MISCELLANEOUS CHICAGO BUS PHOTOS

Chicago & West Towns Railway Co. #343, built by Ford in 1944 and displayed at the Illinois Railway Museum. Although in reality, the highest number for a West Towns Ford bus was #342. And apparently, this bus was actually from Montebello Municipal Bus Lines in California, and repainted to resemble a West Towns bus.

The only suburban bus system operated independently from Pace is the Grove Commuter Shuttle, serving Downers Grove. Eight 40 foot Gillig "Phantom" buses were built in 1992, and are numbered 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18, and 20. Buses are also available for charter service during the mid day. One charted bus is parked near the Adler Planetarium, south of downtown Chicago. In 2005, these buses were replaced with buses acquired second hand from Pace. Those 40 foot Ikarus buses were built in 1992, and renumbered 11, 12, 13, 17, 18, and 20.

Keeshin Transportation is one of the larger charter bus operators in the Chicago area. Keeshin also formerly had contracts to operate a few Pace bus routes, using buses furnished by Pace. But for its charter operation, Keeshin owns various motor coaches and transit buses. Keeshin RTS bus #719 was originally owned by the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority as #7875, and rebuilt by TMC and sold to Keeshin in 1994. This and other RTS buses were regularly used in shuttle service for employees of the Northern Trust Bank. But they have since been replaced by New Flyer D40LF reassigned from the O'Hare Airport remote parking lot shuttle buses.

Keeshin Transportation previously had the contract to operate shuttle buses serving remote parking lots at O'Hare Airport. Included are New Flyer D40LF low floor buses 721-726, built in 1994. #726 is seen at the People Mover station in the remote parking lot area, a People Mover train is seen above. These buses have since been reassigned, including for the Northern Trust Bank employee shuttle service, and have been repainted in the scheme of "Coach USA", the new owning holding company.

The O'Hare Airport remote parking lot shuttle service is now provided by Hudson General, Inc., using some Orion low floor transit buses, such as #295.

Also used by Hudson General for the O'Hare Airport remote parking lot shuttle service, are some Champion low floor transit buses, including #301.

The Hines V.A. (Veteran's Administration) Hospital, west of Chicago, owns a General Motors RTS bus, seen south of downtown Chicago.