MCI D4500CT Delivery Thread (CNG, Diesel & Hybrid-Electric)

[Gmansports]

Here she is, the public sector variant that will replace the D4500CT.  Meet the 2021 and beyond marketed D45 CRT Commuter coach for public sector. Note the website mcicoach.com has been completely redesigned today with their new lineups.

There is a high chance the RFP of 172 NJT cruisers buses that will go out end of this year into next year, MCI will submit their bid offer with  this commuter coach above. The official brochure of the D45 CRT should be released this month.  Expect this bus to arrive to NJT as a demo later this year.

Edited May 9, 2021 by Gmansports

[JLiu15]

21214, 21233, 21227, 21203, 21205, 21206, and 21207 are at Suburban.

21227:

21203:

21233:

 

[Gmansports]

OPRA 210504-479129

 

5 days ago, I have submitted an OPRA request to inquiry about year 5 (334)  and year 6 (118) bus allocation since there has been a change of assignments to both NJT garage and private carriers allotments.  I officially got a response and they ask for more time and should have a complete picture by May 28th 2021.

[davemackey]

The Rockland buses are in the process of being inspected but we have only a few hard matches between fleet numbers and unit numbers/VINs because the buses' tracking devices are not in use. I'm told that right now at ADD there are only Rockland units there.

Also I think the new VIN format is going to be coming into play soon. (Go look it up on VPIC or CPTDB Wiki)

We'll get this figured out soon!

[Juan833Blue]

 

21181 shown here, this is a Meadowlands MCI D4500CT

[Gmansports]

Here is the latest from Oradell garage: 

 

bus 21191 is temporarily being used as a test bus for maintenance at Oradell bus depot. There are making modifications to the service pits to “make it work”

Also they determined Oradell can only function up to 160 45 footers at the facility.

 

So, the recent approval to authorize 118 buses of the final year 6 .
 

37 of them will go  to Oradell sometime end of 2021 into 2022. 

I say it will be 1st quarter 2022 Oradell will have ( 37) 45 footers from year 6. The rest of the allotment will be based on a separate and new bus order that will first go out as a RFP by beginning of 2022. Concurrently plans will change depending on the progress of the northern bus garage project. 
 

stay tune

 

[Gmansports]

Below is official for year 5 order thus far, 21xxx.

MCI Block 5 Buses Number of Buses

 NJ TRANSIT
45' CRUISER BUSES = Allocated 197
Ironbound Garage (Bus No.'s; 21001 - 21028) 28
Howell Garage (Bus No.'s; 21029 - 21073) 45
Meadowlands Garage (Bus No.'s; 21074 - 21190) 117
Wayne Garage (Bus No.'s; 21191 - 21197) 7
 

MCI Block 5 Buses Number of Buses

PRIVATE CARRIER 45' CRUISER BUSES = Allocated 137
ROCKLAND COACHES, INC. (Bus No.'s; 21198-21241) 44
SUBURBAN TRAILS, INC. (Bus No.'s; 21242-21276) 35
ACADEMY LINES, LLC. (Bus No.'s; 21277-21334) 58
 

Total Weekly # 's (Includes NJT & PC Buses)
  334

 

Year 6, 22xxx, 118 assignments are not finalized yet, however it appears Wayne will get a chunk of the buses in year 6 order

 

 

 

————————————————

 

Here is official response when i ask what is the “alternate procurement strategy” dated May 27th 2021

 

With regard to your request for “information on the "alternate procurement strategy" for NJT garages with capacity issues that cannot accommodate 45 footers,” please be advised that the buses will be distributed to several locations under a plan that is currently under development.

 

 

 

Edited May 27, 2021 by Gmansports

[Gmansports]

4 hours ago, Gmansports said:

Below is official for year 5 order thus far, 21xxx.

MCI Block 5 Buses Number of Buses

 NJ TRANSIT
45' CRUISER BUSES = Allocated 197
Ironbound Garage (Bus No.'s; 21001 - 21028) 28
Howell Garage (Bus No.'s; 21029 - 21073) 45
Meadowlands Garage (Bus No.'s; 21074 - 21190) 117
Wayne Garage (Bus No.'s; 21191 - 21197) 7
 

MCI Block 5 Buses Number of Buses

PRIVATE CARRIER 45' CRUISER BUSES = Allocated 137
ROCKLAND COACHES, INC. (Bus No.'s; 21198-21241) 44
SUBURBAN TRAILS, INC. (Bus No.'s; 21242-21276) 35
ACADEMY LINES, LLC. (Bus No.'s; 21277-21334) 58
 

Total Weekly # 's (Includes NJT & PC Buses)
  334

 

Year 6, 22xxx, 118 assignments are not finalized yet, however it appears Wayne will get a chunk of the buses in year 6 order

 

 

 

————————————————

 

Here is official response when i ask what is the “alternate procurement strategy” dated May 27th 2021

 

With regard to your request for “information on the "alternate procurement strategy" for NJT garages with capacity issues that cannot accommodate 45 footers,” please be advised that the buses will be distributed to several locations under a plan that is currently under development.

 

 

 

officially received word:

Final year 6 is 151 total buses after all.

33 initial plus 118 recently approved options  all in NJT paint. Garage allocation is TBD  

Fleet# 22001-22151

[davemackey]

Thank you. Was just about to post that information here but there you have it. I am assuming also that the 2022 buses will include the remaining 30 lav coaches. None of the 100+ buses just delivered to Meadowlands has the john.

Shocking, though, that they're figuring out FINALLY how to make 45' buses work in Oradell - and when did NJT start getting 45' buses? Oh, that's right, 2002....

I analyzed the contract on the series page on CPTDB Wiki, and NJT will have 710 new buses in its own colors - 115 over the contracted for amount - and 509 private carrier coaches delivered, exactly the contracted total. (Of course that doesn't count the three 2016 demos, or account for the fact that some of those private carrier buses have been rescued by NJT.)

[Gmansports]

32 minutes ago, davemackey said:

Thank you. Was just about to post that information here but there you have it. I am assuming also that the 2022 buses will include the remaining 30 lav coaches. None of the 100+ buses just delivered to Meadowlands has the john.

Shocking, though, that they're figuring out FINALLY how to make 45' buses work in Oradell - and when did NJT start getting 45' buses? Oh, that's right, 2002....

I analyzed the contract on the series page on CPTDB Wiki, and NJT will have 710 new buses in its own colors - 115 over the contracted for amount - and 509 private carrier coaches delivered, exactly the contracted total. (Of course that doesn't count the three 2016 demos, or account for the fact that some of those private carrier buses have been rescued by NJT.)

Finally the final count of the original 6 year contract comes to a close. 

There is a "spinoff" of the options not exercised and now part of a planned 172 RFP release by end of this year. 

Now I am eager what the new bus specs will be that calls for a cruiser type bus.  40 foot? 45 foot? What type of propulsion? By time the RFP is published and selection is made, the product lines for NFI/MCI will be producing the next gen D Lines. I also don't see any another bus company that can compete with NFI in terms of meeting NJT road map goals. 

[davemackey]

On 5/29/2021 at 4:16 PM, Gmansports said:

Finally the final count of the original 6 year contract comes to a close. 

There is a "spinoff" of the options not exercised and now part of a planned 172 RFP release by end of this year. 

Now I am eager what the new bus specs will be that calls for a cruiser type bus.  40 foot? 45 foot? What type of propulsion? By time the RFP is published and selection is made, the product lines for NFI/MCI will be producing the next gen D Lines. I also don't see any another bus company that can compete with NFI in terms of meeting NJT road map goals. 

The 151 buses for NJT will likely be the last old-type D's for anyone. MCI is going to insist that any new contracts for NJ Transit (or anyone else) be fulfilled with D45 series buses whether they are the low-entry type or full high floor. Perhaps the only other manufacturer that could do that size contract might be Prevost Car. Prevost at least has a proven product.

 

[Cait Sith]

On 5/30/2021 at 9:30 PM, davemackey said:

The 151 buses for NJT will likely be the last old-type D's for anyone. MCI is going to insist that any new contracts for NJ Transit (or anyone else) be fulfilled with D45 series buses whether they are the low-entry type or full high floor. Perhaps the only other manufacturer that could do that size contract might be Prevost Car. Prevost at least has a proven product.

 

Ehhh...I still feel like that's debatable.

[davemackey]

Let's update Meadowlands and Wayne.

Meadowlands:
Not yet inspected: 21158 (up for inspection tomorrow)
In service: 21074-21089, 21091, 21093-21145, 21148-21149, 21151-21154, 21156, 21159-21160, 21162, 21164-21165, 21169, 21171, 21174, 21177, 21179, 21181, 21185-21186
Inspected: 21090, 21092, 21146-21147, 21150, 21155, 21157, 21161, 21163, 21166-21168, 21170, 21172-21173, 21175-21176, 21178, 21180, 21182-21184, 21187-21190

Wayne: 
Inspected: 21191-21197 (21191 and 21192 reported at Oradell for clearance testing)... not spotted in revenue yet.

[davemackey]

The last Meadowlands bus got inspected today.... 21158. So once those buses and the seven from Wayne go into active service, the NJT portion of the 2021 cruiser order will be done.

Rockland Coaches almost done with their inspections. Four to go which may be 21226, 21237, 21238 and 21240.

Suburban Transit's units are on deck.

[davemackey]

First two Suburban Trails units inspected today - 21242 and 21248. Fleet number confirmation from the inspection reports, why don't all the inspectors do this, or why can't there be a field on the form for fleet number? Also, 21221 got inspected, so we have about three Rockland buses still needing inspection.

[JLiu15]

The Suburban 21000s have stainless steel panels. Coach USA going back to stainless steel sides?

[Juan833Blue]

16 hours ago, JLiu15 said:

The Suburban 21000s have stainless steel panels. Coach USA going back to stainless steel sides?

Yep.  the 17000-Series Coach USA ones have the metallic panels.

[JLiu15]

13 minutes ago, Juan833Blue said:

Yep.  the 17000-Series Coach USA ones have the metallic panels.

Probably specified by the operator? Since Rockland's is paintable but Suburban's is stainless steel for 2021.

[Juan833Blue]

Just now, JLiu15 said:

Probably specified by the operator? Since Rockland's is paintable but Suburban's is stainless steel for 2021.

To me the metallic panels on the MCIs look a lot better.

[JLiu15]

I'm sure this is an unpopular opinion here, but I actually prefer the paintable panels over the stainless steel ones. I like the clean finish it gives the bus, and makes it look much more modern. When comparing stainless steel and paintable panel Coach USA units side by side, the latter look 100x better to my eyes. But again, just my opinion and to each their own.

[davemackey]

Meadowlands has all buses in service except 21090, 21092, 21155, 21158, 21161, 21172, 21182-21184 and 21188-21190.

Wayne has all buses inspected but not in service yet. 21191-21192 still at Oradell for training.

Rockland has all buses inspected except 21237.

Suburban has 15 buses inspected and 10 yet to be delivered.

Academy buses not on the line yet.

[JLiu15]

Update on the ex-Saddle River 17000s: According to a FB post, 17066 is at Newton Ave.

[DCTransitFilms]

On 6/17/2021 at 1:42 PM, JLiu15 said:

Update on the ex-Saddle River 17000s: According to a FB post, 17066 is at Newton Ave.

seems like Newton Ave getting the 17000s? Aren't they slanted to get some 22000s too?

[553 Bridgeton]

8 hours ago, DCTransitFilms said:

seems like Newton Ave getting the 17000s? Aren't they slanted to get some 22000s too?

The funny thing they don’t even need mcis. 2 part time mci lines and peak direction lines: 90% of there mcis sit on the weekends. 

[JLiu15]

14 hours ago, DCTransitFilms said:

seems like Newton Ave getting the 17000s? Aren't they slanted to get some 22000s too?

I guess Egg Harbor and Washington Twp wound need MCIs the most, so probably most of the 22000s will go to them.