Riding Jackie Gleason GM Old Look bus 2969 on the M42

Every year for the past five or six years, the MTA has run vintage buses in the city; primarily in Manhattan, with a couple in Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx. This year, they are only running in Manhattan, but there are more running than usual. The three buses that are regulars are the 9098, the 3100, and the one we see in this video, which is the 1949-built 2969. The backup bus is the 6259. These buses run in service on the M42 along 42nd Street, and will run every weekday until Decmeber 28th. A handful of other buses are also on display near Macy's on 34th Street. The buses were built anywhere between 1949 and the late 1960's and early 1970's. Today, we will ride GM Old Look bus 2969, which is a model TDH-5101. It has a Detroit Diesel 6-71 engine with a hydraulic transmission. As we walk to the back of the bus, listen to the engine as it accelerates. Enjoy the great sounding GM growl. There is a large board at the front of the bus which describes it in better detail, including why it is named the Jackie Gleason bus. We will ride from Madison Avenue to just across 7th Avenue. If you have any questions about the video, feel free to message me. Comments are welcome. The video was taken on December 12th, 2012.

[@Busdude97]

This bus is awesome! I love seeing these buses still used today. I think most buses today should look like this!

[@jamesfrench7299]

I like the widened doors. So nice to see one of these in today's traffic.

[@emph66]

I can remember riding on buses like this as a very small child, what sticks in my mind is the sound of the engine, transmission and the general cacophony of the seats and bars rattling. The later GM buses must have had a similar drivetrain, because the sounds were quite similar. Would love to ride on this bus one more time.

[@barryrosen405]

how nice to let the people ride free

[@kjchicago1]

Listen to that Detroit Diesel Engine!

[@nyshortline]

As a kid I used to see buses like this all the time in Philadelphia. But we called them "Green Hornets" due to their paint scheme. In suburban Philadelphia they were called "Red Rockets" because of their maroon and cream paint scheme.

[@LILORIONVDIESEL]

Old bus still kicking ass with passengers onboard.

[@tonyrsch7994]

i saw this buses in lima peru in 1990 working

[@paperbackwriter4145]

Era para que hagan un museo del transporte en Lima, desde los modelos que tuvo APTL hasta los de Enatru, así como este ejemplar que está en excelentes condiciones.

[@dwaynejones9690]

And these are the days when you had real bus driver and we gave them respect and we respect the elders on the bus and gave them our seat good old days smile

[@MyDiesel101]

That is so cool! The Jackie Gleason Bus. Love the video! Thank You for sharing it.

[@DT-hi3dm]

We would get off a couple of stops early in the winter, especially in a blizzard , run to the rear , grab the bumper and hang on for bus skiing, otherwise known as bumpering . Out of ten guys only two or three would make it all the way.Anything over 30m.p.h. Was living in the moment. I miss that old bus.

[@moniquedujardin1824]

Fareless riding is a good idea. At least, there are no hold ups taking place anymore, keeping the bus driver safe. Younger busjackers don't even know how to drive these old buses

[@SteveCarras]

Montebello, California, on Greenwood (Montebello Blvd., north/south, south of Whittier Bldv.), has a whole mess of old buses, of these and Fishbowls and even a Scenicruiser (with the NAME ON IT, not a knock off) and a GMC RTS), in a bus yarD.

[@SteveCarras]

Now, even with the same basic engine trype (Diesel, Detroit 671,etc.) there was still a BIG difference between trux and buses. Can you see what i t was, and has been...automatics for buses, but NVER until recently for trucks, and NO FNR two speed on rigs..I always used to think that EVERY big vehicle, Greyhound buses included, were just like thatl They weren't! Even "transit'(i.e.,enighborhood, light route suburban) buses could be stick, Greyhounds were! Trailwayss were. Church Buses! School Buses! But even THEN, they had a simple four speed or anything under the two stick/roadranger thing! But for years I thought ALL large vehicles had a two speed auto just like THIS!@ For YEARS, till the Allison V730 replaced it, it was THE STANDARD along with 3 speed FNR (67)_

[@werksdesign]

Rode these buses all the time when I was a kid.

[@Bossrich6287]

same in Birmingham in the early 70's,brings back memories.

[@patrickrichmond9896]

Stuff like this is what just about every North American city should be doing. This way our public transit heritage is not forgotten.

[@kalonjirivers8902]

If only they brought back the GM New Look Fishbowl buses to the 5 boroughs. Man, I miss riding those buses! I used to live in Harlem-in fact, I was born in 1979, and I used to ride those buses where I used to live. So many sweet memories!

[@pauljohansson7697]

Sweet ride.

[@calvincrews3885]

before there wheel chair lift equipped on the buses and the low floor buses are built these are the standard floor buses of any Era and the mid floor buses

[@SteveCarras]

Gleason:And AWAYYYYY we GO!

[@xaenon]

.... and how sweet it is!

[@zippyjetbernstein]

Bang Zoom to the Moon!

[@Rafaellrg]

Muito bem conservado esse Detroit Diesel. Mas por que há tantos carros estacionados no corredor de ônibus? Aqui no Brasil é infração grave!

[@gsarjos]

very very cool!

[@shonnieshon6791]

can u tell me exactly month and day does mta put these buses out ? iwanna ride one sooooooooooo baaaaaaaad ! please answer me

[@charlescrowell915]

shon 718 They run them in December. Check the MTA website in December for specific dates and times.

[@2view23]

this takes back as a youth riding bus in Cleveland Ohio ( light blue) Cols Ohio ( white/orange) with Grandmother + and sisters going downtown

[@AbandonedNorthJersey]

Was this bus always in such great shape or was it idle for years in storage getting restored ?

[@shaneinkster]

Retro