D45 in test at Trans Bridge Lines

[davemackey]

Per its Twitter feed, Trans-Bridge Lines (which runs seven NJT buses) will begin testing a new MCI D45 today. Plain white bus with no markings. The company is quick to stress that this bus is not restroom equipped.

[Uncle Floyd Fan]

 

So much for seeing if commodes on NYC Express Buses could work. Now it looks as if Trans-Bridge (TBL) might remove their commodes in the future.

Question - As this D45 topic is in the NJT thread, do you know if they'll be using buses with NJ omnibus plates (which means it is NJT property), or will the bus have a PA plate? If the buses have a PA tag/plate, then it might mean that TBL is considering operating buses w/o commodes (Academy did away with most of their onboard commodes circa 2001-2002).

[Uncle Floyd Fan]

2 hours ago, davemackey said:

Per its Twitter feed, Trans-Bridge Lines (which runs seven NJT buses) will begin testing a new MCI D45 today. Plain white bus with no markings. The company is quick to stress that this bus is not restroom equipped.

Come to think of it, the bus in the twitter feed looks like a stock photo and is in fact a demo bus. It may not even have NJ or PA plates. All it will have is the Trans-Bridge ICC and DOT numbers somewhere on the running board. As it is a demo, TBL will then decide if it is worth purchasing the D45, or if they can even get the bus to their specifications (which would presumably mean it would have a commode on it).

[davemackey]

4 hours ago, Uncle Floyd Fan said:

Question - As this D45 topic is in the NJT thread, do you know if they'll be using buses with NJ omnibus plates (which means it is NJT property), or will the bus have a PA plate? If the buses have a PA tag/plate, then it might mean that TBL is considering operating buses w/o commodes (Academy did away with most of their onboard commodes circa 2001-2002).

The most recent Trans-Bridge buses that are owned by NJ Transit, 19031-19037, have Pennsylvania plates. Most buses that run with apportioned plates get them registered in, of all places, Illinois. But all of NJT's private carrier cruisers acquired in the last three years have NJ Apportioned plates.

[Uncle Floyd Fan]

Good to know. But I must say, if they're using the bus pictured above, it seems like a waste of space. It would be better to have a commode than rear steps where all the people board in one state and get dropped off in another.

[46Dover]

I just don’t like those buses at all

[BM5 via Woodhaven]

10 hours ago, 46Dover said:

I just don’t like those buses at all

Agreed. They could have redone the D-series design a little to make it more modern looking instead of making it look like a botched version of a J-series bus (I don't like how the J-series looks either).

[davemackey]

I've seen pictures of the actual bus. Plain white, as expected. The certificate lettering indicates OWNED & OPERATED BY TRANS-BRIDGE LINES giving all the registry numbers associated with Trans-Bridge. But no numbering.

[davemackey]

I want to revisit this topic. There is a gap in the VIN sequence of the D45 CRT LE's built just far that I can't peg to any particular customer, and I believe this Trans-Bridge unit is that bus. The first four (Units 81000-81003) went to Bow Valley/Roam in Banff. The next 11 buses are Facebook 45100-45110 (yes, Facebook has buses). Two for Southwest Transit follow. Then 21 more for Facebook. That puts us at the missing bus, Unit No. 81038. That is followed by the remaining Facebook buses, ending at Unit No. 81083, which is Facebook 45176.

SAFER doesn't show any D45 inspection at Trans-Bridge.

[pkim87]

On 7/11/2019 at 1:24 PM, BM5 via Woodhaven said:

Agreed. They could have redone the D-series design a little to make it more modern looking instead of making it look like a botched version of a J-series bus (I don't like how the J-series looks either).

100%. This is the one thing I have noticed with MCI's (both commuter and charter coaches): not many novel design changes sometimes even from one decade to the next. It is as if they do not want to let go of their old ways. This is why I like branching out and seeing Prevost, Volvo, or VanHool buses for example and see how their designs are not "limited" to one style and in some cases even work better than MCI's.

If you look at Sunsundegui's Sideral 2000 or its charter counterpart SC7, this design (which was in use since the '80's) looks simpler and cleaner IMO than the D45. These have a rear door, a water closet and a rear window (which makes the bus environment less "stuffy" and I like vision whenever possible). We are catching up yet again to Europe (articulated subway cars were in use there for at least nearly two decades as well and NYC is just ordering them soon for the first time). 

 

[davemackey]

I didn't realize we left you hanging. The VIN of the Trans-Bridge demo was 2MGZDMBAXJW068717. Thus, a 2018 bus. Despite the cert lettering Trans-Bridge does not (and never did) own this bus. It is still a MCI Demo.