front axle - window -window - half window - rear door - window/rear axle- half window - engine/ac.

Now the 42.5' RTS bus will be the original but with a half window between the engine and rear axle.

I hope this helps. I'd rather would have shown you scale drawings, but I'm not home at the moment.

 

For the lowfloor, well 2 things needed to be accomplished. One was to yet again fit a T - drive. The other was to provide underfloor space for battery, fuel tank, etc. To move the rear door back would eliminate precious underfloor space. Otherwise, you'll have a seating arrangement similar to the rear section of an LFSA.(in front of the rear door, left side of bus has forward facing seats while right side of bus has side facing seats where either the battery or fuel tank is located under there. I'm not sure which)

 

 

I missed something in your post. This is all pretty acurate except for the fact that Prevost/Nova actually designed the the original T-drive RTS, and built the first 42.5 foot low floor. MTS just improved the designs

[jragland]

Nice.

 

Yeah, I was planning to become an operator for Foothill Transit, a local transit agency out here in Cali, however the new contractor wants 21+, so I'm screwed. By the time I'm eligible, my favorite fleets will be gone.

 

 

 

That really sucks!!

is it 21 standard for driving buses with major transit agencies?

[Turbo19]

Yes it is unfortunatly.

[FlyerD901]

Brampton Transit in Canada had it at 18yrs in 2009. I'm not sure if they bumped up the age since. Is there any TA That allows you to apply at 18. I guess with the liability risk in hiring someone at 18, a young age, its too risky for TA to take. Some Private Coach companies is 25yrs the least they will hire.

[youngblaze]

Brampton Transit in Canada had it at 18yrs in 2009. I'm not sure if they bumped up the age since. Is there any TA That allows you to apply at 18. I guess with the liability risk in hiring someone at 18, a young age, its too risky for TA to take. Some Private Coach companies is 25yrs the least they will hire.

 

 

It's not that. It's that you have to be 21 to obtain your CDL Class B with no air brake restriction and passenger endorsement. I applied for the TA when I was 18 but since there is such a long wait I wasn't called until I was 22....so hang in there guys.

[Turbo19]

It's not that. It's that you have to be 21 to obtain your CDL Class B with no air brake restriction and passenger endorsement. I applied for the TA when I was 18 but since there is such a long wait I wasn't called until I was 22....so hang in there guys.

 

In NY perhaps.

[SevenEleven]

In NY perhaps.

 

 

Nah, I think 21 is the DOT's rule across the country.

[Burrstone]

Nah, I think 21 is the DOT's rule across the country.

 

 

This is true the DOT requires you to be 21 to drive interstate ("cross state lines") you can be 18 and get a CDL and drive commercial vehicles inside New York State (only). If you are under 21 I think you would have K restriction (not valid outside of NYS/No interstate travel) until you turned 21.

 

You can drive a passenger bus in NY 18 and older however you must be 21 and over to drive a school bus and get a School bus endorsement.

 

While you can be 18 to drive a bus in NY you will find employers want you be 21 and older because that is what their insurance requires.

[East New York]

It depends on the agency and the state for age. Some start hiring at 18, and this includes most all college/university transit systems. Most of the others require an applicant to be 21, and as stated some private agencies require one to be at least 25.

[East New York]

Do not quote me, but at this time it looks as if MTS may NOT be building a high floor express bus for MTA. Preliminary reports have details for more than one low floor model model, with no further mention of the high floor.

 

Looks like the high floor days may have come to an end with the MTA, and only the low floor may make it into the New Bus Qualification Program. Again, this has yet to be confirmed, however it may be highly likely.

[Turbo19]

Do not quote me, but at this time it looks as if MTS may NOT be building a high floor express bus for MTA. Preliminary reports have details for more than one low floor model model, with no further mention of the high floor.

 

Looks like the high floor days may have come to an end with the MTA, and only the low floor may make it into the New Bus Qualification Program. Again, this has yet to be confirmed, however it may be highly likely.

 

Well I'm not disappointed, I mean, I knew it was only a possiblity. In my opinion, the MTA limiting the Express bus fleet to 45' OTR's coaches was a smart idea in my opinion.

 

However, I do hope that the RTS Extreme is still under consideration and has a better chance of being accepted. It would help put MTS's wheels in motion, and at this point in time, I'd hate to see another Flxible... Orion.

[RookiePhenom]

[sorry to go off-topic]

ENY, where do you guys stand with the Chicago contract? I know the fellas on the forums in CHI kinda brushed you off on that topic.

[East New York]

[sorry to go off-topic]

ENY, where do you guys stand with the Chicago contract? I know the fellas on the forums in CHI kinda brushed you off on that topic.

 

 

Same place it has been. MTS bid on the contract, and everyone is just waiting to see what Chicago will do. All those idiots on the Chicago forum think they know something, and don't know how to find their way out of a paper bag. Lol. As usual, I'm not one to argue, just sit back and watch people pretend they know what they are talking about.

 

If MTS wins, they will already have a foot in the door, and they can proceed with MTA's low floor demo/pilot.

[RookiePhenom]

Same place it has been. MTS bid on the contract, and everyone is just waiting to see what Chicago will do. All those idiots on the Chicago forum think they know something, and don't know how to find their way out of a paper bag. Lol. As usual, I'm not one to argue, just sit back and watch people pretend they know what they are talking about.

 

If MTS wins, they will already have a foot in the door, and they can proceed with MTA's low floor demo/pilot.

 

 

Word.

As someone who've been on those boards for the past 7 or 8 years, good lord you're right.

 

Best of luck with the bids here and in NYC.

[East New York]

Breaking News Update

 

According to new developments, MTS could possibly submit their preliminary proposal for the 42.5 foot low floor BRT model to MTA by the end of this month! The basic specifications of the bus are now complete, and pending approval and go-ahead from the CEO of MTS.

 

If all goes as well as it can, MTA and MTS could reach a preliminary agreement for the build and delivery of 90 test buses before Christmas!

 

For those of you that do not know, MTS recently bid on Chicago Transit Authority's solicitation for up to 450 standard 40 foot RTS Extreme buses. Should MTS be awarded part or all of this contract, history will be made. Stay tuned, as everyone is waiting on word out of Chicago any day now!

 

Good luck MTS!