Tyler........

[Pluto2003]

Just back from WDW and my husband wants me to ask...who makes the WDW buses and how old is the oldest bus in the fleet..
Husbands want to know the strangest stuff..........Thanks for your answer a head of time......

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

We have two basic bus models: The RTS and the LFS. The RTS is the standard floor bus, and the LFS is the low floor bus.

The RTS was designed in the mid 70s and originally built ('77-'87) by GMC in Pontiac, Michigan. You may recognize them from various cities around the country. The RTS is arguably the most rock solid, durable transit bus in the world. Just like a Timex, they really take a beating, and they still keep on ticking. Disney Transport currently has 79 GMC RTSs in service.

In 1987/88, GMC sold off the RTS to Motor Coach Industries (MCI, builder of Greyhound's coaches), who started to manufacture the RTS under its TMC (Transportation Manufacturing Corporation) nameplate. Production was moved to Roswell, NM. Disney currently has 103 TMC RTSs in service.

Production of the RTS continued in Roswell until late 1994/1995 when NovaBUS bought the RTS, and started manufacturing it under its name. (Well, technically, they were too cheap to change over the name plating on the bus itself... so until early 1998, all Nova's said "Manufactured by TMC" Disney currently has 10 Nova RTSs in service.

In 2002, NovaBUS decided to sell off the RTS. For awhile, it looked like this was the end of an era. The RTS would soon become no more. Production was halted, and the Roswell facility was shut down, and converted for other uses.

However, in recent news, Millenium Transit has bought the RTS, and has plans to continue building the bus, as well as other varients based on the RTS design.




In 2000, Disney decided to go low-floor, and is currently leasing 71 Nova LFS low-floor buses. These buses are Canadian built, and as such, are rarely found in the United States. (Chicago is the only major city to have some of these)


Word on the street is that Disney is not happy with these buses, and an order for 45 Gillig Advantage low-floor buses has been placed, due to arrive late this year, and enter service early 2005.



Some trivia facts:

Most of our buses were bought new. However, 35 of our buses were bought used, and then completely re-built by Midwest Bus. (2745-2780) These buses originally came from Detroit Department of Transportation (Detroit, MI), the Southeast Michigan Transportation Authority (Detroit, MI), Miami Valley Regional Transportation Authority (Dayton, OH), and Metro-Dade County Transit Authority (Miami, FL).

Our oldest bus is 2746, with an original build date of August, 1979. This bus was rebuilt by Midwest Bus in 1998. This bus has an estimated 2.5 million miles on it.

Our oldest original bus is 2706, witha build date of October, 1980. This bus has an estimated 2 million miles on it. (Most drivers think its 2701, but according to the serial numbers, the buses were not built in order.)

Disney Transport has 265 buses, and out of those 263 buses are in guest service. The other 2 have been retired. In addition to those, we also had 22 buses in Cast Member service. 20 of these buses have been retired, 2 remain. These buses were all GMC RTSs that were purchased used, and not rebuilt. These buses originally came from Long Beach, CA, Rock Island, IL, Wilmington, DE, and St. Petersburg, FL. The 2 remaining in service are from Reno, NV.

 

[Beckles]

Originally posted by Chip 'n Dale Express
In 2000, Disney decided to go low-floor, and is currently leasing 71 Nova LFS low-floor buses. These buses are Canadian built, and as such, are rarely found in the United States. (Chicago is the only major city to have some of these)

Charlotte, NC has over 100 Nova LFS buses (unless you are making a differentiation between different models, but they sure look the same as the Disney buses, you can see a picture of a Charlotte Nova bus here). It's also interesting to note that they switched from buying Gillig to Nova, while Disney has done the opposite.

 

[Beast fan]

Thank you, Professor Tyler! I learned more about the WDW bus inventory in your answer than I could have imagined. People such as yourself is why people like us love WDW.

Dave

 

[Pluto2003]

I am sure my husband will find out what he wanted to know in your answer........I just knew you would be the one to ask.........

 

[DC7800]

While we're on the subject, would you happen to know anything about the buses WDW used before even the 2706 came along? I am going solely from memory, but these were short, tall-windowed (?), and noisy buses which could be found operating through the WDW Villas (Treehouses, Fairway, etc.) and Fort Wilderness circa 1979. I'm pretty sure they survived at least a few years past 1980, perhaps well beyond (I want to say they were still running during a 1985 Vacation Villa trip, but I could well be mistaken).

I don't seem to have even a single picture, photographed or published, of these buses.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Thanks, Tyler, that was GREAT!!!!!

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

Originally posted by DC7800
While we're on the subject, would you happen to know anything about the buses WDW used before even the 2706 came along? I am going solely from memory, but these were short, tall-windowed (?), and noisy buses which could be found operating through the WDW Villas (Treehouses, Fairway, etc.) and Fort Wilderness circa 1979. I'm pretty sure they survived at least a few years past 1980, perhaps well beyond (I want to say they were still running during a 1985 Vacation Villa trip, but I could well be mistaken).

I don't seem to have even a single picture, photographed or published, of these buses.

Those would be the Twin Coaches. I can't seem to find my roster of them, but I'd say we had about 25, some bought new, some used. Up until awhile ago, you could still find one out on New York Street, at the Studios. I'll try and dig up a picture.

 

[DC7800]

Originally posted by Chip 'n Dale Express
Those would be the Twin Coaches. I can't seem to find my roster of them, but I'd say we had about 25, some bought new, some used.

Thanks for the information. I hate to admit that, somehow, I never made the connection between the bus on New York Street and the older Disney buses.

 

[erikthewise]

Thanks Tyler! You need to write a chapter in somebody's book!

I am curious -- since all the buses are in guest service, how do the College Program CMs get to work? Do they have to drive or take city buses?

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

Originally posted by erikthewise
Thanks Tyler! You need to write a chapter in somebody's book!

I am curious -- since all the buses are in guest service, how do the College Program CMs get to work? Do they have to drive or take city buses?

Disney contracts out to Dynamic, a charter operation to run the College Program shuttle.

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

Originally posted by DC7800
Thanks for the information. I hate to admit that, somehow, I never made the connection between the bus on New York Street and the older Disney buses.

Here are the two pictures:

 

[clkelley]

In the 97-2000 timeframe Disney had at least one unusual vehicle that I called the "Cattle Hauler"

It had a tractor-trailer cab and a two-compartment passenger section.

Whatever happened to it??

Carol

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

Originally posted by clkelley
In the 97-2000 timeframe Disney had at least one unusual vehicle that I called the "Cattle Hauler"

It had a tractor-trailer cab and a two-compartment passenger section.

Whatever happened to it??

Carol

We called them the Super Bus. Guests called them Cattle Haulers. They were expensive to maintain and operate, and guests didn't really like them... in fact guests would have rather waited a bit longer to ride a bus, than the "cattle" truck.

I'll see about getting a picture.

 

[sue Z]

Tyler
I will go through my dad's photos and see what I can come up with I know he has pictures of the super bus just have to find the correct album!! I will email then to you once I get them scanned

Sue

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

Originally posted by sue Z
Tyler
I will go through my dad's photos and see what I can come up with I know he has pictures of the super bus just have to find the correct album!! I will email then to you once I get them scanned

Sue

That would be great. I know you and him sent me one... but wouldn't you know it, it's the one I can't find! LOL

 

[sue Z]

That would be great. I know you and him sent me one... but wouldn't you know it, it's the one I can't find! LOL

Tyler
I haven't forgotten its just I am trying to locate the WDW transportation album out in the front porch in the "bus museum". I have one more section to go through and with luck this is where I should find the album!

sue

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

Originally posted by sue Z
Tyler
I haven't forgotten its just I am trying to locate the WDW transportation album out in the front porch in the "bus museum". I have one more section to go through and with luck this is where I should find the album!

sue

Actually, I found the picture of the SuperBus!

 

[sue Z]

Tyler
Just showed Dad the post and he said hey wht sight is that ! I said its a post on the disboards and someone had asked about the bus and Tyler was trying to locate the one you sent him! He recoginized right off the bat!!
Sue