March 2009 Observation Photos

[NewFlyer9736BCT]

SPRING IS ALMOST HERE!!!

I consider winter my "hibernation" period in terms of busfanning...but here's some photos taken today (and before today) even in wintery conditions.

I look forward to everyone else's pictures!










and last but definitely not least...



*drumroll*

[OrionFlyer]

Thanks. 2320 looks awesome. It looks like it was just recently bought. Now I can't wait to see how the Orion VI and VI's look in this new scheme.

Also, I wonder if this scheme would look right on a 30ft bus.

[Scrabbleship]

2320 could at least have been rid of its Knight Riders in this mini-rehab...

[btconet]

THANK YOU!

Kept hearing about this bus, and never saw a post showing it off.  Many thanks!

Of course, it is odd how of all lines for it to be running, it shows up on the 79 LIMITED! 

[ChristopherF]

I was right.  I first saw 2320 in the new Metro Local scheme on the R2 (Ft Totten) last month & that bus is indeed rehabbed.  2320 is the first New Flyer CNG bus from 2001-02 to be rehabbed.

[rideonrulez]

Thanks for the pics!!

If they only have one branded "local" bus (besides the new NABI tics) and it shows up on one of the few "Limited" routes already, it's a sign of things to come when they do get more painted "Local" branded buses.....Go WhyMATA

[OrionFlyer]

I'm surprised that none of the NABI BRT's haven't been on the 79 yet.

[WMATAGMOAGH]

Thanks for the pics!!

If they only have one branded "local" bus (besides the new NABI tics) and it shows up on one of the few "Limited" routes already, it's a sign of things to come when they do get more painted "Local" branded buses.....Go WhyMATA

Exactly why I hate branded buses...

[C40LF_2464]

Guess one of every CNG New Flyer in our fleet has the new paint scheme maybe the diesels are next, and does anyone think that the one of the DE40LFR's will  get the new paint scheme? They already have a scheme no other bus has but probally.

[LandoverDivision]

I love the new paint job, but hate the words local and express being on them. What would happen when the 2700 series Orion VIIs get the new scheme? Wouldn't it say Express because most of the 2700s end up on express routes? It wouldn't express anymore when these end up on routes like the 7A, 38B, 9A, or the 16J.

[79MetroExtraMD]

I think at this point, it doesn't really matter what kind of bus goes to which route because alot of people can't even read the sign properly anyway, plus, with interlining on most routes, buses are bound to be on non-local, express lines anyway. The only thing that matters is the destination sign, not the branding per se.

[LandoverDivision]

I think at this point, it doesn't really matter what kind of bus goes to which route because alot of people can't even read the sign properly anyway, plus, with interlining on most routes, buses are bound to be on non-local, express lines anyway. The only thing that matters is the destination sign, not the branding per se.

Yep true. Besides who does read the top of the bus anyways? I saw 2605 (the 38B branded bus) on the 29G yesterday. But noone really cared. They just go on about their business.

[WMATAGMOAGH]

You'd be surprised as to how in tune regular commuters are with their equipment.  People recognize new buses and can distinguish them from older ones.  People also pay attention to the branding, which is why TAs spend the money to use it in the first place.  Of course, it is wasted money if branded buses don't run where they belong, but that is a different matter.

[WES]

Did anyone notice that this bus now has alcoas, when it never did.

And the point that Orion Flyer made about the "Knight Riders", brings up and interesting question.  Outside of the 101 buses that have it (2387 has them also), no other buses have gotten them.  Does this mean that the Knight Rider test was a failure, or WMATA doesn't have the money to install these on the rest of fleet?

[WayneNYC]

You'd be surprised as to how in tune regular commuters are with their equipment.  People recognize new buses and can distinguish them from older ones.  People also pay attention to the branding, which is why TAs spend the money to use it in the first place.  Of course, it is wasted money if branded buses don't run where they belong, but that is a different matter.

Agreed.  I'm sure at this point on Georgia Ave the regualrs quickly learned that a mostly blue bus is a 79 and not the 70/71.  While I not against branding of buses, I do think it's not a good idea for WMATA.  I think it would work very well in NYC.