Manhattan: More Hybrid City Buses

[Trainspotter 0]

Manhattan: More Hybrid City Buses

 

New York City Transit announced yesterday that it would add 850 hybrid buses to the fleet it operates with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. The agency said it already operated the largest hybrid bus fleet in the world, with 548 hybrid buses in service. The M.T.A., which also operates buses in the city, has 284 hybrids on the road. The new buses, made by DaimlerChrysler Commercial Buses North America, are expected to be put in service over the next two years.

 

From: NY Times - October 25, 2007

[TransitGuy 1]

Well this is great , the MTA chooses to buy a bus that has suspension problems and the works. I'm sure the life time expectancy of these buses might be 8-10 years without an overhaul, maybe less. I guess NYC will be pretty dull and the Orion VII will be the modern day RTS. I'm sure though that many of the older NYCTA buses might either be handed down to MTA Bus or simply scrapped which seems odd since those buses seem to be better than the Orion VII.

[Far Rock Depot 1,291]

Well this is great , the MTA chooses to buy a bus that has suspension problems and the works. I'm sure the life time expectancy of these buses might be 8-10 years without an overhaul, maybe less. I guess NYC will be pretty dull and the Orion VII will be the modern day RTS. I'm sure though that many of the older NYCTA buses might either be handed down to MTA Bus or simply scrapped which seems odd since those buses seem to be better than the Orion VII.

 

 

hey. give MTA Bus all those hand me downs! id rather ride those than the new crap thats coming out. Give it all the RTS's and Orion V's. Those are true buses!!! as far as the new Hybrids, if theyre gonna be the O7 NG's at least they will look nice. those are the buses you touch and say "pretty" before you climb those 3 steps getting on a real bus!

[DOB2RTO 29]

hey. give MTA Bus all those hand me downs! id rather ride those than the new crap thats coming out. Give it all the RTS's and Orion V's. Those are true buses!!! as far as the new Hybrids, if theyre gonna be the O7 NG's at least they will look nice. those are the buses you touch and say "pretty" before you climb those 3 steps getting on a real bus!

 

I'd rather an Orion V over an Orion VII any day. I hate driving a bus that I have to worry about the size of potholes when driving. Don't want to get hanged for hitting a "fixed standing object". One would figure, the cost of constantly replacing bent rims, busted tires, and torn shock absorbers, that the MTA would say, HMMM....... Orion, we would like an Orion V for our streets. But NOOOOOO, they just won't.

[Far Rock Depot 1,291]

So true. i have a friend who drives outta MV and shes shown me a pic of an O7 from the inside after it hit a pot hole and behind the curb side front wheel was this big-ass hole and you can see the street! that would never happen on an RTS! Not even on an old 870!

[Pablo M 201 35]

But take this into consideration, they'll be O7NGs.....

[DOB2RTO 29]

But take this into consideration, they'll be O7NGs.....

 

Newer garbage?

[Pablo M 201 35]

Newer garbage?

However you wanna put it....

 

At least it all won't look the same....

[Far Rock Depot 1,291]

True. the O7NG's atleast look nice. "Ooo, Pretty....."

[TransitGuy 1]

hey. give MTA Bus all those hand me downs! id rather ride those than the new crap thats coming out. Give it all the RTS's and Orion V's. Those are true buses!!! as far as the new Hybrids, if theyre gonna be the O7 NG's at least they will look nice. those are the buses you touch and say "pretty" before you climb those 3 steps getting on a real bus!

 

I agree with you. I think the RTS's and Orion V's have a lot of life left in them and they can easily surpass the Orion VII is life span. Its a shame the MTA can't simply overhaul the buses and call it a day rather than buying multi million dollar boxes and then talk about fare hikes.

[nycbusfan 2]

I agree with you. I think the RTS's and Orion V's have a lot of life left in them and they can easily surpass the Orion VII is life span. Its a shame the MTA can't simply overhaul the buses and call it a day rather than buying multi million dollar boxes and then talk about fare hikes.

The RTS can for sure last many more years, This 1985 model in the photo below lasted 22 years.NYCT 3503 which later became Green Lines 1101 and was renumbered to MTA Bus 1101 lasted 23 years, I can't imagine a hybrid lasting more than 12 or 13 years.

 

 

[Far Rock Depot 1,291]

what ever happened to the GOH programs of the 80's and 90's when buses life span was increased. i remember they started taking all the RTS 1200's and 1300's, rebuilding them and giving them a second life as 7000's and 7500's

[sebbieprops 0]

Very interesting look to that one. Not bad. I like it.

[Pablo M 201 35]

I agree with you. I think the RTS's and Orion V's have a lot of life left in them and they can easily surpass the Orion VII is life span. Its a shame the MTA can't simply overhaul the buses and call it a day rather than buying multi million dollar boxes and then talk about fare hikes.

But if you really think about it, the first Orion Vs are really on their last legs. But you have a few still running great, but majority doesn't show that.

[DOB2RTO 29]

But if you really think about it, the first Orion Vs are really on their last legs. But you have a few still running great, but majority doesn't show that.

 

The '93 200 series and the '95 400-600 series, are on their last legs. The only thing good in them is the engine, except the 200 series. I finally drove one (225), and with the A/C on, that bus is a dog. I've seen too many with cracked shells (always above the rear left tires), and plenty of rust under the paint. To overhaul them they need new shells, and a Cummins engine (power!). Don't know how the chassis are. I think it would be cheaper just to get a newer bus. Last, don't forget to bring a small umbrella if it rains outside.

[superdotny 0]

The new ones on the M42 are just too tiny for a Manhattan crosstown. I hope these Electric Hybrids are not coming to Brooklyn. Overhauls may lower long term costs.