Transitfan.com Charters

Transitfan.com Charters is a non-profit Charter Group providing transit fans with various bus fan charters in different regions of Quebec, mainly in the Montreal Metropolitan Area.

History

Transitfan.com Charters was founded in June 2011 with the planning stages starting in March 2011. The first charter began its planning stage in March 2011 and resulting us searching for a name. The name Transitfan.com Charters cam to life in May 2011. The name was chosen to represent the website, where the charter group was founded.

Our goal was to provide Transit enthusiasts, mainly from in and around Quebec and Ontario, with low cost bus charters with buses that everyone enjoys riding and photographing.

To date, we have concentrated on chartering one specific model, NovaBus Classic's, with the exception of a mini-charter with a privately owned 1982 GMC New-Look.

Organizers

Transitfan.com Charters has variety of different charter organizers from various regions.

Pierre Mayer (Mystic)

Pierre was one of the primary people that helped bring Transitfan.com Charters to life. Pierre is the owner, and administrator of Transitfan.com, which hosts the transit forums in which we discuss and plan our charters. He is a valuable resource to the transit community with a vast knowledge of transit vehicles.

Joseph McArdle (Montreal66)

Joseph was the main planner of the STLaval #6405 Charter featuring a 1994 NovaBus Classic from Laval, Quebec. He was also a consultant and help for 3 other events held by Transitfan.com Charters.

Justin DiGenova (MrTransitFan)

Justin was the main photo and route planner, as well as a helper for the STLaval #6405 Charter.

Anthony D'Amico (ProchaineStation)

Anthony is in charge of photographing and recording what goes on the charters such as raffle winners, TransitFanNetwork videos, and group photos. He was a route and photo-stop planner, and helper on the STLaval 1994 NovaBus Classic Charter.

Simon Bégin (Artic2009)

Simon is one of the busiest Transitfan.com Charter organizers. He was the brains behind the last 3 charters held in the Quebec regions of Mauricie and Capitale Nationale. He organized the STTR (Troi-Rivieres, Quebec) #9403 Charter, and RTC (Quebec City) L9419. His internal sources within the RTC made it possible to get the last remaining Classic bus model currently in service in the company's old livery.

He was also essential in organizing a follow-up event after the RTCL9419 charter featuring Ex-STO [Gatineau, Quebec) 1982 GMC New-Look #8202, which is a privately owned bus kept in Trois-Rivieres.

Kyle Harlow (Cogeno)

Kyle is currently in the planning stages of a charter featuring an STO vehicle.

Ryan Grant (TransitStop)

Ryan is currently in the planning stages for an OC Transpo (Ottawa, Ontario) charter.

2011 Events

Here is a list of events held by Transitfan.com Charters in the order they took place.

STLaval #6405.

Held in Laval, Quebec on June 12th, 2011. This event was supposed to feature a 1992 MCI Classic from the STLaval but because of dispatch issues we were given a 1994 Novabus Classic.

Our Pick-up location was at Cartier Metro station where we met up with the participants. We had a secondary pick-up location to accommodate other participants at Henri-Bourassa Metro at the AMT owned North terminal, which also doubled as a photo stop. We then moved our group to the other various photo stops which included;

• AMT Gare St-Rose
• STL Terminus Auteuil
• Parc Lausanne
• AMT Gare Ste-Dorthee
• AMT Terminus Le Carrefour
• STL rented parking lot for unused buses at Provigo's distribution center.
• AMT Terminus Montmorency

We did our group-photo at Parc-Lausanne.

Here is the group photo from the charter:
http://transitfan.com/gallery/var/albums/M66TG/charters/stl6405/CHARTER-6405-12062011-17.jpg

STTR #9403

Held in Trois-Rivères, Quebec on July 31st, 2011.

This event saw photo stops of which some were planned and some were not. Most of the photo stops were held in the various STTR terminals. Our pick-up location and first photo stop was at Terminus Centre-Ville, also the location of the Voyageur Bus Terminal. We then moved our group along the way to our other various Photo Stops, which included;

• CEGEP Trois-Rivières
• Carrefour Trois-Rivières Ouest
• Terminus Marel-Poulin
• Aeroport de Trois-Rivières
• Pont Laviolette
• Termius Galeries Des Caps
• Terminus Fusey
• STTR Garage

Participants were also treated to a tour of the garage on the outside, and as a special surprise, we were able to pass through the bus wash and have an interior guided tour by our driver.

Here is the Group Photo taken at the Airport:
http://i.imgur.com/KFeZU.jpg

RTC #L9419

Held in Quebec, Quebec on November 6th, 2011.

We had access to an exclusive bus; The only bus of the active fleet that still remains in the STCUQ (Former RTC, pre 2001) Livery. We did not have many photo stops, because it was decided that with little photo stops, it gave more time for the participants to photo-shoot the bus at the stops we did have.

The various Photo stops included;

• Roland-Beaudin (Gare D'Autocar Ste-Foy)
• Colline Parlementaire
• Wilfrid-Caron/Racine
• Terminus Les Saules
• RTC Garage
• Terminus Galeries de la Capitale

The group was treated to an unplanned drive through of the garage and a visit of the grounds.

Here is the Group Photo taken at the garage:
http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/381834_310931318933067_169322286427305_1311510_1664187614_n.jpg

Privately owned Ex-STO 8202/Ex-CMTS 32105

After our RTC #L9419 Charter, the participants were invited to a mini-charter with a 1982 GMC New-Look. Félix Parent, Jean-Sebastien Marcotte, and Martin Caron own the bus.

We stopped in 2 locations. Terminus Galeries Des Caps, where we picked up and dropped off, and an one at the Université-de-Quebec in Trois-Rivières, where we used the lighting in order to take our group photo.

Here is the Group Photo taken at the University:
http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/388304_310595935633272_169322286427305_1309834_1191133033_n.jpg

Transitfan.com Charters ended their 2011 charter season with this charter.

Planned events

• Société De Transport de L'Outaouais GM New Look or GM Classic Charter
• Reaseau de Transport de Longueuil 1989 or 1990 MCI Classic Charter
• Société de Transport de Laval 1st generation NovaBus LFS Charter
• Société de Transport de Lévis GM or MCI Classic Charter
• Société de Transport de Trois-Rivières 1996 NovaBus Classic Charter