New WMATA Bus Orders

[MetroLinerXLZ]

Quick question:

My prediction (based on some slight research) is that an incoming order of New Flyer hybrids (mixed sizes, some 60ft) will possibly retire any and all remaining Flxible Metro B's in the WMATA.

I need to see if this is correct.

[LandoverDivision]

I hope the B's don't get retired I love those buses.

[WayneNYC]

Yes, the 37 and 42 foot New Flyers will likely retire remaining Metro-Bs.  Or at least push them into contingency status.  Probably the same for the '92 Orion Vs, if any are left.

[Perry]

At one point WMATA was considering keeping a lot of their buses in contingency to allow for extra service where there was overcrowding.  I don't know if that has subsided or not.

[WayneNYC]

Supposedly, there was a recent directive to not retire any buses.  I wonder if WMATA's goal is to always have a somewhat large contingency fleet.  I think back to the days when they leased the new looks to NYCTA.  We had 160 of them in NYC which makes me think that at least in those days WMATA kept lots of buses in their cntingency fleet.

[wmata employee]

we are not retiring no buses at this time when the news buses arrive all 4000-4104,9701-9785,9801-9835 will remain of an rehab fleet. metro will rehab all these buses for the expansion fleet.The new paint process is very unique LOCAL,EXPRESS

[OrionFlyer]

So does that mean that eventually all the buses in the WMATA fleet, except for Metro Extra buses will have the new paint scheme, including the Flxibles?


I really want to seen the Orion VII's in that paint scheme.

[WMATAGMOAGH]

Am I the only one who isn't really a fan of the new scheme?

[RailBus63]

Am I the only one who isn't really a fan of the new scheme?

No - I'm not crazy about it either.  I'd rather see a modified version that retains the red, white and blue stripes.

I really don't like the idea of painting buses 'Local' and 'Express' - you either lose a lot of flexibility when assigning buses, or you end up confusing the heck out of customers when a blue bus shows up on a 'red bus' route.

[MetroLinerXLZ]

Am I the only one who isn't really a fan of the new scheme?

No - I'm not crazy about it either.  I'd rather see a modified version that retains the red, white and blue stripes.

I really don't like the idea of painting buses 'Local' and 'Express' - you either lose a lot of flexibility when assigning buses, or you end up confusing the heck out of customers when a blue bus shows up on a 'red bus' route.

LACMTA has definately learned their lesson doing that, especially when they did that massive garage move in late 2006.

IMO, it's a good faith idea that may go screwy. Hopefully, WMATA won't do any garage moves anytime soon.

[mrpete]

Way, way, way, back when, United Railways in B'more "permanently" assigned streetcars to their routes. Fleet #'s were based on the route; e.g. Line 13 cars were 1300's, etc. When cars were reassigned to different carhouses the entire fleet had to be renumbered. That didn't last long!

[WES]

Am I the only one who isn't really a fan of the new scheme?

No - I'm not crazy about it either.  I'd rather see a modified version that retains the red, white and blue stripes.

I really don't like the idea of painting buses 'Local' and 'Express' - you either lose a lot of flexibility when assigning buses, or you end up confusing the heck out of customers when a blue bus shows up on a 'red bus' route.

LACMTA has definately learned their lesson doing that, especially when they did that massive garage move in late 2006.

IMO, it's a good faith idea that may go screwy. Hopefully, WMATA won't do any garage moves anytime soon.

WMATA does massive garage moves without there being a paint scheme issue.  We had thought when WMATA tried to put buses together in certain garages was the end of this, but it wasn't.

I think WMATA just loves to move buses around, they're addicted to it.

[WayneNYC]

Am I the only one who isn't really a fan of the new scheme?

No - I'm not crazy about it either.  I'd rather see a modified version that retains the red, white and blue stripes.

I really don't like the idea of painting buses 'Local' and 'Express' - you either lose a lot of flexibility when assigning buses, or you end up confusing the heck out of customers when a blue bus shows up on a 'red bus' route.

I like the "Local" & "Express" branding if the buses could be consistently used on the proper routes.  Unless things will change at WMATA, I think this is not good, since currently local buses can often be seen on express routes and vice-versa.

Not sure how well LACMTA does with local, rapid and expresses branded buses on the proper routes.  I think NYCTA, MTAB and even Bee-Line could pull this sort of thing off.

[WayneNYC]

WMATA does massive garage moves without there being a paint scheme issue.  We had thought when WMATA tried to put buses together in certain garages was the end of this, but it wasn't.

I think WMATA just loves to move buses around, they're addicted to it.

Back in NYC they claim to regularly do large bus moves for mileage reasons.  Basically, they want a given group of buses to wear out evenly.   So you'll often see buses at a high-mileage depot get sent to a lower mileage depot and vice-versa.

[Tristan]

Wayne, that could explain the random movements we've seen here.

I think, regarding the local/express thing, that part of WMATA's issue is that there just isn't enough of that type of service for them to assign buses properly.  If they increase service the way Catoe says they will, maybe express buses will do nothing but express and still do a full day's work, but as it is now, you probably can't cut an 8-hour run with nothing but express work.