Edited July 4th 2014 14:15 After many months of rumors and perhaps one rumor about the fate of this order, the first production bus (7306) has arrived on SEPTA’s property at Germantown. This bus for the next few weeks will be used for testing. If it passes the evaluation, SEPTA will give the delivery a green light.
The article also stated that Novabus is being fine $100 a day per bus which is late. Well, perhaps if these buses were not so customized – SEPTA would receive them on time. This has been the second order in recent years where the manufacturer has been fine due to lateness. The previous order which was late was Rotem with the delivery of the Silverliner V. In any case – that is neither here nor there. The bottom line is that SEPTA need new buses. The older artic buses which SEPTA have are causing all sorts of reliability issues. Approximately 10 buses were recently loaned out to Alleghany depot in order to have enough buses make it out on the streets.
Photos has recently surfaced around Facebook showing buses around the Novabus facility in Plattsburgh New York being in various stages of completion.
Photographer Unknowned
Also, SEPTA have excised the option to have an additional thirty 60-foot buses to be delivered. The price tag is $24.2 million. These buses are set to be due here by 1st quarter 2016. It has unknown yet whether or not these will be hybrid. It should be reminded that the push to make these buses hybrids is an entirely separate request. The tentative fleet break down is as follows:
62 foot-Artic NovaBus 62102
| Fleet From | Fleet To | Tentative Delivery | QTY |
| 7300 | 7369 | July 2014 – December 2014 | 70 |
| 7370 | 7414 | January 2015 – May 2015 | 45 |
| 7415 | 7454 | May 2015 – August 2015 | 40 |
| 7455 | 7484 | 1st Quarter 2016 | 30 |
40 foot NovaBus 40102
| Fleet From | Fleet To | tentative delivery | QTY |
| 8600 | 8689 | August 2014 – January 2015 | 90 |