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| PHOTOS Valley Metro Light Rail Bus Shuttles (130220) | |
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Re: PHOTOS Valley Metro Light Rail Bus Shuttles |
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Posted by roscoman1986 on Fri Jan 2 01:53:14 2009, in response to PHOTOS Valley Metro Light Rail Bus Shuttles, posted by phxtusbusfan on Sun Dec 28 01:13:54 2008. Nice pics! Here are my comments by division (rather than by photo because of all of the interesting bus moves last weekend, also note that they are a bit long).Phoenix-North: From what I remember, Phoenix-North did not operate any of the light rail shuttles. In addition, I don't remember any Phoenix-owned 1998 or 1999 NABIs (from both Phoenix-North and Phoenix-South) operating on the light rail shuttles. Of course, for more capacity any of the Phoenix divisions (and Tempe) could have operated the 45C-LFWs rather than their 40-foot buses but I guess that it wasn't really worth it to run them and deal with standees (and people getting on and off the buses). I saw a Tempe 45C-LFW on Priest Drive at Loop 202 but I couldn't see if it was in service or not (it would be nice to see it in service on route 56). Phoenix-South: Last weekend was probably the final chance to regularly photograph D60LFs in Tempe (Phoenix-South will continue to run the 44 into downtown Tempe although probably not regularly with artics) and the last time to photograph Phoenix buses in Mesa (since there will no longer be any Phoenix buses traveling into Mesa with the demise of the Red Line). In addition, Phoenix-South definitely put on a show with their massive D60LF operation (along with a handful of 2002 NABI 40-LFWs that were not very exciting, luckily I did not ride any of them last weekend). The 2004 D60LFs were nice to see and they were relatively clean (although I did not get a chance to ride them last weekend either). Phoenix-South's nicest treat for me last weekend was the chance to ride on three 2008 D60LFs for the first time. I found it interesting that Valley Metro took delivery of both Phoenix's D60LFs with relatively basic specifications and the RPTA's D60LFAs with nearly everything short of a hybrid drive and Transit TV at nearly same time. It was nice at Sycamore/Main to compare both the D60LF and the D62LFA, while at the same time realizing that despite the futuristic styling, the New Flyer D62LFA is just a D60LF with a new body on it. As for the 2008 D60LFs, on the exterior, the only differences between the 2007 D60LFs and the 2008 D60LFs were the exterior cameras, the "City of Phoenix" text being in all CAPITAL letters rather than in capital and lower-case, and the new-style license plates. The interior was a bit of a letdown (especially compared to the D62LFA and even the C40LFR) and it was almost exactly the same as the 2007 D60LFs. I don't mind the seats that much on the 2008 D60LFs but I was hoping that Phoenix would specify both LED lighting and vandal-resistant walls (at least in the rear section) like on the 2006 C40LFRs, 60-BRTs, and 2007 D40LFRs, considering that Phoenix-South has been making the walls of the 40-LFWs vandal-resistant. Speaking of vandalism, the 2008 D60LFs have ALREADY had their windows scratched up despite being virtually brand-new buses (I guess they put them in school tripper service earlier last month but for a short time). There were several differences from the 2007 D60LFs. First, there were stickers on the windows in the wheelchair and priority seating area (despite this, the ad racks had the priority seating/wheelchair securement "ads" instealled). Second, the area by the articulated joint was gray rather than cream-colored and it did not have the "Full amount must be paid" sticker. The best part about the 2008 D60LFs, however, was that they were much quieter in my opinion than the 2007 D60LFs. Overall, hopefully the ElDorado Axess buses will be more vandal-resistant and have some neat features in them. Phoenix-West: Not only did Phoenix-West put on a show with their 2007 D60LFs, but they also sent their buses into places where Phoenix-West has never gone before. It was neat to see First Transit buses in Tempe and Mesa (although the 2007 D60LFs went to Tempe and Mesa when they were mostly with Veolia Phoenix back when they were new). I saw that buses 8046-8050 are now with Phoenix-West since Phoenix-South received the 2008 D60LFs. On Saturday, I got the chance to ride a Phoenix-West 2007 D60LF for the first time, which was also the second (or third) time that I had ridden on a Phoenix-West bus since Laidlaw was bought by First Transit. I expected that the bus would be as clean as the 2007 D40LFs were when they were new and with Laidlaw. However, I was completely wrong as this particular 2007 D60LF was trashed in the rear section, with a ton of scratchitti (and even some graffiti). Apparently this is not just limited to one bus as your other photos (and your interior photo of 8044) show. Although I can understand that the 2007 D60LFs run on "rough" routes (and are hard to monitor for vandalism), I was quite surprised that Phoenix-West did not take care of their buses as well as I thought they would. I guess the only reason why the 2007 D40LFs were pretty clean (besides the fact that they are easier to monitor for vandalism) back when Laidlaw had the North Phoenix routes was the fact that those routes did not go through "rough" areas or have many school tripper (except for routes 43, 59, and 67). Tempe: Tempe operated their buses on Apache Boulevard/Main Street in Mesa and on Washington Street in Phoenix for the first time since 2003 (when they discontinued their operation of weekday Red Line trips and Route 1-Washington). At the same time, last weekend was probably the last time Tempe NABI 35-LFWs and 40-LFWs would journey into Phoenix on a regular basis with the discontinuance of the Red Line. Tempe's weekend Red Line operation was definitely quite interesting with the chance to see and ride Tempe buses far away from Tempe proper. As for the Red Line last weekend, it was operating some interesting buses, including some of the 1998 RPTA NABIs, as well as (possibly) the other 1999 RPTA NABIs other than 6254 and 1999 NABIs 6256-6261 (although I did not remember seeing any examples of the latter two groups). Since the shuttles were free, Tempe decided to use some of its FLASH fleet as contribution to the light rail shuttles. As far as I know (and with proof above), Tempe was using 6178, 6181, 6183, 6184, and 6188 in light rail shuttle service (there may have been more of the FLASH fleet in use). Although I remember seeing a FLASH bus in driver training service by Central and Camelback around 2003 and I remember seeing a FLASH bus possibly getting ready for express (yes, express) service on either the 520 or 521 in downtown Phoenix back in 2005 or 2006, it was definitely a very neat opportunity (if not the neatest out of all of the shuttle bus operations unless the GUS buses were operating in shuttle service) to see the FLASH buses far away from downtown Tempe and Arizona State University, as they rarely venture far from there (with the exception of when Tempe buses are free for the Fourth of July and New Years Eve and they run Tempe local service). With regards to your photos, that photo of 6178 is definitely really cool, as the building in the background is clearly in downtown Phoenix, ironically that FLASH bus is operating right near the DASH route, and the maroon and gold colors aren't that out of place since ASU Downtown is right across the street. I had a chance to ride on 6184 from Priest and Washington to the Tempe Transit Center (which was not that interesting since it was right near downtown Tempe) and I met Salaam on that bus as well. RPTA: Of course it will not be a surprise to see RPTA buses (with the possible exception of the 60-BRT) on Apache Boulevard/Main Street, but seeing them in Phoenix (outside of downtown and, in the past, Central Avenue) and down Mill Avenue is a different story. I had the chance to ride one of the 2008 C40LFRs down Washington Street last Saturday and I really wanted to try to get a ride on a 60-BRT but I wasn't able to. It was nice to see the 2008 C40LFRs on Central Avenue outside of rush hours (I would guess that they run route 512 with Tempe now), and even nicer to see them both on Washington Street and up at 19th Avenue and Montebello, but the nicest treat was seeing the 60-BRTs in Phoenix outside of downtown. It was certainly interesting to see the 60-BRTs so far away from Mesa (even if they go to downtown Phoenix during rush hours) as well as the C40LFRs up at 19th Avenue and Montebello. Glendale: I did not see the GUS buses after Saturday morning and I never saw one actually running shuttle service. These buses may have been used to bring City of Glendale officials to the light rail opening if they were not used in shuttle service. It would have been a the neatest (and extremely rare) opportunity to see and ride these buses in the shuttle service (even if they are not "real" buses), but just to see these buses outside of downtown Glendale was neat enough as they never leave downtown Glendale (and I do not venture out often to Glendale). I did not see it in person, but apparently Glendale has taken delivery of an ElDorado MST II recently (according to www.enconline.com the MST and MST II are no longer in production), so I hope to check that bus out (it is not in GUS colors or Luke Link colors however). I did not see any of the cutaways either. Speaking of Glendale, it would have been nice to see Valu Trans' fleet represented in the shuttle service, as 2007 New Flyer D40LFRs 6489-6500 have not yet gone over to Tempe or Mesa, it would have also been nice to see the Novas (if they have any) and/or D40LFRs in Phoenix (outside of downtown Phoenix or South Phoenix), and Tempe. |
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