BusTalk

[Q65A]

GM sold its bus building operations to Greyhound Corporation in January 1987. Production of The Classic was maintained in Canada at GMD’s Ste. Eustache, Quebec assembly plant; all 2,431 Classics built from mid-1987 to 1992 wore MCI nameplates. Except for the change of badge, the new owner did not make major design changes to The Classic. MCI’s Classics used a 4-color operator’s side panel (instead of the 3-color panel used by GMD). The 5-position door control valve was relocated from its forward location on the GMD Classic to a black panel inserted between the green and red sections; the optional kneeler control switch also was located on this new panel. MCI Classics also offered an optional Isringhausen air-ride operator’s seat and the Allison V-731hydraulic transmission (actuated by an electronic touchpad control installed adjacent to the parking brake valve on a raised tower located to the left of the operator). The Detroit Diesel 6V-92TA was the standard powerplant. Model nomenclature remained as it had under GMD. A 60-foot Model TA-60102N articulated Classic was announced in 1991, but only 16 units were built. These units truly were “twin Classics” from front to back. In 1982, GMD also had produced a Model TA-60102N articulated bus. Built for 4 Ontario-based transit agencies, all 53 of these vehicles used Classic front end assemblies grafted to articulated Fishbowl bodies. While NYC area bus fleets had all but shunned the GMD Classic, the PBL’s embraced the MCI Classic. As it had done earlier with fleets of new RTS’s for the Brooklyn and Queens PBL’s, in 1988 NYCDOT purchased 332 TC-40102A’s for express bus service. This time, all 7 PBL’s, including Liberty Lines Express and New York Bus Service, acquired new Classics. The majority of these units (320 buses) were equipped with single doors. Most had such suburban design features as upgraded, forward-facing 2x2 seats on raised platforms and overhead parcel racks. (Unlike GM Suburbans of the past, Classics did not offer underfloor luggage bays.) Since their introduction in the early 1970’s, premium fare express bus services had become very popular with NYC-area riders who lived in the outlying boroughs and lower Westchester County. These routes offered passengers relatively quick, comfortable, one-seat service directly into the Manhattan central business district. Originally operated with New Looks (and to a much lesser degree by modified GM “Buffalo Buses” owned by LLE and NYBS)these routes often required periods of high-speed operation on congested expressways, an assignment that was ill-suited for the relatively heavy RTS’s of the period. Appropriately, red, white and blue NYBS 1687 (built 1/8 was the first unit delivered. It was joined by NYBS 1624-1686 (built 5/88-8/8, NYBS 1689-1697 (built 12/8, and NYBS 1700-1709 (built 5-6/8; the Bronx-based carrier operated the 2nd largest fleet of PBL Classics. Liberty Lines Express boasted the largest PBL Classic fleet: LLE 3001-3091 (built 5-9/8 and LLE 3101-3110 wore a sharp red and white livery. Green and yellow Classics went to work for Command Bus Co.(CBC 421-461, built 8-9/8 while orange-striped Classics served Queens Surface (QSC 900-949, built 9-12/8. Triboro Coach Corp. used red-striped Classics (TCC 764-794, built 1-2/89) while Jamaica Buses Inc. received the smallest Classic fleet: painted maroon, tan and brown, JBI 601-608 were built 2-11/89. Green Bus Lines operated the most diverse Classic fleet: GBL 701-704 (built 2/89) were “classic Classics” (i.e. single door) while GBL 705-716 were “2-door Classics” (built 10-11/89). All GBL units operated in express service, and had suburban-type appointments regardless of door configuration. The fleets of MCI Classics operated by the PBL’s lasted mostly intact until the MTAB takeover. The MTAB roster dated 3/2005 showed 327 Classics: MTAB 329-379 (ex-CBC); 1164-1171 (ex-JBI); 5880-5893 (ex-GBL); 7122-7147 (ex-TCC); 7311-7422 (ex-NYBS); 7820-7905 (ex-LLE); 9796-9821, 9823-9826 (ex-QSC). Because they lacked wheelchair lifts and were equipped with 2-cycle diesel engines, The Classics were among the first buses retired en masse by MTAB (along with the GM RTS-04’s). They were replaced by new MCI D4500’s, which offered PBL riders a new level of luxury previously not experienced in NYC. MTAB has preserved LLE 3006 (built 5/8; it is stored at Yonkers Depot when not on display.

[Mr. Linsky]

Bob,

This special 'Bus Nostalgia' is for you!

Pictured below is an MCI 'Classic' fleet number 952 operating for the Victoria Regional Transit System of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.

Of note is the placement of the 'MCI' logo dead center below the windshield just as GMD had done with the 'GM' marque on some of its Classic models.

However, many of the MCI Classics that the writer has seen have had their logos placed just below the left set of headlamps.

A handsome bus indeed!

A very brief history of VRTS;

The Victoria Regional Transit System serves 312,000 riders in a 400-square-kilometre area with a peak fleet in operation of 178 buses on 36 scheduled transit routes and 40 vans providing custom door-to-door service for people with disabilities.

Photo thanks to indyinsane of flickr.

Mr. Linsky - Green Bus Lines, Inc., Jamaica, NY

[Q65A]

Thanks Mr. L!
Last year, my wife and I had visited Victoria BC on a one-day trip out of Seattle. I recall having seen a few Classics in operation in that picturesque city alongside New Flyer D40LF's and Dennis Alexander Enviro double deckers.
Nice buses, indeed!

[shortlineMCI]

My wife and I just got back from a cruise to St. John, New Brunswick, and when our ship pulled in, mine eyes just about nearly popped out from my head to see a small fleet of MCI classics waiting to drive us to our shore excursions. I had every intentions of talking my head off to the driver, but our tour guide took us around town in a trolley, then a second tour in an MCI D4000, with a stick shift!! Ah well.

Mr. Linsky, I will need your help in posting the few pictures I have of the Classics that I took.

Q.. thank you for this information!

[Mr. Linsky]

Ken,

No problem; if you can email them to me, I'm sure I can help.

Sounds like you had a great trip.

The 'Classics' that you saw were undoubtedly 'Dupont' refurbs as pictured below.

I guess they are the 'Blitz' of Canada!

Glad you're back.

Mr. 'L'

[shortlineMCI]

Thanks Mr. L!

Oh it was great! I'm pretty certain they were MCI's as opposed to the GMCs and judging by that very specific haunting roar, it was them alrighty. I"ll be sending them over to you pretty soon, as in a few days or so.

As always..thank you!

[JUSXTREME96]

Green Lines 705-716 ran mostly on Local service. I rode and saw them many times on the local routes. I think 714-716 had suburban style seating similar to Jamaica Buses 608 which was a 2 door classic but rarely used on local service. The rest of the Green Lines classics 705-713 had hard Green Seats. 701-704 were Suburban Classics with one door and so were 717-718 which used to be Triboro but 703-704, 717-718 were given to NYBS in 2000 to trade for 4 Orion V Suburbans which had one door.