|
TTC Orion VII buses are standard low-floor transit buses used for public transport operated by the Toronto Transit Commission in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are the most common buses in the TTC fleet. This model is manufactured for the TTC by Orion International in Mississauga, Ontario and Oriskany, New York. The buses are the first model of bus that TTC has purchased in the 21st century. Built with a stainless steel frame, low-floor front, and high floor back, the Orion VII addresses many of the complaints the TTC had about the Orion Vs and VIs, including poor quality construction, poor metals that corroded prematurely, inadequate passenger capacity, inadequate accessibility, and excessive emissions. The Orion VIIs use a stainless steel design that won’t corrode like the earlier carbon steel frames. The bus is fully accessible, includes Luminator Horizon LED destination signs for greater visibility, has more seats and floor space than other low-floor buses on the market, and employs a clean-burning diesel engine, eliminating the need to invest in alternative fuels and technologies.〔http://transit.toronto.on.ca/bus/8509.shtml〕 These buses have been delivered since 2002. The GM New Looks and other older models have been retired as the Orion VIIs have been added to the fleet. ==History== Around 2001, a C32Y01883 contract was awarded to bus manufacturers for 220 diesel buses to replace some of their existing fleet in need of retirement from their short lifespans. Thirteen companies were issued copies of the proposal documents; four companies expressed interest during the proposal period: NovaBUS, Neoplan, New Flyer and Orion. Neoplan withdrew because it was concerned about its inability to comply with the proposal requirement that products be fully made of stainless steel (the TTC standard for future orders). NovaBUS had to pull out due to a backlog of orders in Quebec.〔http://www3.ttc.ca/About_the_TTC/Commission_reports_and_information/Commission_meetings/2001/Nov_28_2001/Other/Supply_Of_Low_Floor_.pdf〕 New Flyer and Orion were proponents on the proposal as the RFP was cancelled and negotiated with the two companies. Orion's proposal was to have a bus with its 18-year-design life which is the Orion VII launched that year. New Flyer proposed 100 D40LFs and 120 D40i "Inveros" for the 2003 and 2004 order but the carbon steel is not designed as a result, Orion meets the TTC requirements and awarded the contract. In 2002 the TTC ordered 220 units for delivery in 2003 and 2004, with an option for an additional 250 vehicles in 2005. The TTC picked up the option in 2003 with an additional 12 vehicles added in 2005, likely as compensation for Orion not delivering the 2003 and 2004 orders on time. TTC has since placed another order with Orion for 330 more VIIs for delivery in 2006 and 2007, with 180 diesel buses (80 (7900-7979) to be delivered in 2006 and 100 (8000-8099) to be delivered in 2007). The remaining 150 will be diesel-electric hybrids to be delivered in 2006, the decision to purchase HEVs based on the deployment of hybrids in New York City. In 2007, the Next Generation buses were ordered by the TTC as hybrids, incorporating features that were found to be desired by customers. Most notably, the rear seating arrangement was reconfigured from eight forward-facing seats to six perimeter seats due to numerous complaints of lack of space on the previous VII orders. Additional stanchions and stop-request buttons in the rear section of the bus and padded seat bottoms throughout were also implemented. Facing problems with lead acid batteries, TTC has been buying diesel buses since 2010 because the batteries on are proving too "hit and miss". They were eventually converted to lithium ion in 2009-2010.〔http://www.thestar.com/news/article/519770--ttc-going-diesel-again-after-hybrid-bus-glitch〕 On September 2, 2009, unit 1517 suffered an arson fire at 2:45 am. The accused, Steven Edwards, faces numerous assault, arson, and weapons charges and was found guilty.〔http://www.citytv.com/toronto/citynews/news/local/article/56461--arson-suspected-in-ttc-bus-fire〕〔http://www.thestar.com/news/crime/article/690504--man-arrested-in-ttc-bus-fire〕 Following the retirement of the last GM New Look buses in December 2011, the Orion VIIs made up 70% of the entire TTC fleet, whose 170 routes are accessible.〔http://eedition.toronto.24hrs.ca/epaper/viewer.aspx〕 TTC has delivered the last 62 Orion VIIs for 2012, although the RFP proposal tenders were responded for 40-foot bus orders in 2013 and 2016 〔http://www3.ttc.ca/TTC_Business/Materials_and_procurement/Bidlist/bidlist-BP32PM12728.jsp〕 with 60-foot articulated bus orders in 2013, 2014, and 2015 from Orion, New Flyer, or NovaBUS.〔http://www3.ttc.ca/TTC_Business/Materials_and_procurement/Bidlist/bidlist-BP32PM12729.jsp〕 Orion was closed as Daimler reconfigured its operations in North America, and was therefore automatically withdrawn from the bid. NovaBUS received the next order. The contract was awarded on August 2, 2012 to NovaBUS for 153 60-foot articulated buses. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Orion VII (Toronto Transit Commission bus)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|