SEPTA’s ‘BAE Xcelsiors’ Finally Hit The Streets

Philadelphia, PA Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA)‘s brand new BAE powered New Flyer XDE40s have finally entered revenue service.

In November 2021, SEPTA approved the purchase of 220 New Flyer XDE40 hybrid buses, with an additional 120 buses being confirmed to arrive with the FY2024 budget. The first of these 340 buses arrived on SEPTA property in November of 2022. These buses were ordered to replace the last of the full sized clean diesel buses from 2005-2006, as well as the aging New Flyer hybrids from before 2010.

Unlike previous hybrids purchased by SEPTA, these new buses hooked up to a BAE Hybrid System, with automatic engine shut-off and extended range batteries. Because of this, they are also hooked up to a Cummins B6.7 engine, instead of a Cummins L9 engine like past SEPTA hybrid buses.

In January 2023, the early ones were re-assigned to Southern Bus depot at 20th and Johnston Streets (South Philadelphia). After an extensive training period, one of these units (3530) have entered service on route 79. Below, are the units that have been delivered and their depot assignments.

Last Updated on November 10^th 2024

New Flyer Xcelsior XDE40

Numbers: 3525-3744 (base order), 3745-3864 (additional buses)

2022
3525, 3527 – Southern Depot

2023
3526, 3528-3594 – Southern Depot
3595-3639 – Frontier Depot
3640, 3641 – Callowhill Depot

2024
3642-3699 – Callowhill Depot
3700-3725 — Victory Depot

About the author: Dash

I have been with Virtual Transit Center since it's conception as the "Dash Forums" back in 2008. Since then, I have been writing and doing YouTube side by side, focusing both on Transportation and Gaming. Most of my knowledge comes from SEPTA as I lived in Philadelphia for most of my life. As of 2021, I am on YouTube as DashTransit, Dash5155, and TheDashOfficial.

As for the name DashTransit itself, it actually stems from my YouTube channel.

DashTransit was originally called "njt5329" and the channel was just clips of buses. Mostly SEPTA and NJT. A Fujifilm Finepix was used in this era.

Starting in July 2011, the Canon SX130IS camera became the camera of the channel, bringing HD documentary-style videos much like my buddy (trainman1971) did for DVD for many years past. This is when the channel became known as "Transit Action Series"

In May 2012, the original Canon SX130IS retired, and then all videos were recorded off a mobile phone until eventually uploaded proved too difficult due to hardships IRL

Starting in 2017, I used a Canon SX200IS from Bastranz to reboot the channel that otherwise was dead for a whole year prior.

Between April 19th, 2019, and January 21st, 2021, all videos were recorded by a Canon SX710 HS camera. The channel was renamed DashTransit 4/19/19.