5800s COMING SOONER THAN EXPECTED

The 5th batch of New Flyer diesel low floors are now scheduled to arrive on SEPTA property starting this summer. At the April SEPTA Board "Rubber-Stamp" meeting, the board approved a change in the contract which would change the delivery date of the 5851-5950 series of buses from April 1, 2005 to July 1, 2004. That will accellerate the retirement of the remaining Neoplan EB and some Neoplan EI buses by the end of the summer. The change in delivery date, along with a spec change from a particulate filter to a catalytic converter will reduce the contract cost by nearly $400,000. There's no word just yet as to where the 5800s will be assigned, but Comly would probably be at the top of the list.