I work for TriMet up in the Portland Metro Area. It also is nowhere near the job it was 20 or 30 years ago. This used to be the job people came, enjoyed, and then retired from with a good pension. Now, as with all transit agencies, we are seeing our transit district cater to the whims of the public, and we are *constantly,* at every turn, faced with the possibility of being terminated for even the smallest reason. Being a bus operator is so stressful now.
Those old buses with the sealed windows,the air conditioning was always out, so glad when Rtd wised up and bought buses with opening windows , the 2300 and beyond
I recall the Grumman and the Neoplan buses well but the most significant bus to me is the GMC RTS II series. I used to ride those buses often and actually learned how to imitate the six cylinder two stroke diesel engine in the bus with the automatic transmission shifting.
My Dad Ernest Pasini Ernie was divion 9 El Monte station RTD and MTA badge 598 1974-1995 21 years he drove 484 Pomona Los Angeles via Valley Blvd and Holt Ave
My two favorite buses in this video were the early 1980's model Grumman 870's and the GMC rts II series. It was just the buses themselves. It was also the sound of the engine which was the Detroit 6v92 that also made it special.
Wow ......Back in the day when someone would ask us how we were getting to our destination we would say by Rough, Tough and Dirty when we took these, RTD buses, oh the memories ❤
Every time I heard "Everybody have fun tonight" from Wang Chung, I think of an RTD bus heading south on California highway 110 from Pasadena towards Los Angeles and it was usually a GMC RTS II series.
The RTS's are unique. They look like beavers without the tail! There were also the furously debated AM Generals, as well as Neoplans and Grummans. Todfay we have Orions on Foothill transit as the ONLY HIGH FLOOR leftover (I may have a few problems walking, but I do not mind walking up bus steps....!)
TriMet is still running its 1992 and '94 Flxible Metros (the 1993 LNG-fueled fleet, 1809-1816, was retired in late 2000) at present, but will soon be displaced by new Gillig Low Floors in 2012-16.
I didn’t know that the 120 would go all the way to the Brea Mall. Wow! Also I recall the buses at 2:21, 6:37, the 2929 one and the smaller twinkie bus ones growing up late 90s-mid 2000s. Good memories with a lot of character on those buses. Definitely LA.
It would of been good if the Flxible lasted as long as the RTS and Neoplans did in the LACMTA fleet. I wonder how they would of look liked in the current Metro Local paint scheme.
By the way, the original GMC-made RTS II buses are what were successors to the Fishbowls, of which Flxible (the predecessor to the Grumman) also made, and Old Looks, by that time retired around 1980 (though 10 years ago I saw one being towed..:)) During the earlier 1980s I rode on some Flible Baby Fishbowls that were candy striped and used the (Allison?) 4-spd.automatic instead of the two-speed--RND321..peppermint stripes on top of roof. Anybody remember those ones? (pre-Advance design, of course.)
Thanks for the tip on I-Swear it actually uses several buses on the street as they just stole the shots using in service buses going by during the RTD-MTA transition. Good find I hadn't known of previously!
Actually, this is "To Live And Die In L.A" by Wang Chung. It was used as the main theme song for the 1985 action film that was released under the same name.😊
@Xomanowar99 It had more style than that boxy looking Flxible and has pretty much out lasted it! Go to NYC and other places they are still rolling in decent numbers!
you live by the grummman you die by grummman if you are a grummman Phan it's the most controversial bus in the 80s I've still want to ride the grummanflxible buses the grummman ' s are hard to find as a city bus now and days
I figure that 5865 at 1:57 must have been a demonstrator. AFAIK, RTD/MTA never ran slantback RTS's. Long Beach Transit did late 70's, but when RTD got them in 81, they were all square.... I did some research.. RTD was looking into a new color scheme, and they test printed the 3 stripe on 3 different buses. One was an OCTD Grumman 870, one was a fleet New Look, and the 3rd was a slantback RTS from Montebello Bus lines. All 3 buses were fake numbered 5865.
![1989 TMC RTS T80206 - LACMTA ( Metro ) # 1975 [ Sound Recording ]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/4sfdSs4RBDQ/mqdefault.jpg)
![1989 TMC RTS T80206 - LACMTA ( Metro ) # 1975 [ Sound Recording ]](/img/tr.png)
For a video that’s just a slideshow of buses, it has such a great 1980s L.A. vibe
I retired from RTD/MTA in 2013. It was a great job when it was RTD.
I work for TriMet up in the Portland Metro Area. It also is nowhere near the job it was 20 or 30 years ago. This used to be the job people came, enjoyed, and then retired from with a good pension. Now, as with all transit agencies, we are seeing our transit district cater to the whims of the public, and we are *constantly,* at every turn, faced with the possibility of being terminated for even the smallest reason. Being a bus operator is so stressful now.
Those old buses with the sealed windows,the air conditioning was always out, so glad when Rtd wised up and bought buses with opening windows , the 2300 and beyond
I recall the Grumman and the Neoplan buses well but the most significant bus to me is the GMC RTS II series. I used to ride those buses often and actually learned how to imitate the six cylinder two stroke diesel engine in the bus with the automatic transmission shifting.
My childhood relived
My Dad Ernest Pasini Ernie was divion 9 El Monte station RTD and MTA badge 598 1974-1995 21 years he drove 484 Pomona Los Angeles via Valley Blvd and Holt Ave
I remember Line 484. From Los Angeles to Pomona was almost a 2 hr ride!
Man these buses bring back so many memories
This song goes awesome with this video. Nice production
RTD... Rough, Tough and Dangerous!!
Damn!! RTS' and Grummans owned the streets of L.A. at one time.
Low floors ruined the fun of riding a bus. All of these were cool! Only got to experience RTS and Orion high floors in nyc.
Awesome video! Many hours on the 456 to LA from Long Beach in the 80s....😎👍
I miss those buses
My two favorite buses in this video were the early 1980's model Grumman 870's and the GMC rts II series. It was just the buses themselves. It was also the sound of the engine which was the Detroit 6v92 that also made it special.
Wow ......Back in the day when someone would ask us how we were getting to our destination we would say by Rough, Tough and Dirty when we took these, RTD buses, oh the memories ❤
1. That's a damn nice color scheme for a Grumman.
2. Wang Chung had a song other than "Wang Chung"? :)
Every time I heard "Everybody have fun tonight" from Wang Chung, I think of an RTD bus heading south on California highway 110 from Pasadena towards Los Angeles and it was usually a GMC RTS II series.
Threw up on one of those buses as a kid. Classic 80s LA!
The RTS's are unique. They look like beavers without the tail! There were also the furously debated AM Generals, as well as Neoplans and Grummans. Todfay we have Orions on Foothill transit as the ONLY HIGH FLOOR leftover (I may have a few problems walking, but I do not mind walking up bus steps....!)
Ah, Southern California Rapid Transit District. I didn't know that existed when I was born, then Metro was created
Idiot! STFU frijolero.
The SCRTD Tr-Stripe scheme and Snowflake logo designed by the legendary Saul T. Bass himself!
2:50, What Transit center is this? Looks like Willowbrook Station before the C Line opened.
cool idea of difference -NYC buses have blue strip on the board -LA buses have orange stripe)
TriMet is still running its 1992 and '94 Flxible Metros (the 1993 LNG-fueled fleet, 1809-1816, was retired in late 2000) at present, but will soon be displaced by new Gillig Low Floors in 2012-16.
I didn’t know that the 120 would go all the way to the Brea Mall. Wow! Also I recall the buses at 2:21, 6:37, the 2929 one and the smaller twinkie bus ones growing up late 90s-mid 2000s. Good memories with a lot of character on those buses. Definitely LA.
It would of been good if the Flxible lasted as long as the RTS and Neoplans did in the LACMTA fleet. I wonder how they would of look liked in the current Metro Local paint scheme.
To those who have never been in Los Angeles, at least your in the Los Angeles County.
By the way, the original GMC-made RTS II buses are what were successors to the Fishbowls, of which Flxible (the predecessor to the Grumman) also made, and Old Looks, by that time retired around 1980 (though 10 years ago I saw one being towed..:)) During the earlier 1980s I rode on some Flible Baby Fishbowls that were candy striped and used the (Allison?) 4-spd.automatic instead of the two-speed--RND321..peppermint stripes on top of roof. Anybody remember those ones? (pre-Advance design, of course.)
Fun fact, if you look up “MMMBOP” from Hanson and “I Swear” from ALL-4-ONE an RTS and a old Neoplan are featured in the videos
Thanks for the tip on I-Swear it actually uses several buses on the street as they just stole the shots using in service buses going by during the RTD-MTA transition. Good find I hadn't known of previously!
RTD was there until renamed LA Metro. That when LACMTA was found.
Sad😢we will never see this again
I use to like getting on grumman buses
We didn't recognize a good system when we saw it 😢
I love those buses
Omg, Wang Chung sounds similar to Baltimora...
Futuristic buses
I miss the "twinkie" and the grummans great video
That is not what we call these buses! That ill advised name was invented by someone in-house along the way and is an insult to these buses.
+RTD1 lol no offense intended but my uncle said it alot he drove the 60 line when it was SCRTD
Great theme song.
It reminds of "Eye of the Tiger"
Actually, this is "To Live And Die In L.A" by Wang Chung. It was used as the main theme song for the 1985 action film that was released under the same name.😊
I had that hot wheels RTS03 toy. a school bus
Me too it was a yellow RTS school bus
Omg, I didn't know there were little diecast toys of that bus... I'll bet I could find one of a Flxible bus too on ebay...
I always thought the RTS was a plain vanilla looking bus.
@loaferguy73 Compared to the NABIs, the RTS is better quality. The ride in an RTS is smoother and quieter.
The Ruff, Tuff and Dangerous
My dad is probably in one of those buses
I miss RTD 484
My childhood
Mostly the flexible Metro 2400
WTF!!! at 1:56
He drove RTS
@Xomanowar That is true!
I would love to see a retro model of the aero designed RTD buses come back for modern day versions
OMG! It is Flexie and Twinkie! lolololololololololololol!
@Xomanowar99 It had more style than that boxy looking Flxible and has pretty much out lasted it! Go to NYC and other places they are still rolling in decent numbers!
The Flxible bus looks way cooler, imo. Especially the Flxible CTA buses.
I think 194 is crazy El Monte to calpoly c'mon used to go POMONA to Los Angeles Baby
Hey Foothill transit bring back line 484
Hi
METRO WMATA IN WASHINGTON D.C. NEED TO RESURRECT GMC RTS METROBUSES AND 111CC D-5 FLXIBLE D.C. TRANSIT/METROBUSES AND BRING THEM BACK TO LIFE
and kind of neoplans
you live by the grummman you die by grummman if you are a grummman Phan it's the most controversial bus in the 80s I've still want to ride the grummanflxible buses the grummman ' s are hard to find as a city bus now and days
I figure that 5865 at 1:57 must have been a demonstrator. AFAIK, RTD/MTA never ran slantback RTS's. Long Beach Transit did late 70's, but when RTD got them in 81, they were all square.... I did some research.. RTD was looking into a new color scheme, and they test printed the 3 stripe on 3 different buses. One was an OCTD Grumman 870, one was a fleet New Look, and the 3rd was a slantback RTS from Montebello Bus lines. All 3 buses were fake numbered 5865.
Does anybody remember RTS #9110? It was the ONLY one in the first batch with sliding windows, every other window.