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Service History

In 1990 and 1991, the CTA purchased 961 new buses. Of those, 491 were Transportation Manufacturing Corporation’s model RTS-08. The model was a modified version of GM Truck and Coach’s RTS bus.

The 4400-series was the first order of CTA buses to be lift-equipped, allowing the buses to serve passengers in wheelchairs. However, unlike most RTS buses which had lifts at the rear doors, the CTA’s TMC RTS lifts were located at the front door.

Like the previously purchased 4000-series MAN Americana buses, the 4400-series did not originally include air conditioning due to the associated costs. However, air conditioning was eventually added during a 2002 rehab of the buses.

The 4400-series was the first order of CTA buses to include the new white, red, and blue paint scheme which was introduced in 1987.

The buses were the second order of CTA buses to include digital destination signs. Thanks to advances in technology, the flip-dot signs in the 4400-series offered greater visibility than the flip-dot signs in the 4000-series MAN Americanas.

Retirement of the 4400-series began in 2006, with the entire series retired by December 2008.