What A Brand New Transit Bus Looks Like | Gillig APTA 2023

Brand new battery electric public transit buses at the Gillig booth during the APTA Expo 2023 in Orlando, Florida!
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VIEWS AND OPINIONS EXPRESSED IN MY VIDEOS ARE MY OWN AND DO NOT REFLECT MY EMPLOYER.
FOR ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY!

[@kittah1111]

We need new buses here in Omaha but I love the way the New Flyers handle better that gillig or Alexander dennison

[@MatthewBluefox]

My gurlfriend lives in Milwaukee and she told me there aren't any bendy busses there, even though it's a huge city. In Switzerland, there are bi-articulated busses in towns half the size of Milwaukee! I was truly shocked. =D

[@paatooface]

Yes OMETRO plssss

[@IloveMymom-v7d]

NOBODY can convince me this looks better than a European bus

[@Qrail]

Aha! My first bus driven on the freeway was a 1960 Gillig in 1971. On the way to the CHP office to get my certificate. Things have changed with Gillig. I used to go to the factory in Hayward to pick up parts for the school district.

[@atk2597]

Ayy shoutout to Charlotte CATS. Love the thumbnail. Our 2010 GILLIG BRTs are now considered old by most, but I remember when they were straight outta the factory.

[@poohmaster54]

In Savannah (we’re CAT without an S), we also have electric Gilligs. Pretty smooth ride! We have the automatic wheelchair restraint system as well. I’m loving the APTA content as well!

[@BusDriverLife]

Cool! Thanks so much for watching! I’m glad you are enjoying the videos!!

[@GilligBusOperator]

And here in Baton Rouge, LA, we’re the OTHER CATS (Capital Area Transit System). We have 9 Gillig BEB’s on order to arrive in 2025 for our bus rapid transit route.

[@TXMEDRGR]

@@GilligBusOperator Geaux Tigers!

[@admania7331]

To add to the cats, I’m from Ithaca with TCAT. All of this is very cool, but TCAT is switching back to diesel for the time being because our Proterras were too unreliable (they’re all out of service at the moment).

[@luishdm93]

I'm an assembler at Gillig! its nice to see our work in a showroom.

[@ankarikunodawu5966]

cool video and look at these gilligs! we have these where im at. smooth ride. wish we had the onboard screens too!

[@BusDriverLife]

Nice!! Yeah I’ve always been a fan of the larger screens! Thanks for watching!!

[@phoenixeagle462]

We drive mostly New Flyers here but a couple Gillig low floors too. Very nice buses!

[@kinternationalworldwidetra4528]

Like the big steering wheel. Great video. Thank you.

[@ricosuave3565]

Look at the shiny tires!! Only on the showroom floor...

[@juananas]

We’ve had the screens in Miami for a few years now on our buses and yes we still have the cords here

[@NKP-1985]

Love how the cough shield slides back so you can actually reach stuff

[@jamallhayden2512]

Thank You!

[@arnieceryland6992]

Thanks You, Bus Driver for the SHOWINGS 😊Very Nice.

[@BusDriverLife]

❤️

[@BusTrolleyTrain]

We have five of these electric Gilligs on order at GoTriangle (Raleigh-Durham NC) for early 2025 delivery. Can't wait to drive them, I'm curious to see how they compare to the diesel and CNG Gilligs that I've operated. Thanks for the videos!

[@ricosuave3565]

Love your channel Keywan.

[@BusDriverLife]

Thank you!!!

[@ShinyPalaceAssemblyModel]

Oh yeah, we need more Gillig buses like this or BRT style

[@42luke93]

One day they got to figure out how to make more room inside due to those front tires.

[@arir5235]

We got like 80 of those gilligs but the CNG version and it has usb chargers on all the seats… but the drivers area sucks… we have had so many drivers go on workers comp because tht bus ruins your back… but they do haul ass … I’m running early and sitting at checkpoints all day in a gillig…

[@RailfanParadise]

Amazing work! Hope to see more amazing content soon!

[@kendufresne]

The company I drive for is supposed to be getting new Gillig electrics next year, I hope they're better than Proterra.

[@_________________________.___]

in montgomery county, (Maryland) RideOn MCDOT has new electric gilligs they ordered in 2022. i love those buses as they are very quiet and are fast!

[@robertbobino802]

We have new buses in Atlanta now, but we need more for the next few years

[@sanantone_210tx]

Via metropolitan transit here in san antonio tx has these new electric buses already its pretty awesome

[@The_BayAreaRailfan]

Ac transit has some of these gilligs

[@frankieepurr]

As a british, this bus looks really ancient tbh

[@BusDriverLife]

This is the typical comment I get about American buses. Thanks for watching!!

[@frankieepurr]

@BusDriverLife I do agree, american buses focus on being easy to maintain

[@frankieepurr]

@BusDriverLife forgot to mention that the bus has cords to stop the bus, in the uk that's like 60s tech but easier to maintain

[@ricosuave3565]

Mechanics gonna catch headaches trying to figure out how to fix those electric buses.

[@juliesmith5567]

I sure love those busses they really sow up the seats are they plain or do they have a cover on them to make soft sitting screens yes but wheel chair only is there buddies never said then say if do

[@kennysbusdrawings]

I with they had electric gilligs in the BRT and normal Low Floor config instead of the fat one. Don't know if anyones said this.

[@KevinCNYC1991]

That Assault is a Crime also applies to all bus agencies across Florida. They take assaulting a bus operator very seriously here, and I agree, I wish it was a thing nationwide where assaulting any transit operator resulted in being charged. It's a Felony too, which in Florida carries a mandatory five years sentence.

[@brianp5205]

Despite getting his face smashed in with a rock, a driver in San Jose was fired for putting hands on said passenger.

[@omaralansari-kreger41]

I love & appreciate your content. You do an outstanding job. I've been working as a paratransit bus operator since 2016 for Metro Mobility in the Twin Cities. We often feel like the unwanted redheaded step children of the regular fixed route transit authority. I'd really like to see a new concept bus specifically designed & tailored for paratransit. We experience some pretty interesting drama on the road as well. Remember, paratransit bus operators are bus operators too! ;--)

[@BusDriverLife]

Thank you!! I definitely appreciate and support the paratransit drivers who are also doing a lot of the new on-demand Uber style micro transit. It’s extremely popular in some cities. Y’all have to be even more hands on and up close and personal with some passengers. I had some paratransit runs at the last transit system I worked at. I appreciate you watching!

[@FabiolaH24]

I would love to drive a Gillig bus someday but my bus fleet are ElDorado National Axess BRT 40 foot diesels.

[@mrslywwilliams313]

I like the mirror cameras because most collisions are involving outside mirrors more than any other objects.

[@Dball10-4]

Keywan jealous you got to go to that you’re so lucky. If my company got their hands on that bus, the general public with trash that crap within a day.

[@natefrom828]

Most days when I bring my bus to the yard, it looks like it never went out

[@ssgunner3222]

We LA Metro need some of these!

[@adventureoflinkmk2]

Damn they still make advantage aka low floors? I thought they wouldve went straight BRT and trolley

[@philweek3]

Love your content. As a bus driver for SFO shuttle and Samtrans driver. I've driven New Flyer and Gilling buses. I can say that New Flyer gets up to speed faster and holds to speed longer. Gilling is slower to get up to speed, but is smoother ones at highway speeds.

[@Tigerwarhawk]

Neither Gillig nor New Flyer makes drivetrains. That's based on what the TA ordered. Caterpillar or Cummins engines (or Detroit Diesel for the old buses), Voith or Allison transmissions. My small TA had 35 foot Gillig Phantoms that would flat out RUN! 😂

[@BusDriverLife]

Thanks for watching!! Our CNG Gilligs take off slow here in Sacramento too.

[@BusDriverLife]

@@TigerwarhawkInteresting that you say that because the Gilligs I rode in Florida were fast!! The ones I drive In Sacramento are kinda slow during acceleration..so it really does come down to what specs the agency orders.

[@Tigerwarhawk]

@@BusDriverLife yep, that's right.

[@KilldozerNY]

Did anyone recognize you at the convention ? Would be cool .

[@henryberg2155]

I work on gilligs currently. Hopefully the range is more then 500 miles

[@drivingsimulation23]

I wish they restyled the d40LF into these type of style buses

[@Aaron-ef9dz]

PSTA! That's my local bus company here in Tampa Bay Florida

[@BusDriverLife]

Cool!

[@MatthewBluefox]

Finally they moved the left mirror up on the same level as the right mirror where it was supposed to be a long time ago! Much easier to see the area, and no more cone-kissing on shoulder height in tight road construction passages! In Switzerland, all our busses (also the very old ones) have their left outside mirrors on the same height as the right ones. I wonder if the new Gillies still have the blinkers and beams operated by the left foot or finally also by hand at the steering wheel like in any usual car (and any bus in Europe) and wiper control on the right side with the retarder (which is an engine-brake of some sort that helps decelerating almost to a full stop without having to use the foot-controlled air brake).

[@Polemic-2525]

I had a good time

[@chrishartzell6130]

We've got 2 of the new electric gilligs and they can't stay on route all day.... What's the point if you have to get a diesel out there to swap out? They've also got some weird idiosyncrasies about them when driving like throttle delays when switching from brake to throttle at a red to green light. Really not a fan.

[@tobilobashadrack6598]

New subscriber🎉😊. I love your channel. Do you by chance know the price of the bus sir?

[@BusDriverLife]

@@tobilobashadrack6598 Thank you! These buses are somewhere around $500k

[@williamhaynes7089]

@@BusDriverLife ill take 2... pocket change

[@garlife2585]

Do you have the 60ft articulates?

[@evanstonbalce9588]

Gillig never makes and sells 60 footers, unlike New Flyer

[@brianp5205]

We are driving 22 year old Gillings with 1 million city miles in San Jose, CA.

[@danielonn2002]

Why when you startup the bus the overhead display shows Sunrise System and the display arrow goes from left to right. How can you bypass this startup sequence?

[@mademan2685]

Me personally thing gillig has the best lookin electric bus hands down

[@SyNdicateZ81]

NEW SUBSCRIBER HERE....If your told to do a route you never did before, how do you learn it? Do they provide maps that you have to continually need to look at (while Driving) to know the turns, bus stops, etc? I find that very stressful while you have passengers and navigating a huge bus. Lol I was hired by my local city transit Bus system and start training in a month and I am nervous about not knowing the route and getting lost. Think Boston city traffic too. Any advice on how they teach you the new route u never done before?

[@BusDriverLife]

In Sacramento we receive left and rights..printed route instructions. It can really stressful running a route you’re unfamiliar with while reading instructions but unfortunately that’s how it works sometimes. As far as bus stops..I just look out for them. I’ll probably make a video talking about this soon. Thanks for subscribing!

[@natefrom828]

Where I'm at, we train on every route before you go out on your own but we only have 16 routes. Also, we have a new system for vehicle tracking that has an option for on screen turn by turn directions and there is always the printed directions. Your transit system may be different but try not to stress about it too much.

[@peggyaldrine7701]

How long do tires on a electric bus last compare to gas busses? Where do the batteries come from? How much damage does the electric bus do to the environment when being built? What’s wrong with using natural gas busses?

[@captandrewebb4472]

@BusDriverLife I'm a bus driver For MTS San Diego and we use MCI's New Flyer C40LF C40LFR XN60 XE60 XE40 and gillig advantage gillig beluga bus or also know as the h200lf

[@williamhaynes7089]

1:48.. thats the 5 position door switch... you can open back door w/o front door etc that differs from your video on door switch

[@LVDesert584]

I wonder if the passengers notice these nice new features

[@Yeadatzrite]

We are phasing out our New flyers we going nova bus they’re east to maneuver but ride like shit love the feel of the new flyers

[@cavalheiro2062]

Nice looking electric buses. But are they practical in cold weather climates. Just saying.😊

[@dougbrowning82]

We tried them in Winnipeg a few years ago. They've committed to converting over the fleet, so there must be something to them. Took us 20 years to go from all high floor to all low floor. Probably the same timeline to go all electric.

[@chrishartzell6130]

We've got 2 and had major issues with them last winter, all having to do with the batteries go figure. From taking an hour to warm the batteries up before they can leave the yard, to the batteries getting too cold and the heat pump for them malfunctioning and loosing all inside heat etc.... and this is with the diesel heater option.

[@michiganborn8303]

I have drove the 2100's one time from J & 14th to the yard on a bus exchange for the 142. I was surprised how much get up and go they have.

[@BusDriverLife]

That sounds like fun to drive! One of the pros of EV’s.

[@michiganborn8303]

@BusDriverLife And the best thing is, the controls are the same as a 1500. I drove the 1900 Pateras as well but haven't drove one since 2019 at Yolo.

[@bigburs1]

That steering wheel is just a customer option. They do have them with the smaller steering wheels.

[@scpd21]

CAT is Charlotte,NC

[@jamesfrench7299]

I've noticed American buses are using the larger European 10 stud bolt circle for their bus wheels these days instead of the closer spaced North American one. Funny enough mid engined Volvo B58 buses from the 1970s as well as their trucks used the American one while their rear engine B59 city bus used the Euro pattern.

[@NKP-1985]

Id rather drive the old Gillig's we have vs new Trolleys...we are getting 10 new Gilligs in a few months though

[@georgeanderson1818]

We drive mostly Gilligs in Cleveland Ohio with a few Nabi's and New Flyer articulators.

[@Tigerwarhawk]

I think Gillig runs Ohio nowadays.

[@brewmasuisui2216]

Qpod the best and yes smaller steering wheel should be standard. Idk bout your area onboard screens here not needed.

[@williamwebb3838]

I would hope that the future of busses includes more energy efficient options like trolley busses. Those batteries lose a lot of energy during the charging process.

[@dougbrowning82]

New Flyer still does trolley buses, as does Gillig. Greener than battery electrics, but the overhead wiring is a nightmare.

[@WeAllWeGot333]

Electric buses is so they can cut off transportation with one switch it’s all a plan

[@rowaystarco]

In a couple of years all of the buses in Norways capitol Oslo will be fully electric. And the ferries are also electric no, as well as the trains, metro and trams of course.

[@pickle4422]

My city uses NewFlyer buses. That may be because NewFlyer literally makes the buses in this city, but it also may be that my city likes supporting Canadian companies.

[@ahmedelliftawi5720]

Love the gillig bus we get 4 new gillig busses every year in Williamsport pa home of the little league World Series if you never heard of this place our gillig buses are all natural gas the only bad thing is there not quick to start out and no power up hills love the quantum though never have to get up for a 1090 aka wheel chair 😊

[@enigmathegrayman2953]

We need new buses in Denver Colorado!

[@TXMEDRGR]

Are you getting recognized at the Expo?

[@BusDriverLife]

I actually had a few people recognize me. It was really cool. I also received some dirty/mean looks from a few corporate types..it was hilarious. Overall I met some cool people there.

[@TellurideS13]

Cummins electric powertrain

[@quasarsavage]

B-EVs are awesome unless they are BYD like we drive, then it is unreliable. Gillig seems cool

[@quasarsavage]

3:00 hahaha

[@davidcatbus8828]

In Madison Wisconsin I take the bus called Metro Transit most of the time the bus drivers do not want to secure your wheelchair they do it improperly on the first first part of the wheelchair they don't tighten up the straps on the back so when they stop all the suddenly your wheelchair will tip over or more cases hit my customer has will hit the Willow and go out in my situation I got knocked out not once but nine times in one month and the last one that knocked me out I was in the hospital for 2 days would a headache like you wouldn't believe

[@brendenmoir7423]

Gillig turn radius is unmatched and they have a smooth ride not to mention they last a long time I like Flyers though but had best times with Gilligs

[@LPenn0505]

Our Gilligs here in Atlanta (MARTA) drive very smoothly compared to the New Flyer XN40. The New Flyer seats too much for my taste.

[@brendenmoir7423]

@@LPenn0505 Yeah I like the gilligs u guy's have in ATL. we run the xn40s at the transit I operate at but phasing out the few gilligs we have left😞

[@LPenn0505]

@@brendenmoir7423 No plans for new ones? MARTA canceled an order of about 200 Gillig buses. Honestly, as a mechanic, the CNG Gilligs aren’t too bad. It’s the diesel version that I don’t like.

[@brendenmoir7423]

Not quite sure but they have been talking about getting some more but we received hybrid flyers earlier this year

[@VidClips858]

Were those USB ports on the CATS bus?

[@natefrom828]

We have them in our buses in Lynchburg VA too

[@BusDriverLife]

I believe so!

[@dth2brny121]

I find it nuts that LBT would go with BYD instead of Gillig for their first electric buses. LBT has a lot of Gilligs within the fleet, so why not go with a California-built product, right? They did, yes...except they picked the upstart So-Cal-produced BYDs instead of the Nor-Cal produced Gillig. Riiiiiiiiiiiight 🤦

[@Manawatu_Al2844]

Anything from MAN or Scania?

[@BusDriverLife]

Nope…I love the design on MAN buses..but they are not in the US.

[@Lueeee]

How did they manage to make it look like it’s 25 years old?

[@Frankie_1211]

Because it’s gillig

[@dth2brny121]

Same basic design dates back to 1996 😮

[@DeniseM4698]

Columbus Ohio has chunky new flyers! I hate driving them

[@BusDriverLife]

Really? I hear a lot of drivers who like the New Flyers..I’ve never driven one.

[@transitfan2000]

🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

[@LifeOnCoach]

✌🏾

[@luislaplume8261]

How about having the battery powered buses also having a double trolley poles for the double wires ? San Francisco has electric busses without batteries but uses double overhead wires.

[@donaldewert2332]

Hey friendly bus driver, looks like you lost a little weight?

[@nck5000]

there a rull alway say thank to the driver and good evening but non one dose ! and p.s here in 3 riviers not good get out form frunt door !direver tell you to get our back door p.s will takre a fishbowb for a ride !

[@JoshuaTheTransitProdigy]

**337th Like**

[@Michael4Reall00]

I really hate Gillig it look old and the ride is really bumpy compared to nova bus and new flyer. Canadians know how to make good bus compare to our American companies

[@Tigerwarhawk]

The main reason I liked city buses was because of the large steering wheel, and the position of them. Same with the old cabover trucks. They were really large on the GMC New Looks, and the RTS setup was wonderful. Then they got smaller and smaller. That small Gillig wheel reminds me of a go-cart smh. Personally, I hate the small ones, but the trend is clear. New Flyer still has large wheels though. 😀

[@natefrom828]

Shifts I have with a small wheel have me less worn out by the end of the day and I don't have back pain like with the older buses with 20" wheels

[@BusDriverLife]

Those small wheels are better on the shoulders and very easy to use. It has an electric motor in it to assist with turning. I did have to get used to it though.

[@benbenjamin7119]

Driver's compartment still ugly, y can't they change it

[@mademan2685]

Wish Houston Metro Was Goin with gillig novabus is trash to me

[@BusDriverLife]

Crazy thing is Nova bus is leaving the US and focusing solely on Canada in 2025 I believe.

[@Maximevete]

To be honest, for me as a european who drives busses, the inside (and most of the outside) looks like a 30 year ols bus. The cab and position of the wheel are so bad.

[@BusDriverLife]

I hear this often from European viewers! Everyone hates American buses. Lol. Gillig actually has another model that looks straight out of 1989 compared to the two in this video. I appreciate you watching!

[@demarcianohudley9354]

I dont like gillig i like new flyer

[@evanstonbalce9588]

SamTrans in San Mateo County is replacing their Gillig buses with New Flyer 40 foot BEBs

[@Frankie_1211]

Gilligs are just awful those look 30 years old..

[@The-sn7no]

Electric buses are a death trap when they ignite. No time to run off they should be banned. Any company that owns them never park them inside ,keep outside in the yard away from garage unless you want to lose all your buses in there when it goes.

[@tobilobashadrack6598]

New subscriber🎉😊. I love your channel. Do you by chance know the price of the bus sir?