Which make and model of bus is my favourite? I like different buses for different reasons. I really like the articulated trolley buses. They are heavy so they’re really smooth on the road. I really love the fact that I’m driving a very rare vehicle in North America too. There are trolley systems only in Vancouver, Seattle, San Francisco, Dayton, Philadelphia and Boston. I also love the fact that trolley buses are completely zero-emission vehicles, powered by hydro-electricity.I also really like the Nova hybrid buses. They too are smooth and quiet.
For most of us, a bus is a bus is a bus. They start slowly. Turn slowly. Stop slowly. And they all carry a lot of people. But there are small differences between them. Some are more powerful, on some the doors open more quickly, and others are more quiet. Seating position and ergonomics differ greatly and some prefer the Novas to the New Flyers to the Orions just because of that.
Now over to you Buzzer readers! Do you have a favourite TransLink bus to ride? If so, which one is it?
Which one is your favourite TransLink bus to ride?
New Flyer XD40/XDE60 (27%, 29 Votes)
New Flyer D40LF/C40LF/D60LF (25%, 27 Votes)
New Flyer E40LFR/E60LFR (20%, 21 Votes)
Nova Bus LFS/LFS HEV (13%, 14 Votes)
New Flyer D40LFR/C40LFR/D60LFR/DE60LFR (8%, 9 Votes)
FYI: TransLink does not have XDE40s. Those 40 ft Xcelsiors are diesel.
Elfren: Good catch! I’ve fixed the typo. You really know your buses!
My favorite would be the Nova hybrids, they’re quite, powerful, and stop right in front of house! :)
I meant my house….
Orion V of course. What could possibly beat reclining seats, A/C, and personal reading lights?
D40 LF- Detroit S50 all the way! (grew up with these in richmond.)
otherwise, the (now scrapped) NFI D40 were pretty sweet with their detroit 2 stroke 6v92TA’s
Also the E901A/E902s, as well as the modern trolleys
It all depends on the engine. I like the cummins D40LF’s/D40LFR’s because they are the closest enginesound you can get to a GMC NewLook or Fishbowl. I like the fishbowls because they are the hot rods of the bus industry.
My all time favourite would be the High-Floor D40’s. I remember riding them on route 340 as a kid ot my dentist appointments.
The Xcelsiors are great… quiet, solid, ride as smooth as silk. Nice bonus features include wide aisles, sensible seating arrangement with lots of seats to choose from, and A/C. Also the chrome wheels are a nice touch. If the entire fleet were replaced with Xcelsiors I would not be disappointed. :)
(And I know the days of GM fishbowls and Brill trolleys are over, but I would certainly take a ride in one those anytime!)
I voted for the Orion V in the poll, because I really like the comfortable seats and A/C, but I also really like the Xcelsiors, mostly also because they’re air conditioned. I also wouldn’t be disappointed if I could only ever ride on those two, because I really, Really, REALLY hate it when the windows are opened and a bee/wasp/hornet comes sailing in the window. I had to move out of my favorite seat last week because I couldn’t handle the wasp in the window casing above the seat in front of me. It’s much less likely they’re going to come in through the doors.