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VTA Bus Fleet and Yards

Standard Disclaimer: This information is being provided by me as a private citizen and is in no way to be considered to be official VTA information.

This page will eventually list the number and type of buses owned and operated by VTA. For now, here is a quick list.  Click here for pictures of some of the buses.

Current Fleet

Year    Number    Manufacturer        Equip. Numbers
1984     48      Metro/Flxible       1500-1584 (only 48 still in service)
                                      (10 additional of these are training
                                       coaches)
1986      40      Metro/Flxible       8601-8640 (30 ft.)
1986       9      Metro/Flxible       8641-8649 (35 ft.)
1986      44      Metro/Flxible       8650-8693 (40 ft.)
1988      55      TMC                 8801-8855
1990      20      Metro/Flxible       9001-9020 (Standard)
1990      14      Metro/Flxible       9021-9034 (Super Express)
1992      91      Metro/Flxible       9201-9291
1993      54      Metro/Flxible       9301-9355 (9354 no longer in service)
1997      50      Gillig              9701-9750 (In Service)
1997      36      Gillig              9751-9786 (In Service)
1998      47      Gillig              9801-9847 (In service)
1999      12      Gillig              9901-9912 (In Service)
1999       3      Gillig              9951-9953 (In Service, Low-Floor)

Historic Fleet

This list will be done in equipment number rather than in year order. Some of the buses listed here are also included in the list above.

Number          Year    Manufacturer            Notes
40,41           1977    GMC                     Rally Wagon
42-51           1978    Plymouth                Voyager Custom
59              1942    Yellow Coach            Sold 1973
60              1945    GMC                     Sold 1973
65-67           1945    GMC                     Sold 1978
80              1942    Yellow Coach            Sold 1973
81,85           1945    GMC                     Sold 1973
200-208         1977    Mercedes-Benz           Sold Used for South
                                                County Dial-A-Ride
209,210         1974    Mercedes-Benz           Sold Used for South
                                                County Dial-A-Ride
260,261         1963    GMC                     Sold 1978
262             1957    GMC                     Sold 1978
263-268         1963    GMC                     Sold 1978
269             1966    GMC                     Sold 1978
400-533         1974    Twin Coach              Propane, all sold by 1981
                                                Some were later modified
                                                to add Lift.
534-537         1975    FMC                     Lifts, O.S. 1978
                                                First Lift Equiped buses
                                                in VTA fleet.  They were
                                                bought to operate on
                                                only one route: 18.
600             1977    Gillig-Neoplan          Propane, sold (former 601)
602-681         1977-78 Gillig-Neoplan          Propane, sold
682-733         1978    Gillig-Neoplan          Propane, Lifts, Sold
1000-1065       1978    GMC                     Built for AC, sold as part
                                                of a trade-in for the 8800s
1100-1149       1979    GMC                     35', lifts, sold
1202,1207,1210,
1213,1215,1309  1961-62 GMC                     Leased 78-79
1500-1584       1984    Metro-Flxible           Lifts, most still in service
1600-1818       1981    Grumman-Flxible         Lifts, retired from service
1703,1709,1712,
1717,1720,1734,
1735,1774,1777,
1778,1788,1799,
1800,1809,1814,
1815,1837,1852  1947    GMC                     Bought from AC, sold 1978
2103,2111       1954    GMC                     Leased from AC, training
2313-2317,2319,
2326,2330-2332  1954    GMC                     Leased from SCRTD
2380-2389       1954    GMC                     Leased from SCRTD
2401-2415       1982    M.A.N.                  Articulated, sold to AC
2501-2515       1982    Crown-Ikarus            Articulated, sold to AC
3501-3508       1965    GMC                     Sold 1978
4501-4503       1958    GMC                     San Diego Zoo Buses, Leased
4541-4558       1956-58 GMC                     Leased from Sac. RTD
4551            1951    GMC                     Sold
4561-5664       1960    GMC                     Leased from SCRTD
4600-4655       1960-61 GMC                     Sold, these were basic
                                                junk.
4701            1960    GMC                     Leased
4702-4711       1961    GMC                     Leased (Hawaii Buses)
                                                These buses came in with
                                                colorful seats and
                                                ashtrays, later
                                                retrofitted to standard
                                                seats.
4712-4715       1965-68 GMC                     Leased (Hawaii Buses)
                                                (see above)
4716-4718       1969    GMC                     Leased (Hawaii Buses)
                                                (see above)
4800-4881       1960-64 GMC                     Sold, more junk.
6501-6510       1948    GMC                     Sold by 1978 (ex SJ City Lines)
6511,6512*      1959    GMC                     O.S. 1980, VTA still has
                                                6512, it is painted in
                                                the old City Lines Colors.
6513-6517       1960    GMC                     Sold, ex SJ City Lines
6518-6522       1962    GMC                     Sold, ex SJ City Lines
6523-6527       1967    GMC                     Sold, ex SJ City Lines
6528            1961    GMC                     Sold, rebuilt 1213
6604            1946    GMC                     Sold 1978
6616-6619       1946    GMC                     Sold 1978
6621-6630       1947    GMC                     Sold by 1978
6641-6644       1951    GMC                     Sold 1978
8601-8640       1986    Flxible                 30', lifts, in service
                                                There are 3 different seating
                                                arrangements in these buses.
8641-8649       1986    Flxible                 35', lifts, in service
8650-8693       1986    Flxible                 40', lifts, in service
8801-8855       1988    TMC                     Lifts, voice annunciators, in
                                                service
9001-9020       1990    Flxible                 Lifts, voice annunciators, in
                                                service
9021-9034       1990    Flxible                 Lifts, Express, in service
9201-9291       1992    Flxible                 Lifts, voice annunciators, in
                                                service
9301-9355       1993    Flxible                 Lifts, voice annunciators, in
                                                service
9701-9786       1997    Gillig                  Lifts, Voice annunciators
9801-9847       1998    Gillig                  Lifts, Voice annunciators
9901-9912       1999    Gillig                  Lifts, Voice annunciators
9951-993        1999    Gillig                  Low-Floor, Voice annunciators
                                                (in service)
vp20-vp39       1975    Plymouth                Vans, all sold or OS by 1979

* 6512 is still owned by VTA and painted in the San Jose City Lines colors. It is occasionally used for parades and similar events.

This is a complete list as of April 1999. Most of these vehicles saw revenue service at one time or another. The exceptions include 40, 41, 2103, 2111.

Some of the buses listed above were gasoline powered. When the district first formed, their one yard did not have any gasoline pumps, only diesel. The buses had to be driven to a local gas station to fill up.

Yes the vans were used in revenue service, I remember riding one from West Valley College with 25 students on board.

Last Modified: Nov. 1, 1999

© 1996 by Eric Rosenberg
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