Broome County Transit
 | This article relies largely or entirely on a single source. (August 2021) |
 | |
 BC Transit buses on the Binghamton University campus, May 2008. | |
| Headquarters | 413 Old Mill Road, Vestal |
|---|---|
| Service area | Broome County, New York |
| Service type | bus service, paratransit |
| Routes | 21 |
| Stops | 900+ |
| Fuel type | Diesel, Diesel-electric hybrid |
| Website | ridebctransit.com |
Broome County Transit, popularly branded as B.C. Transit, is the public transportation system serving Broome County, New York, which includes the city of Binghamton and surrounding communities.
History[edit]
B.C. Transit was founded in 1968 when Broome County took over the assets of the private Triple Cities Traction Corporation, a takeover similar to those that took place in Rochester and Schenectady years prior. Unlike those city's transit systems, which became part of public benefit corporations, B.C. Transit is still owned and operated by the county (Department of Public Transportation) and is the largest such operator in Upstate New York (third largest overall in the state).
Broome Transit originally used a logo designed by renowned Swiss–Canadian designer Fritz Gottschalk. At a later date, it rebranded as "B.C. Transit" and adopted the character Thor from the comic strip B.C., drawn by Endicott, New York native Johnny Hart.[1] The "B.C." is also based (very) loosely on one of the logos from that comic strip as well.[citation needed]
At the time of B.C. Transit's formation, they inherited the token stock of Triple Cities Traction Corporation and that company's predecessor, the Binghamton Railway Company[citation needed]. These same tokens, some dating back to the turn of the 20th century, circulated until B.C. Transit phased out the token at the end of 2005 when they went to electronic fare collection.
Routes and services[edit]
City of Binghamton[edit]
- 3 Park Ave
- 5 Vestal Ave
- 7 Clinton St
- 8 Front St
- 9 BU Advantage
- 12 Conklin Ave
- 15 Leroy St
- 17 Johnson City
- 28 Robinson St
Other Triple Cities[edit]
- 35M Endicott (Binghamton to Endicott via Main St)
- 35W Endicott (Binghamton to Endicott via Watson Boulevard)
- 35x Express (Binghamton to Endicott via Main St But bypasses Oakdale Mall)
- 40 Chenango St
- 47 Vestal-Endicott
- 57 Shoppers Special
Rural[edit]
- 51 Kirkwood Commuter
- 53 Corporate Park
- 55 Endwell Shuttle
- 59 West Corners Shuttle
15 Leroy turns into the 5 Vestal at the Junction.
- 17 Legacy Bay and 47 Vestal
Paratransit and other services[edit]
- B.C. Lift: Americans with Disabilities Act mandated service for those who are physically unable to ride regular fixed-route services and live within the B.C. Transit fixed-route area.
- OFA Mini-Bus: Similar to B.C. Lift, but intended for persons age 65 and over, physical disability is not required. Service paid for by Broome County Office for Aging and operated by BC Transit.
- B.C. Country: Dial-a-ride service for those who live in areas of Broome County not served by fixed-route transit service and meet certain other criteria.
Fleet[edit]
Current fleet[edit]
(All buses are Wheelchair-accessible 
)
| Year | Manufacturer | Model | Fleet Numbers | Engine | Transmission | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Daimler Buses North America | Orion VII NG HEV | 101-106 | Cummins ISB | BAE Systems Hybridrive | 105, 106 are Retired. | |
| 2010 | Daimler Buses North America | Orion VII EPA10 HEV | 601-606 | Cummins ISB6.7 | BAE Systems Hybridrive | ||
| 2014 | Gillig | Low Floor 40' | 701-707 | Cummins ISL9 | Voith D864.5 | ||
| 2017 | Gillig | Low Floor 40' | 721-727 | Cummins L9 | Voith D864.6 | ||
| 2018-19 | Gillig | Low Floor 40' | 741-748 | Cummins L9 | Voith D864.6 | 741-747 are 2018 Models and 748 is a 2019 Model. | |
| 2019 | Gillig | Low Floor HEV 40' | 621-623 | Cummins B6.7 | BAE Systems HDS 200 | ||
| 2019 | Gillig | Low Floor 40' | 761-765 | Cummins L9 | Voith D864.6 | ||
| 2021 | Gillig | Low Floor HEV 40' | 641, 642 | Cummins B6.7 | BAE Systems HDS 200 | ||
| 2021 | Gillig | Low Floor 40' | 781-783 | Cummins L9 | Allson B3400xFE |
Future fleet[edit]
BC Transit has signed a contract to purchase 6 Novabus LFSe+ Battery Electric Buses, expected to be in service by 2024.
Pending the announcement of Novabus departing the US market, these plans are in the air and in all likelihood Broome County Transit will aim to receive Gillig Low Floor Electric's instead.
BC Transit is anticipated to receive up to 4-6 Gillig Low Floor Hybrids in the summer of 2024.
Past fleet[edit]
| Year | Builder | Model | Fleet Numbers | Retired year & notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | GMC | RTS-03 | 101-106 (1st) | |
| 1982 | Grumman Flxible | 870 | 201-217 (1st) | Retired in 1996-1997. 205, 216 sold to Oneonta Public Transit. |
| 1997-1998 | OBI | Orion VI | 201-212 (2nd) | Retired in 2015-2017. Ex-CDTA buses purchased in 2008, 2070 and 2099 also purchased for use as a parts bus |
| 1996 | OBI | Orion V | 501-515 | |
| 1987 | OBI | Orion I 01.508 | 601-617 (1st) | 602, 607, 608, 610, 612 sold to Private Transportation |
| 1968 | GMC | TDH-3502 | 701-707 (1st) | |
| 1986 | OBI | Orion I 01.508 | 720, 729, 741, 757 | Ex-NFTA buses purchased in 1997 |
| 1968 | GMC | T6H-4521 | 801-814 (1st) | 802, 804, 807, 809-812 sold to NFTA in 1987 |
| 2000 | OBI | Orion VI | 801-823 | Retired in 2017 |
| 1992 | OBI | Orion I CNG 01.508 | 900-902 | |
| 2003 | Gillig | Phantom 30' | 2001, 2006, 2007 | Retired in 2019. Ex-HART buses purchased in 2015 |
| 1999 | NovaBus | LFS Suburban | 3003-3005, 3010 | Retired in 2020. Ex-CDTA buses purchased in 2015 |
| 1999 | NovaBus | LFS | 3022, 3025, 3030, 9915, 9918, 9927, 9930, 9932 | Retired in 2020. Ex-CDTA buses purchased in 2015, 9901 and 9925 were also purchased from CDTA to be use as a parts bus |
| 1997 | Gillig | Phantom 30' | ?? | Retired in 2018. Ex-HART buses purchased in 2015 |
| 2007 | OBI | Orion VII NG HEV | N/A | Ex-MTA NYCT 1292, acquired from BAE Systems. Never entered service |
References[edit]
- ^ About Us | Broome County, NY Archived July 15, 2006, at the Wayback Machine