page_title: Rapid Transit Series
section_title: Timeline of options
hierarchical_section_title: Rapid Transit Series / History / Timeline of options
caption_attribution_description: English: NovaBus RTS 40-ft. bus with single door. Golden Gate Transit bus fleet number 1307.
context_page_description: The Rapid Transit Series city bus is a long-running series of transit buses originally manufactured by GMC Truck and Coach Division during 1977, in Pontiac, Michigan. First produced in 1977, the RTS was GMC's entry into the Advanced Design Bus project and is the descendant of GMC's entry in the U.S. Department of Transportation's "Transbus" project. The RTS is notable for its then futuristic styling featuring automobile-like curved body and window panels. That design has become a classic, though remains more contemporary as that of its predecessor, the GMC New Look which had a curved windshield, but flat side glass and body panels. Most current buses are now made by specialized coach manufacturers with flat sides and windows.
context_section_description: 1978: The first 35-foot (10.67 m) RTS's are offered as is the option of electronic destination signs (as opposed to rollsigns).
  1979: Rear door GM-designed wheelchair lifts were made available.
  1981: With an order by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (for NYCTA and cousin organization MABSTOA), the option of a pop-open rear door is offered. This option becomes commonplace mostly in large cities as well as with the RTS-08. Also, a set of tell-tale lights were also offered; these lights can be found on each side of the front destination lights. The MBTA has green lights, while NYCTA buses have orange lights.
  1984: A one-door suburban variant is offered for the first time, this is soon retired due to a combination of poor sales and decreased wheelchair access. It would be offered again in WFD form under NovaBus.
  1986: Methanol-powered RTS's are produced in limited quality, these are the first alternatively fueled RTS buses.
  1989: Compressed natural gas-powered RTS's enter production.
  1996: First 30-foot (9.1 m) RTS's produced, some production is moved to the NovaBus plant in Niskayuna, New York.
  2001: A test order of diesel-electric hybrid RTS's are produced for the aforementioned NYCTA and New Jersey Transit (one of which is shown above).
caption: RTS-06 WFD model with wide front door (and bike rack in front)
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