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| Sun Trans (Tucson) Buses Observations 9_26_2008 (117151) | |
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| (117151) | |
Sun Trans (Tucson) Buses Observations 9_26_2008 |
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Posted by transitbusfan on Sat Sep 27 15:03:57 2008 Yesterday I was going on the field trip with Phoenix College photography Students to University of Arizona Creative Arts of Photography. But I saw four SunTrans busesin Tucson including Nava RTS, Gillig LF and New Flyer H40LF.2016 2001 Nova RTS-WFD on Route 4- Speedway 2518 2005 Gillig-LF on Route 16- 12th Avenue/Oracle 2540 2005 Gillig-LF on Route 1- Glenn/Swan 9720 1997 New Flyer C40HF on Route 5- Speedway I am going to Glendale Community College (Monday-Thursday) and Phoenix College (on Friday only). They have a similar farebox like Valley Metro have in Tempe before switch to the new one last year. I wish SunTran (Tucson) buy 30 New Flyer D60LFR inclding 15 New Flyer D40LFR than seeing the some old Gillig LF in Tucson. |
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| (117159) | |
Re: Sun Tran (Tucson) Bus Observations 9_26_2008 |
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Posted by roscoman1986 on Sat Sep 27 16:10:45 2008, in response to Sun Trans (Tucson) Buses Observations 9_26_2008, posted by transitbusfan on Sat Sep 27 15:03:57 2008. Unfortunately, they are going to continue to order Gilligs for 40-foot service. Hopefully they will have BRT styling like the 35-foot Mountain Line Gillig BRT hybrid that they demonstrated back in April. Unfortunately, they will be biodiesel rather than hybrid. Interestingly, I remember seeing a picture of a New Flyer Invero demonstrator back at a Sun Tran yard in 2004. Apparently they decided to go with Gillig but that was the closest that they got to ordering New Flyer low floors.As for D60LFRs, I don't know which, if any, routes warrant articulateds now (perhaps PHXTUSbusfan can answer this for me), and unfortunately I don't think if they get artics they will get 30 of them (I could be completely wrong, however). A D60LFR would look great in Sun Tran paint though! |
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| (117185) | |
Re: Sun Tran (Tucson) Bus Observations 9_26_2008 |
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Posted by phxtusbusfan on Sat Sep 27 23:43:20 2008, in response to Re: Sun Tran (Tucson) Bus Observations 9_26_2008, posted by roscoman1986 on Sat Sep 27 16:10:45 2008. I suspect that the next major Sun Tran order (after the present one) will be for CNG fueled buses (and therefore it won't be Gillig). Also, articulated buses are likely to be ordered in the future but aren't right now (for the same reason that there are no CNG buses on order, they're keeping the current CNG buses and not replacing any of them until after the new garage opens) and that's that Sun Tran is operating from a facility that is packed to the gills (I believe that the capacity is 150 buses and there are currently a little more than 200 buses in the fleet). When the new North facility opens Sun Tran will have a South Garage (CNG and biodiesel) and a North Garage (biodiesel only) and the North Garage is being designed to accommodate articulated garages. I think that the artics will either be D60LFRs or NABI 60BRTs (due to the CNG fueling capability).As for the number of artics needed, I'd say somewhere between 10-15 would be a good number and if any artics are ordered they would assuredly go on Route 8 (Broadway/South 6th St) and Route 4 (Speedway), and likely also on Route 16 (12th St/Oracle). Route 8 runs 10 minute headways during weekdays and 20 minute headways on the weekends/evenings (and the buses are generally standing room only). Route 4 has 10 minute headways during weekdays and 30 minute headways on the weekends/evenings. Route 16 has 15 minute headways during weekdays and 30 minute headways on weekends/evenings. One of the reasons that headways cannot be decreased is that there is NO SPACE at the Ronstadt Transit Center for them if there is any bunching at all (Route 8 bunches BADLY during the weeks and even on weekends). |
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| (117186) | |
Re: Sun Trans (Tucson) Buses Observations 9_26_2008 |
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Posted by phxtusbusfan on Sat Sep 27 23:50:00 2008, in response to Sun Trans (Tucson) Buses Observations 9_26_2008, posted by transitbusfan on Sat Sep 27 15:03:57 2008. Glad you were able to come down to my neat little hometown.I do have one question/point to make though, the 25XX buses are numbered 2501-2538 (there are 38 25XXs (2501-2538), 12 26XXs (2601-2612), and 18 27XXs (2701-2718) Gillig LFs). Also, I pray that they get ANYTHING over the current Gillig design. The buses aren't my favorite (I prefer New Flyers) but I would be OK with Gilligs if they got some of those BRT styled Gilligs. The present Gillig design has to be the most boring looking low floor design (which is why I don't take a lot of photos of them). As I responded to roscoman1986 I believe that 10-15 artics would be a more reasonable number of artics and I can see them being either New Flyer D60LFs, D60LFRs or NABI 60BRTs (for the CNG capability). |
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| (117204) | |
Re: Sun Trans (Tucson) Buses Observations 9_26_2008 |
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Posted by transitbusfan on Sun Sep 28 02:50:45 2008, in response to Re: Sun Trans (Tucson) Buses Observations 9_26_2008, posted by phxtusbusfan on Sat Sep 27 23:50:00 2008. I agree with you Phxtusbusfun and roscoman1986, SunTran would need 10-15 artics buses in the future after the new north bus garage get done. |
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| (117206) | |
Re: Sun Trans (Tucson) Buses Observations 9_26_2008 |
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Posted by transitbusfan on Sun Sep 28 02:59:06 2008, in response to Re: Sun Trans (Tucson) Buses Observations 9_26_2008, posted by phxtusbusfan on Sat Sep 27 23:50:00 2008. I am sorry Phxtusbusfan and Roscoman1986 I just saw 2040 2001 Nova RTS-WFD on on Route 1- Glenn/Swan on last Friday during my field trip to University of Arizona.I just mix up in my brain which buses they are. |
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| (117217) | |
Re: Sun Trans (Tucson) Buses Observations 9_26_2008 |
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Posted by phxtusbusfan on Sun Sep 28 10:05:20 2008, in response to Re: Sun Trans (Tucson) Buses Observations 9_26_2008, posted by transitbusfan on Sun Sep 28 02:59:06 2008. it's all good. |
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