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poor_driver
Senior Member

162 Posts

Posted - 08/07/2008 :  4:31:32 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
bsaund09

Once again love the updates and i have to ask..When were you down my way! nice pics of those Mecklenburg county buses! Last weekend i was in Virginia Beach...around the rosemont drive area. I was helping a friend move last weekend and i remember driving past a local gas station with two Thomas HDXs park right next to it in the grass. I'm supposed to go down there and help finish, when i do i'll give you the numbers off them....maybe you'll know them!
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bsaund09
Top Member

USA
609 Posts

Posted - 08/07/2008 :  6:21:48 PM  Show Profile  Send bsaund09 an AOL message  Reply with Quote
yes, you are talking about Bus 150 and 301 those are CNG buses and driven by a mother and daugther but they just mainly sit there during the summer monthes. I have family near or in Danville Va. so i am always going up and down Hwy 58 and through modern tech stuff i discovered how close to 58 that garage was so i just took a few shots would have gotten more but that is a very narrow road.

keep those buses rolling
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/schoolbushistory
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IC RE 1629
Top Member

United States
5097 Posts

Posted - 08/07/2008 :  6:31:33 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I visited the Sonny Merryman shop in Bristow yesterday and a question came up. Are noise cancel switches now a VA regulation? I noticed all the 2009 Thomas's parked at Sonny Merryman's had it. Also, every one of our 2009 IC's in Fairfax have it as well. Are they required now?
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bsaund09
Top Member

USA
609 Posts

Posted - 08/07/2008 :  8:51:14 PM  Show Profile  Send bsaund09 an AOL message  Reply with Quote
Not sure if they are required but all Va. Beach school buses last year came in with that on them . It might be something suggested by insurance companies who insure the fleets of the state to help the drivers control the situation on the bus especially at railroad crossing and then if there might happen to be an incidient on the bus. Very good question.

keep those buses rolling
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/schoolbushistory
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poor_driver
Senior Member

162 Posts

Posted - 08/10/2008 :  1:00:06 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I'm glad you know where i'm talking about because i sure couldn't explain it no better! haha. Yeah Mecklenburgs shop is located in Boyton Va and in order to get to it yea you have to go on that narrow "better watch out" road. Do you know where Southhampton, Greensville and Halifax yard is located?

That's interesting. Prince William and Halifax County activity buses are the same color and spec.
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bsaund09
Top Member

USA
609 Posts

Posted - 08/10/2008 :  4:04:04 PM  Show Profile  Send bsaund09 an AOL message  Reply with Quote
i use to know where the southhampton yard was a few years back but has been a while going by there. I am not sure about the others. they use to be located outside of Courtland i think.

keep those buses rolling
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/schoolbushistory
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bsaund09
Top Member

USA
609 Posts

Posted - 08/11/2008 :  6:27:17 PM  Show Profile  Send bsaund09 an AOL message  Reply with Quote
check out this classic school bus http://www.flickr.com/photos/7372257@N05/2755251288/

keep those buses rolling
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/schoolbushistory
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2006bbvision
Senior Member

USA
107 Posts

Posted - 08/13/2008 :  10:23:57 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
BSAUD09 : Just out of curiosity how many type A buses does Va Beach have in it's fleet? And when is the first year you guys started purchasing them? And the same for the GMC Cv200 it is kind of rare to see the later 2000's models in va period.
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2006bbvision
Senior Member

USA
107 Posts

Posted - 08/13/2008 :  10:37:20 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
BSAUD09 : Just out of curiosity how many type A buses does Va Beach have in it's fleet? And when is the first year you guys started purchasing them? And the same for the GMC Cv200 it is kind of rare to see the later 2000's models in va period.
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bsaund09
Top Member

USA
609 Posts

Posted - 08/13/2008 :  1:52:46 PM  Show Profile  Send bsaund09 an AOL message  Reply with Quote
The A type we have 7 schoolbus and 16 white activity. The GMCs we had about 23 or so in 1998 and 2002 i think the number was 32 i will have to double check.

keep those buses rolling
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/schoolbushistory
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bsaund09
Top Member

USA
609 Posts

Posted - 08/13/2008 :  1:55:15 PM  Show Profile  Send bsaund09 an AOL message  Reply with Quote
The first A type was Bus 522 (first AC bus) that was a 1990 Bluebird Chevy no pic it just sort of dissappeared.

keep those buses rolling
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/schoolbushistory
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2006bbvision
Senior Member

USA
107 Posts

Posted - 08/14/2008 :  11:06:02 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Bsaund09:
Thank you so much for all the information!!! I just love hearing information about Va Beach fleet. I remember when I was in High School I just to see Va Beach buses in Newport News From time to time, and loved to see all the different models you all have in the fleet.

So I take it that 522 being a 1990 should be retired at this time?????

So anybody start receiving new buses yet for this school year?

From what I hear Newports News should be getting theirs Next week some time kind of a large order this year.
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bsaund09
Top Member

USA
609 Posts

Posted - 08/14/2008 :  12:06:26 PM  Show Profile  Send bsaund09 an AOL message  Reply with Quote
i have no clue what happen to 522 it dissappeared they replaced after the trading of buses and never saw it on govt surplus auctions so they may have donated to the fire dept. sometimes they do that .This is going to be bumpy school year from what i understand the budget cutting axe came down yesterday huge changes in offering transportation to different programs.

keep those buses rolling
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tags/schoolbushistory
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2006bbvision
Senior Member

USA
107 Posts

Posted - 08/14/2008 :  2:02:34 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Tell me about Bsaund09, Newport Nes has taken atleast 30-35 buses out of service just to cut cost and stoped a lot of programs after school. Now I think the fleet total is 414-418 something like that.
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VAdriver
Senior Member

USA
135 Posts

Posted - 08/14/2008 :  6:09:50 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I haven't posted in quite a while. I drive for Loudoun and was just assigned a 2009 C2 for the coming school year. It is an 84 passenger and looks so much smaller than the Thomas HDX I have been driving the last few years. I was able to see the new bus yesterday and was a little dismayed at how narrow the center aisle is. I'm not a particularly large person and I had to walk sideways down the aisle. All of the 2009 buses for Loudoun have seat belts.
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IC RE 1629
Top Member

United States
5097 Posts

Posted - 08/14/2008 :  6:12:16 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
VAdriver, what bus number are you? I have some photos of Loudoun's new C2's. See my What's New? page.

http://atlanticbusyard.com/
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VAdriver
Senior Member

USA
135 Posts

Posted - 08/14/2008 :  6:26:34 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I will be driving Bus #175
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VAdriver
Senior Member

USA
135 Posts

Posted - 08/14/2008 :  6:35:54 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I have not driven the bus yet, but just from sitting in the driver's seat, there are things that I already like. I really like the fact that all of the operational switches are on one side. On my HDX I had to reach to the right to activate my lights. There is also a foot pedal that raises and lowers the steering wheel. I also really like the handle on the outside of the passenger door.
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IC RE 1629
Top Member

United States
5097 Posts

Posted - 08/14/2008 :  8:00:35 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
How many 2009 C2's did Loudoun buy? It seems the've been coming in since May. I got to view one of there new ones in May (177) before it was delivered. I also viewed another one (260) awaiting delivery about 2 weeks ago. Seems like a long time for all the buses to be delivered.

In Fairfax, all of our new buses (typically over 100+) are delivered and in service within 2-3 months. We always get our new buses at the same time of year too. Every spring, from April to June.

Loudoun must get new buses throughout the year. I visited the Leesburg compound in October and two brand new IC CE's were there. They had just been delivered and were about to be put in service. VAdriver, does this sound about true?

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VAdriver
Senior Member

USA
135 Posts

Posted - 08/14/2008 :  9:26:05 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Since I drive out of the western part of the county, I'm not sure how many and how often the new buses are received. I do know that the majority of the new buses are received towards the end of the school year and are prepped during the summer and assigned to drivers before school starts. When I was at the Leesburg garage yesterday, there were approximately 40 new C2's, but I'm sure that more than that have been ordered or delivered.
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IC RE 1629
Top Member

United States
5097 Posts

Posted - 08/15/2008 :  05:48:20 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
VAdriver, go to my website's contact page, and send me an email.
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IC
Top Member

USA
3413 Posts

Posted - 08/15/2008 :  07:40:48 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Hey VAdriver, glad you're back!

I'm still at it....last day of summer school today.

Did you want the C2, or is it like Fairfax where if you indicate that you want an upgrade...you HAVE to take it? I believe I'd have kept the HDX....if I had a choice.

Don't be a stranger!
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2006bbvision
Senior Member

USA
107 Posts

Posted - 08/15/2008 :  07:47:30 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
So is loudon county only buying cs's now? no more tranist's?
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IC RE 1629
Top Member

United States
5097 Posts

Posted - 08/15/2008 :  08:02:00 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
To my knowledge, only 2009 C2's were purchased. No transits for the 2009 model year. It also appears that there contract with IC is over. To my knowledge no IC products were purchased in the 2009 model year.
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VAdriver
Senior Member

USA
135 Posts

Posted - 08/15/2008 :  09:17:28 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
As far as I know, Loudoun only ordered Thomas buses this year, and only the C2's. I did not ask for the new bus, and from my understanding of what we were told at our in-service meeting, is that the new C2's, which all have seat belts, are being assigned to the drivers who have stops on the higher-speed roads. Since I have multiple stops on Rt. 287 (Berlin Turnpike), I'm one of the lucky ones! We are not allowed to 'require' the use of the seat belts, so it will be interesting to see how many actually will. I've been driving a transit for so long, it's going to be interesting driving a conventional again. I think the biggest issue is going to be the narrow aisleway. I'm going to miss my HDX, but it had it's own set of issues!
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IC RE 1629
Top Member

United States
5097 Posts

Posted - 08/15/2008 :  10:35:47 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
VAdriver, do any of your routes go down Ivandale Rd in Hamilton?

Do any of Loudoun's buses have strobing warning lights? I know many of the new ones have LED warning lights, but do they strobe like the ones on FCPS buses?

VAdriver, go to my website's contact page and send me an email.

Edited by - IC RE 1629 on 08/15/2008 10:36:31 AM
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VAdriver
Senior Member

USA
135 Posts

Posted - 08/15/2008 :  2:10:23 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
We do have buses that go down Ivandale, but mine does not. My route is on the other end of the western area, in Lovettsville. With all the new buses in the last year or so, I have no idea which bus or buses it would be. If you want to know which buses go down there, you can check on http://cmsweb1.loudoun.k12.va.us/50910069104712/site/default.asp and on the left side click on Bus Runs By School. I don't think the site has been updated with the new route information, but it should be there soon.


I'm fairly sure that the newer buses have the strobing lights, but I'm not positive.
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722
Senior Member

United States
129 Posts

Posted - 08/15/2008 :  6:54:52 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
All LED C2's can be set to strobe flash with a flick of the switch on the back of the light housing. Arlington County just took delivery of 10 with strobing LED warning lights and five with a LED strobing stop sign that is different from the LED stop sign that flashes STOP. All of them had the new (optional) lettering on the rear door STOP WHEN RED LIGHTS FLASH.
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IC RE 1629
Top Member

United States
5097 Posts

Posted - 08/15/2008 :  7:58:08 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I know they can be set to strobe, I'm just wondering if Loudoun has exercised that option...
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BusFreak
Top Member

USA
798 Posts

Posted - 08/15/2008 :  8:59:57 PM  Show Profile  Send BusFreak an AOL message  Reply with Quote
That would be the first time that Arlington has had that option set on a Thomas. They've had the LED warning lights since 06, and only the IC REs have the strobing feature turned on. All of the ERs and C2s with LEDs have the regular flash pattern. I'm excited to see the new C2s (which were not featured at the Fair BTW).

=
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722
Senior Member

United States
129 Posts

Posted - 08/17/2008 :  1:49:12 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by IC RE 1629

I know they can be set to strobe, I'm just wondering if Loudoun has exercised that option...

I know you like to take picures, so I thought you might have wanted to know.
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722
Senior Member

United States
129 Posts

Posted - 08/17/2008 :  1:53:57 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by BusFreak

That would be the first time that Arlington has had that option set on a Thomas. They've had the LED warning lights since 06, and only the IC REs have the strobing feature turned on. All of the ERs and C2s with LEDs have the regular flash pattern. I'm excited to see the new C2s (which were not featured at the Fair BTW).

I would guess it was a budget issue for not being on display. I like seeing the new buses annually there.
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2006bbvision
Senior Member

USA
107 Posts

Posted - 08/20/2008 :  09:05:56 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
http://media.photobucket.com/image/school%20bus/timaaaaa93/DSC_0115.jpg?o=215
This look's like a VA bus... Any info let me know.
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BusFreak
Top Member

USA
798 Posts

Posted - 08/20/2008 :  11:05:00 AM  Show Profile  Send BusFreak an AOL message  Reply with Quote
Harrisonburg City Public Schools I believe.

=
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IC RE 1629
Top Member

United States
5097 Posts

Posted - 08/20/2008 :  11:19:12 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Does Harrisonburg City Public Schools have IC transits?
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