TTC: Buses to be Retired in 2006

[drum118]

2006 will see a change in TTC policy where "ALL" buses will be retired at 18 years or sooner based on the condition they are in at the time.

It will also mark the end of the line for 50 Orion VI CNG that will be only 8 years old There will be no crying over these Orion VI as they are a useless buss in the first place. Some should be kept for community buses.

253 Buses to be disposed:
95 GM New Look purchased in 1982/83
27 Flyer D901 purchased in 1985
60 GM Classics purchased in 1987
1 Flyer D40-88 purchased 1n 1988
50 Orion VI CNG purchased in 1998
20 Flyer D902

They will be replaced with 230 Orion VII due this year.

There is a possibility that 100 more will show up this year that were originally deferred to 2007. They will be addition buses been added to the existing fleet under Ridership Growth Plan.

CB Engineering has received a contract to remove 233 surplus buses staring in January 2006 with the remaining 20 buses been donated to non-profit organization.

Dave

 

[fiendishlibrarian]

So are all the Classics going? I was under the impression some were going to be rebuilt. They are good buses, I'd hate to see them go.

 

[spmarshall]

95 New Looks gone. Damn - those will be sorely missed.

 

[EnviroTO]

253 buses leaving and 230 arriving... is that a reduction in the buses on the road or are 23 or more of those buses leaving already off the road and undrivable?

 

[simply Dan]

Out with the old, in with the new! This is excellent news. One of the things I hate about the current TTC bus fleet is that there are too many different bus models on the road – we need more continuity in the types of busses in service. Although not perfect, the new low-floor Orion VIIs are a big improvement for the fleet. I can’t wait for the day that the Orion VIIs will be the only bus model in service for the TTC.

Will all of these old busses be recycled, sold, or simply dumped somewhere I wonder?

 

[elook]

Tell me those frickin fish bowls with the paddles at the rear door are going. Nothing worse out there, IMHO.

I'd love to see the Nova RTS go as well - whoever designed the wheelchair lift into those things obviously never considered winter. They are so drafty you have to keep your hat and mits on in the rear of the bus.

 

[EnviroTO]

Tell me those frickin fish bowls with the paddles at the rear door are going. Nothing worse out there, IMHO.

The paddles worked pretty well if the rear doors were only used as an exit but obviously were inflexible in that they couldn't also be used as an entrance very easily. For exiting purposes I prefer the step down to the three options of step down, door paddle, and push bar. I dislike the push bar since I find it the least user friendly.

 

[spmarshall]

Until Jane 35 was designated an accessible route, the ex-STCUM New Looks (the ones with the "paddles", actually called MacKay gates) were on that route, which worked because Jane Station does not have a fare paid area. Now it looks like they are mostly on Wilson 96.

The new Brampton Novabuses have sensors. The only thing that's worse than pushbars.

 

[doady]

Why are the Orion VI's being retired so early? Isn't the life-span of low floor buses 12 years? Which means they still have 4 years to go?

 

[rbtaylor]

Why are the Orion VI's being retired so early?

2 main reasons:

1) The fuel is very expensive. They have to maintain the fuel system for a small number of buses on top of the cost of the natural gas itself.
2) The natural gas busses have a tendency to fail in spectacular ways. TTC has lost a few of them from explosions and fires.

 

[spmarshall]

And the third reason being that Orion VIs are the worst pieces of sh*t that the TTC ever bought, perhaps with the Orion IIIs as their only close competitor?

I hate, hate, hate Orion VIs.

 

[Sir Novelty Fashion]

Why? (Never had the joy of riding one.)

 

[fiendishlibrarian]

Aside from being underpowered, those buses were notorious for having axle problems from the get-go. They are also very unsuited for many routes because they have smaller carrying capacities than other buses. What else? The single, crappy back door, awkward layout, and the fact they just look like a bus only a mother can love. Orion VIs are probably unique in TTC history in that they inspire universal loathing among riders and drivers.

 

[rbtaylor]

Aside from being underpowered, those buses were notorious for having axle problems from the get-go. They are also very unsuited for many routes because they have smaller carrying capacities than other buses. What else? The single, crappy back door, awkward layout, and the fact they just look like a bus only a mother can love. Orion VIs are probably unique in TTC history in that they inspire universal loathing among riders and drivers.

Most of those problems are common to all Orion VIs. I believe they are keeping the diesel ones for a while yet.