RARE Old Photograph
Advertising for Hoover Body Company
of York, PA
ROBERT E LEE Bus - Transit Corp of Norfolk
8 x 10
ca 1920s
For offer - a very nice old image! Fresh from an estate in Upstate NY. Never offered on the market until now. Vintage, Old, antique, Original - NOT a Reproduction - Guaranteed !! Rare image, showing a newly produced bus - the Robert E Lee for the Transit Corp of Norfolk. Made by the Hoover Body Company of York, Pennsylvania. On side door: Norfolk-Portsmouth, Winton, Murfreesboro, Ahoskie, Weldon, Scotland Neck, Tarboro, Rocky Mount. Photo measures 8 x 10 with extra piece on side that folds back. Canvas backed, embossed with Hoover logo at top right corner. In good to very good condition. Light wear at edges, minor creases at corners. Please see photos. If you collect 20th century history, American, Americana, photography images, etc., this is a nice one for your paper or ephemera collection. Combine shipping on multiples purchases. 2396
Norfolk (/ˈnɔːrfʊk/ (About this soundlisten) NOR-fuuk) is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. At the 2010 census, the population was 242,803;[5] in 2019, the population was estimated to be 242,742[6] making it the third-most populous city in Virginia after neighboring Virginia Beach and Chesapeake, and the 91st-largest city in the nation. The city was incorporated in 1705 and is one of the oldest cities in Hampton Roads metropolitan area, and is considered to be the historic, urban, financial, and cultural center of the region.
Norfolk is at the core of the metropolitan area, surrounding the Hampton Roads natural harbor at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay. It is one of nine cities and seven counties that constitute the Hampton Roads metro area, officially known as the Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC MSA. The city is bordered to the west by the Elizabeth River and to the north by the Chesapeake Bay. It also shares land borders with the independent cities of Chesapeake to its south and Virginia Beach to its east.
As the city is bordered by multiple bodies of water, Norfolk has many miles of riverfront and bayfront property, including beaches on the Chesapeake Bay. The coastal zones are important for the economy. The largest naval base in the world, Naval Station Norfolk, is located in Norfolk along with one of NATO's two Strategic Command headquarters. Additionally Norfolk is an important contributor to the Port of Virginia. It home to Maersk Line, Limited, which manages the world's largest fleet of US-flag vessels. However, this low lying coastal infrastructure is also very vulnerable to sea level rise, with water levels rising by more than 5.5 feet by the end of the 21st century.
The city has a long history as a strategic military and transportation point, where many railroad lines started. It is linked to its neighbors by an extensive network of interstate highways, bridges, tunnels, and three bridge-tunnel complexes.
Robert Edward Lee (January 19, 1807 – October 12, 1870) was an American Confederate general best known as a commander of the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. He commanded the Army of Northern Virginia from 1862 until its surrender in 1865 and earned a reputation as a skilled tactician.
A son of Revolutionary War officer Henry "Light Horse Harry" Lee III, Lee was a top graduate of the United States Military Academy and an exceptional officer and military engineer in the United States Army for 32 years. During this time, he served throughout the United States, distinguished himself during the Mexican–American War, and served as Superintendent of the United States Military Academy. He was also the husband of Mary Anna Custis Lee, adopted great-granddaughter of George Washington. When Virginia's 1861 Richmond Convention declared secession from the Union, Lee chose to follow his home state, despite his desire for the country to remain intact and an offer of a senior Union command. During the first year of the Civil War, he served in minor combat operations and as a senior military adviser to Confederate President Jefferson Davis.
Lee took command of the Army of Northern Virginia in June 1862 during the Peninsula Campaign following the wounding of Joseph E. Johnston. He succeeded in driving the Union Army of the Potomac under George B. McClellan away from the Confederate capital of Richmond during the Seven Days Battles, although he was unable to destroy McClellan's army. Lee then overcame Union forces under John Pope at the Second Battle of Bull Run in August. His invasion of Maryland that September ended with the inconclusive Battle of Antietam, after which he retreated to Virginia. Lee then won two decisive victories at Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville before launching a second invasion of the North in the summer of 1863, where he was decisively defeated at the Battle of Gettysburg by the Army of the Potomac under George Meade. He led his army in the minor and inconclusive Bristoe Campaign that fall before General Ulysses S. Grant took command of Union armies in the spring of 1864. Grant engaged Lee's army in bloody but inconclusive battles at the Wilderness and Spotsylvania before the lengthy Siege of Petersburg, which was followed in April 1865 by the capture of Richmond and the destruction of most of Lee's army, which he finally surrendered to Grant at Appomattox Court House.
In 1865, Lee became president of Washington College (later Washington and Lee University) in Lexington, Virginia; in that position, he supported reconciliation between North and South. Lee accepted "the extinction of slavery" provided for by the Thirteenth Amendment, but opposed racial equality for African Americans. After his death in 1870, Lee became a cultural icon in the South and is largely hailed as one of the Civil War's greatest generals. As commander of the Army of Northern Virginia, he fought most of his battles against armies of significantly larger size, and managed to win many of them. Lee built up a collection of talented subordinates, most notably James Longstreet, Stonewall Jackson, and J. E. B. Stuart, who along with Lee were critical to the Confederacy's battlefield success.[1][2] In spite of his success, his two major strategic offensives into Union territory both ended in failure. Lee's aggressive and risky tactics, especially at Gettysburg, which resulted in high casualties at a time when the Confederacy had a shortage of manpower, have come under criticism.[3]
York-Hoover Body Corp, and its predecessor, York Body Co. are best remembered today as a prolific supplier of wooden depot hack and station wagon bodies for the Ford Model T. Still in business today, the York Group, remains the nations premiere manufacturers of burial caskets, a line introduced by York-Hoover in the early 30s.
The firm began as the York Wagon Gear Co., founded in 1892 by Peter Keller, a York, Pennsylvania carriage maker, to supply the area’s buggy and wagon builders with a locally produced source of bodies in the white, carriage gears, axles and other wood and metal parts and sub-assemblies.
York Wagon Gear‘s offices, showroom and main factory were located adjacent to the Pennsylvania Railroad at 700 Linden Ave. at the corner of Belvidere Ave.
A March 18, 1915 fire caused by a defective electric light destroyed a large portion of the York Wagon Gear Co.’s plant, but the loss was covered by insurance and the factory was rebuilt.
In its early days, York Wagon Gear's best customers were George W. Hoover and Sons and the Martin Carriage Works of West York, two of the most prominent carriage makers in the area. Both firms would later play a role in the region’s automobile and commercial body manufacturing business.
The emergence of the automobile, and in particular, Henry Ford’s Model T did not go unnoticed by Keller and in the mid-teens, the firm began offering commercial bodies for the popular horseless carriage.
Although some very early Ford trucks were sold with commercial bodies, Ford discontinued the program in 1913; leaving the field wide open for enterprising commercial body builders through 1924 when the first factory-built Ford Model T pick-ups were introduced.
The firm’s commercial bodies proved so popular that in 1917 Keller reorganized the firm as the York Body Corp. to better reflect their line of work.
When the region’s largest carriage manufacturer, the York Carriage Co. went out of business in 1919, its modern Franklin St. factory was purchased from the receivers, more than doubling the Body Corp.’s manufacturing capacity.
York Carriage Co had been established in 1890 by Samuel E. Bailey at 238-242 N. George St., in York. Bailey specialized in the manufacture of light and business wagons and his S.E. Bailey Co. was a respected Lancaster, PA carriage manufacturer. A ware room was subsequently established in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at 203 and 205 N Broad St. resulting in a move to larger quarters at 158-188 N. George St. in York. By 1896, Bailey had outgrown his second factory and a new facility was erected at the corner of Franklin and Hay Sts. employing 150 hands. Unfortunately the firm’s directors did not anticipate the success of the automobile, and in the mid-teens the region’s largest manufacturer was forced into bankruptcy.
George W. Hoover & Sons was another long respected York carriage builder with a factory located in downtown York at 9 E. Philadelphia St. Following a name change to the Hoover Wagon Co., the firm became known for their smart-looking route delivery vehicles, hearses and invalid coaches.
In 1911 Hoover built a handful of electric-powered 1500-lb delivery trucks for a regional retailer – quite possibly for the Wannamaker Department Store chain. During the teens, a new factory was erected on Wheatfield St., adjacent to the Maryland and Pennsylvania Railroad, giving the firm easy access to new customers located in Baltimore, MD and Washington DC.
A little-known fact is that in most small towns, the owner of the local funeral home typically ran the local furniture store as well. In very small communities some funeral parlors did double-duty, operating as a furniture store Monday through Friday and as a funeral home when the need arose.
Hoover was one early firm which catered to the funeral home/ furniture store marketplace. Starting in 1914 they offered a combination motorized funeral coach, furniture delivery car using a stretched Model T chassis. This utilitarian vehicle would prove popular in the early years of motorized coaches and numerous manufactures soon offered similar models.
These early multi-purpose vehicles look much like the flower cars that would become popular starting in the late 1930s and some big-city funeral directors used them for transporting floral tributes in large corteges. The unusual Hoover casket-cars were made through the early 1920s.
Some directors used them to transport chairs, altars, and supplies to the cemetery grounds while others used them as a first call car, the vehicle which was sent to the home of the deceased. In the 19th and early 20th century, some families kept the body in the house and the funeral director did the embalming on site. A number of manufacturers offered embalming or first call cars, which typically contained a casket and all supplies needed for embalming.
For 1918 Hoover offered a long wheelbase funeral coach on an extended Ford Model TT Chassis. This low-priced maker offered curved-glass corner windows at the front, making their closed coaches look like miniature trams or trolley cars. Hoover also offered a more traditional carved-panel 8-column hearse in either a modern light grey or tradition black lacquer finish.
For urban hospitals and ambulance services, Hoover's wide delivery van-like ambulance body could carry two gurneys and was available on a number of heavy-duty chassis from manufacturers like Cadillac, Dodge or REO.
Hoover offered its own assembled 1-ton gasoline truck starting in 1917. It had a 20 hp Continental 4cylinder engine and bevel drive. In 1919 the chassis cost $1,435 and it disappeared from the roster of US truck manufacturers in 1920. Many of Hoover’s assembled trucks were fitted with van bodies and sold to the US Post Office.
The 1920 Hoover catalog featured a number of 8-column coaches mounted on 31hp V8 Cadillac touring car chassis. Between the columns they offered either windows, carved-drapery panels, or a combination of the two.
Primarily a commercial body-builder, Hoover coaches were stylistically a few years behind the times. While other manufacturers offered limousine-style coaches and ambulances, the 1921 Hoover catalog looked like a reprint of the 1916 catalog.
Although the firm modernized its name in 1922, becoming the Hoover Body Co., its coaches remained five years behind the times. 1922 & 1923 Hoovers were massive, heavy-looking, vehicles with intricately carved columns and panels, although a number of solid color and two-tone paint schemes were available.
The 1924 Hoover catalog included some traditional carved-panel hearses, but included a number of modern-looking limousine-style coaches for the first time. One unusual model featured an intricately carved belt-line molding and three weird-looking 3/4 size beveled-glass rear compartment windows. Another limousine-style coach featured contemporary styling and normal windows which extended from the belt-line to the bottom of the roof.
For 1926 Hoover's limousine-style bodies were a little lower and more modern looking, incorporating the then popular multi-pane windshield with integral visor. A slab-sided 4-column casket car was shown on a Dodge Brothers truck chassis, although Hoover continued to mount their bodies on any customer-supplied chassis presented to them.
Bus bodies were an early specialty and by the early twenties the firm was advertising a line of smart-looking suburban and estate bodies for the Dodge Bros, Ford and Chevrolet chassis in the nation’s leading magazines. Their bodies were popular with wealthy landowners, and the firm maintained a factory service depot and sales office in Long Island City, New York.
While other manufacturers preferred to supply standard catalog bodies, Hoover advertised their custom-built “Hoover Specialized Bodies” that could be built using their patented Stelkote panels, a durable steel-covered insulated panel popular with ice and diary vendors.
Re-usable collapsible bodies were sometimes used when a truck chassis made its initial journey from the factory to the dealer or body builder. York’s model 15 driveway cab was one of the few rudimentary structures that were available to car dealers at the time.
Following the poorly received York Cabriolet for 1925-27 Chevrolet chassis, the York Body Co. decided to concentrate its efforts on the commercial body business. In 1928, it consolidated its holding with those of their cross-town rivals, the Hoover Body Co., forming the York-Hoover Body Corp. giving the new corporation a capacity of 50,000 auto commercial bodies annually.
The officers of the York-Hoover Body Corp were: President, Horace D. Keller; vice-president and general manager, Peter A. Elsesser; secretary, William E. Groft; assistant secretary, Luther A. Dettinger: treasurer, Reuben A. Paules; assistant treasurer, Edwin S. Ziegler. The firm even published their own newspaper, the York-Hoover Herald, into the late 1940s.
Although the new Ford Model A lineup included a factory station wagon, aftermarket builders were still able to come up with interesting products unavailable from Ford. York-Hoover and others offered slip-on cargo bodies that could be fitted in place of the rumble seat/deck lid on Model A Business Coupes. A simple huckster body was also available that could be installed on a bare Mode A chassis/cowl.
In 1929 Congress authorized funding allowing the US Postal Service to replace their aging fleet of surplus WWI Parcel Post delivery vehicles. A line of standardized bodies were eventually agreed upon and York-Hoover produced the smaller 96 cu. ft. versions. Mifflinburg Body Co. built 500 mid-sized bodies for the ½ ton Model A chassis and 550 for the larger Model AA. While August Schubert Wagon Co. of Syracuse, NY produced the largest 200 cu. ft. and 215 cu. ft. bodies. Over 4,000 bodies were produced by the three builders during the 3-year long Postal Body program.
York (Pennsylvania German: Yarrick), known as the White Rose City (after the symbol of the House of York), is the county seat of York County, Pennsylvania, United States,[3] located in the south-central region of the state. The population within York's city limits was 43,718 at the 2010 census, a 7.0% increase from the 2000 census count of 40,862. When combined with the adjacent boroughs of West York and North York and surrounding Spring Garden, West Manchester, and Springettsbury townships, the population of Greater York was 108,386. York is the 11th largest city in Pennsylvania.[4]
Hampton Roads Transit (HRT), incorporated on October 1, 1999, began through the voluntary merger of PENTRAN (Peninsula Transportation District Commission) on the Virginia Peninsula and TRT (Tidewater Regional Transit a.k.a. Tidewater Transit District Commission) in South Hampton Roads and currently serves over 22 million annual passengers within its 369-square-mile (960 km2) service area around Hampton Roads. The purpose of the HRT is to provide reliable and efficient transportation service and facilities to the Hampton Roads community.
Hampton Roads is located in southeastern Virginia. The Hampton Roads metropolitan area has a population of 1.6 million.
Its service area consists of the cities of Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Portsmouth, Hampton, Newport News, Williamsburg (Colonial Williamsburg) and the town of Smithfield. The entire service area population is 1.3 million. HRT also serves the area's major college campuses of Christopher Newport University, Hampton University, Norfolk State University, Old Dominion University, Thomas Nelson Community College, and Tidewater Community College.
HRT logo used from 1999—2012
Effective January 1, 2012, the City of Suffolk, Virginia chose to withdraw from the Transportation District Commission of Hampton Roads and since, HRT no longer provides transit services within Suffolk. However, a couple HRT routes do connect with the Suffolk Transit service, which is provided by Virginia Regional Transit.[3]
Governance
Hampton Roads Transit is governed by the Transportation District Commission of Hampton Roads (TDCHR). The TDCHR was established in accordance with Chapter 45 of Title 15.2 of the Code of Virginia, as amended, referred to as the Transportation District Act of 1964 and by ordinances adopted by the governing bodies of its components governments.
The Transportation District Commission of Hampton Roads, HRT's governing body, consists of 13 members, one elected official and one citizen representative from each city served by Hampton Roads Transit, and the chairman of the Commonwealth Transportation Board (CTB), or a designee. The six Hampton Roads cities that participate rotate the chairmanship each year. The Honorable Richard W. "Rick" West (Chesapeake) is the current chairman.
There are five established committees that provide input to the governing body. These committees are listed below: Executive Committee, Audit/Budget Review Committee, Operations & Oversight, Planning and New Start Development, Paratransit Committee, and Commission Effectiveness (Ad hoc).
Leadership
William E. Harrell is the current president and CEO of Hampton Roads Transit.[4] Harrell went to Hampton Roads Transit from Chesapeake, Virginia, where he was the city manager since June 2007. Harrell replaced interim CEO Phillip A. Shucet on April 2, 2012.[5]
Phillip A. Shucet was hired in February 2010 as an interim CEO to help complete construction of The Tide light rail while the company searches for a permanent replacement for long-time executive director Michael Townes. Townes was pressured by the Board of Directors and ultimately agreed to step down after the revelation of a $100 million cost overrun and a one-year delay on Norfolk's light-rail starter line, which has been named "The Tide". Shortly previously, Townes had been criticized for his handling of an employee embezzlement scheme. While he had not been directly involved in the earlier problem, a majority of the board members cited poor management and communication on his part in calling for him to step down.[6]
Funding
Hampton Roads Transit has no dedicated revenue source. Funding for service is provided with federal, state and local funding provided by member jurisdictions and farebox revenues. Local funding is provided based on the Cost Allocation Agreement - each city establishes how much service will be provided within its borders based on how much it is willing to pay for those services after all federal, state, and farebox revenues are applied. This means that the numbers of routes, service frequency, and service coverage areas as operated by Hampton Roads Transit are determined in each city during the annual budgetary cycle.
Corporate timeline
NOTE: This section begins with the introduction of rubber-tired buses to the transit operations in Hampton and Newport News, following many years of public transit service performed earlier and during the transition by horse-drawn and electrically powered streetcars utilizing rails embedded in the streets and roads of the area.
Year Activity Cities served
1944 The Virginia Transit Company begins operating rubber-wheeled bus service in Hampton Roads. Norfolk, VA
1945 The Citizens Rapid Transit Company begins operating rubber-wheeled bus service on the Virginia Peninsula, thus ending an era of streetcar service in Hampton Roads. Newport News, VA and Hampton, VA
January 1973 Tidewater Regional Transit (TRT) service begins, with the creation of the Tidewater Transportation District Commission (TTDC); and acquires the Virginia Transit Company, Norfolk Division TRT service begins in Norfolk and Virginia Beach
January 1974 Peninsula Transportation District Commission (PTDC) created
April 1975 PENTRAN service begins, as the PTDC acquires the Citizens Rapid Transit Company PENTRAN service begins in Newport News and Hampton
May 1975 The TTDC acquires the Community Motor Bus Company of Portsmouth TTDC expands, with TRT service to Portsmouth, VA
1977 James City County Transit begins service within Colonial Williamsburg and James City County, Virginia Williamsburg, VA not yet served by PENTRAN, nor TRT until 2004.
late-1970s/early-1980s Service expansion to Chesapeake, VA, including communities such as South Norfolk, Great Bridge, Western Branch, Deep Creek and to the newly opened Greenbrier Mall Chesapeake, VA
early-1990s Service expansion to Suffolk, VA, exclusively to Tidewater Community College and downtown Suffolk Suffolk, VA
1995 Crossroads service begins, linking the Virginia Peninsula cities with South Hampton Roads with local bus service for the first time in the region since special tunnel buses were discontinued many years earlier.
October 1, 1999 TRT merges with PENTRAN and forms Hampton Roads Transit (HRT). HRT begins with bus service already existing in Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Portsmouth, Newport News, Hampton, and Suffolk.
June 2008 The MAX (Metro Area Express) began service with eight routes linking all six Hampton Roads Cities. Norfolk (Norfolk Naval Base, Downtown Norfolk), Virginia Beach (Silverleaf, Oceanfront), Chesapeake (Greenbrier Mall, Chesapeake Square Mall), Portsmouth (Downtown), Victory Crossing, Newport News (Transit Center, Northrop Grumman), and Hampton (Transit Center).
August 2011 Virginia's first light rail line Tide Light Rail opens to the public. Passengers were offered free rides from the August 19th grand opening until August 28. More than 30,000 people rode the Tide the first day.[7] EVMC/Ft. Norfolk, York St./Freemason, Monticello Avenue, MacArthur Square, Harbor Park, Norfolk State University, Ballentine/Broad Creek, Ingleside, Military Highway, and Newtown Road.
January 2012 City of Suffolk withdrew contract with HRT to operate public transit in Suffolk.[8]
Bus fleet
The HRT fleet inventory as of January 2020, consisted of 294 vehicles, including 267 diesel buses, 37 hybrid buses and 10 trolley-style buses. The majority of the fleet, a total of 280 buses, were manufactured by Gillig and Novabus. The HRT fleet also includes 7 Novabus buses, 12 Optima buses and 10 Trolley-style buses manufactured by Chance. HRT acquired 11 Gillig hybrids in June 2011 to replace the Chance trolleys in the Summer of 2014. HRT has required to buy 7 Novabus which they are contracted to the Elizabeth River Crossings and to be using for Routes 44, 45 and 47.
Hampton Roads Transit's Bus Fleet were originally decorated with all white buses with a two line blue & green wave from the system's former logo which is similar to math's approximate (≈) symbol. New buses since 2006 have a wave going from the back, then becomes smooth through the front and have frameless windows. All Hybrids and the two 2006 Optima Opus' are in the blue background. All MAX buses have a silver background with sky blue & solid blue wave colors. Select buses which had the two-line wave logo have been repainted with the newer back wave design and the exterior window rows are painted black around the windows to resemble the newer buses. Since 2012, several buses were repainted into the silver/blue wave style like the MAX brand with the agency's new stripe logo. This is the current fleet design
Number Year Model Image Length Engine model Transmission Fuel Garage Notes
1201–1227 1999 Gillig Low Floor 35 feet (10.67 m) Cummins ISC Voith D864.3 Diesel Victoria Blvd Hampton
18th St. Norfolk Last buses under Pentran and TRT.
1400–1409 2001 Chance Opus 30 feet (9.14 m) Cummins ISB Allison B300R Diesel 18th St. Norfolk Several have been refurbished in 2013.
1500–1513, 1515-1516 2002 Gillig Low Floor 35 feet (10.67 m) Cummins ISC Voith D864.3 Diesel Victoria Blvd Hampton
18th St. Norfolk 1514 retired due to fire
1600–1614 2002 Gillig Low Floor 29 feet (8.84 m) Cummins ISC Voith D864.3 Diesel Victoria Blvd Hampton
18th St. Norfolk
2000–2020 2006 Gillig Low Floor 40 feet (12.19 m) Cummins ISL Voith D864.3E Diesel 18th St. Norfolk First buses with frameless windows
1410, 1415-1416 2006 Optima Opus 30 feet (9.14 m) Cummins ISB Allison B300R Diesel 18th St. Norfolk 1415 & 1416 are the system's first blue background colors, originally test buses for shuttles, however they are used for any regular route in the system. 1415 & 1416 will retire
2021–2039 2007 Gillig Low Floor 40 feet (12.19 m) Cummins ISL Voith D864.3E Diesel Victoria Blvd Hampton
18th St. Norfolk
3000-3025 2007 Gillig Low Floor 40 feet (12.19 m) Cummins ISL Voith D864.5 Clean Diesel Victoria Blvd Hampton
18th St. Norfolk Coach styling
MAX buses
4000 - 4023 2008 Gillig BRT Hybrid 29 feet (8.84 m) Cummins ISB-02 Allison EP40 hybrid system Diesel-Electric Hybrid Virginia Beach Trolley Base
18th St. Norfolk First hybrids purchased by HRT, usually found in Virginia Beach.
Buses 4015-4023 are the BRT roofed hybrids used for Downtown Norfolk's NET shuttle.
2040–2046 2008 Gillig Low Floor 40 feet (12.19 m) Cummins ISL Voith D864.5 Clean Diesel 18th St. Norfolk First buses with square sided windows on bus doors
3026-3035 2008 Gillig Low Floor 40 feet (12.19 m) Cummins ISL Voith D864.5 Clean Diesel Victoria Blvd Hampton
18th St. Norfolk Coach styling
MAX Express Buses, also equipped with cargo attachments above some seats.
4024-4025 2009 Gillig BRT Hybrid 29 feet (8.84 m) Cummins ISB-02 Allison EP40 hybrid system Diesel-Electric Hybrid Virginia Beach Trolley Base
2047–2052 2011 Gillig Low Floor 40 feet (12.19 m) Cummins ISL Voith D864.5 Clean Diesel Victoria Blvd Hampton
4026-4036 2011 Gillig BRT Hybrid 29 feet (8.84 m) Cummins ISB-02 Allison EP40 hybrid system Diesel-Electric Hybrid Virginia Beach Trolley Base Newest Hybrid shuttle buses on HRT's fleet
5000-5008 2012 Gillig Low Floor 35 feet (10.67 m) Cummins ISL Voith D864.5 Clean Diesel 18th St. Norfolk First buses manufactured with the new logo.
5009-5013 2013 Gillig Low Floor 35 feet (10.67 m) Cummins ISL Voith D864.5 Clean Diesel Victoria Blvd Hampton Newest regular service buses on HRT's Peninsula fleet.
5101-5107 2014 Nova Bus LFS 40 feet (12.19 m) Cummins ISL Allison B400R Clean Diesel 18th St. Norfolk Newest regular service buses on HRT's Southside fleet. Designated specifically for Routes 44, 45, and 47 as part of an effort to improve service along the three routes. Such improvements are being carried out as part of HRT's agreement with Elizabeth River Tunnels.
101-114 2015 Hometown Trolley 35 feet (10.67 m) Cummins ISB6.7 Allison B300 Clean Diesel Virginia Beach Garage New trolleys being used for the Virginia Beach Oceanfront seasonal shuttles
5014-5018 2015-2016 Gillig Low Floor 35 feet (10.67 m) Cummins ISL Voith D864.6 Clean Diesel Hampton & Norfolk Garages 5014 & 5015 were delivered in mid 2015. 5016, 5017 & 5018 were delivered in late 2015 in a 32-bus order with the 29 2100-series buses. The latter three buses have a plexi-glass compartment to protect bus operators.
2101-2129 2015-2016 Gillig Low Floor 40 feet
(12.19 m)
Cummins ISL Voith D864.6 Clean Diesel Hampton & Norfolk Garages 29 of 32 were delivered in late 2015 in part of a 32-bus order. All buses have a plexi-glass compartment to protect bus operators.
2130-2133 2017-2018 Gillig Low Floor 40 feet
(12.19 m)
Cummins ISL Voith D864.6 Clean Diesel Hampton and Norfolk Garages 2130 was being delivered in mid to late 2017 with a Q Straint wheelchair stand. 2131-2133 was being delivered in June 2018 with installed new fareboxes and new technology being installed
5019-5025 2018 Gillig Low Floor 35 feet
(10.67 m)
Cummins ISL Voith D864.6 Clean Diesel Hampton and Norfolk Garages
3101-3105 2018 Gillig Low Floor 40 feet
(12.19 m)
Cummins ISL Voith D864.6 Clean Diesel The new 3100 series Coach styling
MAX Bus Express.
4101-4113 2018 Gillig Low Floor 29 feet
(8.84 m)
Cummins ISL Voith D864.6 Clean Diesel Hampton and Norfolk Garages
On July 18, 2011, it was announced that the Commonwealth of Virginia has signed an umbrella contract with New Flyer Industries for the provision of buses to any Virginia transit authority.[9] It remains to be seen whether or not the contract will include buses for HRT, but highly unlikely due to their contract for Gillig buses.
On Order
Number Year Model Image Length Engine model Transmission Fuel Garage Notes
6001-6006 2020 Proterra Catalyst BE40 E2 40 feet
(12.19 m)
TBA TBA Battery Electric TBA First electric buses for HRT.[10][11]
Retired fleet
Number Year Model Image Length Engine model Transmission Fuel Garage Notes
901 - 933 1993 Orion 05.501 40 feet (12.19 m) Detroit Diesel 6V92TA Allison HT-748 Diesel 18th St. Norfolk
933 has Detroit Diesel Series 50 engine and ZF Transmission.
Retired in August 2011
934 - 949 1995 Orion 05.501 40 feet (12.19 m) Detroit Diesel 6V92TA Allison B400R Diesel 18th St. Norfolk
Retired in August 2011
501 - 534 1995 Gillig Phantom 40 feet (12.19 m) Detroit Diesel Series 50 Allison B400R Diesel Victoria Blvd Hampton
18th St. Norfolk
Retired in October 2018
1230 - 1238 2000 Gillig Phantom 40 feet (12.19 m) Cummins ISC Voith D864.5 Diesel 18th Street Norfolk
Retired in October 2018
1240-1263 2001 Gillig Phantom 35 feet (10.67 m) Cummins ISC Voith D864.3 Diesel 18th Street Norfolk
Retired in October 2019
1301-1304 2000 Gillig Low Floor 29 feet (8.84 m) Cummins ISL Voith D864.3 Diesel 18th St Garage
Retired in October 2019
1700-1715 2003 Gillig Phantom 35 feet (10.67 m) Cummins ISL Voith D864.3 Diesel 18th St Garage
Retired in October 2019
1800-1810 2004 Gillig Phantom 40 feet (12.19 m) Cummins ISL Voith D864.3 Diesel 18th St Garage
Retired in October 2019
Bus 1800 was also used as a MAX Express Bus
1900-1907 2004 Gillig Low Floor 40 feet (12.19 m) Cummins ISC Voith D864.3 Diesel Victoria Blvd Garage
Retired in January 2020
Light rail fleet
The Tide Light Rail began service on August 19, 2011 with nine of the trainsets entering to revenue service.
Number Year Model Image Length Width Traction Motors Garage Notes
401-409 2009 Siemens S70 Light Rail Vehicle Delivered in October 2009-used since August 2011 when The Tide Light Rail began service.
Other fleet
HRT has three ferries, with two operating in the peak periods. HRT owns a total of 33 paratransit vans. HER is also leasing an additional 54 paratransit vans from its contractor to meet service requirements.
Primary services
HRT operates nearly 60[12] local fixed routes and seven express bus routes[13] in the region.
Route list
Southside Routes
1 Granby Street
2 Hampton Boulevard
3 Chesapeake Boulevard
4 Church Street
5 Willoughby
6 South Norfolk
8 Tidewater Drive
9 Sewells Point Road
11 Colonial Avenue
12 Indian River Road
13 Campostella Road
14 Battlefield Boulevard
15 Military Highway
18 Ballentine Boulevard
20 Virginia Beach Boulevard
21 Little Creek Road
22 Haygood
23 Princess Anne Road
24 Kempsville Road
25 Newtown Road
26 Lynnhaven Mall
27 Northampton Boulevard
29 Great Neck Road/Lynnhaven Parkway
33 General Booth Boulevard
36 Holland Road
41 Cradock
43 Parkview
44 Midtown
45 Portsmouth Boulevard
47 High Street
50 Academy Park
55 Greenbrier Circulator
57 Deep Creek
58 Bainbridge Boulevard
VB WAVE Routes
30 Atlantic Avenue Shuttle
31 Aquarium and Campgrounds Shuttle
35 Bayfront Shuttle
Peninsula Routes
64 Smithfield
101 Kecoughtan
102 Queen Street
103 Shell Rd
104 Newsome Park
105 Briarfield Road
106 Warwick Boulevard
107 Warwick Boulevard/Denbigh Boulevard
108 Warwick/Lee Hall
109 Buckroe
110 Big Bethel Road/Thomas Nelson Community College
111 Patrick Henry Mall/Thomas Nelson Community College
112 Jefferson Avenue
114 Mercury Boulevard
115 Fox Hill Road
116 Jefferson/Lee Hall
117 Phoebus
118 Armistead Avenue
120 Mallory
121 Williamsburg
Peninsula Commuter Routes
403 Buckroe Shopping Center
405 Buckroe Shopping Center/Newport News Transit Center
414 Newport News Transit Center/Jefferson/Oakland
415 Newport News Transit Center/Denbigh
430 Denbigh Fringe
MAX Express Routes
919 Virginia Beach-Naval Station
922 Chesapeake-Virginia Beach-Naval Station Norfolk
960 Virginia Beach-Norfolk
961 Newport News-Hampton-Norfolk
966 Silverleaf-Newport News
967 Norfolk-Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Newport News
972 Newport News Shipyard-Tidewater Community College (Virginia Beach Campus)
Other services
Paratransit
Hampton Roads Transit provides ADA Paratransit service, and is available within 3/4 of a mile of regularly scheduled bus routes. Fare is $3.50. Certification and reservations are required. Reservation hours are from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. daily. Reservations must be made no later than 5:00 PM the day before you need transportation and you can reserve a ride up to 3 days in advance, at this time.[14]
Traffix
Traffix is a grant-funded program provided by Hampton Roads Transit. It encourages citizens throughout Hampton Roads to use alternative forms of transportation that reduces use of single occupancy vehicles. Traffix oversees and promotes regional commuter initiatives, including carpooling and telecommuting, by reaching out to area employers. Some of its key clients include the U.S. Navy, Northrop Grumman, Wal-mart, and Canon. To date, Traffix has removed nearly 800 vehicles off the road and has saved consumers over 600,000 gallons of gas and over $1.8 million in vehicle related expenses.
Ferry service
One of three paddle wheel ferries docked at Waterside Festival Marketplace
HRT's paddle wheel ferry is a system of one 150-passenger and two 149-passenger paddle wheel ferry boats: Elizabeth River Ferry III, Elizabeth River Ferry IV and Elizabeth River Ferry V. Retired ferries include the James C. Echols and Elizabeth River Ferry II. The Ferry travels between North Landing and High Street in Portsmouth and downtown Norfolk at Waterside Dsitrict and Harbor Park. Harbor Park is only serviced during Norfolk Tides baseball home games.
The ferry operates every 30 minutes, with additional 15-minute service at peak times on weekends from Memorial Day to Labor Day. The Ferry is wheelchair accessible and allows boarding passengers to board with their bicycles. The general cost to board the ferry is $2.00 for adults, and $1.00 with eligibility ID for youth (age 17 and under), seniors (age 65 and older), and disabled patrons with eligible ID. Round-trip passes may be purchased for $4.00 for adults, with no round-trip option currently available for youth, senior, or disabled patrons. 1-day passes may be purchased as well for $4.50 for adults and $2.25 for youth, seniors, and disabled patrons with eligible ID.[15] Exact fare is required, the crew and fare boxes can not make change.
The ferry's High Street dock is three blocks from Downtown Portsmouth's bus transfer area at County St & Court St.
Plans to introduce up to 4 new ferries have been announced by HRT.[16] 2 of these announced ferries are currently in service, Elizabeth River Ferry IV and Elizabeth River Ferry V.
Virginia Beach Wave
The VB Wave runs through the main areas of the Virginia Beach Oceanfront. Service runs from May through September.
Route 30 Atlantic Ave (May 1-October 2 8am-2am, About every 15 minutes) which serves all the stops along the Atlantic Avenue boardwalk, This includes the Virginia Beach Surf & Rescue Museum, the Virginia Beach Fishing Pier, plus the north beaches HRT transfer.
Route 31 Museum Express (Daily, Memorial Day-Labor Day 9:30 AM until 11:10 PM, About every 15 minutes) Serves the Virginia Aquarium, Ocean Breeze Waterpark, Owl Creek Municipal Tennis Center, Holiday Trav-L-Park Campground, and KOA Campground.[17]
Route 35 provides service from Arctic & 19th to Shore Drive & Vista Circle. It serves the Oceanfront, First Landing State Park, North End beaches, Chesapeake Bay beaches and Bayfront restaurants. The route runs from May 21 to October 1 all season long. This route runs daily from 8am to midnight for every 30 minutes from Memorial Day to Labor Day and every weekend from 8am to midnight for every 30 minutes from September 8 to October 1.[18]
Former Route 32 Shoppers Express (Daily, Memorial Day-Labor Day 10am-9pm, About every hour) Served the Shops at Hilltop, and ended at Lynnhaven Mall.
MAX (Metro Area Express)
MAX bus on Interstate 664
The MAX is the first regional express service connecting all of Hampton Roads. The bus service uses dedicated Gillig buses equipped with coach-style seating to make a more comfortable ride. All MAX buses are equipped with Wi-Fi. The routes connect area Park and Ride lots to Downtown Norfolk and other major employment locations in the area. There are two other express routes (Routes 64 and 121) that are not branded as MAX routes, although Route 121 often uses MAX buses.
The Tide Light Rail
Main article: Tide Light Rail
The Tide, Norfolk's Light Rail System, runs from Eastern Virginia Medical School through downtown Norfolk to Newtown Road (near Sentara Leigh Memorial Hospital). The Groundbreaking Ceremony was held on December 8, 2007.[19] Primary construction began in early 2008, the first of nine train sets arrived on October 6, 2009,[20] and the Tide became fully operational on August 19, 2011.
Recent Projects
In 2008, the long-standing central bus transfer area at Monticello Avenue and Charlotte Street was moved to the Cedar Grove lot on Monticello Avenue north of Virginia Beach Blvd., to accommodate the Wachovia development on Monticello Avenue.[21] In 2016, it was moved again to a new Downtown Norfolk Transportation Center (DNTC) indoor terminal at 434 St. Paul's Blvd., closer to the main downtown district and the Tide's Monticello station.[22] As of 2018, Greyhound is planned to move into the facility, as its old terminal is being taken for redevelopment, though there is concern as to whether the new facility will be able to accommodate the intercity service. A suggestion by Harrell to move it to Amtrak's new Harbor station has at this point not been pursued.[23]
Projects under development
Virginia Beach Extension Study
The Virginia Beach Extension Study was started in 2009 in an effort to bring a right-of-way rapid transit line to Virginia Beach using a former freight rail track, most likely to connect the current The Tide light rail from Newtown Road Station. The studied modes are Bus Rapid Transit and Light Rail.[24]
Alternatives
The study originally considered three alternatives with a fourth added from the City Council of Virginia Beach. Distances are the number of miles from the Newtown Road Station.
Virginia Beach Town Center: 3 miles (Alternative added and eventually chosen by City of Virginia Beach. Two stations were assigned within the Town Center district)
Rosemont Road: 4.8 miles
Oceanfront (via Oceana): 12.2 miles
Oceanfront (via Hilltop): 13.5 miles
As of 2015, a Draft Environmental Impact Statement was published. However, since the City of Virginia Beach and the State of Virginia is paying for the Town Center alternative, there will be no Final Environmental Impact Statement, as that document is made when there is federal money involved. There has been opposition from the citizens of Virginia Beach about costs and using taxpayer money to construct and maintain the line, if built. Citizens of Virginia Beach voted on building the line on November 8, 2016, however, the vote was a no-majority of 57% and as a result, work on light rail has ceased as of December 2016. Had it passed, the extension would have opened between late 2019 and early 2020.[25]
Naval Station Norfolk Extension Study
In 2012, the City of Norfolk began to study for possibilities for extending their current Tide light rail system to Naval Station Norfolk.[26] Currently the Draft Environmental Study is in development. There are currently six routes in study with two major corridors considered. Mode possibilities are light rail and streetcar. Potential build out of the expansion will commence in the 2020s.
See also
Transportation in Hampton Roads