NBT June 2024 Digital Edition Volume XLVII, No. 7

The Magazine of Bus Equipment for the United States and Canada

Prevost Celebrates 100 Years – Part I (by Larry Plachno) .

This is a special year for Prevost since the company celebrates 100 years of building buses Here is the first part of our company history covering from the founding of the company to about 2009. Part II covering from then to the current day will hopefully follow next month.

Electrifying Your Fleet (by ABC Companies)

ABC Companies offers its years of experience and expertise with electric buses to provide guidance on moving your company ahead by adding batteryelectric buses to your fleet

A Tribute to Tom Collins (by Dave Millhouser)

Tom Collins spent his entire life in the bus industry starting work for both private and public operations When asked, he stepped in and ran the Museum of Bus Transportation for 16 years

Regulations and Enforcement (by Dave Millhouser)

A look at bus regulations with thoughts on whether the industry (and the government) might be better off if we had fewer but more meaningful regulations and enforced them.

Equipment News

A Century in the Making – Clarisse’s Jour ney

For years, André Tur mel, a grandson of Eugène Prévost, dreamed of recreating the first Prevost coach ever built As their cent e n n i a l a p p r o a c h e d , t h e P r é v o s t f a m i l y, s p a n n i n g t h re e g e n e r a t i o n s o f E u g è n e ’s descendants – including children, grandc h i l d re n , g r a n d i n - l a w s a n d g re a t - g r a n dc h i l d re n – d e v o t e d t h o u s a n d s o f h o u r s t o researching, modeling, building and outfitting this replica

W i t h h e r d a r k g r e e n e x t e r i o r, s n a p p y b l a c k t r i m a n d b e a m i n g w o o d e n i n t e r i o r, Clarisse has now traveled more than 3,000 miles across the United States

Goodlettsville, Tennessee

On Januar y 25, Clarisse made her first s t o p a t 8 0 0 S C a r t w r i g h t S t r e e t i n Goodlettsville Employees, customers and local dignitaries got a firsthand look at the re p l i c a a n d c e l e b r a t e d 1 0 0 y e a r s o f P revost’s histor y and innovation

Winter

Garden,

Florida

On February 15, Clarisse made her second stop visiting the service center at 1300 G r e e n F o r e s t C o u r t i n W i n t e r G a r d e n E m p l o y e e s , c u s t o m e r s a n d l o c a l o f fi c i a l s gathered to celebrate Prevost’s growth and innovation through the decades

Fort Worth, Texas

On February 22, Clarisse made her third stop visiting the service center located at

15200 Fr ye Road in For t Wor th Attendees spent the afternoon learning about Prevost’s rich histor y, growth and innovations

Mira Loma, California

Clarisse journeyed from the desert plains of western Texas, across the mountains and mesas of the American Southwest, following the iconic Route 10 Her travels brought her to Mira Loma, Califor nia, where customers, e m p l o y e e s a n d s p e c i a l g u e s t s s p e n t t h e day exploring Prevost’s histor y, growth and innovations

Calgary, Alberta

Clarisse has covered many miles on her journey so far She has traveled through California, crossed the desert of Nevada, rolled t h ro u g h t h e c a n y o n s o f A

n a a n d p a s t the vast landscape of Utah to make her way nor th Passing over rivers, mountains and far mland in Idaho, she entered Montana’s Rocky Mountains and green forests before arriving at the next stop on her journey: Calgar y, Alber ta

Mississauga, Ontario

through the open plains of Saskatchewan and Manitoba, arriving at her next stop: Mississauga, Ontario There in the vibrant pulse of city life, Clarisse was excited to meet customers, friends and employees at Prevost’s service center in Mississauga to celebrate Prevost’s 100th anniversar y

New York Awards New Flyer with Contracts

New Flyer of America Inc (New Flyer), a subsidiary of NFI Group Inc (NFI) and North America’s leading manufacturer of heavyduty transit buses, on March 11 announced that it has been awarded two new contracts f r o m t h e N e w Yo r k C i

(NYCT) including fir m orders for 429 Xcelsior® buses (671 equivalent units or EUs) with options to purchase up to 1,661 additional buses (2,379 EUs) over the next five years

In total, the two contracts add 3,050 EUs to NFI’s first quarter 2024 backlog, including:

• A fi r m o rd e r

c Xcelsior CHARGE NG™ 40-foot buses (187 EUs), with 943 additional options available (943 EUs)

• A fi r m o r d e

8 b a t

e c t r i c Xcelsior CHARGE NG™ 60-foot buses (36 EUs), with 272 additional options available (544 EUs)

• A fi r m o rd

clean diesel buses (448 EUs), with 446 additional options available (892 EUs)

NYCT is par t of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), the largest transit authority in Nor th America with an annual ridership of more than 425 million In 2023, t h

y 8 5 percent between their 2015 baseline and the year 2040 The battery-electric vehicles

Clarisse is a replica hand built by Prévost family members of the first Prevost bus built in 1924 To celebrate Prevost’s 100th anniversary, Clarisse is now on a journey around the United States and Canada stopping at various locations to meet people

Clarisse travels form location to location in a special trailer towed behind a Prevost H3-45 coach In addition to providing transportation for Clarisse, the H3-45 shows the remarkable improvement in Prevost buses that has taken place in 100 years

m a n u f a c t u re d u n d e r t h e s e c o n t r a c t s w i l l s u p p o r t M TA’s g o a l o f t r a n s i t i o n i n g t h e agency’s entire bus fleet to zero-emission alternatives by 2040 NYCT’s battery-electric vehicle purchase was suppor ted through the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Low or No Emission (Low-No) grant program

“ S i n c e 1 9 9 6 , N e w F l y e r h a s d e l i v e re d more than 4,500 buses to NYCT in a par tn e r s h i p t h a t b r i n g s t o g e t h e r t h e l a r g e s t transit agency in Nor th America and Nor th America’s leading manufacturer of heavyduty transit vehicles,” said Chris Stoddar t, president of North America Bus and Coach, NFI “The Xcelsior CHARGE NG integrates

o u r l a t e s t b a t t e r y - e l e c t r i c t e c h n o l o g y t o d e l i v e r l o n g e r r a n g e a n d e a s i e r s e r v i c eability in addition to its environmental bene fi t s O u r c o n t i n u e d i n n o v a t i o n a n d advancement, especially in the field of batter y-electric buses, enables New Flyer to play a leading and integral role in helping NYCT as they update their fleet to ensure they maintain a high level of service while also making progress towards their future electrification goals ”

NFI is a leader in zero-emission mobility, with electric vehicles operating (or on order) in more than 150 cities in six countries NFI offers the widest range of zero-emission batt e r y a n d f u e l c e l l - e l e c t r i c b u s e s a n d coaches, and its vehicles have completed more than 140 million EV service miles

Equipment News

emission buses and coaches, infrastructure a n d t e c h n o l o g y, N F I m

demands for scalable, smar t mobility solutions Together, NFI is enabling more livable c i t i e s t h ro u g h c o n n e c t e d , c

tainable transpor tation

Today, NFI supports growing North American cities with scalable, clean and sustainable mobility solutions through its mobility solution ecosystem, which includes bus and coaches, infrastructure, par ts and service, t e c h n o l o g y, w o r k f o

(VIC), the first and only innovation lab of its kind dedicated to advancing bus and coach technology and providing workforce development Since opening in late 2017, the VIC has hosted more than 350 interactive events, welcoming 7,000 industr y professionals for EV and infrastructure training

p m e n t a n d

Leveraging 450 years of combined experience, NFI is leading the electrification of mass mobility around the world With zero-

With more than 8,500 team members in 1 0 c o u n t

under the brands New Flyer® (heavy-duty t

, Alexander Dennis Limited (single- and double-deck buses), Plaxton (motorcoaches), ARBOC® (low-floor cutaway and mediumduty buses) and NFI Par ts™ NFI currently offers the widest range of sustainable drive systems available, including zero-emission electric (trolley, batter y and fuel cell), natural gas, electric hybrid and clean diesel In total, NFI suppor ts its installed base of m o r e t h a n 1

around the world

Tesla Still Plans to Build 1,800-Mile Char ging Corridor for Semi Trucks

Matthew Daus has repor ted that Tesla is pushing forward with a plan to build an electric big rig charging corridor stretching from Texas to California, despite being snubbed by a lucrative federal funding program that is part of President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law However, the original scope of the project could still change

The company had been seeking nearly $100 million from the Charging and Fueling Infrastructure (CFI) Discretionary Grant program under the Federal Highway AdminisNational Bus Trader / June, 2024 • 5

New Flyer was recently awarded two contracts from the New York City Transit Authority that include firm orders for 429 buses with options to purchase up to 1,661 additional buses The firm orders include 187 40-foot battery buses, 18 60-foot articulated battery buses and 224 60-foot articulated clean diesel buses Options include 943 additional 40-foot battery-electric buses, 272 additional 60-foot articulated battery buses and 446 additional 60-foot articulated clean diesel buses

Tesla was not among the winners of federal money for electric vehicle charging and refueling stations In spite of this, Tesla is pushing forward with plans for a big rig charging corridor from Texas to California If built, this corridor would be the first of its kind and enable both long-distance and regional electric trucking

tration (FHWA) Combined with around $24 m i l l i o n o f i t s o w n m o n e y, Te s l a w a n t e d t o build nine electric semi-truck charging stations between Laredo, Texas and Fremont, Califor nia

The corridor, if built, would be a first-ofits-kind charging network that could enable b o t h l o n g - d i s t a n c e a n d re g i o n a l e l e c t r i c trucking and help clean up a big chunk of t h e o t h e r w i s e d i r t y t r a n s p o r t a t i o n s e c t o r Without it, Tesla’s promise to electrify heavyduty trucking could fall even fur ther behind schedule than it already is

The project as pitched to the FHWA was called TESSERACT, which stands for “Transport Electrification Supporting Semis Opera t i n g i n A r i z o n a , C a l i f o r n i a a n d Te x a s , ” according to a slide buried in a 964-page filing with the South Coast Air Quality Management District (Tesla collaborated with SCAQMD on the application )

Tesla was not among the 47 recipients that the Biden administration announced in January Collectively, those winners received $623 million to build electric vehicle charging and refueling stations across the country This is despite Tesla winning around 13 percent of all other charging awards so far from the Infrastructure Act, though that has only netted the company around $17 million

Gillig Expands Zero-Emission Lineup with Hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Bus

Gillig, a leading manufacturer of heavyd u t y t r a n s i t b u s e s i n t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s , announced on April 24 the expansion of its

Equipment News

zero-emission product lineup The company will be expanding its diverse transit bus portfolio with a hydrogen fuel cell powered bus to be developed in collaboration with BAE Systems and Ballard Power Systems This innovative venture underlines Gillig’s ongoing commitment to innovation, sustainability and delivering adaptable, high-quality transit s o l u t i o n s t a i l o re d t o t h e d i v e r s e n e e d s

f fleets nationwide

“Understanding the unique operational challenges faced by each transit agency –from varying duty cycles and geographic terrains to diverse climates and depot locations –is fundamental to our vision of improving quality of life through transformative mass transit solutions,” stated Benjamin Grunat, Gillig’s vice president of product planning and strategy “Introducing the hydrogen fuel cell bus into our product lineup signifies Gillig’s commitment to advancing sustainable public transportation technologies It’s about offering a solution that’s not only flexible enough to fit every fleet but also matured through our thoughtful approach to product development, ensuring reliability and readiness for the demands of today’s transit environment ”

The Gillig hydrogen fuel cell bus, which is currently in development, will provide transit agencies with exceptional, zero-emission operational range, rapid refueling capabili t i e s a n d re l i a b l e p e

f o r m a n c e

e climates and terrains As agencies evaluate their options for the future, this new offering broadens the horizon for those considering hydrogen as a zero-emission solution

Systems and BAE Systems embodies our commitment to leading the industry through thoughtful innovation and intentional par t-

Ballard’s state-of-the-art fuel cell technology and BAE Systems’ versatile electric powertrain with Gillig’s trusted low-floor platfor m, we are creating a long-range zero-emission solution that does not compromise on safety, e

have come to expect from Gillig ”

David Mucciacciaro, senior vice president and chief commercial officer of Ballard Power Systems, shared his perspective on the new initiative: “With decades or proven per for mance, Ballard Power Systems’ fuel cells are powering vehicles in some of the most demanding environments around the world Our collaboration with Gillig and BAE Systems for this hydrogen fuel cell bus com-

propelling the vision of a clean transit future into reality ”

With the technical expertise of BAE Systems and Ballard Power Systems complementing Gillig’s zero-emissions leadership, Gillig’s new hydrogen fuel cell bus will be a significant step forward for sustainability in the American transit industry This dynamic p a r t n e r s h i p a i m s t o p r

a m a r k e tleading, zero-emissions transit solution for fleets looking to leverage hydrogen fueling while maintaining operational efficiency and service quality, all with a bus manufacturer they know and trust

Rob Dykema, director of North American Tr a n s i t A c c

r P o w e

& P ro p u l s i o n Solutions at BAE Systems, emphasized the depth of the collaboration between BAE Systems and Gillig, “Reflecting on our decade of work with Gillig, integrating our advanced powertrain systems has set a precedent for excellence and reliability in public transit,”

hydrogen fuel cell bus is a thrilling next step that leverages our collective exper tise for sustainable innovation We’re proud to continue this jour ney, enhancing the environ-

Gillig’s comprehensive approach to product development, which respects the distinct needs of each transit agency and their need for reliable, mature and efficient technology, highlights the importance of offering a complete suite of propulsion options From their conventional propulsion buses powered by

Gillig recently announced the addition of a new hydrogen fuel cell bus to its product line It will combine the Ballard state-of-the-art fuel cell with the BAE Systems electric powertrain The bus industry in Europe has already been moving towards hydrogen fuel cell power where it is increasingly popular

clean diesel, compressed natural gas (CNG) and hybrid-electric technologies, to their zeroemission solutions of battery-electric buses

Equipment News

and now, hydrogen fuel cell, Gillig’s product por tfolio ensures that ever y fleet can find a solution that fits their current and future transit

The Routing Company (TRC) recently celebrated the launch of WAVE Bus, a new Dial-a-Ride service connecting rural communities across Michigan WAVE is a transit agency providing transportation for people living and traveling in western Washtenaw County It provides 27,000 rides annually

goals Scheduled to begin production in 2026, the Gillig hydrogen fuel cell bus underscores

nation’s safest and most reliable transit buses These buses play a crucial role in reducing congestion and fostering cleaner air, ultimately advancing the promise of mobility for all

TRC Celebrates Launch of WAVE Bus

The Routing Company (TRC), a global

ment platform partnering with cities to power

rural Dial-a-Ride service – powered by TRC’s Ride Pingo app – in Wester n Washtenaw, Michigan With a total of 10 vehicles, the ser-

demand transit

WAVE is a transit agency providing rides for those living and traveling in greater wester n Washtenaw County, serving more than 2

operator is focused on improving passenger

community connection, cost-efficient rides and accessibility for all riders

“We look forward to seeing how we can enhance the customer experience for all of WAVE’s riders, in the pursuit of flexible, effic i e n t a n d r e s p o n s i v e r u r a l t r a n s i t , ” s a i d

J a m e s C o x , c h i e f e x e c u t i v e o f fi c e r, T R C

“An open service, powered by Pingo, delivers on WAVE’s slogan of ‘Rides for All’ and on our shared commitment to connect rural communities ”

“ S t a t i s t i c a l l y s p e a k i n g , s i n c e C O V I D , each of our demand-responsive, door-todoor service routes have averaged at one passenger per hour During the first days of the Pingo, we saw increases to range of 1 28 to 2 4 per hour We also quickly identified that our services could shift, without a s k i n g d o n o r s o r m u n i c i p a l p a r t n e r s f o r more dollars, to increase riding hours from 8 a m t o 4 p m t o 5 : 3 0 a m t o 1 0 p m , meeting the number one request our reade r s h a v e h a d , ” s a i d M a r i e G r e s s , WAV E executive director

TRC is suppor ting WAVE’s on-demand transit needs with its full suite of Pingo products – including Pingo Access™, Pingo Shuttle™ and Pingo Rural™ Launched in October 2022, Pingo Access is a game changer tool in delivering paratransit services, improving o p e r a t i o n a l e f fi c i e n c y a n d e n h a n c i n g t h e paratransit rider experience

T R C ’s a w a r d - w i n n i n g P i n g o p l a t f o r m includes the Drive Pingo™ and Ride Pingo™ a p p s a n d t h e P i n g o D a s h b o a rd ™ o p e r ations management tool, which together provide on-demand, paratransit, fixed, shuttle and flexible transit that enhances ridership of existing transit networks

Equipment News

Pingo has moved more than one million p a s s e n g e r s t o d a t e To l e a r n m o r e , v i s i t theroutingcompany com, or to request a demo e-mail move@theroutingcompany com

New VIC Study to Examine Impact

of Driver Proficiency on EV Ener gy Consumption

NFI’s Vehicle Innovation Center (VIC) is conducting a new study with drivers from I n t e r C i t y Tr a n s i t i n O l y m p i a , Wa s h

n , and TriMet in Portland, Oregon The drivers,

who have little to no experience operating a n e

h V I C seasoned e-bus operators to test and evaluate the ride on the Xcelsior CHARGE NG™ 4 0 -

quantify the link between driving proficiency and energy consumption in a batter y-electric bus, which is critical for understanding e f fi c i e n

c vehicle operation

O

s have noted significant differences from traditional diesel models, including a smooth h a n d l i n g , q u i c k a c c e l e r a t i o n , re m a r k a b l y quiet operation and effor tless driving The drivers especially praised the hill-hold feature for enhancing their driving experience

MCI Spring Tune Ups

Spring has sprung and the bus travel and tourism season is just around the corner To keep your fleet ready and running in the best p o s

e maintenance inspection prescribed in your warranty and owner’s manual You can also g

checklist

#1 Tires

Keep in mind that your tires have a finite lifecycle that is measured in both use and y e a r s M o n i t o r t h e w e a r o n y o u r t i r e s b y ensuring they have proper uniform patterns, tread depth and air pressure before each trip Ensure your tires are within the manufacturer’s recommended replacement timeframe by using the embossed stamp on the sidewall of the tire to deter mine its manu-

NFI’s Vehicle Information Center is conducting a new study with transit drivers who have little or no experience driving an electric bus They are being given the opportunity to drive and evaluate the ride on a New Flyer Xcelsior Charge NG™ electric bus Results will be available at a future date

Spring is a good time to tune up your fleet to keep running in the best possible condition It is always best to follow the maintenance inspections shown in your warranty and owner ’s manual Here are five key areas recommended by MCI

facture date and age Following these guidelines can help reduce the likelihood of dangerous conditions like dr y rot

#2 Coolant

A well-working coolant system is imperative to preventing your vehicle from overheating on long trips and keeping it running reliably as weather gets war mer Check the s i g h t g l a s s l e v e l re g u l a r l y, a n d d e s i g n a t e time for more in-depth inspections that can maintain your system in the long term: Check for corrosion inside the engine and components Use test strip kits to check the concentration of additive packages, which can deteriorate over time and become ineffective Do not rely solely on coolant filters that c o n t a i n S C A p e l l e t s , a s t h e y m a y n o t b e enough to meet your needs

#3 HVAC

A p ro p e r l y f u n c t i o n i n g c l i m a t e c o n t ro l system keeps your passengers comfortable through all seasons It is important to check p e r i o d i c a l l y t h r o u g h o u t t h e y e a r t h a t a i r d u c t s a re c l e a r a n d v a l v e s a re o p e n a n d o p e r a t i n g K e e p i n m i n d t h a t s p r i n g a n d

s u m m e r m o r n i n g s c a n s t i l l b e c o o l a n d damp, resulting in the need to defrost the windshield Even as outside temperatures get warmer, your coach’s heater plays a key role by keeping the air conditioner working trouble-free Bleeding the heater cores regularly will ensure there is no trapped air that c o u l d d i s r u p t c o o l a n t fl o w Ye s , t h e s a m e coolant in tip #2 )

#4 Aesthetics

A c l e a n v e h i c l e i s o n e o f t h e e a s i e s t

w a y s t o v i s u a l l y d e m o n s t r a t e y o u r c o mp a n y ’s r e g u l a r m a i n t e n a n c e r o u t i n e s A shiny, washed and waxed exterior makes a strong impression on those viewing from the outside while a complete interior detail offers passengers inside a more comfor ta b l e a n d p l e a s a n t e x p e r i e n c e C l e a n upholstery stains and remove any unpleasa n t o d o r s Va c u u m s e a t t r a c k s a n d d e e p

i n t o H VA C r e t u r n d u c t s P a y e s p e c i a l l y c l o s e a t t e n t i o n t o l e s s o b v i o u s l o c a t i o n s and small crevices where debris can accum u l a t e O p e n a n d i n s p e c t a l l d o o r s a n d p a n e l s , c h e c k i n g i n s i d e a n d o u t f o r a n y p o s s i b l e s i g n s o f a n i m a l s t h a t m a y h a v e established shelter during the winter

#5 Technician Tune Ups

Go beyond the bus: Tune-up the skill levels of your maintenance staff and make sure they are up-to-date on the most current information and technology

M C I ’s L e a r n i n g M a n a g e m e n t S y s t e m (LMS) is a great 24/7 tool for reviewing what you already know, expanding into new skill sets and keeping current with technology a d v a n c e m e n t s o r o t h e r u p d a t e s a n d changes You can even find more infor ma-

Equipment News

t i o n a b o u t t i p s s h a r e d a b o v e T h i s A S Eaccredited, award-winning program is free to MCI customers; you just need to register to add it to your “toolbox ”

Ta k e y o u r t r a i n i n g a s t e p f u r t h e r b y enrolling in one of the classes on the 2024 MCI Academy schedule MCI Academy is the only five-time recipient of the ASE ATMC “National Excellence in Training” award, free to MCI customers, and open for enrollment now Classes are filling up fast, so find your program and register today

New Plaxton Leopard for Henr y Cooper Coaches

A l e x a n d e r D e n n i s , a s u b s i d i a r y o f N F I

Group Inc , one of the world’s leading independent global bus manufacturers, on April 18 announced that it has delivered a new Plaxton Leopard to Nor thumberland operator Henr y Cooper Coaches

The new coach has 59 seats and meets PSV Accessibility Regulations (PSVAR) with d e s t i n a t i o n d i s p l a y s a n d a s i d e - m o u n t e d wheelchair lift For able-bodied passengers, access is via an inswing door that reduces dwell times when picking up or setting down

The Plaxton Leopard is built on the fuelefficient Volvo B8R chassis On the example for Henr y Cooper Coaches, power is transmitted via Volvo’s I-Shift gearbox

Graham Greaves, who owns and with his wife and daughter manages the business founded by his grandfather a centur y ago,

welcomed the new addition: “This new Plaxton Leopard adds another Euro VI vehicle to our fleet The Plaxton Leopard is a versatile coach, allowing us to make good use of this investment by deploying it on a variety of work including school contracts and private hires ”

Regional Sales Manager for Alexander Dennis Mar tin Dunleavy added: “It’s great to see Henr y Cooper Coaches continuing t o u p g r a d e t h

honor for us to be par t of this with this new Plaxton Leopard coach The Leopard’s vers a

throughout a long working life ”

Solaris Presents a Hydrogen Bus

During the inter national trade fair Next M o b i

Milan, Solaris Bus & Coach showcased the Urbino 12 hydrogen bus Public transpor t operators are increasingly opting for hydrogen technology, and the model displayed is currently one of the most popular hydrogen buses in Europe

The inter national trade fair Next Mobility i

emission solutions It is a meeting place for transpor t operators, vehicle manufacturers and technology suppliers, as well as developers of innovative and sustainable mobility policies

Solaris was also present at the trade fair a

Alexander Dennis recently delivered a new Plaxton Leopard to Henry Cooper Coaches in Northumberland The Plaxton Leopard body is built on a fuel-efficient Volvo B8R chassis with a Volvo I-Shift transmission Henry Cooper Coaches is a family business with a third-generation Graham Greaves plus his wife and daughter managing the operation that was founded by his grandfather a century ago

M i l a n o H a l l , w h e r e t h e h y d r o g e n b u s –Urbino 12 hydrogen – was showcased This is the manufacturer’s most popular hydrog e n m o d e l – m o re t h a n 2 0 0 b u s e s o f t h i s type are in operation across 10 European c o u n t r i e s , i n c l u d i n g B o l z a n o a n d Ve n i c e , Italy Furthermore, the company has an order por tfolio for an additional 600 vehicles, to be delivered between 2024 and 2025

Solaris is a leading European manufacturer of zero-emission buses In the area of h y d ro g e n b u s e s , t h e m a n u f a c t u re r i s t h e undisputed leader of the European market, h o l d i n g n e a r l y h a l f o f t h e m a r k e t s h a re i n this segment

The Solaris Urbino 12 hydrogen is powered by electricity generated by the latest hydrogen fuel cell technology The vehicle is equipped with composite hydrogen tanks on the roof, capable of holding 37 5 kg of hydrogen When fully fueled, the bus can t r a v e l u p t o 6 0 0 k m ( a c c o r d i n g t o t h e e-SORT 2 test) The showcased vehicle is equipped with CO2 air conditioning with a heat pump, as well as ADAS features such as MirrorEye and Mobileye Shield+

Irizar Electric ie Tram Buses for De Lijn in Belgium

T h e p u b l i c t r a n s p o r t c o m p a n y o f t h e F l e m i s h R e g i o n o f B e l g i u m , D e L i j n , h a s awarded a framework agreement for up to 1 0 0 v e h i c l e s , a l l o w i n g i t t o r e l

t r a m b u s e s f o r p re m i u m p u b l i c t r a n s p o r t services The vehicles will be destined for s p e c

Equipment News

K o r t r i j k

Irizar e-mobility emerged as the strongest candidate among the nine par ticipants in t h e t e n d e r F

m o re t h a n 1 0 y e a r s , i t h a s been offering comprehensive electromobility s o l u t i o n s f o r c i t i e s , b o t h i n t e r m s o

e manufacture of 100 percent electric, zeroemission vehicles and the manufacture and installation of the main infrastructure systems

required for charging, traction and energy s t o r a g e A l l o f t h e m d e s i g n e d a n d m a n u

factured with 100 percent Group technology and with Irizar’s guarantee and service quality, thus being the most solid option

“With Irizar, we have an additional supplier that has a strong reputation in the electric bus market for this higher segment,” said Ann Schoubs, general director of De Lijn “BRT electric buses are different from regular electric buses because they have more streamlined exteriors and higher quality interiors Time will tell if and how many vehicles we get from the two active framework agreements for BRT electric buses ”

“BRT electric buses are a good solution t o

rail network in Limburg,” said Lydia Peeters, minister of mobility and public works “First, we’re putting the Spartacus line 2 from Hasselt to Maasmechelen into service And the lines from Hasselt to Maastricht and Pelt will follow later on ”

In the worlds of Irizar e-mobility Managing Director Iñigo Exteberria, “We’re very thankful to De Lijn for putting their trust in Irizar e

commitment to electrifying public transport and we’re proud to be by their side in this process, contributing with all our experience, technology and strength ”

Solaris showcased their Urbino 12 hydrogen bus at the recent Next Mobility trade fair in Milan on May 8-10 This is the most popular hydrogen bus from Solaris with more than 200 already in operation European operators are increasingly moving to hydrogen power

Irizar recently awarded a framework agreement by De Lijn in Belgium for up to 100 vehicles This will involve the ie electric tram bus model from Irizar These buses will be used for special projects including the Spartacus project in Limburg and the BRT project in Kortrijk

pendent global bus manufacturers on March 12 announced that it has made the first delive r y o f i t s n e x t - g e n e r a t i o n b a t t e r y - e l e c t r i c buses to a customer in the United Kingdom w i t h a n E n v i r o 4 0 0 E V f o r S t a g e c o a c h i n Oxfordshire

T h e z e r o - e m i s s i o n d o u b l e - d e c k e r i s

o n e o f 5 5 t h a t w i l l e n t e r s e r v i c e o n O x f o rd

c i t y s e r v i c e s i n t h e c o m i n g m o n t h s T h e y

w i l l e n a b l e t h e f u l l e l e c t r i f i c a t i o n o f l o c a l

r o u t e s i n t h e O x f o r d S m a r t Z o n e , a j o i n t

i n i t i a t i v e b e t w e e n S t a g e c o a c h a n d p a r t -

n e r s O x f o r d s h i r e C o u n t y C o u n c i l a n d

O x f o rd B u s C o m p a n y, s u p p o r t e d b y U K

G o v e r n m e n t f u n d i n g

S t a g e c o a c h ’s E n v i ro 4 0 0 E V f o r O x f o rd

a r e 1 1 1 m e t e r ( 3 6 4 f e e t ) l o n g a n d 4 2 meters (13 8 feet) high They have capacity for 83 passengers, including 69 on comforta b l e h i g h - b a c k e d s e a t s w i t h U S B - A a n d

U S B - C c h a r g i n g p o r t s Tw o w h e e l c h a i r spaces are provided

While installation of charging infrastructure continues at Stagecoach’s new Network Oxford site, driver training will begin shortly a h e a d o f a l a u n c h i n t o s e r v i c e l a t e r t h i s spring

Chief Operating Officer for Stagecoach Sam Greer said: “With a network that spans across the UK, the incorporation of the new Enviro400EV buses into our fleet in Oxfordshire reaffir ms our commitment to our customers’ experience

“Being the first operator to receive these n e x t - g e n e r a t i o n b u s e s b r i n g s u s a s t e p closer to realizing our goal of being fully net z e ro a n d w e w i l l c o n t i n u e t o b u i l d o n o u r work to tackle climate change and become more energy efficient ”

Alexander Dennis Presiden t an d Ma na g i n g D i re c t o r P a u l D a v i e s a d d e d : “ T h e deliver y of our first next-generation electric bus in the United Kingdom is a milestone in t h e ro l l - o u t o f o u r n e w p ro d u c t r a n g e a n d we’re delighted to be marking this moment w i t h o u r l a u n c h c u s t o m e r S t a g e c o a c h These buses will be driving value through efficiency with class-leading energy cons u m p t i o n a s w e l l a s t h ro u g h t h e i r f u t u reproof batter y system which is designed to last a 20-year life of a double-deck bus in provincial operation with just one change of batteries

“We are grateful for Stagecoach’s trust in us and for their suppor t as we continue t o d e v e l o p o u r r a n g e o f n e x t - g e n e r a t i o n zero-emission vehicles ”

The Enviro400EV has recently been confir med as the most efficient batter y-electric double-decker currently available in the mar-

Equipment News

passengers.

ket with a theoretical energy consumption of just 0 67kWh/km over the Zemo Par tnership’s UK Bus Cycle

A l e x a n d e r D e n n i s ’s e n g i n e e r s h a v e achieved this benchmark result by combining the heavy-duty version of the Voith Electrical Drive System with a future-proof battery system from Impact Clean Power Technology storing 472kWh of energy

O s n a b r ü c k O r d e r

Benz eCitaro Buses

Full speed ahead for a new electric bus par tnership in Osnabrück: SWO Mobil has chosen Daimler Buses as supplier for a total of 19 new Mercedes-Benz eCitaro electric buses The new city buses will be delivered successively beginning 2025

i c a n d locally emission-free eCitaro solo buses for t h e

Europe-wide tender “We are delighted that t h e e C i t a ro e l e c t r i c b u s p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h SWO Mobil has now star ted This order is another impor tant step for us in the expans i o n o f e l e c t r i fi e d m o b i l i t y i n l o c a l p u b l i c t r a n s p o r t i n G e r m a n y a n d i n t e r n a t i o n a l cities,” says Rüdiger Kappel, head of Sales Public Transport Germany at Daimler Buses

“ I n D a i m l e r B u s e s , w e h a v e f o u n d a h i g h l y c o m p e t e n t p

r W i t h t h e n e w b u s e s , w e a re i n c re a s i n g t h e p ro p o r t i o n o f e l e c t r i c b u s e s i n o u r f l e e t t o 8 1 o u t o f a total of 86 vehicles This gives us an electric bus share of 94 percent,” emphasizes

A n d r é K r ä n z k e , m a n a g i n g d i r e c t o r o f S W O M o b i l

T h e t w o - a x l e e C i t a r o s o l o

u s e s n o w ordered by SWO Mobil are 12 meters long and have three entrance doors Each of the 19 buses, which are painted in the red and white colors of SWO Mobile, has a maximum transpor t capacity of 69 passengers and is equipped with up to 30 seats and 39 standi n g p l a c e s A m a n u a l l y - o p e r a t e d f o l d i n g r a m p a t t h e re a r e n t r a n c e d o o

h reduced mobility The passenger compar tment is equipped with numerous USB doub l e c h a r g i n g s o c k e t s a l l o w i n g f o r m o b i l e devices to be char ted

A n e n v i r o n m e n t a l l y - f r i e n d l y C O 2 a i rconditioning system, which is operated with the R744 refrigerant, in combination with a CO2 heat pump ensures a pleasant climate on board This air-conditioning system does n o t d a m

a y e r d u e t o i t s e x t r e m e l y l o w g l o b a l w a r m i n g p o t e n t i a l (GWP) of factor 1, and is also equipped with a n a

headlamps for low-beam driving light, high

designed using LED technology A roll/pitch control system (WNR) is also installed in the vehicles

Like all buses and coaches from Daimler Buses in Europe, the 19 new eCitaro solo b u

requirements of the General Safety Regu-

Alexander Dennis recently made the first delivery of its new next-generation battery-electric Enviro400EV model It is one of 55 double-deck coaches built for Stagecoach that will go into Oxford city services

l a t i o n ( G S R ) t h a t w i l l a p p l y t h r o u g h o u t Europe beginning July 2024 They are provided with a large number of powerful assistance systems such as Sideguard Assist 2 and the completely new Frontguard Assist, w h i c h t o g e t h e r f o r m a c o m p l e t e w a r n i n g system that war ns of obstacles and people at the sides and in front of the bus

( A

s

h

re M

A c o u s t i c Ve h i c l e A l e r t i n g S y s t e m ( AVA S ) a n d Tr a ff i c S i g n A s s i s t , w

d

i s b e i n g e x c e e d e d

T h e t o t a l c a p a c i t y o f t h e fi v e 9 8 3 k W h battery packs installed on each of the buses amounts to 491 5 kWh and enables them to cover an operating range of around 270 kilometers, which is more than sufficient for a r e g u l a r- s e r v i c e r o u t e T h e b a t t e r i e s a r e charged via depot charging at the depot of Stadtwerke Osnabrück

O s n a b r ü c k i s r e g a r d e d a s a p i o n e e r nationwide in the transition to electricallypowered local public transpor t According to the Ger man E-Bus Radar, Osnabrück is one of the top 20 e-bus cities in Ger many By switching from diesel to electric buses, SWO Mobile has been operating the regularservice route network on the main axes leadi n g i n t o t h e c i t y c e n t e r w i t h t h e M e t ro b u s lines M1 to M5 in fully electric mode already since the beginning of 2022

Equipment News

Rome Orders 352 Solaris Buses

A few months ago Solaris won a tender in Rome for the deliver y of 110 mild hybrid b u s e s M o re re c e n t l y, S o l

In recent months, Solaris has presented the most advantageous offer in the tender for the supply of 110 articulated mild hybrid v e h i c l e s T

group for the carrier ATAC Roma The offer of Solaris Urbino 18 equipped with the latest generation mild hybrid systems has received the highest rating and, as a result of winning the proceedings, in 2024 the manufacturer will deliver 110 new hybrid vehicles to the streets of Rome

In last days, Gubielo Spa and ATAC Roma also placed an order for buses powered by compressed natural gas, known as a CNG in the industry Here the offer of Solaris with a 12-meter version of Urbino CNG turned out to be the most advantageous As a result, 244 Solaris Urbino 12 CNG buses powered by natural gas will also be delivered to the Italian capital city in 2024 and 2025 What is more, the order for gas carriers assumes the so-called option, i e the possibility of increasi n

units The contracting authority may decide on this in the following months

In addition to the deliver y of the abovementioned buses, Solaris will also service them for the next 10 years The total value of the purchased vehicles and all additional

SWO Mobile has ordered 19 new Mercedes-Benz eCitaro electric buses for the public route network in Osnabrück These two-axle buses are 12 meters long, have three entrance doors and a maximum capacity of 69 passengers Osnabrück is located in northern Germany, northeast of Münster

Solaris has won orders for 354 buses from Rome An earlier order included 110 mild hybrid buses while the current order is for 244 CNG buses Back in 2003-2004 Solaris previously delivered 30 trolley buses to Rome

2 0 0 4 S o l a r i s d e l i v e re d 3 0 t ro l l e y b u s e s t o ATA C I n a d d i t i o n , o p e r a t o r s f r o m L a z i o region use more than 700 Solaris InterUrbino intercity vehicles for regional transport in the suburbs of Rome

In total, Solaris has delivered more than 1,800 vehicles to Italy, which is one of the company’s key markets

Equipment News

Small and Maneuverable Alexander Dennis Enviro 100EV Trialled in Guer nsey A

The Alexander Dennis Enviro100EV big small bus” is being tested in Guernsey With a width of 2 35 meters and a length of only 8 5 meters, the Enviro100EV was designed to cope with the narrow and winding roads that are found on the island Bus operator CT Plus will evaluate energy consumption, charging requirements and maneuverability

and

have joined into a partnership for the development and supply of the

generation of

Their goal is to develop battery technology specially geared to electric buses. The new NMC4 batteries will replace current MNC3 technology to combine high energy

and provide a longer range for e-buses

The trial is par t of effor ts by the states of Guer nsey and bus operator CT Plus to find a s u i t a b l

I s l a n d ’s n a

wide and a length of only 8 5 meters, while offering 25 seats and a maximum capacity of 45 passengers

charging requirements and maneuverability on the island’s bus routes The manufacturer offers comprehensive route modeling using a

physics simulation

National Account Manager for Alexander D e n n i s S h a u n M i l

We

pleased to be trialling the new Enviro100EV in Guer nsey We expect that our ‘big small bus’ will perform well in Guernsey as its size a n d m a

island’s roads while offering passengers the comfort of a much larger vehicle This is one of the first on-road trials of the Enviro100EV and we are really looking forward to analyzing the results together with CT Plus ”

CT Plus Director Kevin Har t added: “It’s great news that Guernsey is among the first to trial the Enviro100EV This shows the continued commitment manufacturers have to finding the right solution for the island The bus has an impressive capacity for its small size as some three more can be accommodated on the Enviro100EV than can be taken o n t h e c u r r e n t b u

n Guer nsey ”

Transpor t in Europe

D

expert BMZ Poland, a key entity in the BMZ Holding group, have entered into a strategic partnership for the development and supply o f t h e n e x t

Together with Daimler Buses, BMZ will further develop the existing battery technology s p e c i fi c a l l y f o r t h e r e q u i r e m

s o f electrically-powered buses The new battery generation NMC4 – succeeding the current N M C 3 t e c h n o l o g y – w i l l c o m b i n e h i g henergy density, resulting in a longer range for e-buses with an ultra-long cycle life Cust o m e r s o f D a i m l e r B u s e s w

decade

M

Daimler Buses: “The collaboration between

development and manufacturing as well as BMZ’s know-how in heavy-duty

Daimler Buses

BMZ Holding Group

next

bus batteries

density

Be prepared before the next power outage.

development of an outstanding new generation of batteries for our electrically-powered buses This collaboration marks an important milestone in the shift towards zero-emission public transpor t across Europe ”

Tomasz Jankowski, general manager of BMZ Poland: “Development and production of the best-in-class e-bus systems has been our strategy for a decade We are proud to be able to work with Daimler Buses I personally treat this nomination as an award for the consistent strategy of growth and investment this strategy on a much larger scale ”

“We will extend our production in Gliwice, making this facility the first of its kind in the EU built for the purpose of bus batter y production along with a fully automatic assembling line,” adds Pawel Kępski, head of Business Unit EV, BMZ Poland

Daimler Buses is consistently pursuing a c l e a r e - r o a d m a p a c r o s s a l l s e g m e n t s : Electrically-powered city buses have already been in series production since 2018; intercity e-buses are to follow as of the middle of the decade and electrified coaches by 2030 With this, Daimler Buses aims to offer locally CO2-neutral models based on batt e r i e s o r h y d r o g e n i n e v e r y s e g m e n t b y 2030 The focus is initially on the core markets of Europe and Latin America The plans are for only locally CO2-neutral new vehicles to be sold in the core market of Europe by 2 0 3 9 I n t h e c i t y b u s s e g m e n t , t h i s i s expected to be the case in Europe as early as 2030

Equipment News

First Electric Buses to Tallinn Delivered by Solaris

Solaris Bus & Coach has just delivered 1

h e largest Estonian public transpor t operator,

including the deliver y of buses and chargi

E U R A

of the Tallinn authorities and the TLT transp

S

S o l a r i s U r b i n o 1 2

p a n t o g r a p h , i e d e v i c e t h a t i s l o w e r e d f ro m t h e c h a r

beginning of a new era in public transpor t in the capital and throughout Estonia The further goal is a complete transition to zeroemission vehicles

invaluable experience of how battery buses b

ving characteristics and passenger comf o r t We

other transport companies and share exper

as well,” said Padar

For the first time, Solaris vehicles made t

has also delivered 50 zero-emission Trollino trolleybuses to Tallinn

Stephensons Orders Five Alexander Dennis Enviro400 Double-Deckers

A

In addition to the delivery of the vehicles themselves, the contract also includes the

depot and two pantograph stations located in the city next to the lines on which electric Solaris will run

According to Kaido Padar, a member of the board of TLT, the implementation of electric buses on a regular route represents the

Group Inc , one of the world’s leading independent global bus manufacturers, on May 9 announced that it has taken a new order f

Enviro400 double-deck buses

S

y owned, locally managed and a proud, active member of the ALBUM association of independent bus operators Founded in 1972, it now provides local bus routes and school s

bridgeshire

Solaris recently delivered 15 Urbino electric buses to Estonian publ

Aktsiaselts Tallinna Linnatransport (TLT) The buses can charge from

They

buses in Tallinn and in Estonia

T h e n e w E n v i r o 4 0 0 w i l l e a c h h a v e 8 6 seats fitted with USB charging por ts They are expected to be delivered later this year

Equipment News

Essex Managing Director of Stephenson and ALBUM Chairman Bill Hiron said: “This order for five new double-deck buses from

A

tomers across our service network who will benefit from the further upgrade to their journey experience The Enviro400 offers a great combination of seating capacity and opera

our costs down

The new Enviro400 double-deckers are the first on Alexander Dennis chassis for the

par ty chassis as well as a large number of Enviro200 single-deckers in the operator’s 100-vehicle fleet

Alexander Dennis Retail Sales Director

C

again have been chosen by Stephensons of Essex for investment in their immaculate fl

these buses throughout their working lives with our AD24 after market suppor

Bus Equipment People

Motor Coach Industries (MCI)

Walter Sturdivant recently celebrated a half-century of service with MCI As the preo w n e d c o a c h m a n a g e r f o r t h e E a s t e r n region, Sturdivant is critical to the operations o f t h e M C I S a l e s a n d S e r v i c e C e n t e r i n Blackwood, New Jersey

The Greater Northeast Motorcoach Association recently recognized Sturdivant’s lifetime achievement during its spring meeting in Village, Pennsylvania

P r i o r t o t h a t , a t t h e a n n u a l U M A E X P O 2024, MCI hosted a celebration ceremony t o h o n o r h i s re m a r k a b l e m i l e s t o n e N F I ’s President and CEO Paul Soubr y joined the M C I t e a m a n d o t h e r i n d u s t r y p e e r s t o e x p r e s s t h e i r g r a t i t u d e f o r S t u r d i v a n t ’ s exceptional service

New Flyer and MCI

NFI Group Inc (NFI), a leading independ e n t b u s a n d c o a c h m a n u f a c t u re r a n d a leader in electric mass mobility solutions, on February 13 announced the appointment of Ian Macpherson as vice president, engineering services for its North American Bus and Coach (NABC) division, which encompasses New Flyer, MCI and other inter nal fabrication businesses

M a c p h e r s o n w i l l b e b a s e d o u t o f t h e N e w F l y e r m a n u f a c t u r i n g f a c i l i t y i n A n n i ston, Alabama, and will be a member of the NABC Executive Leadership team repor ti n g d i re c t l y t o C h r i s S t o d d a r t , p re s i d e n t , Nor th American Bus and Coach Macphers o n w i l l b e r e s p o n s i b l e f o r l e a d i n g a l l a s p e c t s o f p ro d u c t e n g i n e e r i n g f o r b o t h

New Flyer and MCI, including new product d e v e l o p m e n t , t e s t i n g a n d v a l i d a t i o n , p roduction engineering and electrical control s y s t e m s H e w i l l a l s o o v e r s e e t h e i n s t a llation and commissioning of electric vehi-

c l e c h a r g i n g e q u i p m e n t p ro v i d e d b y N F I

I n f r a s t r u c t u re S o l u t i o n s ™

“With a proven track record of success

i n o u r i n d u s t r y, w e a r e v e r y f o r t u n a t e t o

h a v e I a n j o i n t h e e x e c u t i v e l e a d e r s h i p

t e a m t o s p e a r h e a d i n n o v a t i o n a

s

w t

,

i d S t o d d a r t “ T h r o u g h I a n ’ s e x t e n s i v

dation within our company, I am confident i

t h r o u g h o u t h i s career for his prof e s s i o n a l i s m a n d integrity Although a f fi l i a t e d w i t h t h e Bobit organization, F r a n k w a s k n o w n and respected by t h e s t a f f o f o t h e r p u b l i c a t i o n s a n d

c o m p a n i e s i n t h e

Macpherson o b t a i n e d h i s B a c h e l o r o f Mechanical Engineering degree with Honors f

Christchurch, New Zealand and brings more t h a n 1 5 y e a r s o f engineering exper i e n c e t o h i s n e w role He previously w o r k e d f o r N o r t h

A m e r i c a n B u s Industries (NABI), w h i c h w a s a c q u i r e d b y N e w Flyer in 2013 Prior t o j o i n i n g N A B I , M a c p h e r s o n worked for DesignLine USA where he s e r v e d a s t h e director of engineeri n g D u r i n g h i s career at NFI, he has held various leadership p o s i t i o n s w i t h i n t h e e n g i n e e r i n g t e a m , including systems integration manager, chief engineer of design, chief engineer of product improvement and director of production engineering

Frank Di Giacomo

W e w e r e s a d d e n e d t o h e a r t h a t industr y leader Frank Di Giacomo passed a w a y i n C

publisher of METRO magazine and School

i n d u s t r y H e w a s also involved with s e v e r a l i n d u s t r y organizations where h e c o n t r i b u t e d h i s e x p e r t i s e a n d received awards for his welcome involvement

W h e n h e r e t i r e d i n 2 0 2 1 , F r a n k w a s n a m e d P u b l i s h e r E m e r i t u s f o r M E T R O

m a g a z i n e a n d S c h o o l B u s F l e e t H e w a s

recognized by the American Public Transp o r t a t i o n A s s o c i a t i o n a n d g i v e n a l i f e t i m e

m e m b e r s h i p i n A P TA’s

y active in suppor ting motorcoach operators i n c l u

During his tenure with Bobit, Frank served as publisher for both METRO magazine as well as School Bus Fleet, and was responsible for both the content and direction of t h e m a g a z i n e s K n o w n a s a m e n t o r a n d friend by his peers, Frank was recognized

industr y is celebrated by his peers, associates and friends who remember him as an inspiration and a leader in the transportation community His visitation and funeral were held on May 15 in Cherr y Hill, New Jersey He will be sadly missed by all of us in the industr y q

Absolutely the finest dump valve ever. • Air powered version since 1985. • All parts easily replaceable

Phone: (888) 668-4288

Fax: (905) 374-3796 www.dupreeproducts.com

Walter Sturdivant and Paul Soubry

Ian Macpherson

Frank Di Giacomo

Prevost Celebrates 100 Years

Part I

by Larry Plachno

In 2024 Prevost celebrates a very special anniversary – 100 years of building buses. These two buses show how much Prevost buses have changed over a century The little green bus named Clarisse, is a hand-built reproduction of the first Prevost bus built in 1924 while the adjacent H3-45 coach is the flagship of today’s Prevost product line. PREVOST

Because of the length of this article, we will present it in two parts This first section covers from the founding of the company to adding the Volvo 9700 to the product line in 2009 The second and final part will cover from then to current activities

Prevost celebrates a major anniversary in 2024, marking 100 years from the production of their first bus. Founded and still located in Ste-Claire, Quebec, Prevost came perilously close to closing its doors in the 1950s in the face of competition from the General Motors PD4104 and Scenicruiser However, the company not only survived but also went on to become a major player in the production of intercity coaches for North America and today is part of the Volvo Group.

S t e - C l a i re i s o n l y a b o u t 2 3 a e r i a l m i l e s southeast of Quebec City and less than 50 miles from the border with Maine A Frenchspeaking rural community with a population of a little more than 3,000, Ste-Claire is located on the Etchemin River in a hilly area Some of the early Prevost facilities still exist i n t h e t o w n w i t h t h e n e w e r B o u l e v a r d

Gagnon plant located on a hill overlooking t h e c o m m u n i t y P re v o s t i s t h e o l d e s t a n d largest employer in the area

The company is named after its founder, Eugène Prévost, who was born in 1899 In 1919, at the age of 20, Prévost went into the woodworking and furniture business and b u i l t a t w o - s t o r y b u i l d i n g i n S t e - C l a i re t o house his operation. He originally became known for his specialty wooden furniture that included school desks, church pews and office furniture

Looking back, Eugène Prévost’s involvement in buses happened by chance but would have a major impact on the future of the company. In 1922, the late Georges Roy of SteClaire purchased the bus line of Guillermette et Dumas that operated a route from Quebec City to Levis, St Henri and St Anselme Roy soon extended the route to Ste-Claire

W h e n h e n e e d e d t o e x p a n d h i s f l e e t i n 1924, Roy purchased a Reo chassis and then approached Eugène Prévost to build a bus body on it The resulting bus was built out

of wood with aluminum sheeting Roy was s o p l e a s e d t h a t h e i m m e d i a t e l y o r d e r e d another and Prévost’s reputation as a bus b u i l d e r s p r e a d . I n t h o s e e a r l y y e a

h e buses were built on the second floor of the furniture factory and were wheeled down a ramp at the rear when completed.

While wooden furniture continued as the m o s t i m p o r t a n t b u s i n e s s o f t h e

y, Prévost built approximately one bus a year u n t i l 1 9

increased to as many as five or 10 buses annually The arrival of World War II, which came t

prompted additional orders including some buses for the Royal Canadian Air Force

By the end of World War II, Prévost’s bus building operations had grown and become more sophisticated The transition was made f

built in 1945 Les Ateliers Prevost, Inc was created in 1947 as a separate firm for manufacturing buses. At this same time Prevost began offering its new rear-engine Interur-

ban model in four lengths It looked much like a large clipper and introduced a lower window in the passenger door – something that would become popular with other manufacturers many years later

I n 1 9 4 5 , t h e g ro w i n g b u s i n e s s a l l o w e d Prevost to establish sales agents in Canada outside of Quebec, thus advancing the comp a n y f r o m a p r

d t h e transit market in 1949 with two models: the

one for urban service and the Suburban for longer runs They competed with the contemporary Canadian Car and Brill transits. Prevost also built autos, small trucks, ambulances and similar vehicles

Prevost started the 1950s on a very positive note Production exceeded 100 coaches in 1949, 1950 and 1952 The new Prevocar model was introduced in 1951 It was a luxury coach with double width windows, modern heating and ventilation systems, and an optional diesel

engine It was considered by many to be the most advanced coach built in Canada at that time and did a great deal to establish Prevost as an innovative builder willing to embrace new technology, an attribute that has remained with the company. Originally offered in 37and 41-passenger capacities, a shorter 33-passenger model was added in 1953 Canadian National Defense ordered 100 Prevocars, probably the largest Prevost order at that time

Because of these sales, Prevost became

Canada. In 1954, Prevost discontinued the l

trated on bus building

Motors was easily the largest bus builder in the United States by 1950 Because of their revolutionary PD4104 coach introduced in 1953 and the Scenicruiser the following year, the company ended up with 92 percent of t h e d

increased sales efforts in Canada The U S Department of Justice filed an antitrust suit a g a i n s t G M i n

numerous small bus builders

A

quit a year later Fitzjohn made its last bus in 1958. Mack acquired Beck in 1956 and quit in 1960 It did not help that Trailways was i

products By the end of the decade, the only viable U S intercity coachbuilder remaining

perilously close to being another victim

Following a very good year in 1952,

The first Prevost bus was built in 2024 for Georges Roy who operated a bus line from Prevost’s home town of Ste-Claire to Quebec City. Roy was so pleased that he immediately ordered another bus This photo, along with personal accounts of those who had seen the original bus, were used by the Prévost family to create a handmade reproduction they call Clarisse. PREVOST.

The original wooden furniture business of Eugène Prévost was soon overshadowed by increasing bus production This photo shows early bus production at the earlier building in town in the 1940s and 1950s Some of these buildings are still in use providing parts and assemblies for the newer plant. PREVOST

Eugène Prévost built his first bus in 1924 at the age of 23 He remained at the head of Prevost until 1957 when new ownership stepped in PREVOST

declined in 1954 and only two coaches were built in 1955 A new version of the Prevocar, called the Prevocar II, was introduced in 1954 but failed to stem the decline in sales Prevost encountered financial difficulties in January o f 1 9 5 5 a n d s a l e s d i d n o t i m p ro v e i n 1 9 5 6 w h e n o n l y t h r e e b u s e s w e r

b u i l t M o s t observers expected Prevost to shut their doors and join the other coachbuilders that had quit

New Ownership Steps In Salvation came in 1957 with the purchase a n d r e f

N

r m a n d stepped in as company president replacing Eugène Prévost who had held that position s i n c e t h e f o u n d i n g o f t h e c o m p a n y. W h a t followed was an almost complete rebirth of t h e c o m p a n y W h i l e o n l y a s k e l e t o n s t a ff remained in the production area, fortunately some engineering work had been completed on new models.

In 1957, Prevost introduced a new model known as the LeNormand named after the new majority owner of the company It had silversides and was offered in several sizes with seating for 33, 37, 41 and 45 passengers While the LeNormand offered many of the features of contemporary coaches, it was different in having theater=type seating on a floor that sloped up towards the rear to provide improved passenger visibility.

L o o k i n g f o r a d d i t i o n a l s a l e s , P r e v o s t reentered the transit market in 1956 by offering a somewhat dated cab-over-engine Suburban model. This was followed in 1960 by a new model short bus known as the Travelaire that looked a little like the Flxible Flxette of later years. Newer models with more m o d e r n s t y l i n g a n d r e a r e n g i n e s w e r e offered starting in 1961 However, only 80 transits of various models were produced

In the late 1940s and early 1950s, the most popular Prevost model was their interurban. It looked somewhat lke a large Flxible Clipper and was available in several different sizes This example had originally been built for Murray Hill of Montreal with sightseeing windows in the roof but was operating for Winnipeg Gray Line when photographed in the summer of 1979 ROBERT REDDEN

between 1961 and 1967 As a result, Prevost left the transit market to concentrate on interc

v

successful in following years

styling replaced the LeNormand and spun

1 9 6 2 t o

1 9 6 7 , m a k i n g t h e P re v o s t b r a n d i n c re a si n g l y p o p u l a r O n e o f t h e l a s t b u i l t w a s a three-axle, 40-foot Panoramique for Autob u s D e s h a i re s t h a t e ff e c t i v e l y b e c a m e t h e f i r s t 4 0 - f o o t c o a c h b u i l t f o r a n o p e r a t o r

o t h e r t h a n G r e y h o u n d a n d Tr a i l w a y s .

U n f o r t u n a t e l y, E u g è n e P r é v o s t p a s s e d a w a y o n F e b r u a r y 2 , 1 9 6 5 , j u s t p r i o r t o a m a j o r m o v e f o r w a rd

The introduction of Prevost’s TS-47 models brought the company to a new level A new Panorama model was introduced in 1968 by adding huge p

s renamed the Prestige and went on to become the most popular Prevost model of the early 1970s This one belonged to Jefferson Lines and was photographed at their Kansas City facility in 1980. ROBERT REDDEN.

New TS-47 Models

P r e v o s t l e d t h e m o v e m e n t t o 4 0 - f o o t coaches for the general coach industry by i n t r o d u c i n g t h e i r 4 0 - f o o t S u p e r

Panoramique in 1966 – beating the MC-7 and PD4903 by two years This became the start of what Prevost called their TS-47 models with a length of 40 feet and a width of 96 i n c h e s T h e S u p e r P a n o r a m i q u e w a s re n a m e d t h e C h a m p i o n a n d e

duction in 1967 It is noteworthy that Some r s e t B

bringing Prevost into the U S market

D

Campbell and Andre Normand acquired the

The new LeMirage model went into production in 1977 and soon became Prevost’s most popular model for seated coaches as well as for conversion shells It continued the huge side windows of the Prestige but added a high windshield to give the coach somewhat of a hint of European styling. T h i s e

tographed in August of 1981. ROBERT REDDEN.

G o u r d e a u , w h o h a d p u r c h a s e d t h e Laflamme stock in 1966 Andre Normand

t o o k o v e r a s p re s i d e n t o f P re v o s t i n 1 9 6 9 , becoming the third president since the company built its first bus He is credited with i m p r o v i n g t h e T S - 4 7 p r o d u c t l i n e a n d expanding the company

Both Harbison and Campbell were members of the Family Motor Coach Association ( F M C A ) H a r b i s o n w a s a B l u e b i rd d e a l e r a n d w a s a l s o i n v o l v e d w i t h t h e N a t i o n a l Motorhome vehicle This influenced Prevost to build conversion shells in the following years The first Champion conversion shell was built in 1970

Murray Hill requested a unique model for their sightseeing business so the Prevost engineers took the basic TS-47 concept replaced the “new look” windows wit G M w i n d s h i e l d s m o u n t e d o n e n d , providing huge passenger windows that curved into the roof This gave the coach a European look although it retained a similar front end to the C h a m p i o n O r i g i n a l l y d e l i v e re d i n 1 9 6 8 , t h i s m o d e l w a s c a l l e d t h Panorama and was initially exclusiv Murray Hill It was renamed the Prestige in 1973 after it became available to other U.S. and Canadian operators

While earlier Prevost coaches had been o f f e r e d a s m o t o r h o m e s h e l l s , i t w a s t h e LeMirage that pushed Prevost into the big time. Both a 35-foot and a 40-foot shell were displayed at the Family Motor Coach Association’s 18th convention in Sioux Falls in the summer of 1978 Orders poured in and by February of 1980, Prevost private coach o w n e r s o f f i c i a l l y c h a r t e r e d t h e P r e v o s t Proud Chapter of the Family Motor Coach Association

It soon became obvious that Prevost production was failing to keep up with orders because some of the facilities in Ste-Claire were cramped and portions were more than 50 years old. On May 30, 1981, Prevost held

Marathon model, essentially a “bread-andbutter” version of the TS-47 family for scheduled service Prevost moved to the new 102inch width in 1984 and the LeMirage became known as the XL A sightseeing version with ro o f s i g h t s e e i n g w i n d o w s , k n o w n a s t h e A s t r a l , w a s o f f e r e d i n 1 9 8 5 a s a d i s t

model In later years a similar arrangement w a

model

The “H” Series

Prevost’s impressive H series of coaches can be traced back to a study by the Canadi a n a n d Q

1970s The Montreal-Ottawa-Toronto triangle corridor has the heaviest intercity traffic in all of Canada A high-level Neoplan articulated coach was imported and equipped t e s t i n g a n

P r e v o s t e n g i n e e r s n e x t m o v e d i n t h e o b v i o u s d i r e c t i o n a n d t o o k t h e P r e s t i g e model, retained the tall side windows but m o v e d f r o m n i n e w i n d o w s t o t e n , t h e n restyled the front end with a matching tall w i n d s h i e l d a n d a f l a t r o o f . C a l l e d t h e LeMirage, this new model was introduced in 1976 and put into production in 1977. It w a s a n i m m e d i a t e s u c c e s s f o r t o u r a n d h i g h e r - c l a s s c h a r t e r s e r v i c e a n d s o o n

b e c a m e P r e v o s t ’ s m o s t p o p u l a r m o d e l . S o m e w o u l d a rg u e t h a t w h i l e t h i s m o d e l

h a s g o n e t h r o u g h m a n y c h a n g e s a n d u p g r a d e s

into Prevost’s X3-45 model today

Boulevard Gagnon Coach Manufacturing Plant located on a hill overlooking Ste-Claire on a 2,000,000-square-foot site The original plant had 90,000 square feet under roof and d

instead of a straight-through assembly line, it was built around “transporters,” which are similar to railroad transfer tables. This allowed the commercial coaches and conv

assembly stations that would not be possible with a conventional straight assembly line

. I

w a s perated both empty and with equivalent passenger weight in these corr i d o r s t o s e e w h e t h e r a r t i c u l a t e d c o a c h e s c o u l d b e u s e d i n h a r s h Canadian winters.

Prevost was selected to build the oach resulting from these tests that also ded new technology and systems The resulting Prevost H5-60 prototype emerged i n l a t e 1 9 8 5 I t w a s 6 0 f e e t l o n g , s e a t e d 7 2 passengers, had five axles with single tires and was powered by an underfloor 8V-92TA engine in the front section Regular production started in 1987 and continued for a few years. It became the only production articulated coach model built in North America

Eventually, the new design, technology and systems of the H series became available in additional models. Introduced early in 1990, the second model of the H series was the H3-40, offered as a high-quality charter a n d t o u r c o a c h . I t h a d a l e n g t h o f 4 0 f e e t , three axles with duals on the second axle, and all the design and technology of the H series. It quickly became a favorite coach for higher quality charter and tour service

Bus Trader / June, 2024 • 23

Increasing orders prompted Prevost to build their modern new Boulevard Gagnon coach manufacturing facility on a hill overlooking Ste-Claire The formal opening took place on May 30, 1981. This photo was taken in August of 1991 when the NATIONAL BUS TRADER staff came for a visit NBT

In 1969 new management stepped in that took more of an interest in conversion shells By 1980 a Prevost chapter of the Family Motor Coach Association had been formed and Prevost went on to dominate the conversion market This photo was taken at an FMCA event in Albuquerque PREVOST

The first model in the Prevost “H” series was the 60-foot long, five-axle H560 articulated model It was introduced in 1985 with regular production starting in 1987 This example was operated by Annett Bus Lines of Sebring, Florida and was photographed in Washington, D.C. ROBERT REDDEN

P re v o s t m o v e d i n t o t h e 4 5 - f o o t l e n g t h

i n s t a g e s I n 1 9 9 3 , P r e v o s t o f f e r e d t h e

L e M i r a g e X L i n t w o d i ff e re n t c o n v e r s i o n shell configurations A 45-foot motor home

s h e l l h a d a s h o r t e r w h e e l b a s e , a b e t t e r

t u r n i n g r a d i u s b u t l e s s u n d e r f l o o r s p a c e .

A c o m p a n i o n E n t e r t a i n e r v e r s i o n h a d a

l o n g e r w h e e l b a s e a n d m o r e u n d e r f l o o r

s p a c e

I n J a n u a r y o f 1 9 9 4 , P re v o s t i n t ro d u c e d the third model in their H series as the H34 5 A c o n v e r s i o n s h e l l v e r s i o n b e c a m e

a v a i l a b l e i n J u n e o f 1 9 9 4 a n d b e c a m e

k n o w n a s t h e V I P I n t h e f o l l o w i n g y e a r,

1 9 9 5 , a c o m m e rc i a l s e a t e d v e r s i o n o f t h e

L e M i r a g e X L b e c a m e a v a i l a b l e i n t h e 4 5 -

f o o t l e n g t h A t t h a t s a m e t i m e , P r e v o s t

c h a n g e d t h e p re v i o u s H 3 - 4 0 m o d e l t o t h e

n e w H 3 - 4 1 m o d e l w i t h a l e n g t h o f 4 1 f e e t to take advantage of Canadian regulations

Volvo Steps In Volvo Group from Sweden and Henly’s from the United Kingdom purchased Pre-

In following years the “H” series was offered in different lengths with the H3-45 45-foot version becoming the most popular It quickly became well liked on higher class charters and tours This example showed some of the improvements that were introduced on the H3-45 in 2011. PREVOST

vost from Normand, Harbison and Campbell in 1995 Following some financial diffic u l t i e s , H e n l y ’ s d r o p p e d o u t a n d Vo l v o assumed total ownership of Prevost in 2004 Since then Prevost has had the support of the big Volvo organization that has fostered improvements, offered state-of-the-art systems and both the Volvo engine and model improvements

N o t e w o r t h y a c h i e v e m e n t s i n t h i s period include the introduction of framel e s s w i n d o w s i n 1 9 9 7 , i m

I n 2002, Prevost introduced an exclusive and interchangeable wheelchair lift that could be installed on any lift-ready Prevost The lift could be easily installed as needed but o t h

a g e capacity In 2005, Prevost introduced a new multiplex system that led the way to other system developments.

The traditional Prevost LeMirage model went through some extensive improvements

at this time It became known as the XL in 1984 when it was improved and widened to the new 102-inch width. A facelift in 2000 along with major improvements including more stainless steel resulted in a renaming to the XL II.

Another series of improvements came in 2 0 0 6

Motorcoach Association (UMA) Motorcoach Expo in January in Tampa. In keeping with the same model numbering scheme as the H3-41 and H3-45, this new model was called the X3-45. Features included Prevost’s Indep

longer wheelbase with increased underfloor storage area

In 2010, Prevost introduced a Commuter

major contract came from MTA New York City Transit

model and renamed it the X3-45 to match

fleets of Greyhound

r s while serving as the b a s i s f o r P r e v o s t ’s n e w c o m m u t e r coach This example w a s o p e r a t e d b y G r e y h o u n d L i n e s a n d w a s p h o t o -

g r a p h e d i n M a y o f

2 0 1 1 o n We s t 4 1 s t S t r e e t i n N e w Yo r k City. J.C. REBIS JR.

D e p e n d i n g o n h o w y o u d e f i n e i t , t h e L e M i r a g e , X L , X L I I a n d X 3 - 4 5 s e r i e s h a s been called the longest running model in the coach industry by many Granted, both the s i z e a n d s y s t e m s h a v e c h a n g e d o v e r t h e y e a r s , b u t c o m m o n t h re a d s ru n f ro m o n e version to the next.

Prevost’s H3-41 and H3-45 models have a l s o h a d m a j o r i m p r o v e m e n t s i n r e c e n t years In 2002, a major facelift for the H-series models was introduced at the UMA Motorcoach Expo held in Indianapolis Another r o u n d o f i m p r o v e m e n t s f o r t h e H - s e r i e s coaches came in 2009 and was introduced at the UMA Motorcoach Expo in Orlando

The H3-45 has been the most popular hightech charter and tour coach on the market for several years

Reduction) engine with the 2010 Environmental Protection Agency regulations. The Vo

powershift transmission

Volvo’s 9700 model is the newest addition to the Prevost product line Originally

introduced by Volvo in Europe in 2001, the 9 7 0 0 b e c a m e i

charter and tour coach A Mexican version of the 9700 went into production at Volvo’s p l a n t n e a r M e

January of 2009 It comes with a Volvo D13 e n g i n e

The Prevost anniversary story will continue o n w i

h P a r t I I i

where we left off and continue on to current developments and achievements q

Electrifying Your Fleet

ABC Compa nies’ Guide to Sea mless Integ ration

As t h e l a r g e s t i n d e p e n d e n t m o t o rcoach dealer in North America, ABC Companies has positioned itself at the forefront of the transportation sector ’s

s h i f t t o w a rd s u s t a i n a b i l i t y T h e c o m p a n y embarked on its electric vehicle (EV) journey more than three years ago, aiming to support its extensive network of more than 3,000 private and public customers across the United States and Canada With a diverse range of commercial vehicles for eight to 81 passengers, ABC Companies’ venture into the EV space was strategic and essential This move was driven by the recognition of the unique needs of its clientele and the intricate landscape of suppliers within the EV ecosystem

I n t h e r a p i d l y e v o l v i n g t r a n s p o r t a t i o n landscape, the shift towards EV is not just a trend but for many ABC customers, a necessary step toward sustainability and operational efficiency ABC Companies is at the forefront of this transition, having recently u n v e i l e d N o r t h A m e r i c a ’ s l a rg e

motorcoach charging facility in Newark, California This landmark initiative underscores the importance of a well-thought-out strategy for fleet electrification, encompassing several key areas from assessing fleet needs to infrastructure and financial readiness and strategic planning.

ABC’s Fleet Electrification Services

ABC Companies’ entry into electric transportation highlighted the diversity of customer needs and the complexities within the EV supplier ecosystem, driving the creation of their Fleet Electrification Services (FES) Tailored to simplify the electrification process, FES focuses on delivering a comprehensive suite of vehicle selection services, while ensuring the scalability of solutions to match each fleet’s size and stage in the EV transition This strategic approach has not only transformed the market, resulting in recent annualized sales accounting for as much as 20 percent of t ot a l

e d ABC with valuable insights These insights further

solidify their dedication to supporting both private and public sectors on their journey towards electrification

“Our fleet electrification services are built on simplicity, affordability and scalability for the operator We recognize the vast array of vehicles now available, allowing for the customer to select tailored solutions based on specific needs For instance, those seeking an entry point with minimal initial investment could begin with a cutaway shuttle requiring less training for drivers and technicians and presenting lower vehicle and infrastructure costs,” said Thom Peebles, vice president of marketing at ABC Companies

Vehicle Utilization and Mileage Considerations

Helping the customer to understand the daily and annual mileage of a fleet is essential in assessing the viability of electric vehicles. ABC Companies offers valuable data

Thinking of moving into battery-electric buses? Unlike diesel buses, electric buses are more complex and one size will not fit all ABC Companies, who has been there and done that, offers this guide to seamless integration to assist you into electrifying your fleet.

coaches, encompassing both double and single decks, maintain an average total range c a p a b i l i t y o f 2 4 0 - 2 8 0 m i l e s u n d e r t y p i c a l operation, with an energy consumption of a p p ro x i m a t e l y 2 t o 2 . 5 k W h p e r m i l e . T h e Van Hool CX/TDX models feature a total

u s a b l e b a t t e r y c a p a c i t y o f u p t o 6 1 3 k W, achieving full recharge in under five hours with a 150kWh DC fast charging connection

The average kW/mile emerges as a critical criterion for vehicle selection, ensuring the m o d e l s c h o s e n c a n e f f e c t i v e l y m e e t t h e demands of various routes, from heavy-duty motorcoaches to lighter cutaway vans and s h u t t l e s A B C C o m p a n i e s a p p l i e s i t s v a s t field experience to help customers analyze fleet operational patterns, aiding in the identification of the most appropriate EV utilization model. Whether the requirement is for

f u l l - s i z e s i n g l e o r d o u b l e - d e c k m o t o rc o a c h e s , o r m o re c o m p a c t c u t a w a y s a n d shuttles, this methodical approach matches the selection of vehicles that satisfy mileage d e m a n d s w h i l e o p t i m i z i n g e n e r g y c o nsumption

Customer Requirements and Contracts

T h e j o u r n e y t o w a r d s e l e c t r i f i c a t i o n

b e g i n s w i t h a t h o r o u g h r e v i e w o f b o t h internal needs and customer requirements

E V s , d e s p i t e t h e i r h i g h e r i n i t i a l p u rc h a s e costs compared to traditional vehicles, offer s i g n i f i c a n t l o n g - t e

t o t a l c o s t o f o w n e r s h i p o v e r t i m e . T h e re

a r e m a n y s u p p l e m e n t a r y f u n d i n g p r ograms designed to offset the costs between e l e c t r i c a n d d i e s e l , i n c l u d i n g t h e c o s t o f infrastructure, making early adoption often advantageous due to the first-come, firsts e r v e d n a t u re o f m a n y g o v e r n m e n t - s p ec i f i c s u b s i d y p r o g r a m s E n g a g i n g w i t h governmental bodies, industry associations and local utilities is essential for navigating the evolving landscape of available funding and resources for EVs A critical aspect of this process is understanding the landscape of financial support for EVs, necessitating familiarity with the eligibility crit e r i a a c r o s s v a r i o u s o r g a n i z a t i o n s a n d l e v e l s o f g o v e r n m e n t , f r o m l o c a l a n d regional utilities to state and national gove r n m e n t s , a m i d s t g r o w i n g p a s s e n g e r d e m a n d f o r s u s t a i n a b l e t r a n s p o r t a t i o n options Organizations such as ABC Comp a n i e s a re d e d i c a t e d t o f a c i l i t a t i n g t h e s e i n t e r a c t i o n s , a i m i n g t o i n f l u e n c e p o l i c y, a n d s e c u r i n g s u p p o r t f o r f l e e t e l e c t r i f i c ation efforts.

Charging Infrastructure

ABC Companies partners with leading m a n u f a c t u re r s a n d t e c h n o l o g y p ro v i d e r s to offer a variety of charging solutions tail o re d f o r t h e d i v e r s e n e e d s o f f l e e t o p e r a -

t i o n s F ro m o v e r n i g h t d e p o t c h a rg i n g t o e n r o u t e o p p o r t u n i t y - b a s e d c h a r g i n g ,

A B C ' s o ff e r i n g s i n c l u d e s o l u t i o n s f o r a n y

E V f l e e t , u p t o 1 5 0 k W h D C f a s t c h a rg i n g

s t a n d a l o n e u n i t s w h i l e e m p h a s i z i n g e ff ic i e n c y a n d s c a l a b i l i t y

Diesel buses can pretty much be used anywhere regardless of the type of operation, miles travelled and desired range. With electric buses you need an expert to guide you through the complexity of decisions and alternatives The Van Hool coach shown here was originally built as a diesel bus but was repowered to electric by ABC Companies

Investing in Telematics and Training

Leveraging telematics offers a compreh e n s i v e i n s i g h t i n t o t h e o p e r a t i o n a l p a tterns of fleets, guiding decisions on vehicle s e l e c t i o n , c h a r g i n g s c h e d u l e s a n d r o u t e o p t i m i z a

i f i c

n A B C C o mpanies’ telematic-equipped vehicles, havi n g

n total electric vehicle mileage, transmit data e

and vehi-

e u t i l i z a t i o n B e y o n d a d o p t i n g t e c h n o lo g y, A B C C o m p a n i e s e m p h a s i z e s t h

in across the organization is crucial, aiming to enhance factual awareness and engagem

The charging infrastructure for a fleet of electric buses can get a lot more complex than a diesel fuel tank and a pump There are numerous charging alternatives and it helps to have an expert to guide you through. ABC Companies has experience and expert staff who can answer questions and point you in the right direction

customers on electric vehicles helps ensure that they are adequately prepared for new challenges. This comprehensive approach

e n s u r e s a s m o o t h t r a n

mizes the efficiency of electric vehicle integ r a t

Plan the work, work the plan

To successfully navigate fleet electrification versus current and evolving needs, it is critical for customers to evaluate the maturity of current EV offerings, infrastructure re

point the ideal timing for transition Forming

A key part of a successful electric bus fleet is onboarding and training. It helps a great deal if your staff is properly trained in the new equipment and can relate to customers and answer their questions ABC Companies can provide this training and bring your staff up to speed.

partnerships with reliable experienced suppliers and infrastructure developers is essent

detailed plan is necessary, covering everything from vehicle selection to infrastructure setup, pilot initiatives, training and onboardi

adapt to new developments and outcomes in the EV domain Maintaining open communication with customers, employees and industry peers is indispensable, as it helps gather valuable insights, build support and address potential hurdles, ultimately guiding fleet managers through the electrification process toward a sustainable and efficient operation future.

Looking ahead

With its extensive expertise in Fleet Elect

emerges as a crucial partner for customers looking to navigate the complexities of integrating electric vehicles into their existing

services, ABC equips customers with all the essential tools and knowledge for a successful transition towards electrification. Boasting a notable history of market transformat

innovation, ABC Companies positions itself as the ideal partner for customers embarking on the electrification journey, providing unwavering support at every stage of their mobility evolution q

Time flies when you visit the National Air and Space Museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Northern Virginia. Explore the Museum’s vast and iconic collection, and you’ll feel like you’ve earned your wings. Free admission, parking $15.

As tensions grew between the colonies and Great Britain in the 1770s, Virg i n i a h e l d a s e r i e s o f m e e t i n g s t o

o r g a n i z e i t s p r o t e s t s a g a i n s t t h e m o t h e r country. In March of 1775, the Second Virginia Convention was held at what was then called Henrico Parish Church, now St John’s Church, in Richmond, Virginia. There, on March 23, 1775, Patrick Henry lit the spark of the American Revolution with his famous words, “Give me liberty or give me death!”

Designated a National Historic Landmark in 1966, St John’s Church is a well-loved destination for more than 30,000 worldwide visitors annually. A beacon of liberty, a shrine to self-government and independence, and a n a c t i v e c h u rc h s i n c e 1 7 4 1 , S t J o h n ’ s i s a unique stop on the Road to Revolution trail, halfway between Colonial Williamsburg and Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello

H e n r y ’ s “ G i v e m e l i b e r t y o r g i v e m e death!” speech has been called one of the 10 greatest speeches in American history, alongs i d e A b r a h a m L i n c o l n ’ s “ G e t t y s b u r g Address,” Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech, and John F Kennedy’s 1961 I n a u g u r a l A d d re s s W h y i s t h e s p e e c h s o important to our American story? Let’s consider the events that led up to March 1775

F o l l o w i n g t h e B o s t o n Te a P a r t y o n December 16, 1773 (when 342 chests of tea w e re t h ro w n i n t o B o s t o n H a r b o r ) , G re a t Britain passed the Coercive Acts, typically called the Intolerable Acts in the colonies This series of laws, which punished Massac h u s e t t s s e v e r e l y f o r i t s d e fi a n t a c t i o n , included The Boston Port Act which would close Boston Harbor on June 1 of 1774, stripping the merchant colony of its livelihood

H e a r i n g a b o u t t h e p u n i t i v e a c t i o n s i n Massachusetts, the legislative body of Virg i n i a ( c a l l e d t h e H o u s e o f B u r g e s s e s ) adopted resolutions in support of the Boston colonists. Lord Dunmore, Virginia’s royal governor, disapproved of this public support of the traitors in Boston and in turn dissolved t h e Vi rg i n i a A s s e m b l y. T h i s s t r i p p e d t h e House of Burgesses of its legal authority and f o r b a d e i t t o m e e t o r t o l e g i s l a t e T h e burgesses, also defiant, assembled anyway –five times in the next two years – in a series of meetings called the Virginia Conventions.

The First Virginia Convention was held in Williamsburg in August 1774 (the royal governor was out of town) The second, in March of 1775, met in the frontier town of R i c h m o n d a b o u t 5 0 m i l e s w e s t , t w o d a y s away on horseback from the governor and his troops back in Williamsburg. The Henrico Parish Church (now St John’s) was the o n l y b u i l d i n g w e s t o f Wi l l i a m s b u rg l a rg e enough to accommodate the ~120 delegates attending It did not hurt that the rector of t h e c h u r c h , R e v e r e n d M i l e s S e l d e n , w a s sympathetic to the delegates’ cause.

Speech Celebrates Its 250th Anniversary

St John’s Church, Richmond, Virginia

The convention lasted until March 27 On March 23, the fourth day of the convention, Henry introduced three resolutions, the third o f w h i c h w a s t h e m o s t p ro v o c a t i v e – a n d dangerous – calling for the creation, arming and training of a militia to defend Virginia a g a i n s t w h a t h e s a w a s i m m i n e n t a g g re ssions from the mother country

Immediately the room filled with shouts Vi g o ro u s d e b a t e e n s u e d a m o n g t h e d e l egates. Would this step invite war with the mother country, or was war already here? Henry argued that the colonials had spent 10 years pleading with the ministry to recognize their rights as Englishmen to no avail, and to recognize that the presence of British armies and navies was an act of hostility. He warned them that it was time for action and that peace was no longer an option. “Gentlemen may cry, peace, peace‚ but there is no peace The war is actually begun Henry t h e n s p o k e , “ F o r b i d i t , A l m i g h t y G o d ! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!”

H e n r y ' s p r o p h e c y c a m e t r u e , 2 7 d a y s later on April 19, 1775, when shots were fired on the plains of Lexington and Concord in Massachusetts, marking the start of the Revolutionary War By summer, George Washington was in Boston commanding a newly designated Continental Army The War for Independence had indeed begun.

O n M a r c h 2 3 , 2 0 2 5 , P a t r i c k H e n r y ’ s speech will celebrate its 250th anniversary, and the St John’s Church Foundation, the nonprofit organization that operates the historic site, is planning a series of celebrations to commemorate the speech that will make our nation proud. Historical reenactments of the speech – featuring nine professional actors in 1700’s costumes – occur every Sund a y f ro m M

D

2024 and 2025, and group tours of St John’s Church led by a costumed interpreter can be booked in advance.

St. John’s Church is fully accessible and features a Visitor Center with Patrick Henry memorabilia for sale St John’s is conveniently located off of interstates 95 and 64.

Visit HistoricStJohnsChurch org or phone (804) 649-3094 for more information and/or ticketing q

The room again broke into cries, This is treason! We must fight! The President called the room to order and a vote on Henry’s resolutions were taken Though they passed by a n a r ro w m a rg i n , H e n r y h a d c o n v i n c e d a majority of the delegates that it was time to prepare for war The news of Virginia’s vote to arm spread throughout the colonies. Massachusetts knew that Virginia had their back, t h a t t h e y w e r e n o t a l o n e O t h e r c o l o n i e s looked to Virginia to see what they should do Liberty or Death became a rallying cry

A Tribute to Tom Collins

by Dave Millhouser

Tom Collins might be the bus version of a “Man for all Seasons.”

In September of 1960 he first slid into the driver ’s seat of a C-36 Brill transit bus and b

u s industry that did not wind down until 2023.

The Brill belonged to Conestoga Transportation, a company that provided every facet of bus service to Collins’ hometown of Lan-

caster, Pennsylvania As a result, he rapidly gained experience and responsibility in transit, commuter, scheduled service and charter services, and was quickly promoted to “operations.” That wide variety of experience served him well over the coming decades

30 • National Bus Trader / June, 2024

Tom Collins spent most of his life in the bus industry – working for both private and public operations. In addition he served as president of the Museum of Bus Transportation from 2001 to 2017 Taken in November of 2007, this photo shows Collins in the grey suit accepting the donation of “Little Spike,” a 1946 GM PDA 3703, for the Museum. On the left are Spike and Amanda Michaud while Jim Michaud is on the right. MOBT.

O v e r t h e n e x t 6 0 - p l u s y e a r s C o l l i n s ’ c a re e r i n c l u d e d i n c re a s i n g l y re s p o n s i b l e

m a n a g e m e n t s t i n t s i n b o t h t h e p u b l i c a n d private sectors of the bus business He was a key player at a number of companies that w e re s y n o n y m o u s w i t h f i r s t r a t e s e r v i c e during great times for the industry, includi n g S a f e w a y Tr a i l s , C a r l R . B i e b e r To u rways, Trans-Bridge Lines and Martz Gold L i n e

Collins made the move to the public sect o r i n Yo r k P e n n s y l v a n i a , a n d t h e n o n t o SEPTA in Philadelphia, where he served full time from 1985 to 2006, and part time until 2023. He managed to shoe horn in some contract work for CAT in Harrisburg

A n u m b e r o f p e o p l e h a v e h a d d i s t i nguished careers in private sector coaches, a n d m a n y i n p u b l i c s e c t o r t r a n s i t . To m Collins is one of the very few who has made his mark in both

I n t h e m i d s t o f a l l t h i s , i n 1 9 9 7 D i c k Maguire, one of the Museum of Bus Transportation founders and benefactors, asked Collins to be on the board Maguire was an i c o n i n t h e t r a n s p o r t a t i o n i n d u s t r y a n d owned Capitol Trailways

When Maguire passed away in 2001 the board elected Collins as president – a posit i o n h e h e l d u n t i l 2 0 1 7 D u r i n g t h a t t i m e u n d e r h i s l e a d e r s h i p , t h e m u s e u m p u rchased the George Sage Annex in Hummels t o w n t o s t o r e t h e a n t i q u e b u s f l e e t a n d r e n t e d f l o o r s p a c e i

A Museum

T h i s e x h i b i t , i n w h a t i s n o w A m e r i c a s Transportation Experience, is the only antique b

the public year-round

Spring Fling, the museum’s signature annual event for bus enthusiasts, grew to an average attendance of more than 500.

B

, h i s t o r i a n s a n d enthusiasts all owe Collins a huge debt for

his hard work in preserving the history of bus transportation

Few, if any, have dedicated so many seasons to both the industry and preserving its history q

Regulations and Enforcement

by Dave Millhouser

In t h e s u m m e r o f 1 9 7 6 I e m b a r k e d o n a mission. The bus sales company I worked for handed me a one-way plane ticket to Fayetteville, North Carolina, told me an FBI Agent would meet me, and take me to repossess a coach that had been stolen The FBI had f o u n d a 4 1 0 4 t h a t h a d b e e n s n a t c h e d f ro m our facility, and been sold to an unsuspecting Indian tribe's Gospel Group in Lumberton, North Carolina.

Folks – you can not make this stuff up

A p p a r e n t l y m y c h i e f q u a l i f i c a t i o n f o r t h i s m i s s i o n w a s a u n i q u e c o m b i n a t i o n o f y o u t h f u l n a i v e t y a n d i g n o r a n c e I l e a p e d into the driver ’s seat, fired up that 20-yearo l d j e w e l a n d d ro v e i t 5 0 0 m i l e s o n I n t e rs t a t e 9 5 , t h ro u g h t h re e m a j o r c i t i e s , t o t h e office in New Jersey Bear in mind, this was a c o a c h t h a t w a s l i s t e d i n t h e F B I ' s c o mp u t e r a s s t o l e n , h a d n o l i c e n s e p l a t e s , n o

inspection or fuel stickers and a decorative c o a t i n g o f d i r t . D i d I m e n t i o n – n o l o g b o o k ?

I never thought about what would happen if law enforcement took a look at me

There are tons of laws and regulations out there, and every time there is a visible incident, folks agitate for more. Maybe if we had fewer rules and enforced them

R e c e n t l y B u s & M o t o r c o a c h N e w s r a n a story headlined “Serial bus thief arrested –but remains free.” Boiled down, this gentleman is so determined to operate coaches that h e s t e a l s t h e m r e g u l a r l y, a n d n o o n e h a s found a way to actually put him in jail. Call me naive, but it seems certain that there are l a w s a g a i n s t b u s t h e f t , b u t e n f o r c e m e n t appears lax.

Forget about theft Could there be a safety issue here? Is his logbook filled out properly? How does a bus thief get proper insurance? Wonder how he scores on the FMCSA's Saferbus app? E v e r y t i m e

intended people create new rules that make e

Good operators spend time and money trying to obey regulations that are complex and o

other bad guys just ignore them and do not seem to suffer serious consequences

Recently an Amtrak train derailed while traveling at twice the speed allowed on that particular section of track. Seven people died and more than 200 were injured In addition t o t h e

speeding, at least two alternative, competing

For those who do not know or do not remember, the General Motors PD4104 coach was built from 1953 to 1960 with more than 5,000 produced. It was highly regarded in the industry since it effectively introduced power steering, air conditioning and a restroom This example operated for Capital Trailways of Pennsylvania and is now part of the collection of the Museum of Bus Transportation in Hershey. ROBERT REDDEN.

theories were advanced to prevent this from happening again

T h e u n i o n s u g g e s t s a s e c o n d p e r s o n i n t h e c a b – t o m a k e s u re t h e e n g i n e e r d o e s not speed Other experts point to a system

c a l l e d “ P o s i t i v e Tr a i n C

v e n t

F r o m w h a t

$120,000 per year Admittedly, they probably do not get tips, but this is not chump change They do not have traffic problems, heck, they d

e t h e choo-choo version of gas and brake pedals. It can not be rocket science to read signals and speed limit signs

engineers It is not I suspect that there are s o m e

One questions whether we might be better off with fewer regulations but better enforcement. Excessive regulations have a habit of making operations more difficult and more expensive. This Setra coach was photographed while operating in Tampa along the route of the TECO Streetcar line near the boat docks. DAIMLER/SETRA.

Nope What I am questioning is the poli

sary Do we really need the regulatory version of the mother-in-law back seat driver, o r

Which raises the question – do we need a

do quite well without human intervention

I am trying to make the case that we do n e e d d r i v e r

responsible ones who are paying attention to safety, and what is going on around them, rather than being overwhelmed with technology and rules that are difficult to understand, let alone obey Rules and technology that the bad actors ignore

To

virtually impossible to obey them all. That d

folks, and gives excuses to bad ones Would it not be better if we simplified the regulat

re

?

Since no one will let me drive their locomotive, I am going to take a ride on one of t

wheel, sit in the front seat of the upper deck a

goes left, I will turn right and see how the passengers react q

What would happen if

row of a

with a steering wheel? W

the passengers have? This Van Hool TDX27

Belgium. VAN HOOL

Sur vival and Pr osperity

by Ned Einstein

Just Fare Collection Folly, Waste and Stupidity

I n t h e M a r c h , 2 0 2 0 i n s t a l l m e n t o f

NATIONAL BUS TRADER, I penned a scathing a r t i c l e a b o u t f a r e c o l l e c t i o n ( s e e h t t p s : / / t r a n s a l t c o m / a r t i c l e / d r i v e r s - vrobots-part-8-collecting-the-fares-skimmingthe-passengers/). Like many things in transit, things only and always get worse and worse It is hardly surprising that ridership continues to decline, placing the future of transit at risk of soon disappearing in many parts of the country My most recent experience with the New York City subway system was so exasperating that I felt it worth summarizing the key benchmarks in the history of fare collection

It is hardly surprising that r i d e r s h i p c o n t i n u e s t o decline, placing the future of transit at risk.

The Good Old Days

When the introduction of buses began, car owners were not rare Women drivers were (Keep in mind that American women could not even vote until 1919.) Car owners hardly saturated the population Few people were rich, and most were poor The “middle class” was not even a concept, much less the major force it became for a few decades later in the mid 20th Century Otherwise except for a few years near and after the end of the Roaring Twenties, there was little unemployment, no border crisis, and rent was a pittance Buses were not only necessities in the slowly booming cities, but bus fares were trivial and affordable Coverage was extensive enough to make fixed route transit not only attractive, but profitable (It still is in Japan, where fares cover 160 percent of operating costs )

Do any readers remember this thing we still use occasionally, for certain things, called cash? As even the general public knows, the opportunities to pay cash for many modes of service are gradually disappearing You cannot pay cash to fly Uber or Lyft certainly will not take cash One clearly cannot reserve any mode of transportation in advance with cash It is getting impossible to even use the NYC subway with cash, since the farebox

machines rarely take cash in any form, and most of the live kiosks that did were closed at least a decade ago (Even when you pay with a credit card, you get change in bronze dollar coins – which almost no merchant of any kind will accept as legitimate currency )

Program (the JEP) got underway, cash was used for everything We had plenty of staff to monitor drivers and conductors collecting it (to see that they did not steal it) Lives were

tasks, and most of us had plenty of free time

passenger rail) were happy to accept cash, and take their time making change (Drivers had to exchange lots of dimes for quarters

plenty of staff to collect, count and process these payments Easier than pie, to twist a cliché After the fares were collected, drivers often placed them in wooden boxes with a slit for the coin, and a simple lock for a superv

operating shift The drivers simply carried their fareboxes inside

Jingle, Jangle, Jingle

At some point, some clever transit nudnick dreamt up a farebox For a long while, these were not automatic, or even semi-automatic Drivers accepted cash, made change and tossed the money into the farebox All or most fares were less than $1, so making change was infrequent, and passengers simply threw their coins into the box With fareboxes made mostly of glass, drivers could see the fares, and practically count them, if and when they were interested or cared. In those days, there were few or no discounts of any kind, for almost anyone, on most systems The fares were so moderate, and the extremes of rich and poor far less than today. Operating costs so low, that this was not an issue

the small enclaves of urban cake eaters, fare collection was not problematic The pace of life was slow, and the widespread degree of honesty would be shocking, if not inconceivable, in today’s times. This began to change slowly as a small middle class began to grow, and the disparity between income began to widen In some parts of the country, fare collection by farebox was more challenging. In a few places, it was daunting

During my first year in Washington, D C , where almost all drivers and most passengers were Afro-American, drivers often let passengers (and anyone else) put whatever they wanted into the farebox The most typical set of coins tossed into the farebox, from m y w a t c h i n g i t – m e s m e r i z e d – w a s a nickel and two pennies (the nickel made a louder sound – like a quarter) Frankly, this was a trivial reparation for 250 years of slavery and Jim Crow, and I realized this even back then as a 22-year-old (I usually smiled whenever I noticed this happening ) Many riders, rich or poor, of all races, paid the full fare without a question or a thought

I seem to recall fares being 50 or 75 cents ( k i n d o f s t e e p s i n c e o n e c o u l d t a k e a t a x i f

for 90 cents in the District’s long-since-abandoned “zonal fare structure ” Just the same, I watched numerous passenger toss a nickel a n d a f e w p e n n i e s i n t o t h e f a r e b o x , a n d never once observed a driver challenge this This was a time just after President Johnson rescued fixed-route transit from a diminishing skeleton of the few fat routes with capital assistance (1964) and operating assistance (1967) Not in the transportation business at the time, I did not know about such things. Thinking about it now, transit agencies were v e r i

9 6 7 T h e y likely did not care about the fare skimming I observed in 1969 (during the only semester of law school I attended, that I could stand) Most states and cities treated federal funds like money from Mars

m e parts of the country than others In the neighborhoods of the working poor surrounding

subsidies created (mostly through an explosion of overpaid management), operating assistance did not do much for long By 1977, a mere decade after the introduction of operating assistance, fares covered only about 50 percent of operating costs, nationally. Some cities obviously did much better Until a few years ago, New York City’s “operating ratio”

was 35 percent. Most cities with less density did not fair as well (pun intended)

Token and Taken

To stifle the problem of passengers paying lesser fares, coins begat tokens One had t o b u y a t o k e n a p a r t f r o m t h e v e h i c l e –mostly from stores and common facilities rather than from kiosks. Still with staff available for monitoring (the JEP did not begin until roughly1973, and only limped along until 1980), it was harder or drivers to ignore passenger underpaying for their rides, and fewer passengers tried, since only a single token had to now drop into the farebox A further refinement was a slot into which a t o k e n h a d t o fi t . A s J E P b e g a n u n f o l d i n g , and monitoring began to shrink, the token

w a s a s i g n i fi c a n t a d v a n c e a n d s t i fl e d f a re skimming to a great degree

O f c o u r s e , m a k i n g a n d s e l l i n g “ s l u g s ” was a thriving business, almost a perfect fit for bus ridership and launched a new form

o f c o m p l e t e f a re s k i m m i n g . Ye t t h e u s e o f tokens was an improvement (keep in mind s y s t e m s i n m a n y p a r t s o f t h e c o u n t r y s t i l l took cash, and in a few places, still do today) The use of tokens lasted for quite a while. It was still employed, and a great convenience, w h e n I m o v e d t o M a n h a t t a n i n 1 9 9 7 ; o n e bought a bunch of them, at a discount, from a live Earthling in every subway station’s k i o s k ( T h e s e t o k e n s w e r e n o t u s a b l e o n buses, as this installment can only be so long, I w i l l s k i p s o m e t r a n s i t i o n a l b u s f a r e approaches.)

Along Came Farecards

Automation finally began to catch up with public transportation around the turn of the 21st century, when farecards emerged Such cards partly eliminated the problems of drivers skimming fares – eliminating the counting and processing of cash or tokens. Few pass e n g e r s b o a r d e d w i t h o u t t h e f a r e b o x “processing” their cards (Mostly for tourists, drivers had to explain to these riders how to insert their fare cards.) Further creating more havoc and inconvenience to many passengers, farecards begat farebox dispensing machines – which allowed many cities’ subway systems to begin closing kiosks where live Earthlings could sell farecards in a tenth of the time a passenger could “buy one” from a handful of fare-dispensing machines in every station Of course these machines could not sell passes –although one could purchase the equivalent i f o n e b o u g h t a c o s t l i e r f a r e c a r d Wi t h a machine, there was no provision for buying a disabled or handicapped farecard.

T h e m a c h i n e s c o n s t a n t l y r a n o u t o f c h a n g e ( p a r t i c u l a r l y b i l l s ) T h e n t h e c i t y began to include a $1 surcharge for purchasing a farecard – effectively discriminating against poorer riders who could not amor-

tize these surcharges better against farecards of larger increments (Live personnel selling cards from the few remaining kiosks did not r a c k e t e e

charge – suggesting that the city consider t h e a v a i

y whose use was worthy of an extra dollar )

A b o u t 2 0 y e a r s a g

, w i s h i n g t o b o a r d a PATH train from Hoboken to the old World Trade Center station late at night (a few years before the Taliban blew it up), I had only a $50 bill There were no kiosks, no stores open f

machines that would take bills larger than $20, and nearby saloons’ bartenders too busy t

interest in my explanation of my predicament (the system’s fault) and issued me a ticket requiring my payment of a $50 fine.

crawling through broken glass. Once, after w

address of the single farecard “store” (or outlet) I never got it in the mail, as promised, during the two weeks it should have taken Tr

k s t o t h e MetroCard store, and waiting for another hour, I reached my turn at a desk, where the clerk had to walk upstairs to fetch it After about 15 minutes’ wait, he returned with it – along with an apology that it had arrived an entire month earlier, but the clerk had not g o

y

Hardly offsetting the value of my time, the replacement card actually appeared to contain the balance remaining in the card I had lost – saving me roughly $6 (I was among the city’s elite to have purchased a $20 farecard As the old song goes, “When I walked into the joint, I was a Really Big Spender.”)

As the reader should begin noticing, fare payment got more and more inconvenient and inequitable, particularly for those riders most dependent on it and the least able to afford it Fares are now $2 75 per one-way ride Disabled and elderly can purchase farec

those few stations with kiosks manned by live personnel The PATH system, using the v

counted farecards.

Purchasing these cards was still problematic given the profusion of discount fares, passes and other gimmicks designed pres u m

h e greater use of transit – as if someone without a w e e k l y

l y p a s

w a l k t o work one day a week without it. I recall reading about one transit system with 70 varieties of fares and fare payment options The technology could not remotely keep up with this profusion of fare increments. Many unlucky would-be transit riders either overpaid for their rides, or went to unreasonable lengths to find the variety best suited to provide the best value – if such a would-be rider could even figure it out

By around 2015, when the JEP was in full swing, and I had just reached the age qualifying me for a discount farecard, I was lucky that, when I lost my discount farecard, my o f fi c e i n L o w e r M a n h a t t a n l a y

n l y t w o short blocks away from the only MetroCard “ s t o r e ” i

replenished them Doing so by mail was like

Otherwise, apart from passes which drivers could once again ignore (thereby collecting no fares at all from selective or random passengers), the farecards appeared to at least simplify purchasing rides for, more than likely, the majority of riders (not compared to paying with cash, of course, but a boon to the fortunate more than 40 years into t h e J E P ) I n t h o s e s u b w a y s w h e r e l a w enforcement officers loomed over the turnstiles, jumping them was somewhat risky. T h e n o t i o n t h a t t h e s e o f fi c e r s m i g h t h a v e served the public better by being positioned o n t h e p l a t f o r m s

N

w York City’s subway system. The last time I noted the statistic, 57 passenger were shoved onto the tracks with trains approaching their positions in the stations

As an expert witness, I served on a few cases where, with no train or platform personnel, passengers were stabbed In 2023, the number of muggings, fistfights and other mayhem in the subways had increased to a c

m a n y s u b w a y s

a t i o n

m a n y f o r decades (I remember seeing them operate in Frankfurt in the late 1980s) would show up in a doodle about such a solution in this country, much less as an idea any transit professional might have as a fleeting thought

In 2021, Los Angeles was c o v e r i n g n i n e p e rc e n t o f i t s o p e r a t i n g c o s t s f r o m fares.

We are still only partly along the way to explaining one of the myriad reasons that the National Bus Trader / June, 2024 • 35

Sur

knuckleheads who create transit policies and design dysfunctional and wasteful systems are discouraging riders (and gouging the taxpayers to make up the difference) It is important to note that the decline in transit ridership did not drop out of the sky in one swell swoop (to again malaprop a cliché to avoid using one) Merely noting waste, I recently served as an expert witness involving a southern New Jersey bus system whose route-in-question transported less than one passenger per hour If one might wonder why those in the Heartland hate and loathe the “coastal elite,” one need to look no further than public transit In 2021, Los Angeles was covering nine percent of its operating costs from fares In Japan, as noted, transit system fares cover 160 percent of these costs.

Script to the Unrescue

Apparently farecards – which drivers did not have to touch or even see – were too oldfashioned for our technological capabilities Around the time of my attendance and my l a s t - e v e r A P TA C o n f e r e n c e ( a n d o n l y because it was held in New York City), the theme was technology Technology, technology and more technology: “Here we come to save the day, technology is on its way ” (Excuse my malaprop, once again, from the Theme Song of Mighty Mouse NATIONAL BUS TRADER readers must excuse my cons t a n t re f e re n c e s t o s o n g s A s m i l l e n n i a o f

s l a v e s l e a r n e d , d ru d g e r y h u r t s l e s s w h e n one sings ) Anyway, months after that conf e r e n c e , I h a d t o t r a v e l f r

m m y d o c t o r s o f fi c e a t 3 1 4 1 4 t

S t r e e t ( j u s t w e s t o f 8 t h Av e n u e ) t o U n i o n S q u a r e ( a b o u t t h r e eq u a r t e r o f a m i l e e a s t ) I d e c i d e d t h a t whichever came along first – taxi or bus – I w a s g o i n g t o t a k e i t ( A t t h i s d i s t a n c e , t h e fares would have been similar.)

I soon learned that this approach was not realistic The first vehicle that came along was a bus, and I hopped aboard – only to be told that the driver no longer accepted farecards (which again, he or she did not have to handle, much less “process” in any way) Instead, I had to purchase script from a curbside machine, with my credit card Then, I could board and hand it to the driver, who p re s u m a b l y l o o k e d a t i t t o d i ff e re n t i a t e i t from a receipt from a vape store, or whatever (recreational marijuana was not yet legalized in Manhattan) Of course, to pick a thoroughfare with enough time for a driver to collect the fare in nickels, one could not have chosen a better street that 14th Street, which brilliant former Mayor DeBlasio (yes, the same Bill DeBlasio who decimated the city’s taxi system by permitting 60,000 Ubers into the city without their buying a taxi medallion, worth $1 1 million a couple years earlier) has closed off to automobile traffic – with the exception of TNCs and taxis – in order to speed along t h e p a s s e n g e r s o f t h o s e b u s e s t h a t c a m e along once every five minutes

vival

and Pr osperity

I was able to dissipate my anger during my now-long walk to my destination.

Regardless, not knowing if or when my b u s o r t a x i w a s g o i n g t o a p p e a r fi r s t , I eschewed the purchase of bus script – and decided to walk to my destination As a matter of mental and physical health, this was a f a r b e t t e r

wasting my script if a taxi came along first, s

a s h o r t three-or four-hour period). As a pedestrian, I was able to dissipate my anger during my now-long walk to my destination

Farecards Redux

Swiping farecards apparently caused a wild outbreak of carpal tunnel disease To a d d re s

h i s p ro b l e m ,

re b o x e s w e re reconfigured so that one no longer needed to swipe his or her farecard (although most machines still allow this) Instead, one would now stick one end of his or her credit card (with a faux chip emoji embedded on it) into the machine – and wait for the machine to “recognize” it, subjecting the card bearer to messages like, “Do Not Remove Your Card,” a n d t h e n , “ Yo u H a v e B e e n A p p ro v e d ” o r “Please Remove Card,” or sometimes some form of a rejection – which could usually be cured by reinserting it – or if the would-be passenger were lucky enough to also have a now-obsolete farecard, by swiping it – like the corny old-school cardholders like myself

In mid-March, in New York City for the fi r s t t i m e i n m o n t h s , I w a s u n a b l e t o p u rchase a farecard (my elderly card could not be refilled because there were no kiosks, and a s n o t e d , o n e c o u l d n o t d o t h i s w i t h

accept cash (It told me it was out of bills ) Nor did the one next to it accept cash for the s a m e r

h i n e refused to process a payment with my credit card Watching all this were three transit law e

woman among them sympathized with my situation – I was hardly the only one struggling with one of four machines, although my fellow travelers (more likely still New Yo r k e r s , a s I h

l COVID became the last straw) appeared to have been more skilled or more lucky (not feeling lucky, and not a gambler, I would bet on more skilled).

Regardless, this wonderful, kind women left her colleagues, and literally walked me to the turnstile and taught me that I did not h

were still there, some would-be passengers struggled with them, and three officers were stationed there to help them) Instead, all I had to now do was take out a credit card and tap it on an LED screen on the turnstile and, p re s t o , a d i s p l a y t o l d m e t o “ G o T h ru ” I t was literally that simple

One reading this article should note that it took transit literally a century to reach this point Of course, with constant attempts by the New York Department of Taxation and Finance to scam me – recently by re-submitting two tax notices representing sums that I had clearly paid (by e-filing no less) – I was not pleased to now provide the New York City Transportation Authority with the same means to access – and do whatever it wished – w

way Uber and Lyft use it Regardless, now I will not think twice before taking a subway. Paying for the ride (still, at the full-fare rate, since the system could not deduce my right to pay half-fare from my credit card) because easy – even while scammed out of my ADArequired elderly pass rights

A Ride One

Can Count On

A few months ago, not wishing to drive through Queens, I parked at a familiar nottoo-overpriced lot on Broadway and 184th street – intending to take a taxi to LaGuardia Airport (since some nincompoop attorney for whom I was working, as usual, would be paying for both the taxi and the parking) F

downtown. Unwilling to use any TNC, with no taxis in sight in at least 10 minutes, and not wishing to walk (with two suitcases) to t h e

a shiny new SUV approached me to offer me a ride to the airport (which was my obvious destination after my first errand) He was not an Uber or Lyft driver – although, in fairness to me, having seen hundreds, or perhaps thousands, I have never noticed one e q u i p p e d w i t h t h e U b e r o r Ly f t l o g o – o r both combined, since motorists signed up f o r b o t h c a n d r i v e r a l t e r n a t e l y f o r b o t h . I asked the driver the fare, and he quoted me w i t h i n a f e w d o l l a r s w h a t I k n e w t h e t a x i fares to my final destination to be (He kindly t r a n s p o r

errand, at no extra cost )

riding with a driver unlicensed in any way to provide public transportation of any kind Why would any transportation professional be concerned about this? Those professionals aware of the goings on in the field have probably learned by now of the class action lawsuit in California against more than 100,000 U

dressed adult in a shiny new SUV be?

Afraid to ride in an unauthorized vehicle? Not me I am an expert witness with nearly 700 safety-related lawsuits under my belt I am actually one of few Americans who knows what safe transportation is. With the exception of a few modes – mainly school buses and motorcoaches – I know how and when to get safe transportation It simply does not come with the term “public” in front of it.

Epilogue

More than three decades ago, as the U S business partner of a Slovenian bus and truck manufacturer, TAM Maribor, I noticed one day, while walking through the factory, a line of buses with telephone-booth-size cages built adjacent to the rear doors – where I was told the passengers boarded A similar tight grid blocked off the driver from passengers Surprised, I asked my colleagues what this was about. I was told that, in the African country they were designed for, drivers did not feel safe – and they had driver shortages for different reasons than we do Nor would a “fare collector” feel similarly safe. The cages were designed so that those collecting fares could not be stabbed in order to rob them of the fares they had collected There was no fear of being shot through such a cage that a knife could not be thrust through: How would the shooter then get the fares?

such vehicles In

The opinions expressed in this article are that of the author and do not necessarily represent the opinions of National Bus Trader, Inc or its staff and management. q

Ned Einstein is the president of Transportation Alternatives (www.transalt.com [1]),

Einstein (einstein@transit.com) specializes

Number 306 of a Series

“ T h e C u r i o u s C o a c h o w n e r ” i s a q u e s t i o n a n d a n s w e r c o l u m n t h a t p ro v i d e s s i m p l e a n s w e r s t o s i m p l e q u e s t i o n s t h a t a re t o o shor t to warrant a full ar ticle or inclusion in one of our regular columns We will accept re a s o n a b l y s i m p l e t e c h n i c a l o r h i s t o r i c a l questions on coaches, buses or even conver ted coach shells by letter, fax, e-mail or phone If our staff is unable to answer them, w e w i l l c a l l u p o n o u r p a n e l o f e x p e r t s Names and addresses should be submitted w i t h y o u r q u e s t i o n s , b u t w e w i l l w i t h h o l d n a m e s f r o m p u b l i c a t i o n o n r e q u e s t W e reserve the right to modify questions to make them more useful to our readers

Q Is the r e a n upda te on the Va n H ool bankruptcy and take-over?

–– Several Readers

A We did not do an update on the Van Hool situation this month because there has been very little to report Production is apparently continuing at both Koningshooikt and Macedonia We also have received repor ts that the new owners of the tanker and trailer portion of Van Hool have stepped in

There have been repor ts that ABC Compan i e s a n d V D L h a v e b e e n m e e t i n g b o t h i n Winter Garden, Florida as well as in Europe Their goal is to hammer out an agreement t h a t w i l l c o n t i n u e s a l e s o f c o a c h e s i n t h e United States

While the industry has been looking for comments from VDL on what they plan to do with the Van Hool facilities in the future, we have y e t t o h e a r a n y t h i n g H o w e v e r, V D L d i d release a video on its new facility building electric buses in Roeselare, Belgium

Q . D i d A c a d e m y E x p r e s s g e t a n o t h e r bus contract from NJ Transit?

–– Northeastern Operator

A The NJ Transit Board recently approved a five-year, $85 million contract with Acade m y E x p re s s o f H o b o k e n , N e w J e r s e y t o provide bus service on nine routes in Passaic County This took place in spite of public comments regarding past fraud allegations a g a i n s t A c a d e m y a n d c r i t i c i s m t h a t t h e board had been rubber-stamping too many controversial items recently

Academy and several staff members were accused of billing for thousands of bus trips

The Curious Coachowner

but not providing the service This resulted i n a 2 0 2 2 s e t t

a rd i n g accusations over a six-year period

As a result, Academy had to pay off a $20 5 million settlement The Attor ney General’s Office did confir m that Academy was up to date on their settlement payments but still owed $13 3 million to be paid over the next seven years

It was noted that two years ago Academy had bid on a $57 4 million contract to prov i d e

o n C o u n t y, b u t board members unanimously voted it down Their reason was that they felt that Academy w a s n o t t h e “ l o w e s t re s p o n s i b l e b i d d e r ” They were concer ned that Academy might not uphold the terms of the settlement agreement approved only weeks earlier

The current Passaic bus routes in the contract were previously operated by Community Transpor tation, a subsidiar y of Coach USA However, Community did not bid on t h e ro u t e s t h i s y e a r T h i s l e f t A c a d e m y a s the sole bidder The routes affected include 702, 705, 709, 722, 744, 746,748 and 758

I n re s p o

m m e n t s from the public NJ Transit’s President and CEO Kevin Corbett mentioned that their policy was to “trust but verify ” NJ Transit has m a d e i m p ro v e m e n t s i n i t s a c c o u n t a b i l i

n g technology on buses He said that Academy was an acceptable, creditable bidder and was complying with the regulations There was no reason not to award the contract to them

NJ Transit Spokesman Jim Smith added that NJ Transit confirmed that Academy thus far had satisfied the compliance terms of the settlement agreement This included Academy’s retention of an integrity oversight monitor

The NJ Transit staff noted that there was only a limited pool of private carriers left, par ticularly those with buses and depots

Alabama plant? –– Reader in Alabama

A T h e w o

m

d t h

union on Januar y 31, 2024 They are now represented by IUE-CWA, the industrial divi-

sion of Communications Workers of America In May, the workers reached a tentative agreement with New Flyer that includes pay r a i s e s , c o s t o f l i v i n g a d

increased retirement benefits

New Flyer is one of only two remaining U S c

buses There has been no mention on how this might impact sales and future bus costs

Q . Wi l l r e c e n t d e v e l o p m e n t s w i t h t h e pandemic help the bus industry?

–– Several Readers

A Dr Anthony Fauci apparently lied under oath, and the U S was funding the Wuhan Institute of Virology Add to this numerous questions about the vaccine and the quarantine of the healthy instead of the sick It has even been mentioned that something a

eliminate more than 99 percent of the virus

All of this leaves the gover nment with egg on its face and potentially more responsibility for the problems caused by Covid and pandemic regulations Since the bus industr y w a s a m o n g t h o s e h u r t m o s t b y t h e p a ndemic and its regulations, it might be in a position for some relief or additional compensation It appears too early to see how things will move, but we will be watching this in the future

Q. Why does National Bus Trader include so much foreign news?

–– Several Readers

A Years ago I asked the Late Bill Luke this s a m e q u e s t i o n r e g a r d i n g h i s m a g a z i n e There are a couple of reasons One, is that m a n y o f t h e

d States are built in Europe Two, is that many o f o u r re a d e r s a re i n t e re

m e n t s i n t h e b u s i n d u s t r y

United States

Three, is that the Europeans are ver y good about providing professional news releases and high-res photos Four is that much of what happens in the bus industry in Europe shows up in the United States five years later R i g h t n o w w e s h o u l d n o t e t h a t E u ro p e i s moving towards hydrogen and away from batter y-electric A n s w e r s n o t c re d i t e d t o o t h e r i n d i v i d u a l s are provided by Larr y Plachno q

equipment that may be of special interest to our r eader s Please, include a list explaining what

interesting.

At left: Clarisse is a delightful reproduction of the first Prevost bus built in 1924. It was lovingly hand-built by members of the Prévost family and their helpers. Now on a tour of the U.S. and Canada to celebrate Prevost’s 100th anniversary, i t

Worth facility

Below: This very nice 1947 Flxible Clipper was rebuilt by the staff and friends of the Marian Anderson Rec Center in South Philadelphia. The Monarchs are a travel team and play baseball, soccer a n d b a s k e t b a l l y e a r-

T

e a

e about 1,600 kids at the rec center, but not all are on the team. Plans were to drive to Cooperstown, New York on the last weekend in May for a game

BACK ISSUES

EVERY ISSUE IS NEW UNTIL YOU HAVE READ IT!

NATIONAL BUS TRADER continues to receive requests on the availability of back issues so that readers can either locate desired information or obtain missing issues

While they last, the following back issues are available Issues beginning with June, 1979 thru

c u r r e n t a r e $ 3 – U S , $ 4 5 0 – C a n a d a a n d $ 5 –International (US) each postpaid

Several issues are already “out of print,” hence we suggest that you indicate second choices We

r e s e r v e t h e r i g h t t o r e f u n d m o n e y i f i s s u e s requested are no longer available

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q Vol XXXIX, No 11 October, 2016

q Vol XXXIX, No 12 November, 2016

q Vol XL, No 1 December, 2016

q Vol XL, No 2 January, 2017

q Vol. XL, No. 3 February, 2017

q Vol XL, No 4 March, 2017

q Vol. XXXX, No. 5 April, 2017

q Vol XXXX, No 6 May, 2017

• UMA Motorcoach Expo in St Louis

• The Prize-Winning Aerocoach at the Museum of Bus Transportation

• Rochester City Lines Still Making, Preserving and Celebrating History

q Vol XXXX, No 7 June, 2017

• Industry History From UMA Shows – Installment I

• Extended Service Protection on Your Bus Fleet

• Bus History on a Wall

q Vol XXXX, No 8 July, 2017

• Vicinity – A Mid-Size Bus Success Story

• Prevost Conversion Shells for All Types of Coaches

• The Bus Accident in Red Lion, Delaware

q Vol. XXXX, No. 9 August, 2017

• “J” is for Jackpot with the 2018 J4500

• Industry History from UMA Shows – Installment II

• Book Review

q Vol. XXXX, No. 10 September, 2017

• Propane Continues to be Clean and Economical

• H&L Charter – The Best Comes in Small Packages

• Industry History from UMA Shows – Installment III

q Vol XXXX, No 11 October, 2017

• ABC & Van Hool Celebrate 30 Years

• Taking a Venture in Norfolk

•The Five “No’s” You Must Overcome to Sell Your Bus Business

q Vol XXXX, No 12 November, 2017

• MCI Reliability Rally 2017

• BusCon 2017 in Indianapolis

• Exit Planning Becoming More Complicated for Family-Owned Bus Businesses

q Vol. XXXXI, No. 1 December, 2017

• Complete Coach Works and the Carson Heritage

• The Busboys Vintage Bus Rally in Evansville, Indiana

• Virginia’s Commonwealth Coach and Trolley Museum Ravaged by Fire

• Re-Energizing the North American Diecast Model Bus Scene

q Vol XXXXI, No 2 January, 2018

• Prevost Again Moves Ahead in Support, Service and Parts

• New 2018 J4500 Highlights Busy Season for MCI

• Common Rail Technology and the GHG17 Volvo Engine

q Vol. XXXXI, No. 3 February, 2018

• Walking the Irizar Assembly Line in Ormaiztegi

• Busworld 2017 in Belgium

q Vol XXXXI, No 4 March, 2018

• UMA Motorcoach Expo 2018i

• Van Hool to Build Buses in Eastern Tennessee

• The New MCI D45 CRT LE

q Vol XXXXI, No 5 April, 2018

• Charging Ahead with Electric Buses

• Holiday Tours Puts Customers First

• How Chicago’s “Party Bus” Ordinance is Affecting

Bus Tourism

q Vol XXXXI, No 6 May, 2018

• The CHTC HT45 amd HT35 Coaches

• The Pacific Bus Museum – From Hobby to Formal Museum

• Twenty Tips on Hiring Bus Drivers

• Van Hool Builds Bus Factoryin Morristown, Tennessee

q Vol. XXXXI, No. 7 June, 2018

• MCI Academy Wins Fans Across Industry

• Where are the Buses Built? #1

• The Campaign Bus for the President of the Philippines

• The Penn Highway Transit Company

q Vol XXXXI, No 8 July, 2018

• Farber Continues Custom Coach Traditions

• Prevost’s New Flat Floor Slide-Outs

• Liberty Coach Busch Bus

q Vol XXXXI, No 9 August, 2018

• ZF Components for Electric Buses

• Museum of Bus Transportation Spring Fling Open House Success

• “Friends” of the NJ Heritage Center Takes Eight Vintage Coaches to the 2018 MOBT Spring Fling

q Vol XXXXI, No 10 September, 2018

• Van Hool’s CX35 – Small in Size, Big in Quality

• Diecast Model Buses Impress in a Big Way

• Master ’s Transportation – Where to go to increase your fleet quickly or temporarily

q Vol. XXXXI, No. 11 October, 2018

• ZF Technology Day in Friedrichshafen

• MCI’s 2018 Reliability Rally

• How Will Autonomous Cars Impact the Bus Industry?

q Vol XXXXI, No 12 November, 2018

• Peter Pan Celebrates 85 Years on the Road

• Clean Up Your Fleet with a Bitimec Wash-Bot

q Vol XXXXII, No 1 December, 2018

• Prevost Unveils New Features and New Possibility on the Volvo 9700 at UMA Expo

• MCI’s New J3500 – Small in Size, Big in Features

• The e GO Mover – Filling a Gap in Transportation with ZF Technology

• Giving Buses a Second Life at Complete Coach Works

q Vol. XXXXII, No. 2 January, 2019

• BusCon 2018 in Indianapolis

• Panorama Tours Keeps Things in the Family

• How Will Demand or Congestion Toll Pricing Impact Bus Operations?

q Vol XXXXII, No 3 February, 2019

• Test Driving the New Electric MCI J4500e CHARGE

• Stagecoach Group Sells Coach USA and Coach Canada

• The Story of the Australian Scenicruiser

q Vol XXXXII, No 4 March, 2019

• UMA 2019 Motorcoach Expo in Fort Lauderdale

• Angel Tours Celebrates 20 Years

• The Saga of #5496, a 1937 Yellow Coach Model 733

q Vol XXXXII, No 5 April, 2019

• Buses at the 2019 ABA Marketplace in Louisville

• Are Pre-Owned Coach Sales Declining?

• The Six Levels of Autonomous Vehicles

q Vol XXXXII, No 6 May, 2019

• Temsa North America Inc – Temsa’s Increased Support for the American Market

• MCI Launches Motorcoach Technician Apprenticeship Program

• 2019 Spring Fling Announced

q Vol. XXXXII, No. 7 June, 2019

• Looking Beyond the Driver Shortage to Demography and the Global Economy

• Are the Reasons for Coach Seat Belts Changing?

• The Passengers Left Behind – Take the Accessible Information Test

q Vol. XXXXII, No. 8 July, 2019

• Prevost Motorhome Expo

• Featherlite Luxury Coaches

• Emerald Luxury Coaches Unveils First H3-45 Conversions

• Ten Things to Consider When Choosing a Luxury RV

q Vol XXXXII, No 9 August, 2019

• NFI Group Acquires Alexander Dennis

• Getting the Glow – Take a look inside the “New Look” of Liberty

• Book Review – Chicago Motor Coach

q Vol. XXXXII, No. 10 September, 2019

• The 2019 Spring Fling in Hershey

• Congestion Pricing May Affect Bus Operators

• In the Beginning – The Bus Industry Prior to Regulation in 1935

q Vol XXXXII, No 11 October, 2019

• Proterra Launches Proterra Powered™ Vehicle Electri-

fication Solutions for Commercial Fleets

• Bendix Tech Tips: Avoiding the “Gotchas”

• The “Shorty” Flxibles of Pikes Peak

q Vol XXXXII, No 12 November, 2019

• 30 Years of Foxy Travel & FTI Coach

• Fleet Graphics is an Art at ABC Companies

• MCI debuts 2020 model line-up with a SNEAK PREVIEW of the battery-electric D45 CRTe LE CHARGE

at Bay Area Reliability Symposium on October 1

q Vol XXXXIII, No 1 December, 2019

• Temsa’s Redesigned TS 30

• BusCon 2019 in Indianapolis

• Hammond Transportation

q Vol XXXXIII, No 2 January, 2020

• Anchor Transportation – 30 Years and Counting in a Growing Nashville

• David Thomas Tours and Their Short Temsa Coaches

• Museum of Bus Transportation to Merge with Antique Automobile Club of America Museum

q Vol XXXXIII, No 3 February, 2020

• Busworld 2019 in Brussels, Part I

• Heroes’ Honeymoon

• Philadelphia to New York Every Half Hour

q Vol. XXXXIII, No. 4 March, 2020

• Busworld 2019 in Brussels, Part II

• The Changing Bus Industry

q Vol XXXXIII, No 5 April, 2020

• ABA Marketplace 2020 in Omaha

• Procedure and Liability After a Collision with an Automated Vehicle

• Impaired Drivers

q Vol. XXXXIII, No. 6 May, 2020

• Bringing Back the Bus Industry

• Bus Industry Suggestions from Shriver Insurance

• What Can Bus Companies Do To Reduce Insurance Costs During COVID-19?

• UMA Motorcoach Expo 2020 in Nashville

• Bus Preservation After the Merger

q Vol XXXXIII, No 7 June, 2020

• Grants, Loans and Programs to Help Transportation Companies Survive COVID-19 Business Disruption

• Time to Think Tours

• Motorcoaches Rolling for Awareness

q Vol XXXXIII, No 8 July, 2020

• What the IATR and Transportation Regulators are Doing to Respond to the COVID-19 Pandemic

• A Tribute to Kirwan Elmers and Custom Coach Corporation

• RiverLandings Motorcoach Resort, Where True Luxury Reaches New Heights

q Vol XXXXIII, No 9 August, 2020

• The Evolving MCI Product Line

• The Impact of COVID-19 on the Transportation Ecosystem

• Marijuana and Drivers

q Vol XXXXIII, No 10 September, 2020

• New Coach Review

• Seven Simple Steps to Show Your Customers You Are Open for Business

• Can Bus Operators Change to Survive?

q Vol XXXXIII, No 11 October, 2020

• Getting People Back on the Buses

• 10 Easy Ways to Update Your Web Site During COVID-19

• Didn’t See That Coming

• The Eucharistic Congress in Chicago

q Vol XXXXIII, No 12 November, 2020

• How Temsa Developed Their Programmable Electric Bus

• Can Bus Companies Get to and Survive in the “New Normal?”

• Talk’s Cheap – Let’s Play

q Vol. XXXXIV, No. 1 December, 2020

• Keolis Moves People

• Are Mergers the Answer?

• A Lesson from the Sea – Time to Choose a Strategy

• Now is Not the Time to Skip on Bus Maintenance

• The Small Business Reorganization Act – A New Option in Bankruptcy

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1 – BUSES

WANTED

Seeking 102D3 converted by Custom Coach Prefer motor home interior with side aisle or semi-side aisle

Please provide details by e-mail to safety@busmag com or phone Larry at (815) 946-2341

6 – MOTOR HOMES FOR SALE

MCI MC5A ’67 (shell) 8V-71, 4-speed For sale to highest bidder Call (928) 358-6415 or (505) 71

AZ I

1991 Hawkins motorcoach 3208T CAT, 35 ft with all awnings Alcoa wheels, landing/docking lights, heated m i r r o r s , d u c t e d h e a t , l e v e l e r s , t w o a i r c o n d i t i o n e r s , propane generator, exhaust brake Always stored indoors

Asking $15,000 Contact Dallas in MI at (269) 591-2564 I 1956 Flxible coach – old conversion Phone (802) 9482886 in VT for details I

Please mention National Bus Trader when answering adver tisers

10 – PARTS AND EQUIPMENT

6V-92T Detroit Diesel engine Fresh overhaul In storage Spent $4,700 Make offer Phone (815) 262-0587 in IL I

11 – BUS SERVICES

Busbound is a platform that offers party and chartered bus rental services in the USA, catering to a wide range of transportation needs for groups of different sizes For more information email seo2elitetransfer@gmail com q 14 – NOTICES

Visit our 45+ vintage bus collection most Saturday morni

Transport Heritage Center ($30 annually) See/learn: www friendsnjthc org I

Down The Road

Coming events of interest to readers of NATIoNAl BuS TRADER Submissions for the department should be directed to the editor. unless otherwise indicated, events are not open to the general public