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rrodriguez34
Active Member
USA
22 Posts |
 Posted - 07/21/2005 : 7:03:21 PM
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| The Freightliner I have does not vibrate, but I do know of a couple (5-10) that other drivers have had that vibrated severely. I believe they all had Mercedes Benz engines. A co-worker of mine had a Mercedes Benz engine Freightliner that was so bad, she "returned" it... asked for a Catepillar instead. LOL |
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specialneeds54
Advanced Member
USA
361 Posts |
Posted - 07/21/2005 : 7:25:39 PM
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I wonder why they do it. I wonder if a Mercedes Car Idles as Rough and if they Vibrate. I Know That a car and A bus are different but they both are mercedes It is a nice bus The Air Doors are just Cool It has the child find Button in the back you have to press before you get off the bus AM/FM CD Player But it Irritates the heck out of me My bus Does not have any extra's on it Just tinted windows and a cup holder AC White Roof But it drives and runs so smooth i miss it a Lot
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Edited by - specialneeds54 on 07/24/2005 08:30:49 AM |
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vabuslover
Advanced Member
United States
246 Posts |
Posted - 07/22/2005 : 06:19:43 AM
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| Newport News buses are like yours specialneeds54...we have no extras, not even the AM/FM/Tape or CD player! Plus, the suspension on our buses is like yours, can feel every bump in the road. |
Edited by - vabuslover on 07/22/2005 06:20:53 AM |
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IC RE 1629
Top Member
United States
5097 Posts |
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lvbuscrazy
Senior Member
USA
110 Posts |
Posted - 07/22/2005 : 11:52:26 AM
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IC RE 1629,
I am so impressed with the driver's area of the 2006 Bluebird All American RE. As a driver it helps to have the extras. |
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IC RE 1629
Top Member
United States
5097 Posts |
Posted - 07/22/2005 : 1:10:25 PM
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| lvbuscrazy, glad you liked the bus. It was a nice bus, but like I said in the Fairfax County thread, this bus needs A/C and gray or blue seats. LED warning lights would be cool too. |
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Rich
Top Member
United States
5768 Posts |
Posted - 07/22/2005 : 2:03:04 PM
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quote:
I wonder why they do it I wonder if a Mercedes Car does thst also
[Deleted by Admin] |
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specialneeds54
Advanced Member
USA
361 Posts |
Posted - 07/22/2005 : 4:29:34 PM
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quote:
[Deleted by Admin]
I do Not usually Like to get Mixed up in Quotes on this board I just Chaulk it up to ignorance try to Uphold Standards that a bus Driver is supposed to have But You Just Insulted me and I do not appreciate it I am not Stupid It was a innocent Question If a mercedes Car runs as rough as a Bus Engine
From Now on do not reply to any of my Questions Just IGNORE them I have read a lot of your posts and have seen how rude you are to People yes some of them deserved it but Thank goodness they are gone But I do not have to put up with your Insults and I will report this to the Mods.
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Edited by - specialneeds54 on 07/24/2005 08:23:50 AM |
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IC RE 1629
Top Member
United States
5097 Posts |
Posted - 07/22/2005 : 4:37:15 PM
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As the creator of this topic, I would appreciate if you all would please stop the rude behavior. Let us get back to the positive discussion of School Buses in Virginia.
So, I've only heard a few opinions on the Blue Bird demo bus that I posted photos of. What do you all think? |
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IC
Top Member
USA
3413 Posts |
Posted - 07/22/2005 : 4:53:40 PM
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If it helps, Teresa, I don't think you or your question was stupid. Diesels, by their very nature (super high compression), vibrate more than gasoline engines. I drove a Mercedes Benz 300D(diesel) sedan for a few years and it vibrated more than it's gasoline cousin (the 300E). I am sure Mercedes' engineers go to great lengths to isolate the diesel vibration in their autos.....to make them more "car-like"....but you could still tell it was a diesel up there.
A school bus is built on a truck chassis with a much larger diesel engine and, I am sure, much less effort is expended on the part of the engineers for such niceties as engine vibration. Maybe soft motor mounts are less durable? Anyway, trucks are supposed to feel and drive like trucks! |
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specialneeds54
Advanced Member
USA
361 Posts |
Posted - 07/22/2005 : 5:00:32 PM
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Thank You so Much for an honest and intelligent Answer.
I appreciate not being talked down to |
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IC RE 1629
Top Member
United States
5097 Posts |
Posted - 07/22/2005 : 5:17:04 PM
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| Is is me or do Type C buses built on Ford Chassis seem to vibrate more. I know bus 55, a 1989 Wayne Ford, vibrates very badly. None of our other buses vibrate that badly. |
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IC
Top Member
USA
3413 Posts |
Posted - 07/22/2005 : 5:54:25 PM
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You mean when they are idling? They sure do! My Ford/Wayne shook the crossing gate to pieces one time.....had to have a whole new one!
Hey 1629....have you asked Ernie what those BB AA REs cost? I'm pretty sure it's considerably more than the ICs...so it ain't likely they'll switch. BUT, I do think they are getting sick of the IC's reliability too. SOOO many of them won't start when it's cold. And I walked past a few of the '06s at West Ox the other day and I couldn't believe it. One deadline sticker said "transmission"....another said "starter".....another said "do not drive-steering". Come on...these are brand new buses! But who's to say the Birds would be any better? The old ones we got conk out all the time too.
Speaking of bus prices.....my source tells me that the new IC FE special-ed buses cost $88,264 per bus....that's almost $2000 MORE than the reg-ed REs cost! Granted they have the DT466 and the lift, but 2 grand more than a big bus? |
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IC RE 1629
Top Member
United States
5097 Posts |
Posted - 07/22/2005 : 5:58:26 PM
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| See my reply over in the Fairfax thread. |
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Drew19
Top Member
USA
651 Posts |
Posted - 07/22/2005 : 8:02:42 PM
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[quote]Originally posted by IC
You mean when they are idling? They sure do! My Ford/Wayne shook the crossing gate to pieces one time.....had to have a whole new one!
Hey 1629....have you asked Ernie what those BB AA REs cost? I'm pretty sure it's considerably more than the ICs...so it ain't likely they'll switch. BUT, I do think they are getting sick of the IC's reliability too. SOOO many of them won't start when it's cold. And I walked past a few of the '06s at West Ox the other day and I couldn't believe it. One deadline sticker said "transmission"....another said "starter".....another said "do not drive-steering". Come on...these are brand new buses! But who's to say the Birds would be any better? The old ones we got conk out all the time too.
Don't they have glow plugs? When 448 was out we had an gennis as a spare it had a button and it would spray something in the engine and it would start right away. sorry I don't rember what it was called. |
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IC
Top Member
USA
3413 Posts |
Posted - 07/22/2005 : 8:34:27 PM
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That stuff is ether....sometimes called "starting fluid". Some of the older buses have ether start systems (I don't know if any of the bottles have any ether in them though).
The newer buses have glow plugs and block heaters and some still won't start..... |
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IC RE 1629
Top Member
United States
5097 Posts |
Posted - 07/23/2005 : 06:04:02 AM
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| Ether and other starting agents like that are not recommended for use anymore. I've been told that they can cause alot of damage to the engine. |
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Drew19
Top Member
USA
651 Posts |
Posted - 07/23/2005 : 06:51:50 AM
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| Does all of the IC's and Amtrans have trouble starting.I can understand if it's below zero but that's costing the drivers and machanics a lot of time. One of the busdrivers I had got upgraded to a 99 or 00 amtrans which the fast idle broke so she always had to leave her acelerater down in the cold mornings. she also when she had the thomas when she had the defrosters and everything else running she always turned on the fast idle to give the engine or I forgot what it called more power. |
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IC
Top Member
USA
3413 Posts |
Posted - 07/23/2005 : 07:31:35 AM
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| No, not all of them won't start in the cold. But one morning last year it was 9 degrees and 200 buses (mostly AmTrans) wouldn't start. |
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IC RE 1629
Top Member
United States
5097 Posts |
Posted - 07/23/2005 : 08:34:29 AM
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| If you have the avaliability of plugging your bus in, then do it! Also hope that the block heater works, and the outlet you plug into works too. |
Edited by - IC RE 1629 on 07/23/2005 08:36:33 AM |
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Drew19
Top Member
USA
651 Posts |
Posted - 07/23/2005 : 08:40:01 AM
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| Well IC's have grown on me. I think fcps should stay with IC a little bit longer. Love to see the new design. |
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IC-RE
Top Member
USA
4117 Posts |
Posted - 07/23/2005 : 09:26:23 AM
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| We probably will, but who knows, that Demo Blue Birds has made itself at home here in the county...... |
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IC RE 1629
Top Member
United States
5097 Posts |
Posted - 07/23/2005 : 10:15:34 AM
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| We will know for sure during the winter, according to Ernie. |
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vabuslover
Advanced Member
United States
246 Posts |
Posted - 07/23/2005 : 7:50:06 PM
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| I have seen early 80's Birds with green interiors and green seats. Wouldn't that look old, or would that be cool? |
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vabuslover
Advanced Member
United States
246 Posts |
Posted - 07/23/2005 : 7:51:21 PM
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| A friend of mine is going to Caroline County for the Boy Scut Jamboree. I think he said that they use school buses for shuttling visitors around. Maybe if he can get some pics he can share them with me. |
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IC-RE
Top Member
USA
4117 Posts |
Posted - 07/23/2005 : 8:53:18 PM
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| I think that the color of a bus's seats does not put an age on the bus, it just gives it character. For some odd reason, in my head, I see brown seats as cheap (don't ask) and grey seats as luxory. While blue, green, and red seats are just plain EXCITING!!! When in reality, we all know that seats are seats!! LOL |
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IC RE 1629
Top Member
United States
5097 Posts |
Posted - 07/24/2005 : 05:21:46 AM
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I tend to feel that seat colors depict age. Green seats being from the time buses started using these vinyl covered seats to the 1970's or 80's. Brown being the 80's and early 90's. Blue being mid to late 90's and gray being 2000-present. Just my thoughts.
IC-RE mentions red seats. Do bus seats come in any other color then green, brown, grey and blue? |
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Jim
Top Member
USA
581 Posts |
Posted - 07/24/2005 : 06:03:12 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by IC RE 1629
IC-RE mentions red seats. Do bus seats come in any other color then green, brown, grey and blue?
We have a BB All American RE with red seats in our fleet. I don't care for red seats myself. |
Jim |
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specialneeds54
Advanced Member
USA
361 Posts |
Posted - 07/24/2005 : 08:11:26 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by vabuslover
A friend of mine is going to Caroline County for the Boy Scut Jamboree. I think he said that they use school buses for shuttling visitors around. Maybe if he can get some pics he can share them with me.
Is he already here i mean I have seen Charter bus After Charter Bus Coming In Exciting time for us One year President Clinton Came I am not sure who is performing at this years Jamboree The Schedule Has not been in the Paper yet I Hope he has Fun and Enjoys are beautiful County I don't know about The School Busses being Used but I will Find out I have to go to the Shop Monday to turn in this years contract I want to see the New busses we just got in AP HILL may have bought our old ones and is using them. |
Edited by - specialneeds54 on 07/24/2005 08:15:40 AM |
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IC-RE
Top Member
USA
4117 Posts |
Posted - 07/24/2005 : 09:03:34 AM
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| Specialneeds, what type of buses are you supposed to get this year, I assume the Freightliner Thomas's, but I don't know, so most-likely would. |
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specialneeds54
Advanced Member
USA
361 Posts |
Posted - 07/24/2005 : 11:53:16 AM
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I don't Know Most Likely Freightliners I think Spotsylvania has a Lot of Freightliners too They are a whole lot bigger fleet than we are I would love to go their yard and see all of them I think Richmond mostly have what I call Pug nose Buses Please Forgive me But I assume they are Blue birds I don't Know if I would like Driving one of them looks like you are right on the window
PLEASE FORGIVE ME IF THAT SOUNDS STUPID I don't want to be insulted again LOL |
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IC-RE
Top Member
USA
4117 Posts |
Posted - 07/24/2005 : 12:14:01 PM
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| Yes, I think Richmond does operate Blue Bird TC2000 FE's with the engine inside the bus at the front. The drive does sit close to the front window, but there is awesome visibitly. We have a few of them from 1989-1991. They are now used as spares because all of our newer buses have the engines in the rear. Virginia is almost an all Thomas Built bus state with the exception of a few counties Like Fairfax. Loudoun Operates Thomas among many other models. |
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Drew19
Top Member
USA
651 Posts |
Posted - 07/24/2005 : 12:55:30 PM
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| Lived in lcps for a couple of years now from herndon big difference. Um I think we switch from thomas two IC each year. FCPS and LCPS specs our buses similair but there is some differences. We have HDX's some with cats and some with Benz engines (excellent), we put automatic snow chains on the buses, not all of the thomas buses have am fm rado's and non of the ic's that iv'e seen have any am fm radios. and some of them have outside cameras mounted at the top of the drivers window. Plus lcps have doesn't have such an older fleet like fairfax has. also all of the thomas buses have black window trim and they haven't faded out yet. In all your opinion which is a better engine to put in a thomas since you cannot get a internation engine. the dt466 engine is so quite. the t444e sounds like an jet engine. |
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IC-RE
Top Member
USA
4117 Posts |
Posted - 07/24/2005 : 1:04:28 PM
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| Loudoun had a split bid with IC and Thomas for a few years. All of our AmTrans and IC's as well has our Thomas's have AM/FM/Casette/PA system in them. The 2003-2006 IC RE's have 6 speakers while the 1993-2002 Thomas MVP ER's, Thomas SafT Liners ER's, AmTran RE's, IC RE's have only 4 speakers. The 1996 AmTran RE's have an exterior speaker recessed into the roof cap, and the 1993-1995 Thomas SafT Liners have exterior speakers above the drivers window. The New AmTrans and IC's have only interior speakers. |
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Drew19
Top Member
USA
651 Posts |
Posted - 07/24/2005 : 1:10:12 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by IC-RE
Loudoun had a split bid with IC and Thomas for a few years. All of our AmTrans and IC's as well has our Thomas's have AM/FM/Casette/PA system in them. The 2003-2006 IC RE's have 6 speakers while the 1993-2002 Thomas MVP ER's, Thomas SafT Liners ER's, AmTran RE's, IC RE's have only 4 speakers. The 1996 AmTran RE's have an exterior speaker recessed into the roof cap, and the 1993-1995 Thomas SafT Liners have exterior speakers above the drivers window. The New AmTrans and IC's have only interior speakers.
I lived in fairfax county for years and the specs on our buses are nice. but the ac units on the hdx's are really nice. they aren't seperate like the ic's all of the ic's and thomas in lcps has the pa system but not all of them have a am fm stero. I'm so used to having all of the buses have am/fm radios. I think I would be bored to not listing to the radio for a while. also some of the hdx's have cd players. no sure if there mp3. |
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Official Virginia School Bus Thread
