New RTS Order from Boston

Even after 30+ years of existance, the RTS is continuing to find acceptance in transit fleets across the US. It's become apparent that Boston's MBTA may be yet another. Millennium Transit Services, LLC, is the low-bidder for 150 low-floor RTS Extreme coaches.



The RTS Extreme is yet another chapter in the RTS' heritage that stems from it's inception by GM in the early 1970s. Based upon a Nova Bus prototype from the late 1990s, it sports a low-floor from the front doors to the rear doors, therefore eliminating the need for any wheelchair and/or entry assist mechanisms. Nova chose not to produce this coach in order to promote their total low-floor LFS design.




As can be seen from these photos by Trevor Logan of Transit Talk, the Extreme's rear sections are higher than the low floor section. For the most part, this rear structure sections of the coach are unchanged from previous RTS coaches. The only exception to this is some re-arrangement of modules to accomodate a T-Drive powertrain configuration.



While Millennium is the low bidder on this project, it is subject to the approval of the MBTA Board of Directors. Should it receive approval, it will be the second order for both the Extreme design, and for Millenium Transit.

Millennium Transit, founded in December 2003, is the 3rd owner and builder of the RTS coach design since GM sold it's transit interests in 1987.