Numbers Builder Built Model Last Operated Notes 100- 249 GM 1961 TDH-5301 1975 300- 449 GM 1962-63 TDH-5301 1983 701- 755 GM 1973 T8H-5307A 1996 leased 1994-1996/AC 800- 804 GM 1965 TDH-5303 1983 air conditioned 1000-1524 GM 1972 T8H-5307A 1991 air conditioned 3000-3238 Flxible 1965 F2D6V-401-1 1983 3239 Flxible 1965 F2DV8C-401-1 1983 3240-3244 Flxible 1965 F2D6V-401-1 1983 air conditioned 3300-3449 Flxible 1966 F2D6V-351-1 1983 35 foot 3500-3694 Flxible 1966-67 F2D6V-401-1 1983 3695-3699 Flxible 1967 F2DV8C-401-1 1983 3700-3729 Flxible 1969 FD6VT-401-1 1991 narrow 3730-3875 Flxible 1968-69 F2D6VT-401-1 1985 7400-7944 GM 1973-74 T8H-5307A 1996 air conditioned 8500-8649 Flxible 1961 F2D6V-401-1 1975 8650 Flxible 1962 F2D6V-401-1 1975 8700-8849 Flxible 1963 F2P-401-1 1975 propane 9000-9599 GM 1975 T8H-5307A 1996 air conditioned 9600-9799 GM 1977 T8H-5307A 1996 air conditionedWith one exception, all New Look bus orders were diesel powered. CTA had preferred propane in the 1950's, but by the 1960's propane became no longer practical for new buses.
CTA's first New Look buses, 100-249 and 8500-8650, originally were evenly distributed between Beverly, Keeler, Limits, Lawndale, and 52nd Street garages. And by 1963, Limits was the first CTA garage to have all New Look buses, when most of the series 300-449 arrived there.
The only New Look propane buses ever built were 8700-8849. Those buses were assigned to North Park and 69th Street garages, enabling those all propane garages to have some New Looks.
Buses 3000-3239 were originally assigned to Archer, Beverly, and Kedzie garages. And buses 3240-3244 and 800-804 were originally assigned to Beverly garage. These were CTA's first air conditioned buses, and were assigned to the "Vincennes Express" route, operating between downtown and the far south side via the Dan Ryan Expressway. Four years later, the opening of the Dan Ryan rapid transit line would make this bus route unnecessary. And in 1970, those buses were transferred to Forest Glen garage, for the O'Hare Express bus route.
Buses 3300-3449 were first assigned to Archer, Beverly, Lawndale, Limits, and 77th Street garages. These were the only 35 foot New Look buses, and replaced various similar size General Motors buses from the 1940's.
Buses 3500-3699 went to Archer and 52nd Street garages, and replaced the large former Chicago Motor Coach TDH-5502 General Motors buses 500-600, among other buses.
Buses 3700-3729 went to North Avenue garage. These narrower buses were needed on the Lake Street bus route due to the elevated structure, and replaced some old smaller General Motors buses from the 1940's. And buses 3730-3875 first went to North Park and 77th Street garages. These were the first diesel buses at North Park, which until then had been an all propane garage since it first opened in 1950.
Buses 1000-1524 and 7400-7944 were CTA's first large orders of air conditioned buses, and every CTA garage got some of the new buses. These buses gave the CTA an entirely New Look fleet. All trolleybuses were also eliminated then.
The only remaining propane buses were the New Look series 8700-8849. All were moved to North Park garage, as 69th Street garage became all diesel. And the CTA became all diesel in 1976, after arrival of the series 9000-9599. This marked the first signficant retirements of New Look buses, with all buses built before 1965 retired, except for some of the series 300-449.
In 1983 and 1985, the Flyer 9800 series and M.A.N. 4000 series buses replaced everything remaining built before 1970, except for the narrow 3700's needed for Lake Street. Those 3700's were finally replaced by the TMC 4900's in 1991. The Lake Street bus route was discontinued in 1997. The last of the GM buses delivered during the 1970's were retired in 1996.
Buses 701-755 were originally acquired by the Chicago South Suburban Mass Transit District for South Suburban Safeway Lines, later the Pace South Division. 33 buses from this group were leased by CTA between 1994 and 1996, and were repainted for CTA, retaining the original numbers.