The NovaBus LFS Buses

Text by James Bow

Sometimes it takes a while for things to catch on. This may be true for the Nova LFS series bus fleet. When bus #8400 rolled out for training in early June 2015, it wasn’t the first Nova LFS non-articulated series bus to have operated on TTC property. For the TTC, the LFS series was seventeen years in the making.

In the early-to-mid 1990s, the TTC experimented with a number of different bus manufacturers to replace the venerable General Motors “New Looks”. They turned to a number of different companies, including Flyer, Nova and Orion Bus Industries. By the late 1990s, however, Orion Bus Industries began to dominate the TTC’s procurement. It helped that Orion Bus Industries was originally named Ontario Bus Industries. The TTC had been given a lot of incentive to buy local, which they did for the next fifteen years. But other bus companies continued to refine their low floor bus designs, Nova Bus among them. Their new Low Floor Series bus debuted in the late 1990s, and the TTC obtained a demonstration vehicle to test it out.

Demonstrator #1001

The TTC’s first Nova LFS arrived on commission property in May 1998. Nova Bus LFS #1001 was a demonstration vehicle had been acquired by the TTC to test Nova’s new low floor design as part of a settlement with NovaBus after cancelling half of a 100-bus order with Nova and placing an order with New Flyer to acquire buses more quickly.

The bus operated out of Eglinton garage, in service as an extra on that garage’s routes. The test was successful enough that the TTC decided to make low-floor buses the mainstay of the fleet. Unfortunately for NovaBus, the TTC decided that the main provider of low-floor buses should be Orion. However, the TTC would return to NovaBus for a low-floor purchase, buying 26 low-floor articulated buses in October 2012.

NovaBus #1001 was decommissioned in April 2000 and sold to Barrie Transit for $306,000 on November 15, 2000. It left TTC property soon thereafter under its own power and drove to a plant Mississauga to be repainted in the new owner’s colours.

Specifications For the Nova LFS Bus Demonstrator #1001

Length: 40’8”
Width: 102’
Width/mirrors: 122”
Front overhang: 9’7”
Rear overhang: 10’11”
Tailswing: 2’ with steering fully locked
Engine: Detroit Diesel Series 40 (275 bph)
Trans: 5 Speed Allison World Transmission (4 main gears with 5th overdrive)
GVW: 39’558 lbs.. (36 seated, 40 standees)
Ground Clearance: 9 1/2” with bus fully kneeled
Turning radius: 45’
Wheelbase: 20’5”, requires adjustment in positioning for turns. Much shorter then standard.

New LFS Arrivals

NovaBus’s reprieve started in 2012, when Orion Bus Industries began to shut down production. The company stopped taking new orders on April 25, 2012. By March 2013, the company announced that all of its assets and remaining orders had been sold off to Flyer. At the time, the TTC had settled on NovaBus to supply its 2013 order of low floor articulated buses, 153 of which were operating by the end of 2014.

In April 2014, as the TTC considered another purchase of non-articulated 40-foot buses, they were impressed enough by NovaBus’s handling of the articulated bus order that they ordered 55 of the non-articulated LFS series (numbered from #8400-#8454) at a cost of $33,298,072.50. The first bus arrived on TTC property in early June 2015. The batch was originally intended for the SCARBOROUGH RT replacement buses (43 for replacement and 12 for growth). When the BLOOR-DANFORTH line extension was approved by the City Council in late 2013, the replacement buses are no longer necessary. Realizing the detonation and retirement of its remaining lift-equipped Orion V and Nova RTS buses, it was decided to continue with the purchase of the 55 buses allowing the commission’s bus fleet to become entirely low-floor wheelchair accessible.

The 2015 version of the Nova LFS is three generations removed from TTC bus #1001, the LFS demonstrator vehicle in 1998. The fourth generation LFS boasts a new rear design and larger 250-280 horsepower diesel engines compliant with 2013 EPA standards.

Further LFS Orders

In February 2015, TTC staff urged commissioners to expand the contract, citing an equipment shortage threatening service levels. Commissioners agreed to expand the order by another 50 vehicles, which would arrive by January 29, 2016. Later that year, to address further retirements and to meet growing demand, the TTC took up an option for an additional 97 buses (8510-8617). In November 2016, with money secured from the Federal government’s Public Transit Infrastructure Fund, the TTC purchased an additional 285 buses, with 245 to be delivered in 2017, and the remaining 40 to arrive in early 2018. These buses (8620-8964 and 9200-9239) were the first to receive the TTC’s new livery, based on the newly-arrived Flexity LRVs.

In 2017, the TTC approved a new Capital Budge and Plan, and placed an order for 440 additional NovaBus LFS vehicles to be delivered, 325 in 2018 and 115 in 2019. NovaBus beat out New Flyer on this order. The TTC had negotiated to have 54 hybrid buses included in the 325 to be delivered in 2018. In May 2018, NovaBus advised that an additional bus could be delivered as a hybrid. These 440 buses were also designed with features new to the TTC, including improved 4ONE Gemini seats, as well as USB charging ports placed on staunchions and under the seats. These buses started to arrive in May 2018 and deliveries continued into the summer, with most buses initially being assigned to Arrow Road garage.

To expand the zero emissions initiative, as mentioned above, the TTC also ordered 255 hybrids in 2018-2019 (3400-3654) and 134 hybrids in 2023 (7000-7133). The new hybrid batch, which comes with the white lights instead of the blue lights on the destination signs since 1996 and the American Insight seating, was also delivered concurrently with the New Flyer Xcelsior hybrid fleet due to the ongoing supply chain shortage. Both use the new generation BAE HybriDrive HDS 200 hybrid drive system.

As of May 2023, the TTC has in its fleet or on order, 1,405 40-foot LFS buses, as well as 153 LFS articulated buses. This is a substantial proportion of the TTC’s bus fleet, eclipsing the TTC’s previous standard bus, the Orion VII and Orion VII “Next Gen”. Further retirements of the Orion VII buses and further orders that will likely go to NovaBus will soon make the NovaBus LFS the new face of the TTC’s bus fleet.

Specifications For the Nova LFS Bus (Fourth Generation)

Fleet Numbers: 8400-8504 (2015), 8510-8617 (2016), 8620-8716 (2017), 8720-8964 (2017), 9200-9239 (2018), 3100-3369 (2018), 3400-3654 (2019), 7000-7133 (2023)
Length: 40’
Width: 102’
Height: 124’
Engine: Cummins ISL9 8.9L, 250 or 280 hp; 2017 or latter buses use Cummins L9 / B6.7 engines.
Transmission: Allison World B400R 6 speed (diesel) or BAE HybriDrive HDS 200 (hybrid)

Nova LFS Image Archive

	TTC Nova LFS bus #8635 operates in service on 68 WARDEN, painted in the new Flexity-inspired livery. This 2017 photograph was taken by Steven Sun.
	TTC Nova LFS bus #8421 turns from Adelaide onto Jarvis in 145 DOWNTOWN-HUMBER BAY EXPRESS service on the afternoon of June 22, 2017. Photo by James Bow.
	A group of Nova LFS hybrids and articulated diesel buses parked in the storage area in the northern area of McNicoll Garage. This photo was taken by Jelo Gutierrez Cantos on August 13, 2020.
	TTC NovaBUS LFS #1001 has been assigned on rt.34 Eglinton East on June 30, 1999. She is seen here on Eglinton Ave. East and Don Mills Rd. Photo by Felix Tse.
	TTC Nova LFS demonstrator bus #1001 was under charter with the Toronto Transportation Society on Saturday, July 22, 2000 when it was captured by Rob Hutchinson at Queens Quay and Stadium Road. In honour of the last day of 121 FRONT-ESPLANADE service, a FRONT-ESPLANADE exposure has been put up.
	Interior view of TTC Nova LFS 1001 prototype. Photo by Brad O'Brien
	Nova LFS 1001 poses beside 7311 at Wilson Station. Photo by Allen Dicion.
	Nova 1001 seen here at Warden and Eglinton westbound towards Eglinton Subway Station, in service on 34 EGLINTON EAST. Photo by Rob Hutchinson.
	TTC Nova LFS prototype 1001, seen here at Kennedy and Eglinton in service on 34 EGLINTON EAST. Photo by Brad O'Brien.
	TTC NovaBus LRS #3127 departs Main Street Station in 23 DAWES service while CLRV 4053 lays over behind, on the afternoon of August 28, 2019. Photo by James Bow.
	TTC NovaBus LFS bus #3186 approaches Weston Road in service on the 984 SHEPPARD WEST EXPRESS in the late afternoon rush hour of January 2, 2019. Photo by James Bow.
	TTC NovaBus #3193 pauses at Pioneer Village station in service on the 935 JANE EXPRESS route. This photo was taken by Marcus Danchuk on November 18, 2018.
	TTC Novabus LFS #3230 heads westbound on Steeles Avenue in service on the 960 STEELES WEST EXPRESS on the evening of November 19, 2018. Photo by Steven Sun.
	TTC NovaBus hybrid #3411 pauses on Danforth Avenue east of Coxwell on a private charter on Saturday, December 1, 2018. The bus is bearing a 116E MORNINGSIDE EXPRESS rollsign. The photo was taken by Jordan Hollingsworth.
	TTC Nova LFS Hybrid bus #3411 lays over at Kennedy station in service on 21 BRIMLEY. The bus is on its first day of operation. This photo was taken by Marcus Danchuk on January 21, 2019.
	TTC Nova LFS Hybrid #3421 makes an unusual appearance at Main Street Station while laying over on 64 MAIN. Photo taken on June 28th, 2019 by Marcus Danchuk.
	TTC NovaBus LFS operates on Sheppard Avenue between Sheppard West station and Sentinel in service on the 984 SHEPPARD WEST EXPRESS. This photo was taken by Steven Sun in October 2018.
	TTC Novabus LFS #7025 is seen approaching Eglinton West Station in 109 RANEE service on July 22, 2023. Photo by Richard YS.
	TTC Nova LFS bus #8139, in the TTC's fresh Flexity livery, crosses Bay Street eastbound on Adelaide at the tail end of a morning Downtown Express run. This photo was taken on June 22, 2017 by James Bow.
	TTC NovaBus LFS #8368 poses at the loop on Warden Avenue north of Steeles on June 20, 2020. Photo by Harry Huo.
	TTC Novabus LFS #8400, the first of the 2015 batch of Nova low floor (non-articulated) buses, is seen here on a training run at Downsview Station. These buses would start to enter service in mid June on the 60 STEELES WEST route. This photo was taken on June 5, 2015 by Lex Reid
	TTC Nova LFS series bus #8402 lays over at Humberwood loop, in service on 36 FINCH WEST on June 21, 2015. The photographer is anonymous.
	TTC 2015 Novabus LFS bus #8402 is seen here boarding passengers at York University, getting ready for another race back to Finch Station on Route 60C STEELES WEST. Photo taken by Lex Reid on Monday June 29th, 2015.
	TTC NovaBus LFS #8402 is seen here at Kennedy station, operating on SCARBOROUGH RT shuttle service on September 12, 2015. Photo by Justin Ha.
	TTC Nova LFS bus #8403 lays over at Finch station on July 11, 2015. Photo by Flame Cube.
	TTC Nova LFS bus #8405 leaves Allen Road, approaching Lawrence West station in SPADINA SUBWAY SHUTTLE service on September 2, 2015. Photo by Flame Cube.
	TTC Nova LFS bus #8406 heads westbound on Bloor, passing Spadina, in BLOOR-DANFORTH subway shuttle service on November 20, 2015. Photo by Justin Ha.
	TTC 2015 Novabus LFS 8407 on a rainy day at Queens Plate and Hwy 27 on route 191 HIGHWAY 27 ROCKET, heading to Steeles. Taken by Lex Reid on Saturday June 27th, 2015.
	TTC Nova LFS bus #8408 lays over at Wilson station on March 28, 2016, the first day of service on the 186 WILSON ROCKET. Photo by Marcello Tomas (TTC9442)
	TTC Novabus #8410 pulls through High Street Loop on the Queensway, just west of Humber Loop, in service on the 501 QUEEN replacement shuttle. James Bow took this photo on June 5, 2021.
	TTC Nova LFS bus #8418 northbound on Kipling at Birmingham in 188 KIPLING SOUTH ROCKET service on July 7, 2017. Photo by Edward Brain.
	In this photograph, taken by Roman Fomin on September 19, 2015 in Duncan Shops, brand-new Nova Bus LFS 8450 has never been in service to date.
	The interior of Nova bus LFS 8450: front view...
	...and rear view.
	TTC Nova LFS bus #8463 lays over at Humber College Bus Terminal, in service on the 186 WILSON ROCKET. This photo was taken on March 28, 2016, the first day of service on the new route. Photo by Jeffrey Kay.
	TTC Nova LFS bus #8487 is seen at Wilson station while servicing the 186 WILSON ROCKET. Photo taken by Flame Cube on Wednesday, March 30, 2016.
	TTC Nova LFS bus #8494 is seen at Wilson Station (Upper Level) while servicing the new 118 THISTLE DOWN route. Photo taken by Flame Cube on Wednesday, March 30, 2016.
	TTC NovaBus LFS lays over at Finch West station in service on the 36 FINCH WEST route on the afternoon of December 18, 2017. Photo by James Bow.
	TTC Nova LFS bus #8513 pulls out of Finch station in 36 Finch West service in this March 2016 shot by Mark David.
	TTC NovaBux #8519 lays over on the south side of Main Street station loop in 20 CLIFFSIDE service on the afternoon of August 28, 2019. Photo by James Bow.
	TTC Nova LFS bus #8525 lays over at Finch station in Steeles West service in this March 2016 shot by Mark David.
	TTC Nova LFS bus #8528 works a subway shuttle service northbound on Yonge Street in this March 2016 shot by Mark David.
	TTC NovaBus LFS #8528 makes the last 106 YORK UNIVERSITY run into York University Commons ahead of the opening of the SPADINA subway extension into Vaughan, in the early morning hours of December 17, 2017. Photo by John Marballa.
	TTC Nova LFS #8528 lays over at Finch Station in service on the 960 STEELES WEST service. This 2018 photo is by Toby Rosebrugh.
	TTC Nova LFS bus #8541 pulls into Pioneer Village station in service on the 35 JANE route. This photo was taken on the afternoon of December 18, 2017 by James Bow.
	TTC NovaBus LFS #8545 heads northbound on Warden Avenue, approaching a stop south of St. Clair Avenue, in service on 17 BIRCHMOUNT. The bus behind is Novabus #8580, in service on 16 McCOWAN. This photograph was taken by James Bow on the afternoon of March 14, 2019.
	TTC Nova LFS bus #8552 lays over at Don Mills station in service on the 24B VICTORIA PARK "Consumers Road" branch on the afternoon of January 18, 2019. Photo by Marcus Danchuk.
	TTC NovaBux LFS #8554 lays over at Main Street station in service on the 62 MORTIMER route in the late morning of March 14, 2019. Photo by James Bow.
	TTC NovaBus LFS #8564 prepares to lay over briefly at Jane station in 35 JANE service on the afternoon of March 29, 2017.
	TTC NovaBus LFS #8571 lays over at Broadview subway station in 87 COSBURN service. This photograph was taken by Marcus Danchuk on May 14, 2017.
	TTC NovaBus LFS #8580 pulls up to the northbound stop on Warden Avenue, just south of St. Clair Avenue, having just left Warden station in 16 McCOWAN service. This photo was taken on the afternoon of March 14, 2019 by James Bow.
	TTC NovaBus LFS #8580 enters the onramp from St. Clair Avenue East into Warden Station. James Bow took this photograph on September 27, 2020.
	TTC Nova LFS bus #8589 heads into Downsview station, in service on 106 YORK UNIVERSITY on January 19, 2017. Photo by James Bow.
	TTC Novabus LFS #8596 heads northbound on Warden, about to turn east onto St. Clair and into Warden Station, in service on 69 WARDEN SOUTH (clockwise branch). This image was taken on the afternoon of March 14, 2019, by James Bow.
	TTC Novabus #8598 operating in 108 DRIFTWOOD service pauses at Pioneer Village station on December 17, 2017. Photo by Tom Luton.
	TTC Nova LFS bus #8601 drops off passengers at Wilson station's lower level in 119 TORBARRIE service on August 30, 2017. Photo by Chris Edwards.
	Express Meeting! TTC Nova LFS bus #8617 in service on 937 ISLINGTON EXPRESS poses next to MiWay New Flyer #1071 in service on 109 MEADOWVALE EXPRESS at Islington station. This photo was taken by Marcus Danchuk on October 15, 2018.
	TTC Nova LFS bus #8621 turns off of Denton into Victoria Park station in 67 PHARMACY service in this May 2017 shot by Lex Reid.
	TTC NovaBUS LFS #8627 is seen here at Don Mills Road and Lawrence Avenue East in service on route 925 DON MILLS EXPRESS on November 29, 2018. Photo taken by Jelo Gutierrez Cantos.
	TTC Nova LFS bus #8629 heads eastbound on Lake Shore Boulevard West in 501 QUEEN temporary bus substitution service, taken on July 29, 2017 by Edward Brain.
	TTC NovaBus LFS #8644 lays over at Kennedy Station on the first day of service of the 986 SCARBOROUGH EXPRESS route. Marcus Danchuk took this photograph on January 7, 2019.
	TTC Nova LFS 8649 lays over on the temporary bus platform at Kennedy Station, before making the last 343 KENNEDY BLUE NIGHT trip of the night. Photo taken on September 30th, 2018 by Marcus Danchuk.
	TTC Nova LFS bus #8651 lays over at Kennedy station, in service on the 198 UofT SCARBOROUGH ROCKET on August 6, 2017. Photo by Marcus Danchuk.
	TTC NovaBus LFS #8655 leaves Scarborough Centre station in service on the 190 SCARBOROUGH CENTRE ROCKET on July 21, 2017. Photo by Lex Reid.
	TTC Novabus LFS #8675 operates on Lawrence Avenue in service on the 954 LAWRENCE EAST EXPRESS on November 19, 2018. Photo by Steven Sun.
	TTC Nova LFS bus #8678 lays over at Kennedy station in service on the 198 UofT SCARBOROUGH ROCKET on August 6, 2017. Photo by Marcus Danchuk.
	TTC NovaBus LFS #8680 leaves Scarborough Centre station in service on 190 SCARBOROUGH CENTRE ROCKET on July 21, 2017. Photo by Lex Reid.
	TTC Nova LFS bus #8687 lays over at Main Street station in service on the 135 GERRARD on August 4, 2017. Photo by Marcus Danchuk.
	TTC Novabus LFS #8700 pauses at Kennedy station in service on the 905 EGLINTON EAST EXPRESS. This photo was taken by Marcus Danchuk on October 10, 2018.
	TTC Nova LFS bus #8721 lays over at Kennedy station, in service on the 116 MORNINGSIDE on August 6, 2017. Photo by Marcus Danchuk.
	TTC NovaBus LFS #8752 picks up passengers at Main Street Station, in service on 135 GERRARD, wearing the new Flexity-inspired livery, on August 29, 2017. Photo by Marcus Danchuk.
	TTC Nova LFS 8888 lays over at Pape Station in 925 DON MILLS EXPRESS service, although the route had not been formally launched at the time this photo was taken. Photo taken on August 28th, 2018 by Marcus Danchuk.
	TTC Novabus #8924 picks up passengers at Lawrence East station, in service on the 54B LAWRENCE EAST "Orton Park" branch on the afternoon of November 14, 2018. Photo by James Bow.
	TTC Nova LFS #9202 approaches Lumsden Avenue while travelling north on Main Street, in 135 Gerrard diversion service via Main, Lumsden and Woodbine back to its normal routing. Photo taken on April 27th, 2021, by Marcus Danchuk.
	TTC NovaBus #9223 poses at Kingston Road and Markham Road, promoting the planned trial service of the 12D KINGSTON ROAD route connecting Victoria Park station with U of T Scarborough. This photograph was taken by Marcus Danchuk and was taken on July 28, 2018.
	TTC NovaBus LFS #9236 pulls up northbound to St. Clair Avenue on Warden, in service on the 69B (Clockwise) WARDEN SOUTH route. This photo was taken on the afternoon of March 14, 2019 by James Bow.

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

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