2017 MCI D4500CT commuter coach bus pre-trip and drive, driver view

IMPORTANT NOTE: please don't post comments referencing the bus company. I will not be publishing those comments.
2017 MCI D4500CT "NJ Transit" spec, unit number 17215, with the Cummins ISX-12 and Allison B500 transmission. Each unit cost approximately $500,000 USD! The buses are equipped with an automatic engine braking feature which selects 2nd gear and engages the engine brake whenever the service brake is applied. It remains engaged until the driver presses the accelerator. Personally I would rather control them independently!
There seems to be an interlock between the brakes and transmission to get the bus into gear, which I don't fully understand. If anyone knows the bus better than me, please do enlighten us in the comments 😊
Here's some footage of a morning commute run, Morris County, NJ to New York City. The camera battery died just after we entered the Lincoln Tunnel bus lane (XBL). Traffic warranted taking I-80 to the NJ Turnpike, whereas normally we would take I-80 only until US-46 in Wayne and follow that to NJ-3. Fun fact, this was my first time making the NJ-495 bus lane approach from the turnpike southbound!
It was also my first time filming in this vehicle, and I discovered there are not many surfaces that can take a suction mount, so the camera angle isn't the greatest. I will try to find a better solution. Also the GoPro's internal software does some funny footwork with the frame to stabilize the image; I will be experimenting with that also.

[@paulkowald4057]

Love hearing the two way radio that’s my favorite part of the bus

[@Texan_red_panda]

Hm. I didn’t know it started up via a switch. How cool! :)

[@Pa_school_bus_enthusiast]

Do you know How many MCI’s you guys have total from the state?

[@yitznewton]

I believe we are supposed to have 55. They are all the "17" prefix buses from model year 2017. Roughly half the fleet is out of service post-COVID due to reduced ridership.

[@declanisnothere]

due you should have more subscribers ❤ (nice work btw!)

[@jfree1228]

Wow awesome you do it all lol

[@Mrfrancisco1996]

the fast idle was very impressing.

[@paul.-jj6yh]

miss the manuals

[@christophercddelrosariocoish]

Love the view with the door beside you

[@carwashslayer4235]

So Im guessing you don't drive school buses anymore? Like gone and done with the yellow buses?

[@yitznewton]

I'm still driving school buses

[@carwashslayer4235]

@@yitznewton Good to know

[@KimIlSung84]

You still a school bus driver?

[@yitznewton]

Yes!

[@KimIlSung84]

@@yitznewton good

[@alfredychicken9370]

Any chance you can do a head cam like you did with the school buses?

[@yitznewton]

Stay tuned...

[@Demrek]

Whats the mileage on the bus?

[@yitznewton]

Most of them are around 250k

[@paul.-jj6yh]

Wat abt fuel economy ???.... do u get 7 miles to d gallon or is it less??

[@yitznewton]

Unfortunately I don't know

[@Randomperson457-s3g]

0:11

[@timbuktug3321]

Same display it’s a NJT Bus only with different logos. These are my favorite D model MCIS

[@marvinjgerald6007]

Just because NJT purchases the units in bulk discount they still lease some of the units out at fair market wholesale rates. It’s a Lakeland bus because they are paying for it and can actually keep it after the lease contract period under certain conditions.

[@yitznewton]

In fact it's not market rate, it's $1 per unit per year, from what I was told. I don't know the end-of-lease terms though. There's some mention on this article related to DeCamp's commuter demise: www.northjersey.com/story/news/transportation/2023/09/28/struggling-nj-private-bus-lines-are-dropping-commuter-service-nj-transit-decamp-coach-ac/70930621007/

[@marvinjgerald6007]

@@yitznewton that is blessed great and what I should’ve said was “at least fair market rates or better”. The reason is because I read some articles a few months ago about the added federal subsidy and or matching grants NJT receives to pass along or enable a substantial discount to Academy, DeCamp, Lakeland and Coach USA. Yet I still could be wrong about some of the carriers.

[@evangouldtransit]

do you prefer to drive these or school buses.?

[@yitznewton]

Great question! I don't know if I have a preference. Each has unique equipment that keeps it interesting - student lights, destination sign, fare box... The coaches ride much nicer, but the inputs are not as responsive, especially the accelerator. I am very fortunate to have the opportunity to drive both on the regular. I love variety and I love big machines.

[@evangouldtransit]

@@yitznewton that's awesome.! I'm from New York and am looking into obtaining my CDL to drive a bus

[@davidjames8613]

I got a question where is the switch for the turn signals

[@yitznewton]

Turn signals are operated with the left foot: there are big push-switches on the floor, to the left of the steering column, for left and right. The high beam switch is forward of those

[@davidjames8613]

@@yitznewton oh OK thanks

[@Busfan57]

Do you feel as if the x12s are underpowered?

[@yitznewton]

I would like to have a bit more for hills. Can't quite make it up I-80 W in the Parsippany and Rockaway areas, and especially I-280, without dropping some speed, even empty. But at the end of the day it is a huge 50k+ pound vehicle and the public is probably better served with hopefully saving a bit on fuel consumption, multiplied across the fleet.

[@MurdamanTy]

@@yitznewton they should've went with the 565/525hp Cummins X15s, I have a 565 X15 in a 2020 Pete 567 and she'll do triple digits (does about 85-90 mph) if I had a transmission with more gears currently its riding on the Allison 4500RDS. As for the interlock your foot has to be on the brake while you select the gear or else it with flash 6N or NN.

[@yitznewton]

It seems like the parking brake also has to be released? With foot on brake, I hit D, I get the flash, then I release the PB and press D again, and THEN I get first gear.

[@ChildofGod3712]

Does this bus have an automatic transmission? I don’t see him shifting gears…hands always on the steering wheel

[@yitznewton]

Yes, it's a 6-speed Allison automatic

[@ChildofGod3712]

Thanks! 👍🏾