The NovaBus RTS

TTC RTS bus #7213 picks up passengers at Eglinton station, in service on 100 FLEMINGDON PARK in this year 2000 shot by David Cavlovic.

Text by James Bow

See also:

Going Modern

Today, in the United States the Rapid Transit Series (RTS) transit bus model is manufactured by Millennium Transit Services as the “RTS Legend”. This bus has a long history in the United States. It was launched by General Motors in 1977, from their plant in Pontiac, Michigan, but its design dates back to General Motor’s entry for an initiative called the “Transbus Project”. This was, in turn, the descendant of the RTX (Rapid Transit Experimental), which was a experimental prototype commissioned in 1968 after four years of design work.

At the time, General Motors was hard at work building and maintaining its classic and popular “New Look” bus design, but it was not content to rest on its laurels. The RTS was designed to appeal with its more futuristic styling, featuring an automobile-like curved body and window panels, in contrast to the New Looks’ flat side glass windows and body panels. With this newer look than the “New Look”, General Motors hoped that the RTS would assure the company’s dominance in the public transit vehicle market for the next generation.

A Limited Success

Although a number of American cities bought the RTS model, General Motors encountered resistance both inside and outside the United States. There were only two attempts to build the RTS model outside of North America, with GM’s Holden Division in Australia looking into the concept. In Canada, the GM Diesel Division in London, Ontario researched adding the RTS series to its production line, but discovered that most transit agencies in the country preferred the older “New Looks” to the “futuristic” RTS line. This resulted in General Motors Diesel Division producing the “Classic”, an updated New Look model, in 1983, which agencies like the TTC embraced. The Classic would prove popular with US agencies as well.

The RTS series operated in the shadow of the Classic until production on the Classic ceased in 1996. During this time, General Motors divested itself of its bus production division, selling its production lines to Motor Coach Industries (MCI). MCI continued to produce RTS buses out of New Mexico and Classic buses in St. Eustache, Quebec until the early 1990s, when it decided to focus on its highway coach business. In 1993, MCI created Nova Bus to take over production of both the Classic and the RTS bus models.

Upon discontinuation of the Classic in 1996, Nova Bus began limited production of the RTS series for the Canadian market from its Quebec plant. From 1997 to 2001, Nova Bus produced the RTS-06 WFD variant, which it managed to sell to a number of transit agencies in Quebec and the Maritimes, but sales in Ontario and western Canada proved elusive.

Demonstration and Purchase by the TTC

In November 1997, Nova Bus sent the TTC a demonstrator bus painted in TTC colours and numbered 1000. This bus had been built to New York City Transit Authority standards as of 1995. The TTC was pleased with the stainless steel frame and how well the bus performed on city streets. It placed an order for 100 of the RTS series buses (The order was originally called for another 100 Orion VI buses as they already substituted the other half of the 100 bus order as lift equipped Orion V buses earlier). However, as time constraints for deliveries gone through as well as bus shortages, the TTC cut the order to 52 buses giving the other 51 to New Flyer for the D40LF models and purchase an LFS demonstrator numbered #1001 which they were originally to lease.

The first production RTS bus, #7200, arrived on TTC property in the beginning of July 1998, a few days before bus #1000 left the property (later sold off and scrapped). Buses 7201 through 7251 followed, all featuring a rear wheelchair lift, air conditioning and wider front doors. The buses were initially equipped with the Luminator MAX2000 flip-dot destination display, although buses #7210 and 7236 were retrofitted in early 2012 to use the Luminator Horizon, which used backlit LEDs for a crisper and easier-to-read display.

In spite of this order, the TTC decided not to commit to further purchases of RTS buses. The Commission had a stronger relationship with Orion Bus Industries, which had plants in Ontario, and the TTC felt political pressure to purchases buses closer to home. The 52 RTS vehicles were initially operate out of Danforth Garage, although they were moved to Arrow Road garage in 2002 and were seen on a number of routes served by this garage, including 96 WILSON, 35 JANE and 37 ISLINGTON.

Final Days

The TTC’s RTS series buses lasted well into 2014, almost finishing out a standard 18-year lifespan. By the end of 2014, however, their days were numbered, as purchases of low-floor Orion VII buses made these wheelchair lift-equipped buses increasingly obsolete. However, they did survive long enough to see Nova Bus outlast Orion Bus Industries. As the latter company exited the bus vehicle business, the TTC turned to Nova Bus for a large order of low floor articulated buses.

Through the first half of 2015, the RTS fleet dwindled due to retirements, with the remainder continuing to operate out of Arrow Road garage. On August 19, 2015, RTS bus #7232 pulled in for the last time, closing the book on one of the last high-floor bus models in the TTC fleet.

NovaBus RTS Specifications

Numbers: 7200-7251
Engine: Detroit Diesel Series 50 275 hp @ 2100 rpm
Transmission: Allison VR731RH 3 speed
Seating: 39 passengers

Nova RTS Image Archive

	TTC NovaBUS RTS #7221 shot on an angle servicing on 96 WILSON. Photo taken on June 22, 2011 by Jelo Gutierrez Cantos.
	TTC Nova RTS bus #7232 operates on Danforth Avenue passing Dewhurst on April 13, 2012. With the bus bearing a modified classic tricolour 10 BLOOR DANFORTH NIGHT rollsign, this was clearly a fan trip. Photo by Rob Hutchinson.
	As of December 2011, 96 WILSON remained one of a few routes in Toronto Transit Commission served primarily by NovaBus RTS model. Here, bus #7243 moves east to Wilson Station approaching Jane Street. Photo by Roman Fomin.
	Three NovaBus RTS buses caught together at Wilson Ave and Jane St: 7246 (96 WILSON), 7243 (96 WILSON) and 7211 (165 WESTON RD NORTH). Photo by Roman Fomin.
	TTC Nova RTS bus #7200 in 96 WILSON service laying over at Wilson Station. Taken by Lex Reid on Saturday May 9th, 2015
	Nova LFS 1001 poses beside 7311 at Wilson Station. Photo by Allen Dicion.
	TTC Nova RTS bus #7202 is seen laying over on the 60F STEELES WEST EXPRESS at Finch Stationon May 8, 2015. Photo by Flame Cube.
	TTC Novabus RTS 7202 Lift Equip making a rare weekend appearance on Route 96B Wilson at York Mills Station. Taken on March 7th, 2015. Taken by Lex Reid.
	TTC Nova RTS bus #7204 picks up passengers at Wilson station, in service on the C branch of 96 WILSON. Behind it is RTS comrade #7251. Photo by Flame Cube.
	TTC NovaBus RTS 7211 operates on route 75 SHERBOURNE. This 1999 shot was taken by Brad O'Brien
	TTC Nova RTS bus #7213, is seen here at the northeast corner of Wilson Avenue and Bathurst Street, in service on 96 WILSON, on December 24, 2013. Photo by Mark David.
	Back interior view of TTC Nova RTS 7213. Photo by David Cavlovic
	Front interior view of TTC Nova RTS 7213. Photo by David Cavlovic.
	Mirror image. Shot taken from inside Nova 7213 as it speeds past the magnificently mirrored exterior of the Mercedes-Benz building on Eglinton east of Laird. Photo by David Cavlovic.
	Nova 7213 having a few moments of a breather just across from abandoned Bays #11-13 at Eglinton station. Photo by David Cavlovic.
	TTC Nova RTS bus #7218 pauses at Finch and Yonge, in service on the 308 FINCH EAST bus on July 1, 2005. Photo by Rob Hutchinson.
	sunny day June 16, 2009 shot of TTC NovaBUS RTS #7219 picks up passengers on 165 WESTON RD NORTH at Wilson station's upper bay. Photo by Jelo Gutierrez Cantos.
	A busy station. Nova 7225 is ready to leave with a full load from Broadview station on a 100 FLEMINGDON PARK run while Flyer re-build D901 bus #6194 loads passengers at its 62 MORTIMER bay. Photo by David Cavlovic.
	TTC Nova RTS bus #7227 lays over at Downsview station in service on 108 DOWNSVIEW in this shot, taken on January 29, 2013. Photo by Mark David.
	TTC Nova RTS bus #7229 pauses at Bathurst Street, westbound in service on 60F STEELES WEST express to York University. This photo was taken by Mark David on the evening of January 14, 2015.
	TTC Nova RTS bus #7238 heads westbound on Bloor, approaching Jane, in service on the 300 BLOOR-DANFORTH NIGHT bus on March 2, 2008. Photo by Rob Hutchinson.
	In this photo dated from 2001, Fred Tang caught this shot of TTC NovaBUS RTS-06 WFD bus #7240 seen in service on route 94 WELLESLEY.
	Nova bus #7241 has alighted passnegers from an 87 COSBURN run but has to wait its turn until Flyer D901 bus #6135 (operating on 8 BROADVIEW) enters the bay first. Photo by David Cavlovic.
	TTC Nova RTS 7242 seen here at Broadview station, in service on 87 COSBURN. A 1999 photo by Brad O'Brien
	TTC Nova RTS bus #7248 is seen here on Yonge Street, turning left into Finch station on May 12, 2015. Photo by Flame Cube.
	TTC Nova RTS bus #7249 lays over at York Mills station, in service on 165 WESTON RD. NORTH on July 9, 2013. Photo by Larry Batzakis.

References

Bus World Encyclopedia of Buses, Stauss Publications, Woodland Hills (California), 1988.
Diesel City Bus, Toronto Transit Commission, Toronto (Ontario), 1991.
Toronto Transit Commission 7200-7251, Canadian Public Transit Discussion Board Wiki, Website.
Canadian Public Transit Discussion Board Wiki

Thanks to Mike Vainchtein and Evan McCausland for their updates, corrections and additions to this web page

Transit Toronto

Public Transit in the GTA, Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow