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Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Our only two hybrids being parted out at Center Street
We sure could have used them at Merlo where the dinosaurs rule.
These buses are HOW OLD and they are being parted out?
WHY?
I think there needs to be some explaining here. Why is TriMet scrapping perfectly usable and reliable vehicles in favor of older, less reliable and more costly (uses more fuel) buses?
I'm sure if this was a light rail train that Commuter Joe would be all over it...but he'll pass this up as the usual "buses cost more, buses suck, nobody cares". This is effectively $1 million of waste at TriMet.
One needs a new set of batteries and the other a transmission. They decided they weren't worth the cost. They have 4 new hybrids going to Powell this year.
We got them in 2002. By Trimet standards, barely broken in!
Not defending this, but maybe they're coming up for replacement of the hybrid battery pack? Hybrid cars start to wear theirs out in about this time range.
Yeah, with 1400 and 1700 dinosaurs still roaming the earth, did they really run these two hybrids until they were worn out? The battery packs, engines and trannys are different than other Flyer low floors. So, those parts are not usable in our diesel fleet.
You got your new fliers the same time we got ours in 2002. We got three of them and they were a pain in the ass from the get go. You had to wait for the passenger to sit otherwise you would throw them to the floor. The drivers area didnt (as usual) have enough legroom. If you were short, you needed a stepstool just to get into the damn seat! All of the environmentalists were so happy that we got these buses. Too bad that they dont know that Gillig since 2007 has put in a filtering system that burns 98% clean emissions from the buses. If only my company would do what yours is doing and junk the damn things!!
You know, there are several companies that refurbish buses with many more years of service than these. They probably figure with all of the future service cuts to bus, they don't need these running around. Remember the LNG 1800s that disappeared before their federally mandated age/mileage? TriMet never seems serious about alternate fuel technologies; our successes with these technologies, contrary to other transit districts, is always abysmal. By design, I think.
@ VonSteiff- I drove the hybrids on occasion and didn't have big problems. The driver problem was that just two of them were mixed into the fleet so you rarely drove them. So, on a road relief, you had your first pullout into traffic to relearn the differences, especially the strange regenerative braking when you let off the gas pedal.
WHAT THE...????
ReplyDeleteThese buses are HOW OLD and they are being parted out?
WHY?
I think there needs to be some explaining here. Why is TriMet scrapping perfectly usable and reliable vehicles in favor of older, less reliable and more costly (uses more fuel) buses?
I'm sure if this was a light rail train that Commuter Joe would be all over it...but he'll pass this up as the usual "buses cost more, buses suck, nobody cares". This is effectively $1 million of waste at TriMet.
1 million waste is chump change to this living boondoggle of am operation.
ReplyDeleteOne needs a new set of batteries and the other a transmission. They decided they weren't worth the cost. They have 4 new hybrids going to Powell this year.
ReplyDeleteWe got them in 2002. By Trimet standards, barely broken in!
ReplyDeleteNot defending this, but maybe they're coming up for replacement of the hybrid battery pack? Hybrid cars start to wear theirs out in about this time range.
Yeah, with 1400 and 1700 dinosaurs still roaming the earth, did they really run these two hybrids until they were worn out? The battery packs, engines and trannys are different than other Flyer low floors. So, those parts are not usable in our diesel fleet.
You got your new fliers the same time we got ours in 2002. We got three of them and they were a pain in the ass from the get go. You had to wait for the passenger to sit otherwise you would throw them to the floor. The drivers area didnt (as usual) have enough legroom. If you were short, you needed a stepstool just to get into the damn seat! All of the environmentalists were so happy that we got these buses. Too bad that they dont know that Gillig since 2007 has put in a filtering system that burns 98% clean emissions from the buses. If only my company would do what yours is doing and junk the damn things!!
ReplyDeleteYou know, there are several companies that refurbish buses with many more years of service than these. They probably figure with all of the future service cuts to bus, they don't need these running around. Remember the LNG 1800s that disappeared before their federally mandated age/mileage? TriMet never seems serious about alternate fuel technologies; our successes with these technologies, contrary to other transit districts, is always abysmal. By design, I think.
ReplyDelete@ VonSteiff- I drove the hybrids on occasion and didn't have big problems.
ReplyDeleteThe driver problem was that just two of them were mixed into the fleet so you rarely drove them. So, on a road relief, you had your first pullout into traffic to relearn the differences, especially the strange regenerative braking when you let off the gas pedal.