Another cutaway up in smoke

[SchuminWeb]

Another Ride On International cutaway goes up in smoke:

http://www.nbcwashington.com/video/#!/news/local/Raw-Video--Bus-Fire-at-Rt-650-in-Silver-Spring/138846954

http://washingtonexaminer.com/local/capital-land/2012/02/fourth-ride-bus-goes-flames/245931

[NewFlyer9736BCT]

4th one since september 2010? wow, they're the "WMATA Orion VIs" of Ride On, always going up in flames somehow. Good thing no one was hurt and that the bus was out of service. Ride On's gotta do something about those cutaways

[79MetroExtraMD]

I smell a lawsuit coming soon. I wonder whats causing these cutaways to catch fire.

[WES]

4th one since september 2010? wow, they're the "WMATA Orion VIs" of Ride On, always going up in flames somehow. Good thing no one was hurt and that the bus was out of service. Ride On's gotta do something about those cutaways

The solution is called replacing them with real buses.

[NewFlyer9736BCT]

4th one since september 2010? wow, they're the "WMATA Orion VIs" of Ride On, always going up in flames somehow. Good thing no one was hurt and that the bus was out of service. Ride On's gotta do something about those cutaways

The solution is called replacing them with real buses.

and I second that motion, it's a good thing they already got started with 31 baby Gilligs, now to replace the rest of them...

and to think these cutaways have gone MIA for a year around 2009-2010, before all of this started, there may be a link

[SchuminWeb]

And a longer story on the fire:

http://washingtonexaminer.com/local/transportation/2012/02/fourth-ride-bus-same-model-catches-fire/247036

I find it interesting that Ride On's union told the county not to get these buses, and they did it anyway.  In any case, I hope that the county comes through on its plan to phase these out in 18 months.  Whether it's new baby Gilligs or more ex-PATs is an entirely different story, I suppose.

[WES]

My question to ask, if it wasn't answered already is how much do these buses cost as compared to a baby Gillig or even an El Dorado EZ Rider and if it isn't half the cost of a more heavier duty bus, then it was a waste to purchase these cutaways in the first place.  The highest, IMO that a cutaway can last is around 7 years and an Advantage might last as long as 15 to 20 years, the latter with great maintenance.

[Tritransit Area]

$175,479 each according to the article (more than I thought a cutaway would cost).  Wouldn't a run-of-the-mill Baby Gillig cost around $300,000.

A shame about these fires, though.  I'm just glad nobody was hurt.