Maybe it is time for the Flxes to go...

[Scrabbleship]

This morning, aboard 9833 on the J5 (whose front sign has been back for a couple weeks), there was a spirited conversation between the driver and a regular rider (a middle-aged woman with a West Indian accent) about the state of Metrobus. From that conversation I got some interesting tidbits about how things are.

• Said driver and many of the other drivers at Montgomery think that it's past due for Metro to retire all the Flxibles and that it is "nuts" that they're trying to keep the nearing-20-year-old 9300/9400's going.
• The consensus around Montgomery, at least according to said driver, is that the Flxibles are the "real safety hazard" with their often broken signs and how many of them are far from the best shape.
• There is some bitterness over Montgomery giving Annex their suburban seated Orion V's and part of the suburban seated D40LFR's.
• Somehow there is jealousy over FMR having "all newer buses" and West Ox getting LFA's when dying Flxibles are plying the roads in MD. Said passenger took this as MD underfunding their share to Metro.

Said passenger also thinks that the J5 should use "smaller buses" and grew a tad jealous when she learned that "Virginia" [West Ox] got "brand-new smaller buses" [the 37LFA's]. Could 35' buses work out of Montgomery if held solely to lesser ridden routes or are there too few of those to go around?

After hearing this, maybe it's time for ATU 689 to go after Metro for keeping the Flxes in service instead...

[79MetroExtraMD]

One woman's opinion doesn't reflect on general consensus.

[Scrabbleship]

One woman's opinion doesn't reflect on general consensus.

Just between all of us on DCATZ, she's kinda...out there. This isn't the first time she has had some convo with the driver that has gone a bit loopy (I know, pot, kettle, black...).

[WMATAGMOAGH]

The J5 isn't Montgomery's busiest route obviously, but for the few rush hour trips that they have to put out there, 40 footers are fine.  Even better they put out the older Flxibles on the J5 (if those are just rush hour only blocks, if they interline with other stuff that runs all day then those blocks should get newer equipment). 

Drivers always have their favorite equipment and want the newest stuff to come to their garage.  FMR has lots of new stuff, but Maryland doesn't have CNG facilities so there are fewer new buses that can go Maryland's way.  The Flxibles had a great run and it is sad to see them go.  They were the first buses I remember being new to me.  That said, I think WMATA is trying to get them to the big bus garage in the sky as fast as they realistically can and doing their best to run them on rush hour only blocks whenever possible.  For all the criticism we make of WMATA bus roulette, WMATA usually does a good job of giving the older equipment weekends off and assigning those buses to blocks where they won't be on the road for 20 straight hours.

[Annex4421]

Hey Scrabbelship you said there was bitterness that the suburban D40LFRs and Orion Vs are here at the Annex, ok they was wrong the Orion Vs 4388,4389,4396-4398 came from Royal as for the D40LFRs 6212-6217 they came from Montgomery in April. I kinda agree its time for ALL the Flxes to go but think about it if 9300-9413, 9701-9785, 9801-9835, and 4001-4104 retire Correct me if I'm wrong but since 4001-4045 (4046-4051 at CET) retires what will the Annex have since we ALL agree that the D40LFRs can barely fit into the division (but last year there were Orion VIIs there for some days) because of height capasity and the should get the Orion Vs but majority of them are at West Ox, Nortern, Western and Royal. Ok guys I'm confused with this if ALL the Flxes go now what will happen to the divisions that consists of mostly Flxes. I think they're holding them until the LFAs come in but that seems like they're taking their time to come in to service. PS should Maryland get a CNG facility?

[WayneNYC]

If all of the Flxibles (or any model) were retired, then the various divisions would have to get replacements.  The replacements would be in the form of new buses, buses transferred from other divisions or combination of both.  As much of we like the Flxibles... their time has come.  We have to say goodbye to them and hold on to our memories (and photos). 

I don't agree with 35-footers in Montgomery.  Sure they may be ideal for a few trips here and there, but often enough they'd be on routes that need at least 40-footers.

[C40LF_2464]

Yeah as much as we like themas transit fans you got to think about the people who have to ride them everyday to/from work and other places. You have to think about the elderly/disabled. Even thought they got wheelchair lifts and can lower they can break down more often. And when a bus breaks down that is a bad moment. But i see some of the newer buses have more problems then the Flxs. (DE42LFA,D40LFR, ).

[Bryan]

Has anyone actually rode on a DC Flx lately? Are they really worn out. I've seen some over the summer while driving to Bethesda. They looked good and didn't smoke. I'm almost sure they have to hold on to some incase problems arise on the new space age looking buses that are being delivered. About how many would you say is on the active roster now?

[NewFlyer9736BCT]

I don't agree with 35-footers in Montgomery.  Sure they may be ideal for a few trips here and there, but often enough they'd be on routes that need at least 40-footers.

I agree with this...when I rode 3754 on the 2B a couple of weeks ago, it was kinda crowded (not crazy crowded but a 40-footer would have been better)...now imagine one of the 37 footers on the C, J, K6, Q2, Y, and Z lines, that would be catastrophic. They would be ok on the J5 and T2, but that's about it.

[Tritransit Area]

Correct me if I'm wrong but since 4001-4045 (4046-4051 at CET) retires what will the Annex have since we ALL agree that the D40LFRs can barely fit into the division (but last year there were Orion VIIs there for some days) because of height capasity

Huh?  Are you sure you aren't referring to the New Flyer LFAs?  New Flyer D40LF/Rs are shorter than typical standard floor buses.  I'd include Flx Metros and Orion Vs in that group as well.  Actually, with yours, the roof a/c may make them slightly (and I mean very slightly) taller than the rear a/c cooled standard floors (with the exception of Metro Ds).

[C40LF_2464]

I ride them everyday and if you have the chance to sit in the rear you will feel the bus vibrate at a stop. I remember one time my mom was complaining that the bus she rode (Flx) was all rattling and shaky.  But i think the the Metro E's are in a very good shape and some Flx D's and some B's. Im wondering that if the RTSes were still in service will they be better then the Flxibles?

[Tritransit Area]

Despite their age, it's un-WMATA-like (outside of Northern) to have the Metro Bs in such "deplorable shape".  I shall take a weekday trip down there soon...preferably when they are running (likely not on Veteran's Day).  When I rode 9318 not too long ago (a year ago?) it was in nice shape!

I'm wondering if Montgomery maintenance is starting to have a case of the "new buses are coming soon, so who cares?" syndrome.  I remember when SEPTA's Frontier division was expecting their new batch of New Flyers (2004) to replace the Neos, the quality of the Neoplans severely tanked.  3487 and 3488, the last remaining ones, started running horribly until they were released to a city division (Midvale), where they fixed them up.  They ran beautifully at Midvale until their retirement in 2005.  A similar story could be said about NJT's Washington Twp division...last summer, those Flxes could barely move!

[C40LF_2464]

Correct me if I'm wrong but since 4001-4045 (4046-4051 at CET) retires what will the Annex have since we ALL agree that the D40LFRs can barely fit into the division (but last year there were Orion VIIs there for some days) because of height capasity

Huh?  Are you sure you aren't referring to the New Flyer LFAs?  New Flyer D40LF/Rs are shorter than typical standard floor buses.  I'd include Flx Metros and Orion Vs in that group as well.  Actually, with yours, the roof a/c may make them slightly (and I mean very slightly) taller than the rear a/c cooled standard floors (with the exception of Metro Ds).

Annex dosent have DE42LFA's..........Yet.

[Tritransit Area]

I ride them everyday and if you have the chance to sit in the rear you will feel the bus vibrate at a stop. I remember one time my mom was complaining that the bus she rode (Flx) was all rattling and shaky.  But i think the the Metro E's are in a very good shape and some Flx D's and some B's. Im wondering that if the RTSes were still in service will they be better then the Flxibles?

The 93/9400s were always like that, though.  The RTSs, while they didn't rattle so much at idle, really rattled and shook quite a bit.  Not to mention they were 10+ years older than the Metro B fleet that's still in service.