Article content continued

“We scraped every bus yard,” says STO mechanic Marc Proulx.

The motor (a Detroit Diesel Series 71) has been rebuilt five or six times, he says. Outside panels rusted and were replaced, and the STO has even stockpiled more parts because they’re getting so hard to find.

After nearly 1.5 million kilometres of services, this bus is staying on the road for as long as possible.

“Could be another 20 years,” Proulx says.

Inside, there are comfy padding on the seats, but no air conditioning. The floor is wood (though covered with rubber-style material) and it’s higher than a modern bus floor.

Photo by Pat McGrath / Ottawa Citizen

Under the hood, this bus is a role model for modern eco-engineering: It actually gets a little better mileage than the modern turbo-charged buses, at the cost of some power. (It can do 90 kilometres an hour, the maximum legal speed for buses, but it takes a little longer to get there.) There’s an automatic transmission.

As a concession to modern times, it accepts smart cards.

“We have a special attachment” to this bus, said Céline Gauthier of the STO’s communications office. “It’s vintage and we are very proud of it.”

Older passengers appreciate the memories, she said. And some drivers like to take it out one last time before they retire “for this bus to be the last bus they drive on their last day at work.”

And the secret to its long life?

Proulx: “Well, we rebuilt it completely. That helps. Every part is rebuilt.”

Even that shiny front bumper is a replacement part. A chrome rear bumper couldn’t be found, so the current version is just steel.

And the price? A mere $75,000 back in 1979. A new articulated bus today runs about $750,000.

And will the new ones last 36 years?

Gauthier: “Time will tell.”

The bus can cover any route in the Outaouais, though only during peak hours.

Watch for it, especially on a sunny day.

Photo by Pat McGrath / Ottawa Citizen

tspears@ottawacitizen.com

twitter.com/TomSpears1