Disney's Transportation Management

[Clifton Tesh]

Does any one know who manages Disney transportation?
Is it done by Disney, or is it ran by an outside company?

Any one have any clue what kind of buses they use?

I know they have some Gillig low floors, but have they switched over to the Gillig Hybrid yet?
I read that they also run Nova and New Flyer, does any one know what models of these they run?

I also wonder if they have any plans to switch over to the New Flyer full electric buses. That would probably save them and arm and leg on fuel cost.

Or am I the only person who wonders this stuff?

 

[seashoreCM]

As far as I know, transportation at WDW is handled by a subsidiary named or at least referred to as Disney Transport.

Resorts with bus service pay for it using "funny money" (inter-divisional transfers that are included in budgeting). (Real money for Swan and Dolphin.)

Don't know for how many miles the batteries for an all electric bus last but it would suck if the air conditioning had to be turned off in the Florida summer if the batteries ran low in the middle of a trip.

 

[kar915]

I believe the only outside company used for buses are the Disney Magical Express/Cruise line buses which is run by Mears.
I do know that Disney also used another company during the summer, which I can't remember the name at the moment, to help with the extra morning rush to transport guests from certain resorts to DHS.

Here is a good link I found a little while ago with the bus breakdown of what they operate. It is run by a Canadian Transit board wiki but I found very accurate and good information.
http://cptdb.ca/wiki/index.php?title=Disney_Transport

 

[Clifton Tesh]

I believe the only outside company used for buses are the Disney Magical Express/Cruise line buses which is run by Mears.
I do know that Disney also used another company during the summer, which I can't remember the name at the moment, to help with the extra morning rush to transport guests from certain resorts to DHS.

Here is a good link I found a little while ago with the bus breakdown of what they operate. It is run by a Canadian Transit board wiki but I found very accurate and good information.
http://cptdb.ca/wiki/index.php?title=Disney_Transport

Awesome, thanks for the info.

I work in transit, for a company called veolia/transdev. Which might explain my interest in this subject.

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

There are no electric vehicles, including, buses that can come close to handling the riggers and power requirements of what amounts to city traffic and.use.

Yes their are lots of stories, that amounts to experimental trys at using them, but it is a long way to having the batteries able to do the job.

This problem includes the few cars on the market, which have only limited urban abilities.

AKK

 

[holtr727]

I'm a traffic engineer and from time to time I imagine taking some great job with Disney and moving down. The last time the mood struck me (probably 3+ years ago at this point) I searched jobs and Disney was hiring a transportation management position. The position oversaw operations for all transportation (bus, water, etc.). Seemed like a good gig, but not up my alley and too high up the chain for me. The same search often brings up bus drivers (searching for transportation) so they were at least previously direct employees.

 

[TinyTim2]

The only place that has a electric bus in service is in California. At the end of each line it has a charging station. Hybrid buses only work best in stop and go traffic. NYC is looking into repowering 800 hybrids to diesel. Also not buying any more hybrids.

 

[Clifton Tesh]

The only place that has a electric bus in service is in California. At the end of each line it has a charging station. Hybrid buses only work best in stop and go traffic. NYC is looking into repowering 800 hybrids to diesel. Also not buying any more hybrids.

I haven't heard much about the electrics, I just figured with how flat Florida is, they would be perfect for disney.

As for the hybrid, we have better fuel mileage out of them than we do the non hybrids; about a 4 mpg difference. After refueling 86 busses each day, each bus holds 100 gallons, hybrids only take about 60-70 gallons to fill and the non hybrid around 80-90 a day.

The hybrids, while more expensive in the beginning, definitely earn their way after a couple years.

 

[seashoreCM]

Boston has on order 175 compressed natural gas buses and 150 diesel hybrid buses, all 40 foot models (from New Flyer in Canada). These will replace older buses including some Nova RTSs that have been around "for eons" (since 1995).

That is, no battery electrics for the foreseeable future.

 

[zaccaglin]

To answer your question Disney apears to be running some older Novas, the Gilig Low Floor, and the New Flyer line. I did see some newer Gilig low floors in the fleet earlier last week however they weren't the hybrid. Anything that runs diesel on property is usually running bio diesel, I'm sure fuel costs don't even get looked at by there accountant. Just the check signed.

 

[cranbiz]

The fleet is mostly Gillig Low Floors. There are 40 or so Novabus low floors. These were the original replacements for the RTS series bus. The 5000 numbered Nova's were part of a settlement Disney had with Novabus over buses that caught fire and they were delivered in 2010. Disney transport standardized on the Gillig. The early Nova's came into being as Gillig couldn't deliver as fast as Disney needed when they were bought. Until/unless Gillig does something stupid they will continue to sell buses to Disney Transport.

The New Flyers are the articulated buses.

No Hybrids. They were tested back in 2008 or so. The problem was range and height. The hybrids were run in the fort for the test but were too tall for Magic Kingdom use, they didn't fit under the monorail beam.

 

[Clifton Tesh]

Didn't know the monorail was that low. That's kind of a fun fact to know.

Gillig really screwed up with us. Not only did they almost double the cost of the original bid, it was going to take twice as long to make the buses. So we are getting new flyers this year

 

[TinyTim2]

Gillig has the state contract here in fl. Basically you go thru the state for a better price. That have a year or better wait after you order for delivery.

 

[Clifton Tesh]

We fall into a glorious loop hole there. We are city government that is managed by a company from Florida (transdev/veolia).

Because they technically buy the buses (with city, state, and federal money of course), we get to choose which buses to buy. The only issue is it has to first be approved by the city, then the state, then the federal rep.

But, we still aren't stuck with choosing just one kind of bus.

 

[supersnoop]

We fall into a glorious loop hole there. We are city government that is managed by a company from Florida (transdev/veolia).

Because they technically buy the buses (with city, state, and federal money of course), we get to choose which buses to buy. The only issue is it has to first be approved by the city, then the state, then the federal rep.

But, we still aren't stuck with choosing just one kind of bus.

Since Disney runs an off-route bus system, I image they're exempt from many of the federal regulations.

 

[cranbiz]

That year delay is pretty consistent with Gillig. When Disney started retiring the RTS, they wanted Gillig's. Disney wanted them faster than that 1 year wait and when Disney pushed to be moved up in the delivery schedule, Gillig basically told Disney to pound sand and wait like everyone else.That's when the original buy of Novabus low floors happened. Novabus was able and willing to deliver in the timeframe requested so they got that years buy and the foot in the door for the replacement to the RTS. If they had been more reliable, there wouldn't be a Gillig on property. Unfortunately, several caught fire and there were a slew of mechanical issues. Disney sued Novabus and went back to Gillig for subsequent bus purchases. Disney and Novabus settled out of court in the 2008 timeframe and Novabus delivered 5 new low floors as part of that settlement.

I am slightly surprised that New Flyer was chosen for the articulating buses when Novabus an articulated bus with parts commonality to the fleet of Nova low floors already at WDW.

 

[zaccaglin]

Since Disney runs an off-route bus system, I image they're exempt from many of the federal regulations.

Yes and no. The only true off rout system Disney would have would be the fort and Epcot backstage. Other wise all the buses run on dot regulated roads. All bus drivers must have a CDL in order to operate and Java whole string of rules in place from the DOT.

 

[supersnoop]

Yes and no. The only true off rout system Disney would have would be the fort and Epcot backstage. Other wise all the buses run on dot regulated roads. All bus drivers must have a CDL in order to operate and Java whole string of rules in place from the DOT.

Right, I'm more concerned about complementary paratransit service.

 

[joelkfla]

I am slightly surprised that New Flyer was chosen for the articulating buses when Novabus an articulated bus with parts commonality to the fleet of Nova low floors already at WDW.

Disney has 6 Nova artics, and 6 New Flyer artics. The New Flyers have had some issues, which I am hesitant to detail.

 

[cranbiz]

Thanks for that @joelkfla. The articulated buses were bought after I left Florida and the company.

I didn't know that they bought the Nova Artics. It makes sense from a supply and maintenance view. I hope the New Flyers didn't have the same problems that the early Nova's had.

OT: I liked driving the Novas more than the RTS or Gilligs. Not sure why.