BusTalk

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

More regarding the #145 and #146........

Both of these Newark lines saw sharp decreases in ridership (particularly during off-peak hours) in the late 1960's and early 1970's.

In their final years, the two aforementioned lines were being operated on two-hour headways during off-peak hours.

As mentioned previously, the five buses assigned to these routes since 1965, were sold to RED & TAN by 1974............

"NYO"

["146 NEWARK"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

......like PSNJ, DE CAMP was a loyal YELLOW customer for many years.

In early 1940, three unique diesel-mechanical 740's entered service; two suburban model TD-4503's entered service that September.

In 1941, six small TD-2705's were added to the roster.

Interestingly enough, DE CAMP was the only New Jersey carrier to follow Public Service, and buy first rear-engine, and then diesel YELLOWS........

"NYO"

["NEW YORK"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

As I had mentioned awhile back, SOMERSET had the distinction of being the first United States carrier to take delivery of the Prevost "CHAMPION".

In this photo from 1968, "CHAMPION" #9111 is seen crossing into the US from Canada; SOMERSET purchased three other "CHAMPIONS" as well.....

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?154518

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["BLUE STAR ROUTE"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

In this timeless "portrait" from the early 1980's, we see SOMERSET "Champion" #9112 awaiting the next run, alongside a stalwart Fishbowl.

How quickly such classic scenes were to vanish.........

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?154522

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["MOUNTAINSIDE 141"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Before we take leave of SOMERSET, this 1976 photo serves to recall the long-gone days when SOMERSET'S Old Looks were among the most handsome on the road.

This nostalgic photo, taken in Manhattan, shows #9323 on a charter.........

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?154519

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

["CHARTERED"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Here's a beautiful scale model of a DE CAMP MC-7.........

https://public.fotki.com/mackbuses/1969-mci-mc-7-crusa/de-camp-mc-7-1.html

["DE CAMP BUS LINES"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

If only the heading of this news story from 2012 was from just a days ago.....

https://patch.com/new-jersey/montclair/decamp-bus-lines-back-in-service

["66 MONTCLAIR"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

traildriver:

Here's a link to a great "modern-era" photo gallery featuring DE CAMP (as well as other carriers, including LAKELAND), reminding us that, just weeks ago, such DE CAMP scenes were still commonplace.....who knew what the month of April (2023) would hold for drivers and commuters alike.........

www.showbus.com/gallery/foreign/usa/njc5.htm

["33 NEW YORK"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

.............in thinking of DE CAMP, and other NJ carriers (past and present), it comes to mind just how much inroads MCI coaches made into so many fleets.

DE CAMP (though only purchasing a few MCI coaches intitially) entered the MCI era back in the 1970's.

Just as Old Looks and Fishbowls once dominated the "indy" NJ fleets for decades, the MCI came into its own in the State, by the 1980's and 1990's.

Recall, by 1990, almost all of the Fishbowls from the suburban fleets had been retired.

In second place (so to speak) you had the NJDOT-purchased Flex New Looks of the mid/late 1970's, replacing virtually all of the remaining suburban Old Looks (I believe SOMERSET's were the last in service); a number of the oldest Fishbowls also vanished.

Certainly a minority in suburban fleets were the Metro "B's"; I remember seeing these buses running through Union CIty, back in the 1990's, on DE CAMP's #32.

When the MCI's first began appearing in suburban service in nJ back in the 80's, they indeed caught the eye quickly; after all, these big bruisers looked more like a highway coach, than a run-of-the-mill commuter bus (I always refer to NJT's as "Jersey Hounds").

Back in the day, NJT had 700 MC9's built; these buses had 49 seats and no restrooms.

During 1987, NJT took delivery of 415 more MC-9's.

Back in the day, I well remember the older-model MCI's operating for SUBURBAN, SHORT LINE, as well as other carriers serving the State.

At first, the big "Jersey Hounds" seemed quite "exotic" in the midst of a sea of oh-so-commonplace Fishbowls and "Bison".

It wasn't all that long until these once-"exotic" coaches became as commonplace as cracks in the sidewalk, on so many NJ suburban lines.....

"NYO"

["MCI"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Taken over 40 years ago, this photo snapped at the old (now gone) Meadowlands Sports Complex in Secaucus, we see the "new era" of NJT represented by this early "Jersey Hound" (NJT's paint, IMHO, certainly NEVER did anything for the Fishbowls or Flex New Looks)........

https://www.nycsubway.org/perl/show?156590

(courtesy: nycsubway.org)

[NEW JERSEY TRANSIT"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Recalling SUBURBAN TRANSIT and its big MCI's........

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/suburban-transit-mci--531213718538619449/

["NEW BRUNSWICK"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

Here's an excellent "in depth" page detailing the rich history* of MCI......

https://www.busesandmore.com/history-of-motor-coach-industries/

["MC-5"]

*Be sure to read of the historic order from NJT in 2000, for 1,400 "cruiser" coaches........

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

PREVOST history (companion page to previous link).....

https://www.busesandmore.com/history-of-prevost-buses/

["BLUE STAR ROUTE"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

....though for many years, WHITES and ACF-BRILLS were also part of New Jersey's bygone suburban carrier fleets, it was the GM products (especially the Old Looks and Fishbowls) that were the solid backbone of the fleets that once connected New Jersey points with New York.

By the later 1970's, the NJDOT Flex New Looks began to arrive in large numbers, and, yet, the GM fleets still dominated.

Things began to change by the 1980's, however, as greater numbers of MCI coaches began replacing the Fishbowls (and "Bison") that NJT had inherited from the old companies.

IMHO, MCI has indeed become the GM of the 21st century, regarding NJT's suburban lines.

Though GREYHOUND began taking delivery of new MCI coaches by the later 1960's and 70's, it would still be some time before they would come to be the dominant players New Jersey's commuter operations.

DE CAMP, LAKELAND, RED & TAN, and SUBURBAN all, in time, also became MCI strongholds.

MCI, IMHO, has indeed more than proven itself (regarding both suburban and highway operations) over the past several decades, as a solid, well-built performer.....

"NYO"

["NEW YORK"]

[NEW YORK OMNIBUS 2629]

After purchasing FLXIBLE and ACF-BRILL coaches in the 1940's, GREYHOUND, as we know, purchased buses exclusively from GM.

The "Buffalo" would be the very last bus that GREYHOUND would purchase from GM; though, in later years, PREVOSTS would be added to the fleet (as well as the ex-TRAILWAYS Eagle coaches) the MCI would, in time, dominate the GREYHOUND fleet, just as GM-built buses had in decades past.

Here's a classic view of an MC-5, setting the stage for the many hundreds of MCI coaches that would enter GREYHOUND service in later years........

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/488851734556991787/

["VANCOUVER B.C."]