An evening with the MTA on the ICC

[WMAveteran]

 I attended an MTA information session on the "Intercounty Connector Bus Service Plan" at Bohrer Park in Gaithersburg on Tuesday, 08/03/2010.  There was no formal presentation but lots of handouts (including a nifty binder with fold-out maps) and graphics.  One graphic was a magnificent representation by MCI (for which I would have paid serious money) of one of the 18 new MCI coaches.  The MTA staff was very chatty and stated that the new coaches have Cummins engines, Allison transmissions, 6 wheel disc brakes, electronic stability control, automatic traction control and anti-lock brakes.  Frankly, I was stunned at the level of knowledge about the coaches and their obvious pride in the product.  These were actual bus fans!  The coaches have 57 reclining seats with an accessible entrance.  The coaches will be state-owned but operated by contractors (to be decided). 
Routes 201 (Gaithersburg to BWI) and Route 202 (Gaithersburg to Ft. Meade) will begin on the day the first 7 mile section of the ICC opens (late 2010 or early 2011). I was told MTA will not accept SmarTrip cards. Cash fares and multi-ride passes will be accepted ($5.00 one way).
If you are driving on the ICC the tolls will be collected automatically when you pass under a type of arch that spans the roadway.  This arch will read your EZ Pass transponder or take a photograph of your license plate and you will be mailed a bill.  If you don't have an EZ Pass you will be billed for the toll plus an additional $3.00 to cover the cost of researching your license plate and mailing your bill and processing payment.   

[79MetroExtraMD]

I attended an MTA information session on the "Intercounty Connector Bus Service Plan" at Bohrer Park in Gaithersburg on Tuesday, 08/03/2010.  There was no formal presentation but lots of handouts (including a nifty binder with fold-out maps) and graphics.  One graphic was a magnificent representation by MCI (for which I would have paid serious money) of one of the 18 new MCI coaches.  The MTA staff was very chatty and stated that the new coaches have Cummins engines, Allison transmissions, 6 wheel disc brakes, electronic stability control, automatic traction control and anti-lock brakes.  Frankly, I was stunned at the level of knowledge about the coaches and their obvious pride in the product.  These were actual bus fans!  The coaches have 57 reclining seats with an accessible entrance.  The coaches will be state-owned but operated by contractors (to be decided). 
Routes 201 (Gaithersburg to BWI) and Route 202 (Gaithersburg to Ft. Meade) will begin on the day the first 7 mile section of the ICC opens (late 2010 or early 2011). I was told MTA will not accept SmarTrip cards. Cash fares and multi-ride passes will be accepted ($5.00 one way).
If you are driving on the ICC the tolls will be collected automatically when you pass under a type of arch that spans the roadway.  This arch will read your EZ Pass transponder or take a photograph of your license plate and you will be mailed a bill.  If you don't have an EZ Pass you will be billed for the toll plus an additional $3.00 to cover the cost of researching your license plate and mailing your bill and processing payment.   

I have the RFP addendum about the coaches and saw the graphics. They look pretty nice. It'd be nice to see and hear an MCI with a Cummins engine. I wonder why they haven't considered picking up the Volvo D13 engine like Prevost did.

[WayneNYC]

It'd be nice to see and hear an MCI with a Cummins engine.

My understanding is that MTA's current MCI D4500s have Cummins engines like those at NJTransit.  Not 100% sure, but evertime I hear them, one thing is 99% certain to me.... They're not powered by Detroit Diesels.

[Scrabbleship]

I attended an MTA information session on the "Intercounty Connector Bus Service Plan" at Bohrer Park in Gaithersburg on Tuesday, 08/03/2010.  There was no formal presentation but lots of handouts (including a nifty binder with fold-out maps) and graphics.  One graphic was a magnificent representation by MCI (for which I would have paid serious money) of one of the 18 new MCI coaches.  The MTA staff was very chatty and stated that the new coaches have Cummins engines, Allison transmissions, 6 wheel disc brakes, electronic stability control, automatic traction control and anti-lock brakes.  Frankly, I was stunned at the level of knowledge about the coaches and their obvious pride in the product.  These were actual bus fans!  The coaches have 57 reclining seats with an accessible entrance.  The coaches will be state-owned but operated by contractors (to be decided). 
Routes 201 (Gaithersburg to BWI) and Route 202 (Gaithersburg to Ft. Meade) will begin on the day the first 7 mile section of the ICC opens (late 2010 or early 2011). I was told MTA will not accept SmarTrip cards. Cash fares and multi-ride passes will be accepted ($5.00 one way).
If you are driving on the ICC the tolls will be collected automatically when you pass under a type of arch that spans the roadway.  This arch will read your EZ Pass transponder or take a photograph of your license plate and you will be mailed a bill.  If you don't have an EZ Pass you will be billed for the toll plus an additional $3.00 to cover the cost of researching your license plate and mailing your bill and processing payment.   

I have the RFP addendum about the coaches and saw the graphics. They look pretty nice. It'd be nice to see and hear an MCI with a Cummins engine. I wonder why they haven't considered picking up the Volvo D13 engine like Prevost did.

Wouldn't it be a conflict of interest for MCI to pick up an engine made by a rival manufacturer's parent? I thought Prevost switching to Volvo engines was their response to Detroit Diesel making the Series 60 in-house for only Setras (and if one was daring, Orion VII's).

[mrpete]

Regarding bus/coach powerplants: From now on it will be Cummins' market exclusively since DB is keeping DDA for itself but I don't know if they would consider powering Orions. CAT has exited the over-the-road market for buses and trucks as it does not want to invest in bringing its engines up to new and future EPA requirements.

[Scrabbleship]

Regarding bus/coach powerplants: From now on it will be Cummins' market exclusively since DB is keeping DDA for itself but I don't know if they would consider powering Orions. CAT has exited the over-the-road market for buses and trucks as it does not want to invest in bringing its engines up to new and future EPA requirements.

Oddly enough, the MCI order that Greyhound has just taken delivery on has DD-60 engines even after Daimler kept the DD-60 for itself. As the saying goes, money talks.

I think that if a customer wanted to power an Orion VII with a DD-60, Daimler would be glad to accommodate them. Of course, the one chance they've had to date to make a DD-60-powered Orion (the Bee Line 600's which were to have been DD-60-powered Neoplan AN440's) fell through in favor for the commonplace Cummins.

[79MetroExtraMD]

I wouldn't be surprised if MAN could probably come back into the US market. LA is experimenting with MAN CNG engines to repower their NABIs and in the future, there could be MAN engines offered for motorcoaches and transit buses. It's too bad CAT and John Deere dropped out of the transit market.