June 26, 2008, marked thirty continuous years of the RTS (Rapid Transit Series) Advanced Design Bus operating along the streets of Detroit, MI.
In early 1978, the Detroit Department of Transportation (D-DOT) surveyed its riders to gather their opinions regarding the quality of the city's bus service. Unfortunately, the survey results were not good. However, DDOT management took advantage of an opportunity to release the results of the survey to coincide with the launching of its new fleet of GMC "RTS-II" coaches.
During a press conference held at the west-side Coolidge Terminal, on Friday, June 23, 1978, DDOT unveiled its new bus fleet to the media. The department had anticipated that the new RTS fleet would drastically improve the quality of DDOT bus service.
This video compiles newsclips from three local newscasts (WJBK-TV2, WWJ-TV4 (now WDIV) and WXYZ-TV7) that covered the media event back in 1978.
GM's first newly designed transit bus since 1959 began service in Detroit on Monday, June 26, 1978. The DDOT #1300-series RTS's (#1300-1369) featured in this video were the first Model TH-8203 (second series - "Series 03") RTS-II coaches to be manufactured by GMC Truck & Coach.
(video posted for educational purposes only)
For more Detroit transit videos visit:
www.detroittransithistory.info...
2 окт 2008