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I should have clarified I was talking about the US market. Theyy had a few orders sprinked here and there, but did not really have a presence here until they built the plant, and was awarded 3 test bus awards (Prevost included) by the MTA.

 

So wait, when they were building our newest RTS's, where were they originally located, Canada still?
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Oh, for some reason, I was under the impression that they came from Detroit unless I'm thinking of the GMCs.

 

Not sure if this is true, but they did build the RTS in Detroit, but so many were ordered that a new manufacturing facility was built in Roswell, NM. This is me taking a wild guess and assuming that is what happened.

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It was TMC who started production in Roswell, after GMC sold off the building rights. TMC continued manufacturing transit buses there until the accqusition by Nova, which I believe was in Q3 (mid)1994. After Nova no longer produced the RTS, it was MTS that took over. Hope this better clarifies and not complicates the situation.

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Not sure if this is true, but they did build the RTS in Detroit, but so many were ordered that a new manufacturing facility was built in Roswell, NM. This is me taking a wild guess and assuming that is what happened.

 

 

GMC built the RTS in Pontiac, Michigan until 1987 when the transit bus business was sold to TMC. TMC moved the production to Roswell, although some of the bodies for early TMC RTS's were built in Michigan and shipped by truck to New Mexico.

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I should have clarified I was talking about the US market. Theyy had a few orders sprinked here and there, but did not really have a presence here until they built the plant, and was awarded 3 test bus awards (Prevost included) by the MTA.

 

Beside the current MTA orders they do seem to be getting fair amount of orders as of lately, this will improved once the CNG version is ready for sale.

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  • 3 weeks later...
Did anyone ever seriously think that Millennium, an unproven manufacturer, had a chance?

 

 

Just so you know, they had a more of a chance than you think, so don't assume. First of all, they were qualified by the CTA to bid on the contract. 

 

However, at $489,000 and a more attractive delivery schedule, CTA went with Nova. If MTS could have been able to commit to a more aggressive delivery schedule, they would have had more of a chance. 

 

MTS and everyone else has to remember that they are now competing with a company that created the very product they are trying to market.

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Just so you know, they had a more of a chance than you think, so don't assume. First of all, they were qualified by the CTA to bid on the contract. 

 

However, at $489,000 and a more attractive delivery schedule, CTA went with Nova. If MTS could have been able to commit to a more aggressive delivery schedule, they would have had more of a chance. 

 

MTS and everyone else has to remember that they are now competing with a company that created the very product they are trying to market.

What was MTS price offered to CTA?

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Orion left the market with a good proven porduct (shitty start, but something Houston Metro, TTC, NYC/MTA was willing to continue ordering, big three bus companies). What makes MTS think they can enter it? I'm sorry but I'm loosing hope in this company. I feel like a fool for actually believing in the hype. The longer I have to wait for simple updates the more I lose hope. I'll give them credit for trying, but sometimes the writing is written on the wall. They will be more succesful having a musuem, and maybe relocating to Michigan where RTS was orginally made. IIRC.

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Orion left the market with a good proven porduct (shitty start, but something Houston Metro, TTC, NYC/MTA was willing to continue ordering, big three bus companies). What makes MTS think they can enter it? I'm sorry but I'm loosing hope in this company. I feel like a fool for actually believing in the hype. The longer I have to wait for simple updates the more I lose hope. I'll give them credit for trying, but sometimes the writing is written on the wall. They will be more succesful having a musuem, and maybe relocating to Michigan where RTS was orginally made. IIRC.

Don't forgot WMATA, they used to order Orions in the hundreds.

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I stand corrected.... I guess it did come down to delivery schedule and a few other things... The RTS came in less than the Nova. Lets just say the 42.5 foot EPA13 RTS costs about the same as a 40 ft Nova. 

 

Apparently the Xcelsior did not have as an attractive delivery schedule either, however these are just preliminary reports as CTA decided not to split up the contract and award all to Nova.

 

This is just a learning experience for all as it was the first time in history where Nova, NFI, and MTS competed for a contract. It was smart for MTS to throw their hat in the ring.

 

Once I get the full picture I will have a better understanding of CTA's decision. In the 11th hour I had a vision of both the 40 foot and 60 foot awards going to Nova. NFI is in the process of delivering LFR artics, and MTS did not submit a bid for those.

 

The artic order is still pending.

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Orion left the market with a good proven porduct (shitty start, but something Houston Metro, TTC, NYC/MTA was willing to continue ordering, big three bus companies). What makes MTS think they can enter it? I'm sorry but I'm loosing hope in this company. I feel like a fool for actually believing in the hype. The longer I have to wait for simple updates the more I lose hope. I'll give them credit for trying, but sometimes the writing is written on the wall. They will be more succesful having a musuem, and maybe relocating to Michigan where RTS was orginally made. IIRC.

i hate to say this but im starting to feel the same way :(

Texas A&M Which has the largest MTS RTS fleet is looking for new buses and was hoping to get new ones from MTS

This past December however a novabus LFS HEV was seen being tested right before the end of the semester :(

i Honestly could care less for Novabus, cant stand the design but they have been doing REALLY good with all the new orders they have been getting recently

I know Texas A&M loves the RTS and its a damn good bus no doubt about it but at the end of the day we need new buses and if MTS is on hiatus or whatever people are gonna look elswhere (as we are now doing) to find replacements

I Think for MTS to survive they have to be more aggressive for starters. secondly they need to find someway to cut the cost of a bus because honestly there is no way the RTS is more expensive and would take longer to deliver and think that it can secure a contract from a cheaper and faster delivered bus. Lastly they need to market the hell out of the RTS low floor, people dont want high floors anymore and counting on the Legend to get them back will not work!

Im sad that novabus may be Texas A&M's new bus provider but it looks that way because MTS has to stuff to sort out and fast if it wants to survive.....

 

P.S IMO it seems that whatever market ORION left is being quickly taken over by novabus so MTS still has a lot of fighting to do with this new "warrior"

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i hate to say this but im starting to feel the same way :(

Texas A&M Which has the largest MTS RTS fleet is looking for new buses and was hoping to get new ones from MTS

This past December however a novabus LFS HEV was seen being tested right before the end of the semester :(

i Honestly could care less for Novabus, cant stand the design but they have been doing REALLY good with all the new orders they have been getting recently

I know Texas A&M loves the RTS and its a damn good bus no doubt about it but at the end of the day we need new buses and if MTS is on hiatus or whatever people are gonna look elswhere (as we are now doing) to find replacements

I Think for MTS to survive they have to be more aggressive for starters. secondly they need to find someway to cut the cost of a bus because honestly there is no way the RTS is more expensive and would take longer to deliver and think that it can secure a contract from a cheaper and faster delivered bus. Lastly they need to market the hell out of the RTS low floor, people dont want high floors anymore and counting on the Legend to get them back will not work!

Im sad that novabus may be Texas A&M's new bus provider but it looks that way because MTS has to stuff to sort out and fast if it wants to survive.....

 

P.S IMO it seems that whatever market ORION left is being quickly taken over by novabus so MTS still has a lot of fighting to do with this new "warrior"

Gillig also took some market share after Orion too not just New Flyer and Novabus.

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  • 2 months later...

Good eyes Turbo. As for who owned that bus I have no idea.

I have a good feeling it was Arcadia. I also have a feeling this bus may have been "inherited" from Nova as the bus uses at least some Nova Parts.

 

 

Also, it would seem fit if the disscussion of this unit in question continued in the MTS T-Drive thread.

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