DETROIT'S FIRST WHEEL-CHAIR LIFT "RTS" COACHES

During the summer of 1978, the first wheel-chair lift equipped RTS coach (Model TH-8203) was delivered to the Detroit Department Of Transportation (DDOT). After the city's first fleet of seventy (70) non-lift equipped RTS's (#1300-1369) began arriving in May, these lift equipped coaches would complete the remainder of the department's 111 coach order.

Between August and October of 1978, forty-one (41) GMC built "RTS-II" coaches (#1370L-1410L) were delivered to DDOT for operation on its #34 Gratiot Avenue route. In this video clip from Sept. 13, 1978, then local CBS affiliate WJBK-TV2 Eyewitness News reporter Woody Willis was on hand at the DDOT east-side Shoemaker Terminal as DDOT coach operators participated in a special hands-on training session to familiarize themselves with the new wheel-chair lift equipment.

BTW, I do apologize for the tape's abrupt ending, as the end of this segment was inadvertently erased some years ago.

(video posted for educational purposes only)

For more Detroit transit video clips visit:
http://www.detroittransithistory.info/Video/VideoClips.html

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• Detroit
• D-DOT
• RTS
• GMC buses
• transit

[DrSurprise]

That Beverly Payne chick kinda looks like Liz Cho from WABC 7 here in New York!

[hbc2nddetroit]

Oh yeah, Beverly Payne. I can definitely remember her anchoring the evening news on channel 2 during my younger years. Beverly Payne (Draper) was an anchor/reporter for WJBK-TV2 (CBS) from 1973-1982, where she became the first female African-American anchor in Detroit. Unfortunately, she's no longer with us, having passed away from ovarian cancer at the age of 54 in November of 1999.

[TheTransitCamera]

Wow, I didn't know they had lift equipped buses before the 80s. Thanks for posting the video.

[hbc2nddetroit]

They sure did! With the arrival of the DDOT #1800-series RTS-IIs in July of 1980, Detroit's DDOT had 237 lift-equipped RTS coaches in its fleet. Of the 307 RTS-IIs purchased by DDOT between 1978 and 1980, all but the first 70 (#1300-1369) were equipped with those problem-plagued wheel-chair lifts.

[TTCOrionVII8100]

We got our first 40' lift buses in 1996 with a V :P

[OBrayant]

Thank you for posting this video. I'm really glad to see something on Beverly Payne. I idolilzed her as a teen and chose to study journalism because of her. I am sorry to know she passed. She was truly a Detroit icon.

[OBrayant]

Thank you for posting this video. I'm really glad to see something on Beverly Payne. I idolilzed her as a teen and further my career in journalism because of her. I am sorry to know she passed. She was truly a Detroit icon.

[ClassicTVMan1981X]

@qwandiddy

Aren't you forgetting about the Flxible Metro B's (1990-91) numbered #5300-5770?

[qwandiddy]

@TheTransitCamera Same thing with Cleveland RTA's 1989 TMC RTS with none W/C lift

[BassmanII]

1980 saw NFTA buses 5066-5078 as the second wheelchair lift equipped buses in Buffalo (first lift equipped buses were 30 foot Twin Coach buses with separate lift doors). The next batch were the entire fleet of 6000-series RTS 04 buses in 1984 (6001-6110)

[RoyalOui]

Thank you very much for posting this. This is the only visual reminiscence (photo or video) of the lovely Beverly Payne I have ever seen on the web (and I have looked for others).

Growing up in suburban Detroit, I had a bit of a crush on Ms. Payne as a lad. My brother later saw her when visiting the television studio, and he thought her the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.

It is very sad that she passed away, but I'm glad she was an inspiration to so many people.

Again, thank you.

[keepthapinit]

Ha Ha!!! He said that "the bus drivers have empathy for passengers that's confined to wheel chairs during rush hour"...

You can't have empathy when school is in, on those lines like 7 mile, Grand River and Woodward...

Fuck around and find yourself late...

[DrSurprise]

she was an African American? wow! she looks white.