General Overview
Last Updated: June 23rd 2009
The SEPTA bus fleet consists of approximately 1400 buses which operates out of nine (9) depots throughout the Philadelphia metropolitan area. These depots are Allegheny, Comly, Callowhill, Frankford, Frontier, Midvale, Southern, and Victory. The ninth depot, Germantown, is mainly used as the brake shop for the bus system, but is also where contracted routes 310 (Horsham Breeze), 312 (Cornwell Heights Shuttle) and 316 (LUCY) are based out of. Additionally, this is where the RTS and New Looks of the SEPTA Historic Fleet are stored. This section will contain any information regarding to the bus fleet in general, for the latest depot assignments please go here.
The Fleet
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Neoplan AN-460QR
Photo Taken at Fox Chase
By Jayayess1190 |
New Flyer DE40LF
Photo Taken at City Hall
By Brandon Shaw. |
Eldorado Transmark RE-29
Photo Taken at Willow Grove
By Brandon Shaw |
American Ikarus 416.08TA
Photo Taken at Darby Transportation Center
Taken By Joe Butler |
New Flyer E40LFR
Taken by Brandon Shaw |
New Flyer D40LF
Photo Taken on Chestnut Street
Taken By Brandon Shaw |
Neoplan AN-460
#7247 Taken @ Moreland Ave by Brandon Shaw (Tritransit Area)
There are 155 60 foot Neoplans in service, built in 1998-2000. These units are based out of Allegheny (which has the bulk of them), Midvale, and Comly (for route 14). With 60 seats and the capacity of holding 60 standees. These buses are mainly used within the Northern sections of Philadelphia; however, four (4) of those routes (namely routes 14, 22, 27, 55) venture out into the suburban areas. These buses are powered by an Detroit Diesel engine and a Allison World transmission.
El Dorado Transmark RE-29
The El Dorado's were built in 2001 to replace the 35 foot Neoplan AN-435s and some of the 40 foot Neoplan AN-440As that were in operation. These buses mainly dominated the streets in the suburbs; however, they also run on several routes in the city as well. These buses are powered by the Cummins ISB Engine with the Allison World transmission. Most of the fleet operate out of the suburban depots (Frontier and Victory). and also on several low ridership routes such as the 35, and 77. Germantown depot also operates these buses on route 310. Also several of these buses have the special LUCY scheme, which is based on the regular SEPTA scheme. However, instead of red and blue as the base colors, green and yellow are used.
American Ikarus 416.08TA
#5018 @ Penns Landing; Photographer: Dante Angerville ( Bikeyorph)
The American Ikarus (NABI) currently run out of 7 of the 9 depots. These NABIs were the first buses to feature the Automatic Stop announcement systems. Also were the first 102 inch wide buses bought since the 1980s. The NABIs were the first buses delivered in today's SEPTA scheme. The only difference is that they featured a black trim around the windows. As well as the SEPTA logo over the last windows on the left and right side of the bus (as a wrap). In 2001, these buses underwent a retrofit to add a computer-aided dispatch system (CARD) system which controls the designation signs and announcements.
New Flyer D40LF
5876 in Lansdowne, Taken by Joe Butler (SEPTA3371CSX1)
The New Flyers over the past several years has became the main standard bus in operation. Over 600 new flyer coaches are in operation. Currently, these low floors currently operate out of 8/9 depots. The New Flyers are the first low floor buses SEPTA has in operation. Also, the New Flyers are the first buses to be ordered with Twin Vision LED signs. Also were the first buses since the experimental group of Neoplan DK (1986) buses to have rear route identification signs.
There are two main orders of D40LF. The first order was made in the year 2000 for the order of 300 units. The second order was set in 2004. The second order of New Flyers received the ZF transmission instead of the Allison transmission. These units, 5713-5830 and 5851-5950, started delivery in Spring 2004. In October 2004, Detroit diesel pulled the Series 50 off of the production line, and SEPTA chosen the Cummins ISL for their next 120 buses (8000-8119), which were built in 2005. SEPTA keeps these buses at Southern Depot due to their usage of ULSD #1 fuel.
Champion Defender
2095 taken by Brandon Shaw (Tritransit Area)
Built and delivered in 2004, these buses are the smallest buses in the fleet. The Champions are based out of Frontier and Germantown divisions, being used on routes with lower ridership. Also, the Champions are used by Krapf's Transit for routes contracted out to them by SEPTA.
Entire Bus Roster (As of June 23, 2009)
|
Year
|
Manu.
|
Model
|
Length
|
Width
|
Seating
|
Engine
|
Trans.
|
#
|
Active
|
|
1996-7
|
American Ikarus
|
416.08TA
|
40
|
102
|
American Seating Innovator - 850 |
Detroit Diesel 50 |
Allison B400 |
5001-5400 |
<=337
|
|
1999
|
Coach & Equipment
|
Phoenix
|
25
|
TBA
|
TBA |
Ford |
Ford |
2052-2069 |
<=5
|
|
1998
|
Neoplan
|
An460
|
60
|
102
|
American Seating Innovator - 850 |
Detroit Diesel 50 |
Allison
B500 |
7101 |
1
|
|
1999
|
Neoplan
|
An460
|
60
|
102
|
American Seating Innovator - 850 |
Detroit Diesel 50 |
Allison
B500 |
7102-7108 |
7
|
|
2000
|
Neoplan
|
An460
|
60
|
102
|
American Seating Innovator - 850 |
Detroit Diesel 50 |
Allison
B500 |
7109-7255 |
147
|
|
2001
|
El Dorado
|
Transmark
RE-29
|
29
|
96
|
American Seating
Model 6468 |
Cummins ISB |
Allison
B300 |
4501-4581 |
80
|
|
2001
|
New Flyer
|
D40LF
|
40
|
102
|
American Seating Innovator - 850 |
Detroit Diesel 50 |
Allison
B400 |
5401-5500* |
100
|
|
2002
|
New Flyer
|
D40LF
|
40
|
102
|
American Seating Innovator - 850 |
Detroit Diesel 50 |
Allison
B400 |
5501-5600* |
100
|
|
2002
|
New Flyer
|
DE40LF
|
40
|
102
|
USSC Group Aries |
Cummins ISL-280 |
Allison
E drive |
5601H-5612H* |
12
|
|
2003
|
New Flyer
|
D40LF
|
40
|
102
|
American Seating Innovator - 850 |
Cummins ISL-280
|
Allison B400 |
5613-5712 |
100
|
|
2004
|
New Flyer
|
D40LF
|
40
|
102
|
USSC Group Aries |
Detroit Diesel
50**
|
ZF 6HP-592 |
5713-5830/5851-5950 |
218
|
|
2004
|
Champion
|
Defender
|
27
|
96
|
Freedman CitiSeat |
Cat C7
|
Allison 1000 |
2070-2097 |
28
|
|
2004
|
New Flyer
|
DE40LF
|
40
|
102
|
USSC Group Aries |
Cummins ISL-280 |
Allison E drive |
5831H-5850H |
20
|
|
2005
|
New Flyer
|
D40LF
|
40
|
102
|
USSC Group Aries |
Cummins ISL-280 |
ZF 6HP-592 |
8000-8119 |
119
|
| 2007 |
Champion
|
Challenger |
27
|
96
|
Freedman Feather Weight Slim Seat/Mid Hi Seat |
CAT C7
|
Allison 1000 |
2098-2099 |
2 |
| 2007 |
New Flyer
|
E40LFR |
40 |
102 |
USSC Group Aries |
N/A |
TBA
|
800 |
1 |
| 2008 |
New Flyer
|
E40LFR |
40 |
102 |
USSC Group Aries |
N/A |
TBA
|
801-837 |
37 |
| 2008 |
New Flyer
|
DE41LF |
41 |
102 |
USSC Group Aries |
Cummins
ISL-280
|
Allison E Drive
|
8120 -8219
|
100 |
| 2009 |
New Flyer |
DE41LF |
41 |
102 |
USSC Group Aries
|
Cummins
ISL-280 |
Allison E Drive |
8220-8359 |
50^ |
|
Notes:
|
-
El Dorado's 4503 and 4526 have Twin Vision ALL-LED Orange Signs, which they received during their overhaul process.
-
New Flyers 5599-5600 have USSC seats like the 2004 New Flyers. Also, 5601H-5602H have the American Seating seats, like the 2001-2003 New Flyers
-
New Flyer 5401 was built in 2000
-
All New Flyers sport a rear designation Twinvision All-LED sign in a unique position. The D40LFs have theirs on the roofline of the bus on the right side. The DE40LFs have theirs mounted on the a/c grill in the upper right hand corner. Most New Flyers With other Agencies which have rear designation signs place them in the center of the bus above the engine.
-
The Champion Cutaways seat 23 with plastic and cloth seats built by the Freedman company.
-
The Champion Defender cutaways are built on a Freightliner Truck Chassis.
-
With a few random exceptions, the entire bus fleet is bike rack equipped.
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The second batch of 2004 New Flyers (5851-5950) have Catalytic Converters installed on them rather than the particulate trap installed on the rest of the D40LFs.
-
**2003-2004 New Flyers D40LF are set to be Retrofitted with Cummins ISL 280 engines, during their overhauls
-
^SEPTA is receiving a massive 400 bus order of DE41LFs to be delivered over a period of 4 years.
-
The 2009 batch which will consist of 140 units that is currently being delivered.
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