ETS 320

A ride on ETS unit 320, a 1974 GM T6H-5307N equipped with a Detroit Diesel 6V71N engine and Allison VH-9 transmission. Notice the unusual hard shell seats. The last five buses in the 1974 order of GMs (units 317-321), were the original hard shell seat design test buses for ETS, and the only non low floor buses ever to receive that style of seats. #320 was the last to retire (Nov. 2007), and the only one of the five to be repainted into the blue and silver colors.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• ETS
• edmonton
• transit
• system
• bus
• ride
• GM
• new
• look
• fishbowl
• T6H
• 5307N
• 6V71N
• VH9

[Connell66]

What's the current rate of retirement for the GM's?

[etransit]

No more are being retired at the present time, however there are so few left (<50?), that they are fairly hard to find.

The rest will probably hold out until at least this summer.

[jackieliem2007]

Are those old GM buses are all gone ?

because I can't see any of those on the street,

and buses that take me to school (Route 8,9)

[etransit]

They aren't completely gone yet. There are still around 50 left in service, even though all 231 D40LFRs have been delivered. Personally, I still manage to ride a GM almost every day, but I do have to go out of my way to do so ;)

The remaining 50 GMs will probably be kept in service a little while longer, just to help with bus shortages.

[jackieliem2007]

I known how ETS got their bus shortages,

because they keep open some useless routes with no passengers on it even it rush hours, the buses is no 1/4 full ~.~

In the other hand, the bus routes that I alway take everyday, I alway had to stand near the front door. ~.~

p.s: sorry for saying this, but I hope ETS to buy more D40LFR to replace those old buses ^V^ because personal I do not like those bus at all.....

[etransit]

The 231 D40LFRs delivered in the last year or so were originally supposed to replace all of the GMs, but of course ETS found that they would be short buses if they did that.

[omega4chimp]

@busrailfan some of them should be kept as running as antics or something.

[busrailfan]

@etransit - Sadly now the GM's are now gone from the Edmonton Transit Fleet. Still got about 100 of them left in Calgary though! Come see 'em before they are gone too.

[busrailfan]

And to add, that seat insert is the wrong color to be from one of the 200's.

[etransit]

No :P

Those two were retired after this video was shot. There is probably a stockpile of spare seat inserts somewhere, and they just pick random colors from those.

[gmcfishbowlbuses]

Those old gms are great. Diehards. Those new buses will not last as long as these buses. The lowfloor buses do not seat as many people. No it is bad the old gm buses are being retired. They should be rebuilt and kept in service 8 more years. The younger of these buses can run longer. New buses should only have been bought to do service increases. Low floor buses are too low to the ground. a lot of streets are potholed and not paved. They also are not as safe. Too low to the ground.

[jackieliem2007]

tell ETS to buy 400 more buses, I think the problem will be fix ~^.^~