Are there any of these buses left? I Started to see new New Flyer XD40s from 2012-2013 and just started to wonder.
Last I heard, there were about 12 left (as of June 2012).
I saw one at West Falls Church station today, didn't get to see the number
Its confirmed that all of the remaining RTS' will be retired by June 1, 2013! Get your last pics, videos, and rides while they last!!
Really? Holy cow, I better make my way to the Orange line pronto!
Can someone tell me where I can find these buses? I was @ West Falls Chruch station today and I didn't see a single RTS (or 40ft Orion V). Only XD40s with a couple D40LFRs. Should I of gotten off the East Falls Chruch station? Are the RTS's only rushhour buses at this point?
Unless they have been moved to another depot, they should still be seen at WFC. However, since they will be gone soon, I suggest looking for them during rush hour as opposed to any other time.
Guess I might try again in the coming days. It's funny that I only rode a FFX RTS once, all the way back in summer 2005....
Oh man, I forgot that today is the last day for the RTS's. Anyone caught one recently?
The remaining 11 RTS buses pulled their final runs during the rush hour on May 31, 2013. They could be found during rush hours on routes to and from West Falls Church. I was out of town when it happened. Connector's 1994 RTSs were the oldest in the region I beileve. Those buses were tanks but the long express stretches on the Dulles Toll Road is probably what allowed them to stay in service so long.
They are also the last of the 4 regional DC/Bmore TAs to have RTS's (the others were WMATA, MTA Maryland, and PRTC Omniride).
Here they are on the dead line at West Ox. These pics were taken from Alliance Drive and the road entrance to the Fairfax VDOT building (not the main VDOT building).
Wow, good shots. Sad to see these buses go, I think they are among the last TMC RTS's in existents. I know that Disney Transport still have some TMC's as well as MBTA (possibly). Not sure about anyone else though.