StarMetro

[thetoolman]

What about the new signage @ FL Commerce on Old St. Augustine, long overdue and now it looks purty.

We actually updated signage on all of the buildings. A friend of mine told me that he has driven by that location for years and never noticed that it was an FCCU branch until the new sign went up.

Interestingly we approaced TalTran under the former director about doing a bus wrap for a client, and he did not want to do any advertising on the buses.

I agree that Garrison is a much better fit as director.

[Florida]

That was the problem with the last director of TalTran, resistant to change. His family owned the company that later became TalTran and he wanted to do things as they had always been done. I was a little shocked when Ms. Favors asked for his resignation, but the right thing was done.

I agree, those new Florida Commerce Signs do make a great difference. Especially at the Mahan Drive location.

[NewStar]

Bus advertising is hard to handle. It generates funds, but not enough to make an impact. Our advertising revenues are less than 15 of our total budget. But, some people would say that it is the sum of the small stuff that makes s difference.

While advertising is visual pollution, I also see it as the urban environment.

Sometime between March and April we will do a Blitz campaign and trying to get involved in community events. Any ideas?

[Florida]

I open my Utility Bill this month and I see this name "the NewStar" and I can't help but wonder if OUR "New Star" here on UrbanPlanet is none other than Mr. Ronald L. Garrison, Executive Director of StarMetro. If its not him, someone came up with a darn good screen name and I'm jealous!!!

[csmurphy8885]

LOL.. noticed aswell.. (plus my utility bill was up more than i expected (we dont use the ac or heater and still over 140!) )

[Florida]

Like you, my bill was also more than expected

[TravKoolBreeze]

Hi, First time posting here.

I was wondering, is StarMetro planning on retiring the RTS's for the NewFlyers and Gillag Advantage? Being a transit enthusiast from the northeast, it's nice to see StarMetro take steps from being a baby system to its full potential.

Hopefully this will continue and a push for true night service will happen (such as route 51).

[Relient J]

^ While I don't have the answer to your question, I would like to welcome you to the forum!

[jpl02]

Hi, First time posting here.

I was wondering, is StarMetro planning on retiring the RTS's for the NewFlyers and Gillag Advantage? Being a transit enthusiast from the northeast, it's nice to see StarMetro take steps from being a baby system to its full potential.

Hopefully this will continue and a push for true night service will happen (such as route 51).

I'm also a transit enthusiast, glad to see another one on here! The New Flyers were purchased used (1994 model year), from MARTA. I don't know if they're going to purchase anymore, but it's a wise investment since they are the only 40 footers that StarMetro operates, the rest are 35 footers.

I hope they continue to purchase the Gilligs. I'm partial to them and they build a very good bus IMO. But we need 40 footers, not all of them, but an additional few to run on heavily used routes and/or peak hours.

The RTSs seem to be hanging around for the time being. There are a few 1992s still running around town, as spares. What I really want to know though, is what happened to those few GMC fishbowls! The last time I seen one was over a year ago, and lord knows those are my favorites. I was intrigued because they are 1968 models; I wonder why StarMetro kept them for as long as they did, and why they were the only ones they kept. I miss those things.

[jpl02]

I don't know if you've read earlier StarMetro posts, but do you happen to know anything about those two new 30 foot shuttle buses they just purchased? From what I understand, they're manufactured by Advanced Bus Industries, LLC of Columbus, Ohio. I've never heard of the make until StarMetro bought the buses, and I cannot find a website or any other info about them online, just that they exist! I guess they're just one of the few, small obscure manufacturers out there.

I would like StarMetro to purchase some of those NABI 30-LFNs. Miami-Dade Transit bought some of those, and they're uber cute buses Unfortunately I have not had the opportunity to ride them, but they're functional for the objective of providing smaller, more nimble buses to navigate through the mess that is FSU's campus.

For those of you interested to know more about the NABIs, here's a good link

http://www.nabi.hu/en/products_innovation/...A6282EF9B79.php

[TravKoolBreeze]

I'm also a transit enthusiast, glad to see another one on here! The New Flyers were purchased used (1994 model year), from MARTA. I don't know if they're going to purchase anymore, but it's a wise investment since they are the only 40 footers that StarMetro operates, the rest are 35 footers.

I hope they continue to purchase the Gilligs. I'm partial to them and they build a very good bus IMO. But we need 40 footers, not all of them, but an additional few to run on heavily used routes and/or peak hours.

The RTSs seem to be hanging around for the time being. There are a few 1992s still running around town, as spares. What I really want to know though, is what happened to those few GMC fishbowls! The last time I seen one was over a year ago, and lord knows those are my favorites. I was intrigued because they are 1968 models; I wonder why StarMetro kept them for as long as they did, and why they were the only ones they kept. I miss those things.

I was wondering where those NewFlyers where from. Once I rode one, I could instantly tell that it was a hand me down from another transit agency but couldnt figure out from where.

I never been a fan of the Gilligs and leaned more to what I know back at in NYC with Orions and RTS's. I dont think most of the buses taken from the private lines when absorbed into MTA Bus were able to be repaired for resale. Most were eithr scrapped or repaired for their servce. It would have nice to see some of those 40' buses move to other parts of the nation if repairable.

I think fishbowls across the nation are getting retired as to meet federal standards on pollution. When MTA Bus absorbed New York Bus Service, the owner of NYBS decided to keep the fishbowls for himself to use as chater service. I miss any fishbowl since it is rare to see one on this side of the nation.

[TravKoolBreeze]

I don't know if you've read earlier StarMetro posts, but do you happen to know anything about those two new 30 foot shuttle buses they just purchased? From what I understand, they're manufactured by Advanced Bus Industries, LLC of Columbus, Ohio. I've never heard of the make until StarMetro bought the buses, and I cannot find a website or any other info about them online, just that they exist! I guess they're just one of the few, small obscure manufacturers out there.

I would like StarMetro to purchase some of those NABI 30-LFNs. Miami-Dade Transit bought some of those, and they're uber cute buses Unfortunately I have not had the opportunity to ride them, but they're functional for the objective of providing smaller, more nimble buses to navigate through the mess that is FSU's campus.

For those of you interested to know more about the NABIs, here's a good link

http://www.nabi.hu/en/products_innovation/...A6282EF9B79.php

All I could find was photos of the buses, but it does look like the same buses that StarMetro has in the back of the depot next to the trolleys.

Assuming that most buses in the fleet are 35' in lenth, I actually think it would be better to widen the roads on the FSU campus. If done, StarMetro, in partnership with FSU, should buy 2 to 4 New Flyer D60HF. With it's tighter turning radius, It would be able to move much more on the campus holding more students, freeing up the bus bunching (which I think is why some buses layover at building C at the stadium).

[jpl02]

I was wondering where those NewFlyers where from. Once I rode one, I could instantly tell that it was a hand me down from another transit agency but couldnt figure out from where.

I never been a fan of the Gilligs and leaned more to what I know back at in NYC with Orions and RTS's. I dont think most of the buses taken from the private lines when absorbed into MTA Bus were able to be repaired for resale. Most were eithr scrapped or repaired for their servce. It would have nice to see some of those 40' buses move to other parts of the nation if repairable.

I think fishbowls across the nation are getting retired as to meet federal standards on pollution. When MTA Bus absorbed New York Bus Service, the owner of NYBS decided to keep the fishbowls for himself to use as chater service. I miss any fishbowl since it is rare to see one on this side of the nation.

I really didn't get into Gilligs til I moved up here. I rode on a few in South Florida (Broward County Transit) but they're nowhere as prevelant as they are in this town. What I really know are Flxble and NABI, since that's what most of Miami-Dade Transit's fleet consists of. I don't care for Flxble at all, but most are retired or near that age.

All I could find was photos of the buses, but it does look like the same buses that StarMetro has in the back of the depot next to the trolleys.

Assuming that most buses in the fleet are 35' in lenth, I actually think it would be better to widen the roads on the FSU campus. If done, StarMetro, in partnership with FSU, should buy 2 to 4 New Flyer D60HF. With it's tighter turning radius, It would be able to move much more on the campus holding more students, freeing up the bus bunching (which I think is why some buses layover at building C at the stadium).

I wish FSU would widen their roads, or at least allow for wider turns at intersections. I doubt that's going to happen because of the politics of the university. But the articulated buses are a GREAT idea. I don't ride the campus routes often, but the few times I have, they've been ridiculously crowded. The New Flyer D60HFs are nice buses, but regardless of what is purchased, they need to be HFs since they have a few more seats than the LFs. One time I did ride a campus route, and for some strange reason, the bus used was a Gillig, which is missing 2 benches because of the front wheelweels. Talk about hell. I ended up sitting on top of the wheelwell. Not exactly safe, but oh well

Dedicated bus lanes/roads would be nice on campus, but there's not a lot of real estate left for that. If we did, BRT could be introduced. And we could buy some of those majestic NABI 60-BRT buses that make my mouth drool

[DaiDreamer5]

New Star, I have a question: Is Taltran going to be adding a direct route to Innovation Park from the bus station?

[Florida]

*StarMetro!

[jpl02]

As promised, here are the drawings of the various models of the StarMetro fleet in the old and new liveries. Enjoy!

[jpl02]

And liviries of Miami-Dade Transit and Broward County Transit, to give you an idea what they look like....

[Relient J]

I've gotta tell you, based on the rendering above for the StarMetro designs, plus the picture posted in the photos thread last night, I do not at all like the look of the StarMetro busses (with the exception of the awesome FSU busses). To me the TalTran busses look way better (plus I still don't like the name StarMetro).

[poonther]

I've gotta tell you, based on the rendering above for the StarMetro designs, plus the picture posted in the photos thread last night, I do not at all like the look of the StarMetro busses (with the exception of the awesome FSU busses). To me the TalTran busses look way better (plus I still don't like the name StarMetro).

Man Relient J you and I will never agree on naming anything. You love Big Bend and I don't and now you don't like StarMetro which I much prefer to the 1950's name Taltran. Oh well

I'm going to LA tomorrow and will also be in Santa Barbara. I'll try my best to snap a few shots of their buses for all you bus freaks....I'm included in that of course.

[Relient J]

^ I explained my feelings on the name "StarMetro" earlier in the thread, so I apologize for the rehash, but it's been a while.

To me the name TalTran was great! Who cares what decade it was named? It included part of the city's name, making it personal to the city. StarMetro just sounds generic and downright cheesy.

[TravKoolBreeze]

Was a livery decided for FAMU since I heard they would get their own paint scheme as well?

I do favor the livery for StarMetro over SEPTA & CATS but not over Command Bus lines, Green Bus lines, & Triboro Coach. I have to be netural to MTA Bus/NYCTA.

BTW: I'm ok with some of the wraps as long as they cover the whole bus. Half-wraps like the one that has the Frog Pond on it I detest and would rather see just on the bottom as a regular ad.

[Florida]

jpl... those were awesome pictures of those buses. Did you do those yourself?

[jpl02]

Thanks TJ! I did them all myself, in Adobe Illustrator.

TravKoolBreeze, SEPTA's livery is bland. I wish some of these transit agencies would just invest a little bit into how their buses look, it would go a long way.

The fully wrapped buses look extremely nice, but I agree about the half-wraps, those are tacky as hell.

[NewStar]

New Star, I have a question: Is Taltran going to be adding a direct route to Innovation Park from the bus station?

TalTran won't, but StarMetro might.

[NewStar]

*StarMetro!

Thanks for the save TJ.

New Star, I have a question: Is Taltran going to be adding a direct route to Innovation Park from the bus station?

Wow, you get busy working for a week and you miss the flood flood gate opening on this forum.

Route 20 and 11 touch that area, but I think we should extend out further to meet the demand. It seems that there is great potential. I would expect to see this happen.