Retired Fleet
| Year | Builder/Model | Example | Numbers (if available) | Length |
Time in service | Number of buses in fleet | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1971–1974 | Flxible
New Look |
121-154,221-245 | 35 | 1981–1993 | 48 | These buses were among HART's initial fleet, given by the city of Tampa, when the agency was formed in 1981. Numbers 130,140,150,160,222,230,233,240,244 not used. | |
| 1974 | GMC
New Look |
246-248;097-099 | 35 | 1981–1993 | 6 | These buses were among HART's initial fleet, given by the city of Tampa, when the agency was formed in 1981. Some of these buses were used for a Tampa-St Pete shuttle experiment by the state of Florida, the others were acquired second-hand by HART from the Florida Department of Transportation in the early 1980s.. | |
| 1978 | GMC
RTS 35FT |
249-269 | 35 | 1981–1993 | 17 | These buses were among HART's initial fleet, given by the city of Tampa, when the agency was formed in 1981. Numbers 250,255,260,266 not used. | |
| 1982 | Flxible
Metro (870) 40FT |
111,112,215-219,271-309 | 40 | 1982–1994 | 40 | HART purchased these buses in 1981 to expand its initial fleet. Numbers 277,280,288,290,299,300 not used. | |
| 1983–1985 | Flxible
Metro 35FT |
113-115,171-199,351-379 | 35 | 1983-1995/96/97 | 57 | HART purchased these buses in 1981 to expand its initial fleet. These buses were replaced by Gillig Phantom buses, beginning in 1996. Numbers 180,190,360,370 not used. | |
| 1983–1985 | Flxible
Metro 40FT |
311-319,321-326,341-346 | 40 | 1983-1995/96/97 | 21 | HART purchased these buses in 1981 to expand its initial fleet. These buses were replaced by Gillig Phantom buses, beginning in 1996. | |
| 1986/1987 | GMC
RTS 40FT |
221-235,401-420 | 40 | 1986–1999 | 35 | HART purchased these buses between 1986 and 1987 to further expand its fleet. They were later replaced by Gillig Low Floor models. 200's model T80606, 400's model T80604. | |
| 1988/1989 | Flxible
Metro 40FT |
121-140 | 40 | 1988–2001 | 20 | Twenty of these buses were ordered in the late 1988-89 time frame and were later replaced by Gillig Low Floor models. | |
| 1996/1997 | Gillig
Phantom |
601-610, 701-727 | 30/35 | 1996/97-2009 | 37 | The Gillig Phantom bus fleet replaced the early 1980s models of Flxible Metro buses, as well as other older models. HART purchased 10 30-foot models in 1996, followed by 27 35-foot models in 1997. In 2007, the authority began phasing out all but three of the 30-foot (9.1 m) models. The remaining models continued to run on lower frequency routes. HART retired the remaining 30 and 35-foot (11 m) models in August 2009 in favor of 40-foot (12 m) Gillig Low Floor models (29XX buses), with the final nine (703, 708, 711, 713, 717, 720, 723, 725, and 726) being retired in late September. | |
| 1998 | Optima
American Heritage Streetcar |
801-802 | 28 | 1999–2007 | 2 | HART used trolley type buses around downtown Tampa on more than one occasion.
The most recent retired trolley fleet was acquired in 1999 from Optima Bus Corporation. These buses were retired after HART purchased a small fleet of replica trolleys from Gillig Corporation. |
|
| 1999 | Gillig
Low Floor 35FT |
901-917 | 35 | 1999–2012 | 17 | These buses ran in the HART system from 1999 through 2012. Although some buses had an interior refurbishment, high maintenance costs forced HART to retire them as well. There are no immediate plans to replace this fleet due to a lack of funding. | |
| 2000 | Gillig
Low Floor 29FT |
2001–2017 | 29 | 2000–2012 | 17 | These buses ran in the HART system from 2000 through 2011. HART originally had plans to keep these buses in a contingency fleet, but those plans were scrapped after a sales tax referendum failed in November 2010. #2015 was rebranded and placed back into service in August 2008 (due to a period extended downtime). #2005 was rebranded and placed back into service as of April, 2010. These two buses were retired in early 2012 due to high maintenance costs. There are no immediate plans to replace this fleet due to a lack of funding. | |
| 2001 | Champion
T300 27FT |
52XX - 55XX | 27 | 2008–2010 | 12 | HART acquired 12 of these buses from Dallas Area Rapid Transit in Dallas, Texas, in 2008 as part of their contingency fleet during fleet rebranding. These buses have since been retired in favor of 40-foot (12 m) Gillig Low Floor models (10XX buses). |
HART has also used several sub-types which were retired, such as Blue Bird coaches 551-555 and Orion II's 451-453.
The city of Tampa operated the municipal bus system starting in 1971 until the formation of the Hillsborough County Transit system in 1981. The city took over the bus operation from National City Lines. Just prior to the city takeover, National City Lines operated a rag-tag fleet of 1950s vintage coaches, plus 19 GM New Look TDH-4517 (A.C.) 35-foot buses purchased in 1960 (one bus from the original order of 20 burned down in the mid 1960s), and 10 GM Old Look TDH-3501 (A.C.) buses acquired new in 1967. The fleet also included 19 35-foot GM TDH4512 buses from 1958 and 1959 and 20 or more GM TDH-3612 30-foot buses acquired in the early 1950s. Most of the buses were transferred to the city operation. Then Mayor Dick Greco decided to repaint the fleet in various colors,including orange, pink, blue, yellow, and the original National City Lines pale green. The multi-color scheme was carried over to the Flxible new looks which were ordered in 1974 but the "jellybean" scheme was abandoned when the order for 17 GM RTS buses delivery in 1980. A wite color scheme with a rainbow stripe under the windows was adopted in 1980 and used until the HART take-over and the adoption of a red and orange stripe on a white bus background.
City of Tampa (Tampa Bus Lines) All-time Roster 1971-1981:
4500-4501 1949 GMC TDH3612 ex Tampa Transit Lines 2909,2912, originally Mobile City Lines 2909,2912
4502-4506 1950 GMC TDH3612 ex Tampa Transit Lines 3242,3246,3248,3252,3254. Delivered new Dec. 1950 as part of a 14 bus order.
4507-4510 1951 GMC TDH3612 ex Tampa Transit Lines 3367-3370, originally Terre Haute City Lines 3367-3370
4511-4514 1951 GMC TDH3612 ex Tampa Transit Lines 3371-3373,3375. Delivered new on 3/51 as part of a 5 bus order.
4515-4529 1958 GMC TDH4512 ex Tampa transit Lines 3830-3844. Delivered all 15 new buses between Feb. and Jun. 1958. These were the first new buses delivered to Tampa Transit Lines in 8 years.
4530-4533 1959 GMC TDH4512 ex Tampa Transit Lines 3845-3848. All 4 buses delivered new in Jun. 1959.
4534-4553 1960 GMC TDH4517 ex Tampa Transit Lines 4004-4012,4014-4024. Delivered new in 1960 to replace a fleet of Mack buses and were returned to City Transit Lines as the new Flxibles arrived.
4554-4561 1967 GMC TDH3501 ex Tampa Transit Lines 4138-4147 (except two, numbers unknown. Delivered as part of a 10 bus order in 1967. Previous order for new buses was in 1960 for 20 "new-look" 35-foot (11 m) buses.
(Tampa Bus Lines reused fleet numbers of retired buses for new purchases)
4562-4588 1971 Flxible 111DD-D051 (Buses had pastic seats without cushions)
4536-4548 (2nd) 1973 Flxible 45096-6-1
4501,4503,4508-4510,4514,4534-4535,4549-4554,4558-4561(2nd),4589-4590 1974 Flxible 45096-6-1
4591-4593 1974 GMC T6H4523A
4555-4557 (2nd) 1974? Nicrobus MB-711
4600-4616 1980 GMC T7H603
4501,4503,4508-4510,4514,4534-4554,4558-4593,4600-4616 to HART 1983, renumbered 121-129,131-139,141-149,151-159,161-164,221,223-229,231-232,234-239,241-243,245-249,251-254,256-259,251-265,267-269 in numerical order Also three New-Look second hand buses (numbered 097-099) for use in new Commuter Express routes were added to the fleet pending the arrival of the initial batch of 40 ft (12 m). Flxibles.
Read more about this topic: Hillsborough Area Regional Transit
Famous quotes containing the words retired and/or fleet:
“I am convinced that the best service a retired general can perform is to turn in his tongue along with his suit, and to mothball his opinions.”
—Omar Bradley (1893–1981)
“A city on th’ inconstant billows dancing;
For so appears this fleet majestical.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)