Greyhound seats and fleet questions

[railiner]

I wonder what type of destination signs Greyhound uses on it's buses? They look like TwinVision signs, but not sure.

I looked at the label on one today.....here's a link to the manufacturer.... http://www.aesys.com/LED-signs-and-LED-display/bus-systems/on-board-systems/led-destination-sign

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

So it's an Aesys Minerva. Looks like a good headsign. Do you prefer it installed on the left or the right?

I wonder if the DL3 can accommodate a 102A3-style headsign above the windshield. Should be possible since Concord Coach had at least one that they sold to Jefferson.

Peter Pan has some with a roll sign on top: https://www.flickr.com/photos/45726467@N02/14859527168/sizes/l.

Speaking of Peter Pan, they have a solitary D4500CL, #32001 (P057035): https://www.flickr.com/photos/buses-international/16963051503/sizes/l.

 

[rickycourtney]

Wow. Nobody was intrigued by that tweet??

The headsign should be installed on the right since passengers board on the right side of the coach. For that same reason, Greyhound should have also installed another destination sign on the right side of the coach just behind the door.

Considering the D4500CT is the direct descendent of the 102DL3, it could almost certainly be modified to have a headsign above the windshield. That being said, you'd probably have to do a fair amount of body work to accommodate that, so these signs inside the windshield were a cheaper and better choice.

 

[railiner]

I always prefered the center mounted destination sign, whether above or below the windshield. I never liked it when the MC-8 started the practice of putting the sign in the windshield. While it may be easier for the boarding passenger to see the sign in the right windshield, from a driver's perspective, I prefer it in the left windshield for three reasons....first, it is easier to reach from the seat, and second, it blocks the sun better than a shade alone, as well as it offers additional protection from a rock or bird strike...

As far as that 'tweet' goes....if it means scanning tickets or smartphones like Amtrak does, that would be great for all concerned....

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

I also prefer the left-mounted destination sign as it is more convenient for the driver and most passengers don't need to see it anyway.

I heard from someone that the J4500 bearing like to overheat and catch on fire. He said that the H3-45 is enormously superior and comparing the J4500 to the H3-45 is like "a Yugo to a Cadillac". He also said the E4500 has different bearings that don't have the problem. I don't know if this applies to all 102EL3s and E4500s or just the later E4500s that were redesigned.

 

[rickycourtney]

If the passengers don't need to see the headsign... what's the point of having one?

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

I said most passengers don't need to see it. If they did, Greyhound drivers wouldn't be putting silly messages on. It'll be there for when they need to see it. When they actually need to see it, the left windshield isn't necessarily worse than the right.

Operating with no destination sign appears to be no big deal unless you're boarding many schedules curbside at the same time. So really, there's no point in having one, especially since drivers don't always put on the right destination anyway. If you are going to have one for curbside stops or company pride, might as well put it on the left.

 

[Train2104]

I said most passengers don't need to see it. If they did, Greyhound drivers wouldn't be putting silly messages on. It'll be there for when they need to see it. When they actually need to see it, the left windshield isn't necessarily worse than the right.

Operating with no destination sign appears to be no big deal unless you're boarding many schedules curbside at the same time. So really, there's no point in having one, especially since drivers don't always put on the right destination anyway. If you are going to have one for curbside stops or company pride, might as well put it on the left.

If anything, something to indicate the schedule number would be better than a destination. On an intercity bus route, especially a really long one, most people aren't going to the bus's final destination, they might not even be aware of it. Or there's a stopping pattern difference.

Two examples I've been in:

-Going to Cleveland. Is that the Chicago bus, Detroit bus, St. Louis bus, or something else?

-Going to NYC: Is this the PGH-PHL-NYC express, the local that stops in Harrisburg, or the super-local going via Altoona/State College/etc.?

 

[rickycourtney]

You totally punted on my question... for more than anyone else, the headsign is for passengers. That's why I think they should be on the curbside.

Just because Greyhound's signs are pointless, doesn't mean they can't be better. The Amtrak California buses display the schedule number, the final destination and the major intermediate stops. Something like "5702 to San Pedro via Los Angeles & Long Beach" or "3612 to Las Vegas via Barstow".

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

Except most passengers don't even know their schedule number. Yes, that's how stupid Greyhound passengers are. Heck, even Greyhound drivers don't always know the schedule number if they are riding and not driving. Last time there was a cushioning driver that didn't know the schedule number, and ended up asking the passengers for it. Most of the passengers were dumbfounded. Guess who answered?

And even if the signs could be better, I don't see why they must be on the right-hand side. I do think the signs can be useful for the passengers, but it's more of a "want", than a "need". Passengers can only see the sign from the front anyway, so there is no physical advantage to a right-hand sign, unless you are seeing it from a very specific angle. The right-side sign is only useful if the bus is already stopped and then a passenger walks up to the side to look at the sign. It is not useful if a bus is pulling up for the passengers to see.

Even Amtrak California buses have left-windshield signs and no side sign. And Amtrak California buses are not operated in the same manner as dedicated intercity buses. They do not usually board from a bus station gate, make more stops, and can have multiple boarding at the same time curbside.

 

[rickycourtney]

I'd only advocate for schedule numbers on headsigns because they're the only sure way to know if you're on the right bus. They're clearly printed on the tickets passengers need to board. Most don't pay attention to it right now, because there's no reason to. It's sort of like a flight number… most people at airports look for their flight by destination, but if they're unsure they compare the flight number.

You want the headsigns on the right side because its closest to the curb, therefore closest to the passengers when they need that information the most, when they're about to board. It's more useful when multiple buses are stopped at sawtooth type station bays and just as useful as a bus pulls up. That being said the left side signs aren't a big problem.

Most Amtrak California buses used in Southern California do have both side and front destination signs (MCI on the left, Van Hool & Setra on the right) and they're most useful at stations where you have multiple buses boarding at a multi-bay station, like what happens at LA & Bakersfield.

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

There might be some Amtrak California buses that have the side signs, but the D4505s that come to Reno don't: https://www.flickr.com/photos/23065916@N04/2953524164/sizes/l.

I guess you must be talking about this one: https://www.flickr.com/photos/crown426/12682274413/sizes/l.

That sign above the entrance door looks really weird. I thought they would have placed it at the top of the R1 window. MCIs that have a side sign would always have it there since the space above the entrance door is solid.

Speaking of Amtrak California buses, I heard they got a brand-new J4500 that crashed. Also, there's still the rumor out that BoltBus is expanding to Los Angeles-Sacramento.

 

[rickycourtney]

Another teaser tweet tonight from Greyhound about their #LiveUnleashed initiative:



My theory was that the #LiveUnleashed initiative was the launch of eticketing, but this tweet makes it clear that the initiative definitely includes a new website.

Here's a closer look at the image they posted of the new website:

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

I just rode D4505s #86333, #86558, #86357, and #86338. All were a few minutes late, though #86338 arrived ten minutes early. Drivers seem to be intentionally departing late regularly. The exception was #86338.

Actually, I wasn't supposed to be on #86357, but the fan belt of #86558 broke on the way back and they subbed it with #86357. I just noticed that the vinyl on the 86300s is different from the 86500s and the 86300s have a stronger D4505 smell, though it wasn't too bad on any of these. I also noticed that the earlier 86300s have bulb reading lights. But #86357 has LED reading lights, as do all the 86500s. All D4505s still suffer from jerking and swaying, though the driver's skill seems important in keeping that to a minimum. Also, the Premier LS with the rougher vinyl is somewhat better than the Premier.

Shout-out to Operations Manager Seung Sohn of the Sacramento Terminal. Also a shout-out to driver Scott Taylor, who drove #86338 professionally. He turned on all the reading lights at the stops rather than turning on the main interior lights.

Saw X3-45s #86044 and #86056 in Sacramento. Also saw Blue G's #7025 and #7265. The driver of #7265 must have been an enthusiast, as he put "GO GREYHOUND" on the headsign and I checked later to find that he departed spot on time from Sacramento (on 1440 Los Angeles-Vancouver). Surprisingly, #7265 was swapped for X3-45 #86053 in Portland. Actually, #7025 was going northbound and swapped with #86044 in Sacramento.

 

[railiner]

Another teaser tweet tonight from Greyhound about their #LiveUnleashed initiative:

ImageUploadedByAmtrak Forum1446257563.775934.jpg

My theory was that the #LiveUnleashed initiative was the launch of eticketing, but this tweet makes it clear that the initiative definitely includes a new website.

Here's a closer look at the image they posted of the new website:

ImageUploadedByAmtrak Forum1446257597.909487.jpg

Hmmm.....based on the teaser's provided, how's this for a wild guess on what's coming......live web cams showing the scenery shot from some buses? You know, like some cruise ships have.....

Could be interesting....but then again, could be a problem if the driver is shown 'tail-gating' or any other bad driving practice, or worst yet, gets into an accident. So scratch that idea......

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

You know, there was an off-duty Sacramento driver on #86357 and he kept talking about buses with the driving driver (a Los Angeles trainee driver). He said that #86357 is a good bus and that #86349 is a bad bus, so it's best to avoid it. He said he likes driving Prevosts but says they perform poorly in the snow. He said "these" (the D4505) are better in the snow.

Apparently this guy wasn't kept up-to-date on operations and said that mostly "Sevens and Sixes" (the G4500 and 102DL3) operate east of Reno (he also said he likes driving out of Reno, Boise, and El Paso). Actually, ever since Reno-SLC was discontinued, the remaining Reno-Denver route has been D4505s all the time. He emphasized that the Sevens go real fast.

Also, he mentioned that Sked 1420 Los Angeles-Vancouver is a pain to drive because it departs Los Angeles at 5:30 PM, smack in the middle of the PM rush hour.

Surprisingly, the trainee was the older of the two.

Oh, and lastly, the off-duty driver said he'd been to 35 states.

 

[railiner]

Oh, and lastly, the off-duty driver said he'd been to 35 states.

By that, I assume he means he drove through 35 states driving for Greyhound? That is a remarkable achievement. Such would have been near impossible back in the days of strong local unions on GL.....you did not go off division except in rare cases, and then immediately 'cushioned' or in some cases worked back home.

Nowadays, you can hold seniority nationally, and work anywhere you desire, even temporarily 'supplement' a distant base. Good for a young person, with no family that desires to see the country.....

When I started my bus career as an information and then ticket clerk in 1968, I did it mostly to get pass privilege's....within two years, I had been by bus to 49 states on vacations and days off.....

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

So you hadn't been to Hawaii yet? I remember you said you'd been to Alaska. Or perhaps you had been to Hawaii, but not by bus, of course.

He said he does have a family, though. He didn't appear to be a young man; I'd say he was at least 40 years old, perhaps 50. The driver was certainly a few years older than the cushioning guy.

I saw the old Greyhound terminal in Sacramento. It has been converted to a parking lot. Surprisingly, there were no suspicious people around it. Man, Sacramento is boring though. Other than the Railroad Museum, not much to look at. But the current Greyhound terminal in Sacramento is actually in a good location. You can feel safe walking around there at night. Too bad photography is prohibited, but maybe I can ask Seung Sohn for permission.

Edit: Hey railiner, how do the H3-45s and X3-45s do in snow? That guy said they don't do good.

 

[railiner]

I think the Prevost coaches do fine in snow....and I took a quick survey of several of our driver's and they all said they prefer the Prevost over the MCI. One advantage is that you can actually lift the tag completely from the driver's seat, when extra traction is needed for starting out on slippery upgrades. The MCI only takes some of the weight off the tag wheels....

Surprisingly, some of our driver's actually preferred the Van Hools over the Prevost in the snow. I don't have enough experience with the Van Hools to formulate an opinion....

 

[rickycourtney]

A few more #LiveUnleashed teaser tweets:





Including one showing the new ticket design:



An up close look at the ticket showing an "Economy Extra" fare:

And this post on Facebook seems to suggest that the upgrade is happening overnight:

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

Perhaps the Greyhound driver said he would rater drive a D4505 in the snow because GLI reportedly locks all their tag axles, disabling the Prevost's lifting tag system.

I doubt J4500s and D4505s can match the Prevosts' performance.

On three of those D4505s (all but #86333), I sat in Seat 13, which I found to be one of the best seats on the D4505 because of its extra legroom and normal view out the window. The wheelchair position seats on the right have a blind. On #86333, I saw n Seat 17 which was also good. However, the smell and swaying ride was still noticeable., though not as bad as before.

I've heard about A, B, C, and D checks for motorcoaches, but I'm not sure what most of them mean.

 

[PVD]

Was out early this morning and was very surprised to turn a corner and see a parked G4500 in post Greyhound white. Don't see many of those around here. It carried Maryland plates, marked as Vanity Tours.

 

[Swadian Hardcore]

That one is 3BMXSMPAX2S080236. It was never operated by GLI. I don't know if it was ever operated by GLC. The "P" engine was apparently what GLC always ordered, though many other operators also ordered it. GLI preferred the "R" engine. Both are Detroit Diesel Series 60 12.7L variants.

I've heard some good things about the E for once. Someone boasted on National Bus Trader that his EL3s have exceeded 4 million miles and keep on going. I don't know if this is true or not because even Greyhound's DL3s are around 3 million. Still, yet another guy had said the E has superior bearings over the J, also contending that the J's bearings like to overheat and catch on fire. I wonder what kind of bearings the E has.

 

[jebr]

So, did anything actually happen during the website downtime today? I checked and nothing had changed on the website as of now, despite the maintenance going twice as long as scheduled.

EDIT: It looks like they're doing more maintenance again tonight. Almost sounds like they had some trouble updating the website yesterday (considering it took twice as long as scheduled) and are making a second attempt at an upgrade tonight.

 

[PVD]

Thank you for the update. I don't know what it was doing in my neighborhood. I was very surprised to see a G4500 and never even thought it might be one of the ones someone other than Greyhound got.