BUSRide Magazine June-July 2016

JUNE / JULY | 2016

BUSRIDE.COM $5.00

DATTCONew England’s Famous Red Bus, PLUS! p10

From telematics to mobile apps

p15

BUSRide Roundtable: p16 Buy or lease?

Cameras cut blind spots

p 19

inside

European leading technology Proven reliability

www.irizar.com

Irizar, among the leading coach and bus manufacturers in the world ----------------------------------------------------------------------INA Bus Sales 5410 Cameron Street, Suite 101 Las Vegas, Nevada 89118 office 702.431.0707 www.inabussales.com

JUNE / JULY 2016 CONTENTS

10 busride.com

COVER STORY DATTCO – New England’s Famous Red Bus, PLUS!

10

Now owned and operated by second and third generations, DATTCO continues to grow and broaden its footprint in both the Northeast region and nationwide

By Beth Stanley

FEATURES Official BUSRide Roundtable Discussion: To Lease or to Buy: That is the Question 16 Experts from Advantage Funding, CH Bus Sales, Prevost, REV Group and Wells Fargo Equipment Finance weigh in

BUSRide Safe Driver Hall of Fame

25

Presented by Prevost, the Hall of Fame honors Emory Hysell

DEPARTMENTS

16

25

7 UPDATE 26 DELIVERIES

COLUMNS 6

DAVID HUBBARD

9

THE BISC REPORT

By Stephen Evans

13 TRANSIT

By Mark Anderson

15 BEHIND THE WHEEL 19 SECURITY AND SURVEILLANCE

By Lori Jetha

21 EQUAL ACCESS 22 THE INTERNATIONAL REPORT

By Doug Jack

4

BUSRIDE | JUNE / JULY . 2016

busride.com

Discover all MCI has to offer.

Come to an MCI Reliability Rally to:

Board a super-luxurious Setra S 417.

Test-drive the smooth-handling, tight-turning MCI J4500.

uld You co se Bo win a System, Link , Sound 100 gift card , $ AMEX fleece jacket I an MC hirts or t-s nks! bus ba

Join us at these MCI Sales and Service Centers

June 16

Thursday, Des Plaines, IL Check out the new look of the Setra S 407.

See New Flyer models.

PLUS...

✓ Learn how upgrades to MCI parts, service and support are driving customer care.

July 12

Tuesday, Blackwood, NJ

July 19

Tuesday, Montreal, Canada

✓ Find deals on pre-owned coaches and parts, plus discounts on service and repairs.

✓ Gather information from key suppliers. ✓ Bring your teams to meet ours.

PLATINUM SPONSORS

GOLD SPONSORS

A New Flyer company

To register visit mcicoach.com/rally

DAVID HUBBARD

Fire safety P-certification to be detailed at BISC and FIVE SP Research Institute of Sweden has begun its development process on two P-certification initiatives worldwide that will enable bus and coach manufacturers, operators and authorized service centers to certify their fire risk mitigation process.

1. SPCR 190 – P-certification for vehicle manufacturers, operators and authorized service centers with regard to fire safety 2. SP method 5289 – Fire risk assessment procedure for buses, coaches and heavy-duty equipment According to SP, its intent is see that clients are positioned to assure the quality of the entire design, manufacturing and maintenance processes to achieve the highest level of practical safety while keeping the risks as low as possible.

The safety risk management required for P-certification evaluates the potential hazards that require acceptance, control or elimination within the constraints of clients’ available resources. P-certification is not for the bus or coach (though it will obtain a P-vehicle manufacturer certificate), but rather for the company as proof of having certified its fire risk mitigation process. Such certification will not be a guarantee for elimination of bus fires, but will ensure manufacturers and operators are operating at the front line of vehicle fire safety engineering, and in compliance with MAP-21 safety requirements.

The main objective of SPCR 190 is for the bus manufacturer to secure an independent third-party expert to support confidence in the market. The certification system is based on experience and knowledge gained through research and fire investigations that will ensure the personnel, strategies and techniques involved in fire safety mitigation of new and existing vehicles are kept at the highest performance level; with new information in this area updated and incorporated into best practices.

On behalf of SP, North American fire safety professional Joey Peoples gave a presentation on these two initiatives during the BISC (Bus Industry Safety Council) summer meeting in Linthincum, MD, June 28-29.

FIVE – Fires in vehicles Later this year, October 5-6, the 4th Annual FIVE (Fires in Vehicles) Conference will take place in Baltimore, MD. The FIVE program can be downloaded at: http://www. firesinvehicles.com/en/Documents/FIVE%202016/ Program%20FIVE_2016.pdf

David Hubbard Associate Publisher BUSRide Magazine

6

BUSRIDE | JUNE / JULY . 2016

busride.com VOL. 52 • NO. 5

Richard Tackett Editor in Chief rtackett@busride.com David Hubbard Associate Publisher dhubbard@busride.com Steve Gamble Art Director sgamble@busride.com Judi Victor CEO & Publisher Director of Sales jvfly@busride.com Kevin Boorse Business Manager kboorse@busride.com Blair McCarty Sr. Sales and Marketing Coordinator bmccarty@busride.com

BUS industry SAFETY council

A publication of:

BUSRide Magazine 4742 North 24th Street, STE 340 Phoenix, Arizona 85016 Phone: (602) 265-7600 Fax: (602) 277-7588 www.busride.com BUSRide™ Magazine is published 8 times each year by Power Trade Media, a division of The Producers, Inc., 4742 N. 24th Street, Ste. 340, Phoenix, AZ 85016. Subscription Rates: United States and Mexico $39 (USD) one year, Canada $42 (USD) one year (GST included), all other countries $75 one year, single issue United States $5 (USD), all other countries $6 (USD). All articles in BUSRide™ Magazine are copyrighted and may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the express written permission of the publisher.

For reprints of 100 or more, contact Judi Victor at (602) 265-7600 ext. 125. Copyright 2016 by Power Trade Media. No advertisement or description or reference to a product or service will be deemed as an endorsement, and no warranty is made or implied by Power Trade Media Information is obtained from sources the editors believe reliable, accurate and timely, but no warranty is made or implied, and Power Trade Media is not responsible for errors or omissions.

busride.com

UPDATE

MCI is inviting operators to come visit MCI this spring and summer.

MCI Reliability Rallies in NJ, Montreal this month Motor Coach Industries (MCI), a subsidiary of New Flyer Industries Inc., the largest bus and motorcoach manufacturer in North America, is inviting operators to come visit MCI this summer. MCI is showcasing its best-selling coaches and a New Flyer model at six one-day Reliability Rallies at MCI Sales and Service Centers in five U.S. cities and in Montreal, offering operators and their staffs test drives, educational sessions, food, fun and some of the year’s best discounts and deals on MCI and Setra coaches.

MCI’s teams will be on-site, including sales, service and support, along with supplier partners, the top-selling, luxuriously- equipped MCI J4500 coach, the workhorse D-Series, the New Flyer MiDi ® — a medium-sized, multipurpose low-floor bus ideal for all types of service, including shuttles, and Setra models.

The remaining Reliability Rallies will take place at the following MCI Sales and Service Centers: July 12 in Blackwood, NJ; and July 19 in Montreal.

“This is a chance to say thank you to our loyal customers and offer a convenient, enjoyable tour of our products and services to new operators who have never tried MCI, Setra or New Flyer before,” said Patricia Ziska, vice president of new coach sales.

“It’s a great chance to see our executives, our service facilities and the great deals we’re offering on all our products.”

Attendees will get a special opportunity to see the anticipated restyled, value-priced Setra S 407, now updated with optional exterior features similar to the Setra S 417, including a 2017-compliant Mercedes Benz/Detroit platform engine and other luxurious interior and trim options.

“It’s an exciting time in the history of our company, and we encourage operators, in the private and public sectors, large and small, to join us with their staffs for a fun day,” said Brent Maitland, vice president of marketing and product planning. “We’ll bring you up to speed on a wide range of coach improvements and the enhanced service features we’re providing all of our customers.”

AMF Bruns of America is a “one-stop” provider for paratransit modification As the nation’s Baby Boomers age, the number of wheelchair users continues to grow proportionately. As of now, the total number stands at over 3 million. According to AMF Bruns of America, Hudson, OH, a provider of wheelchair securement and occupant restraint systems, until now, within the U.S. paratransit

industry, suppliers of vehicle modification products were few.

Enter AMF Bruns, the German-based company founded in 1962 that developed the first wheelchair safety system and invented the world’s first four-point retractor wheelchair anchoring system in the 1970s, which opened its U.S. distribution facility as AMF Bruns of America in 2013.

Now firmly established as a global leader in the vehicle conversion market, the company’s product range includes restraint and seating systems, shoulder harnesses, head and back rests and sidesteps, and electric Euro-ramps.

“Our mission is to provide safe and passenger transport solutions to the paratransit vehicle industry,” said AMF Burns Operations Manager Steven Kost. “Our accessibility systems and products are both safe and innovative, with flexible options that we believe improve the transportation experience and quality of life for all mobility-challenged travelers.”

INIT’s headquarters will be constructed on an 8-acre parcel of land inside the Oakbrooke Business and Technology Center in Chesapeake, VA.

INIT breaks ground on North American headquarters building INIT Innovations in Transportation, Inc. broke ground on their new 70,000 square foot North American headquarters building on Thursday, May 26, 2016.

The facility will be constructed on an 8-acre parcel of land inside the Oakbrooke Business and Technology Center in Chesapeake, VA, and will eventually house INIT’s growing office staff, their two manufacturing firms and a large warehouse.

Since 1999 when INIT established its North American headquarters in Chesapeake, the company’s evolution as a worldwide leading supplier of intelligent transportation systems for public transit has been advancing.

In 2006, INIT predicated the opening of Total Quality Assembly, LLC (TQA), its first cable manufacturing facility for the North American market. Just four years later, a second manufacturing firm, Superior Quality Manufacturing, LLC (SQM) was launched to produce specialized electronics using skills in THT (Through Hole Technology) and SMD (Surface Mount Devices).

New business has further solidified INIT’s success as an industry leader while confirming their resolve to remain in Chesapeake where their roots are firmly planted. At the beginning of 2016, INIT announced a partnership with Hawaii, Florida and Michigan on three different state-of-the-art electronic fare management (EFM) projects.

From their new headquarters, the company hopes to busride.com | BUSRIDE

7

UPDATE

continue growing and building the trust of even more customers in the years ahead.

“Our customers are the driving force behind every venture we undertake,” said Roland Staib, INIT president and CEO. “The partnerships we’ve forged over the years have been the catalyst for our growth - in technological advances - as well as for our business success.”

“INIT’s journey from a small sales office to a new North American headquarters is a global success story,” said Mayor Alan P. Krasnoff. “INIT is one of Chesapeake’s much-valued international partners, and we’re excited about the future and what lies ahead.”

Once completed, the headquarters building will feature 20,000 square feet of office space, 30,000 square feet of warehouse space and 20,000 square feet of space dedicated to the company’s two manufacturing firms, TQA and SQM.

CH Bus Sales hires new account executive CH Bus Sales is pleased to welcome Dane Smith to the sales team. Smith will be working as an account executive for the West Region. He will be responsible for creating new and building on existing relationships in the motorcoach industry Dane Smith with a focus on the territory of Southern California, Southern Nevada and Arizona.

“We are excited to have Dane join our CH sales team,” said Duane Geiger, executive vice president of sales and service.

“His years of experience shows his commitment to the industry and we look forward to having him continue to grow the CH Bus/TEMSA relationships. Dane shares our vision for the transportation industry and will be a tremendous support to our customers throughout the region.”

CH Bus Sales continues to focus on growing its sales network nationwide and looks forwards to building a stronger customer base throughout the West Region with the addition of Dane Smith.

Brian Dewsnup to lead MCI Aftermarket business MCI announced that Brian Dewsnup has been named vice president and general manager of MCI Aftermarket.

Dewsnup, previously the vice president, business development of New Flyer of America Inc., the U.S. heavy-duty transit bus manufacturer of New Flyer Industries, succeeds Wolfgang Winzer, who is retiring Brian Dewsnup after four years at MCI. Dewsnup was part of the New Flyer team that completed the MCI acquisition, and was previously the vice president and general manager of operations of North American Bus Industries, Inc., which New Flyer purchased in June 2013.

Dewsnup will continue to report to Paul Soubry, president and chief executive officer of New Flyer.

Europe’s #1 Selling Retractors Now Available in America

AMF Protektor wheelchair restraint systems • The Global Standard

For more information please call 877-506-3770

• Meet ADA, American and International Safety testing and regulations • Compatible with nearly all standard and power wheelchairs • Available in 3 levels: • Platinum Series - heavy duty fully automatic • Silver Series – fully automatic pull-out • Black Series – manual pull-out • All retractors equipped with knob to ensure the most secure attachment possible

www.amfbrunsamerica.com ISO 10542-1 + 2, DIN 75078-2, CSA Z 605, FMSS/CNVSS, AS 2596, SAE J 49, 2001/85/ EC and ISO 9001

8

BUSRIDE | JUNE / JULY . 2016

1797 Georgetown Road, Hudson, OH 44236

busride.com

The

Report presented by The Pacific Western Group of Companies

Ft. McMurray battles The Beast Initially, my topic this month was the growing concern for how cruise control lulls drivers into a “zombie” state of mind. As I sat down to write, a much more eminent danger changed my mind.

By Stephen Evans Chairman, Bus Industry Safety Council (BISC)

The Bus Industry Safety Council (BISC) is an affiliate in the American Bus Association (ABA) group of councils created to elevate the level of safety in the intercity bus and motorcoach industry through the collaborative efforts of all professionals committed to the highest standards of action and conduct in all operations.

Stephen Evans serves as vice president of safety, Pacific Western Group of Companies, Calgary, AB, Canada. As presenting sponsor of the BISC report, Pacific Western operates more than 3,000 buses in motorcoach, transit, and school bus operations throughout Canada, for which safety is first on the list of core values that define every action and decision in support of its 4,100 employees and customers, and ensures at the end of the day everyone always returns Safely Home.

A run-of-the-mill brush fire in northern Alberta had suddenly grown out of control, as high winds The wildfire dubbed “the Beast” recently whipped the flames into a massive conflagration, wreaked havoc on northern Alberta. catching everyone by surprise. With an almost endless supply of dry fuel on the forest floor, a parched treetop canopy and record-breaking 90-plus degree temperatures, swirling, gusting winds transformed the flames into a monster dubbed “The Beast” that surrounded the city of Ft. McMurray in a dirty, nasty ocean of fire.

Our company has over 600 employees in the Ft. McMurray area, who operate hundreds of coaches and buses from several large facilities both in and out of town. So this story is very much our story…and it is personal.

Not only did the fire grow tenfold in one day — far more quickly than anticipated — its path was impossible to predict as it danced in lockstep with the ever-changing winds. The Beast grew so large it began creating its own weather system.

Experienced firefighters said they had never seen anything like The Beast as it rewrote the book on the way a wild fire moves and behaves. One astonished resident said that it took only 36 minutes for distant smoke on the horizon to become a galloping fire on his doorstep. Then all hell broke loose – the scorching heat devoured several communities. As the flames stormed in, Alberta declared a state of emergency and issued mandatory evacuation orders. The race was on for the entire city of 88,000 to get out of town.

Like a hellish, apocalyptic scene out of the movies, with only minutes to escape in the ensuing chaos, confusion, panic and fear, some went north, some went south, and many were turned back at roadblocks as the inferno showered live embers and glowing ash.

Meanwhile, 2,277 brave fire fighters were on the ground, supported by 208 helicopters, 412 pieces of heavy-duty equipment and 29 air tankers, while several hundred police assisted in the evacuation and protected the rapidly emptying city.

News agencies from around the world sent reporters to cover this disaster. Support poured in from celebrities such as Kelly Ripa and Shaquille O’Neal. Even the Queen of England offered us her well wishes.

By the time the fire moved on, it had razed more than 2,000 homes and buildings. Two lives were tragically lost in a traffic accident, but miraculously there were no other reports of deaths or serious injuries.

Evacuees told harrowing stories of narrow escapes in their rush to safety, best summarized by one man’s social media post: “We are not fine. We are in danger. We were unprepared when told we had to leave. We had no idea what to pack. We escaped, but only by seconds. If we had been better prepared, we wouldn’t have been caught so off guard. We were lucky.”

As most of you reading this are nowhere near Ft. McMurray, I’m guessing many might be asking, “What’s in this for me?”

The reality is that no matter where anyone lives, fires, floods, earthquakes, tornadoes and hurricanes have become common occurrences. In fact, as I write this, major flooding is occurring in Houston and tornadoes are cropping up in Oklahoma and Kansas.

Unfortunately, most people (even safety staff) still do not know the drill in extreme emergencies, which is why so many barely made it out from this disaster.

It will take many months, if not years, to recover from the unprecedented losses our community has suffered. My message is an important reminder to those in other parts of the country who likewise may have to leave their homes in a hurry.

Please don’t waste our lessons learned from fighting The Beast. They apply to all. Know the risks. Make a plan. Get a kit. Start with these great resources and tips at www.ready.gov and www.getprepared.gc.ca. busride.com | BUSRIDE

9

New England’s Famous Red Bus, PLUS!

Don DeVivo (left) and Kyle DeVivo (right) with their 100th Van Hool coach next to Valley Railroad Company’s iconic Essex Steam Train in Essex, CT.

DATTCO, a transportation staple in the New England region may be best known for their iconic red buses, but the family-owned company, which dates back to the 1920s, operates divergent business lines in the motorcoach, school bus and sales and service businesses. Now owned and operated by second and third generations, DATTCO continues to grow and broaden its footprint in both the Northeast region and nationwide.

By Beth Stanley

I

n 1949, brothers Louis and Edward DeVivo, along with cousin Mike Tolomea, ran a local school bus transportation service they called D & T Transportation. Starting with just one bus, Louis and Edward grew the business by transporting generations of families safely and dependably to schools throughout the State of Connecticut.

Today the company serves more than 27 school districts throughout Connecticut, transporting over 100,000 students daily during the school term. The company’s proven safety record, quality drivers, as well as student safety programs have established a strong reputation for safety and reliability throughout the region.

10

BUSRIDE | JUNE / JULY . 2016

While the company’s core business relied on small school bus contracts in the early days, they expanded in 1962 when they purchased MASTCO, a local transit and charter service. Two years later, they took advantage of a great opportunity by providing shuttle service to and from the 1964 World’s Fair in New York City. The service proved to be a springboard for entry and expansion into the tour and charter segment and today the company operates one of the most diverse fleets in the Northeast market. As the company grew, the name was changed to the acronym DATTCO (DeVivo and Tolomea Transportation Company).

busride.com

With a robust offering of full-service ground transportation options, DATTCO can now accommodate virtually any customer with fleet options that include everything from town car service and SUVs to cutaway shuttle buses for smaller groups, to 35 and 40 foot midsize buses, 52 to 56 passenger luxury motorcoaches and double-decker buses with seating for up to 81 riders.

A new trend in luxury DATTCO operates a premium and updated fleet with over 80 percent of equipment five years old or newer.

The fleet is heavily weighted with Van Hool models and DATTCO has recently taken delivery on their 100th Van Hool coach from ABC Companies, Van Hool’s exclusive North American distributor.

Like DATTCO, ABC is a family-owned business and DATTCO President Don DeVivo cites their cultural similarities as a key component in the long-term relationship.

“We share common values with both ABC and Van Hool,” he says.

“We are all family-owned, and we pride ourselves on offering a great product and standing behind that product in terms of customer service and satisfaction.”

DeVivo says ABC has grown with them and credits ABC with helping DATTCO to continue to forge a market leadership position by innovating products to meet his customers’ changing demands.

DATTCO’s latest Van Hool equipment acquisition is a prime example of that innovation and DeVivo’s vision of an evolving luxury market. The new Van Hool TX45 coach has been customized to feature less seating (52 passengers) in order to provide more legroom and the addition of mid-ship doors for fast and easy passenger access. A relocated restroom, eliminates the bench seat and opens up the back of the bus, offering passengers a 360-degree view (front, back and side windows),

effectively transforming the rear area into one of the most desirable seating locations onboard.

As the official Megabus franchisee in the Northeast region, DATTCO utilizes the Van Hool TD925 double-decker bus to serve customers. With routes operating between Boston and New York City, the service covers 15 cities throughout the region. Now in their tenth year with Megabus, DATTCO continues to enjoy a great partnership with the country’s leading city-to-city express service operator with future plans focused on maintaining and improving their existing Megabus routes.

DATTCO Sales and Service 1990 ushered in DATTCO’s Sales and Service Division. Born from a need and desire for personalized service not readily available from a dealer, DATTCO formed the sales and service division.

With seven full service facilities throughout New England and two collision repair locations, the division offers comprehensive vehicle sales and service of school bus and commercial buses and includes fleet repair service, collision repair, preventative maintenance and onsite vehicle repairs.

Additionally, DATTCO Sales and Service also stocks heavy-duty truck parts and operates Thermo King Northeast – a vehicle and transport refrigeration provider for trucks, buses and other commercial vehicles.

Superior staff is key to success Of course all of this success and growth is unimaginable without the management staff and dedicated employees of DATTCO, according to DeVivo. The company employs over 2,200 people from locations throughout the Northeast and around the country.

busride.com | BUSRIDE

11

Above: DATTCO’s TX45 coaches feature an ergonomically designed driver’s compartment and Van Hool’s multi-function joystick control in addition to side and rearview cameras.

“With our employees spread far and wide, I don’t get the opportunity to see everyone daily,” DeVivo says. “Their talents, respect for one another and ability to build strong relationships with their customers is what I believe makes DATTCO a great market leader, and I am grateful for their commitment every day.”

DATTCO’s core business values of respect, communication and nurturing relationships resonates deeply with Special Projects Manager Kyle DeVivo and the new generation of leadership coming online.

“As the third generation in this business, I’ve learned from an early age that everyone at DATTCO is family,” he says. “I’ve watched my dad and grandfather go to great lengths to make employees and customers always feel important and welcome, and I believe that our company culture is what makes DATTCO unique.”

And investing in their corporate culture has paid off for DATTCO in terms of staff loyalty and tenure.

The company’s executive management team includes industry veterans that bring deep expertise across many business disciplines with some staff members holding positions for up to 35 years. Across the board from drivers and dispatchers, to customer service specialists, mechanics and managers, DATTCO is diligent in their efforts to attract, train and develop the finest transportation professionals in the country.

“Our people like working here and we invest in their success,” Don DeVivo says. “Customer feedback about our staff is consistently good.”

In many cases, customers will request a specific driver and DATTCO dispatchers are trained to give them what they want. Even after they’ve retired, some DATTCO employees have returned to their old positions and even tried new ventures within the company.

A voice in the industry Community and industry involvement is also an important part of the DATTCO business strategy. With current and former board positions on numerous local and national boards and committees, Don DeVivo and his staff serve as an integral voice and force within the industry. Some of DATTCO’s industry participation and affiliations include the International Motorcoach Group (IMG) and American Bus Association (ABA) – where DeVivo currently serves as vice chair of the ABA. The DATTCO team is very involved with the Massachusetts, 12

BUSRIDE | JUNE / JULY . 2016

At right: DATTCO is excited to be among the first operators to introduce Van Hool coaches with a second, mid-ship entry door.

Popular in Europe for many years, the second door greatly reduces the time spent loading or unloading the coach during tour stops, allowing passengers to spend more time sightseeing or visiting attractions. The stepwell also affords the opportunity to relocate the lavatory to the lower level opening the rear of the coach up for 360 degree viewing by passengers.

New England and Connecticut Bus Associations. On the school bus side, DATTCO participates in the Connecticut School Transportation Association, the Connecticut Association of Boards of Education, Connecticut Association of School Business Officials and the Motor Transport Association to name just a few. In addition, the DATTCO staff is very involved in the local community serving on numerous civic and charitable boards thoughout southern New England.

Capitalizing on the future Don DeVivo is confident about the future of motorcoach travel and DATTCO’s ability to capitalize on new opportunities. He cites the generational shift in demographics as an important factor that is and will continue to impact how the public travels. He forecasts favorable demand for group transportation and eagerly embraces the prospects of DATTCO’s role in filling that demand. As the firm continues to provide their signature high level of service across the Northeast, they also hope to expand DATTCO’s horizons throughout the region and beyond. Key to that growth will be improving efficiencies and processes that can be successfully replicated as part of expansion and growth, maintaining their high safety standard and, most importantly, securing the best-possible transportation specialists for the DATTCO team. busride.com

TransIT

Better information means better management

By Mark Anderson Businesses continually strive to “break down the silos” and allow their people to communicate in a seamless workflow. Essentially, management is asking, “How can we make the information we pass back and forth between departments flow faster and easier, with more benefit for everyone in the company?”

For most transit agencies of any size, this dilemma typically involves more meetings that invariably leave the staff yet to accomplish the work they were hired to perform. A meeting alone is not enough; nor is the “old way” of managing the flow of information and data – maintaining personnel records on Excel spreadsheets and perhaps a hard copy folder for each employee.

In an attempt at innovation, a company might go so far to put all the collected information into one comprehensive file. Still, in this scenario, critical data is often omitted or goes missing, making for an incomplete report that leaves it unclear as to the next step, who must be contacted or the person ultimately responsible. The work day ends up having more to do with tracking a paper trail than understanding and managing the actual performance of employees.

The goal is to work together more effectively and more efficiently, and may ultimately require the organization to take a “giant step” into new technology that eliminates most of the paperwork.

Trackit Manager is one such application that connects people electronically within every department through the use of tablets and one all-inclusive cloud-based database.

While adhering to their assigned responsibilities within their silos, their use of Trackit Manager makes their work more transparent and accessible as information. Data and directives flow easily from one individual to the next.

As supervisors and managers fill out their reports, observations and activity reports, others can tap in and add to the files with regard to their own responsibilities and functions. A person at each stage or department can attach additional documents, take photos with the tablet and attach, and forward it all directly to the correct individual.

Using the Trackit Manager safety module as an example, an agency has the capability to electronically track every accident, incident and safety issue, and establish a comprehensive record for purposes of risk analysis and human resources; providing management with the information to make informed decisions concerning policies and costs for training, safety and service.

Managers and assigned personnel collect and enter all critical data and documentation in the database at each step in the workflow. For example, supervisors charged with interacting with bus operators in prescribed safety contacts and performance observations use their tablet on-site to document and notate all they discussed, in order to help drivers perform their duties with safety in mind.

An effective personnel management system can help increase efficiency and quality of service in a public transit agency.

In this case, management can then search the safety-related data for trends that they determine high risk, such as the locations of frequent accidents or incidents of unsafe operator behavior.

If in the course of such a field visit, a supervisor observes another questionable situation or circumstance, he can immediately record photos and details and submit a quick memo for the record. That same information becomes part of the employee’s personnel file; accessible by everyone with permission, who, again, can then make their additions and direct the file for appropriate action. A safety supervisor can notify the training department that a driver involved in a preventable accident requires additional training. The training department would then tap into the app to assign that driver to the training list; and then send a notice he or she has come off the list when the training is complete.

An auditing component running in the background ensures the company as a whole is following its prescribed process and procedures in every operational area; and is able to readily demonstrate the process and verify everyone is in lockstep.

Trackit Manager ensures all prescribed activities are reported and maintains metrics on the matters discussed, such as repeat infractions and their corrective actions. All is transparent once it is entered in the system. Every supervisor can easily call up the entire record and dig deeper into the information needed to promoting more accurate and effective supervision.

“The goal is to work together more effectively and more efficiently.”

Mark Anderson is president of Trackit LLC, La Mesa, CA. Trackit Manager provides paperless digital tools to systematically collect – track – analyze —and allows managers to act on the personnel data generated by transit agencies.

Visit www.trackittransit.com.

busride.com | BUSRIDE

13

annual meeting

rail r ail Conference S e P t e m b e r 11 –14 , 2 016

JW marriot t LoS anGeLeS L.a. LiVe

J

| LoS anGeLeS, Ca

J u n e 19 – 2 2 , 2 016 aZ

oin us for the public transportation industry’s premier S h2016 era t o nMeeting.

G r adon’t n d miss| the Phoenix, conference — APTA’s Annual opportunity to discover new information on timely industry topics, hear from experts, network with industry colleagues, and find new, Join us for the premier meeting for all rail transit modes— innovative approaches and cost-effective solutions.

Pta r ail Conference. u rban, commuter, high-speed, and the 2016 a aPta rail urban, With topics as wide-ranging as transformative technology, state good intercity rail professionals will find unparalleled sessions at of this repair, innovative funding and finance, and safety, to name a few, the annual technical conference focused on the latest in technology, operations, meeting delivers content to keep you abreast of the ever-evolving public maintenance, & security, finance, projects, transit industrysafety and help bring yourplanning, organization to thecapital next level. the and workforce development. t he conference features the latest Plus, the annual meeting eeting features a lineup of engaging keynote speakers, industry political advancements thebegala Products & Services including pundits at Paul and mike murphy, diversity expert urphy,Showcase, technical tours, networking, dr.

Steve robbins, and boots oots onand themore.

Ground, Flats in the b boardroom oardroom authors Grace Crunican and elizabeth Levin.

register today at at register r egister today

www.apta.com www.apta.com

The move from telematics to mobile apps BUSRide recently spoke with the principals of GreenRoad, Austin, TX, the providers of a driver and fleet performance management solution aimed at helping organizations improve productivity through real-time actionable data and insights.

In this Q&A, we discuss how traditional telematics solutions can be replaced or reinforced with mobile applications for smartphones and tablets.

To begin, why is it important for operators to consider a move from a hardwired telematics tracking solution to a mobile application?

With our global customers, we’re seeing a platform shift away from telematics subscriptions, which have traditionally provided a hard-wired unit as well as a lengthy and costly implementation process. Furthermore, subscribing to a telematics provider offers little flexibility with new platforms and initiatives. They’re fixed solutions with typically one or two features, so they don’t interface well with the latest and greatest in transportation technology – like cloud-based solutions or mobile apps, for example.

We’re still investing in the highest quality “black box” solution, because bus transportation still very much relies on that sort of solution. However, we’ve started to invest more in helping our customers shift toward a mobile solution.

Operators who are redesigning their fleets, or investing in new vehicles, tell us that they want black-box capabilities but don’t want to go through an expensive, lengthy installation.

Are smart devices as effective as traditional telematics solutions?

GPS technology on smartphones and tablets is incredibly advanced – an iPhone can triangulate its user’s location instantly. There’s no reason an operator should have to pay a subscription fee to do the same tracking on a vehicle. By utilizing already-available mobile technology, we’re able to provide operators that same ability on smartphones and tablets – along with the driver behavior suite that GreenRoad is known for. We obviously recommend a fixed tablet setup – either planted to the floor or mounted to the dashboard – as smartphone use can be dangerous or unwieldy when operating a vehicle.

How does this kind of app go beyond simple telematics?

Vehicle tracking should just be part of what operators receive in this kind of solution. In this case, it’s just a free feature that enables driver behavior modification, fuel management, maintenance and fleet management.

The app gives drivers easy access to their GreenRoad performance anytime, anywhere. Drivers can access their safety score, idling score, team rank and trip details, and keep safety top of mind with quick tips – all with the convenience and elegance of a native smartphone application. Even better, the app can be run in the background of the mobile device while in motion to discourage distracted driving.

The solution enhances any fleet or mobile workforce’s capability to mitigate risky driver behavior by setting organizational standards and controls for any and all drivers. Stakeholders, such as safety and fleet managers, risk and operations management, c-suite, and finance teams, can access and collaborate through the platform and have total

visibility into the performance of both their drivers and their fleets.

The app enables any organization to easily identify safety, operational and fiscal improvement opportunities – like driver hot spots, driver safety scorecards, fuel management, vehicle health and hours of service.

How does the app integrate with driver behavior modification?

The app’s in-vehicle display gives drivers objective, real-time feedback whenever a risky driving event occurs. Simple audio and visual feedback helps drivers quickly self-correct without being distracted from the road. And at the end of every trip, an automatic summary displays the trip safety level and other stats.

If an operator is taking advantage of the driver behavior program, the app provides a more intuitive interface for drivers than the standard GreenRoad suite. If a driver-related event happens – like speeding, cornering or hard braking – the app uses an audible alert to tell the driver specifically what he or she did wrong. It’s much more instantaneous feedback.

GreenRoad is a global leader in driver and fleet performance management solutions, helping organizations achieve greater productivity and improved safety and performance through real-time actionable data. GreenRoad’s advanced technology and analytics help organizations of all types improve driver safety, increase operational efficiencies, and maintain corporate and regulatory compliance while reducing overall risk. Visit www.greenroad.com.

busride.com | BUSRIDE

15

Equipment Finance To Lease or to Buy: That is the Question A BUSRide Roundtable Discussion

16

BUSRIDE | JUNE / JULY . 2016

busride.com

BUSRide spoke with a select group of financial thought leaders in the bus and motorcoach industry for a roundtable discussion on the issues, trends and practices that affect operators’ borrowing, acquisitions and all-around financial health.

Craig Lentzsch, executive chairman of All Aboard America! Holdings and former president and CEO of Greyhound Lines, Inc., moderated this high-level discussion with the following panelists:

Greg Berg, director of commercial finance, REV Group Al Damiani, president and CEO, Advantage Funding Robert Foley, president and CEO, CH Bus Sales Matthew Hotchkiss, vice president – Commercial Vehicle

Group, Wells Fargo Equipment Finance David Scoular, director of financial services, Prevost

Craig Lentzsch: Please introduce yourselves and tell us your company’s relevance to the bus industry.

Al Damiani: Advantage Funding is a commercial finance company that’s been in business for about 18 years financing motorcoaches as well as other commercial transportation vehicles for our entire history. We are a wholly-owned subsidiary of Macquarie Group, which acquired us in July 2015.

Bob Foley: CH Bus Holding has a wholly-owned subsidiary, Coach Finance Group, that finances motorcoaches. I personally have been involved in financing motorcoaches in the industry since 1985.

David Scoular: Prevost sells motorcoaches and I personally have 20 years of financial experience.

Matt Hotchkiss: I’ve been with Wells Fargo Equipment Finance for about 14 years. Prior to that I worked at ABC Bus Financial Services and GE Capital. I came to Wells Fargo to develop its bus segment, and my focus has been primarily motorcoach. I’m originating business in the coach market, but also managing all bus segments including shuttle bus, school bus, transit and motorcoach.

Greg Berg: REV Group is a diversified manufacturer of transportation equipment and I’ve been in the industry for 25 years.

We bus operators are typically not as financially sophisticated as all of you. Identifying for us the different financial products in the marketplace, as well as their pros and cons, is critical to your process.

As operators, it’s also critical we thoroughly understand what your products will do for us. So if you’re talking to a bus operator and they’re trying to figure out whether to finance a coach with you for resale – what’s your perspective on their decision process?

Hotchkiss: The primary products that we offer in this market are either going to be loans or standard TRAC leases. We provide other types of leases, but they’re less common than loans and TRAC leases so for the purposes of this question, I will focus on these two. In my

opinion, the primary factor in this decision is who can utilize the depreciation benefit the most – the operator or the finance company?

If an operator has adequate tax write-offs already, either because of having enough depreciation, having net operating loss carryovers, or just not making a lot of taxable income – it makes sense to let the finance company take the depreciation, because that translates into an interest rate that will be significantly lower than what the loan interest rate will be — and that’s going to help the cashflow significantly.

With Bonus Depreciation currently available, the interest rate between a loan and a lease can be up to 100 or 125 basis points depending on the time of the year and the finance term. This has a significant positive impact on cashflow.

There are variations here, but if you’re financing a half-million dollar bus for seven years, you can save as much as $30,000 over the term doing a TRAC lease.

Damiani: From our perspective, I agree with what Matt is saying in terms of who shares the depreciation and the tax benefits. But we find that for a smaller operator they are more concerned with cashflow, so many times a lease versus loan decision is made based on whether the sales tax is paid upfront or over the term of the contract. In states where sales tax is due upfront we typically write more leases. We find in many cases this is a crucial piece whereby they make the decision less so from the income tax standpoint.

That means that they’re basically deferring the sales tax over the time of the lease. They’re not avoiding it all together?

Damiani: That’s right. They’re not avoiding it. It’s just that the customer pays the sales tax over the contract term versus a lump sum upfront, which could be rather substantial for a lot of these customers, especially the smaller operators.

Berg: I think both Al and Matt hit the nail on the head. It’s really all about your tax planning. I think our customers might not have an exact handle on their tax planning in Q1 or Q2 – they are looking at new contracts and other variables early in the year. They don’t know where they will end up at the end of the year from a net income perspective yet. Come Q3 and Q4, our customers have a better handle on their tax planning. They will know at that point if a loan or busride.com | BUSRIDE

17

a lease will best suit their needs. No one product is really the sole answer for our customers.

Foley: I would only add a little twist to the decision process, in which operators have specific contracts, i.e. a college to transport students for activities or possibly an employee shuttle contract for a specific period of time. It could be a two or three-year contract, and they’re not sure if they want to commit to owning a vehicle and then having to deal with selling it at the end of the contract if the contract is not renewed. There are also lease options that fit with these types of contracts.

We talked about three different kinds of financing. We talked about purchase money financing – referring to borrowing money against the value of a motorcoach and paying that off over time as one product.

Another product being a TRAC lease where it is a lease for tax purposes, but usually treated as a purchase for balance sheet purposes. There’s a true lease, where the lessee has no interest in the residual value of the equipment. And then there is a hybrid called a split TRAC. Please talk about the difference in those four products and how it affects financial statements and cost of financing?

Scoular: The split TRAC lease is basically a glorified lease. It has some off-balance sheet items, but it’s not a fair market value lease.

TRAC is similar to the split TRAC but it is not an off-balance sheet lease as the split TRAC and true Operating Lease are considered. The loan is obviously on the balance sheet. Typically with loans there is money down and leases are completed with advance payments as they are not allowed per accounting rules to have equity.

From financial statement standpoints, loans are going to count against the operators’ cashflow and leverage, while the leases are generally just cashflow items since they are not typically balance sheet items. In the long run, since the coach finance business is cashflow driven, the leases and loans are captured fairly equally as most lenders also review the operators overall debt/lease schedule against their fleet list.

Are all of the financings you’re talking about fixed rate financings, or are there floating rate versions of these products?

Berg: Yes, there are, just not that many. In an increasing rate environment, I wouldn’t recommend it at this point, not for the long-term.

Scoular: Loans can be floating rate, but given the potential rising rate environment it has been and will be seldom used. Leases are fi xed but in actuality, leases don’t have rates. They only have payments or rentals.

Why should your customers borrow money and hawk their equipment as opposed to leasing? What’s the positive side of that approach?

Scoular: The loan offers operators the ability to depreciate the asset on their books versus recording the rental as an expense on the P&L. The recent bonus depreciation is also more favorable to owning than leasing. In reality, the coaches are used as collateral in leases similarly as they are used as collateral on a loan, so the main difference is for leverage calculations.

Foley: Well, I really think it goes back to the discussion that we had earlier when it was loan versus lease. If they have income that they need to shelter, they should look at a loan. If they’re focused on cashflow and they don’t have a lot of income, then they’re better off looking at a lower rate through a TRAC lease. If they are looking to add a vehicle for a specific contract, they may want a true lease to match the terms of the contract.

How does residual value affect this decision? Is it a consideration?

Berg: Once these new rules go into effect, the split TRAC lease basically goes away because it has no benefit anymore. There’s no such thing as an off-balance sheet starting in 2019.

Scoular: Well, that’s the big difference. All leases have residuals, something in backend, so if it’s a difference between buying and leasing, you can buy a straight 84-month and not have it balloon for seven years. TRAC leases still have the residual finance and still have something to do at the end. That’s another difference between loan and lease.

Are your companies going to change the way you look at the customer’s balance sheet when the rules change?

You get the cashflow benefit in leasing, but you pay for it eventually, right?

Scoular: I think, overall, not as much as everyone thinks. Again, in the coach finance business it’s mainly about cashflow, which is P&L driven, and leverage secondarily – which is where the balance sheet items flow through.

Scoular: Potentially yes, if you decide to keep the coach and refinance the residual. If you trade or sell the unit, you may see some benefit in the cashflow savings.

Hotchkiss: I think it just gives us a more accurate picture of the customer’s balance sheet. With the way we calculate it now, we try to estimate what the off-balance sheet debt is by either looking at lease expense or lease payments. So, we’re kind of doing it already. We’re probably not always accurate on how we calculate it now, and that’s really the purpose of the law – to make disclosure transparent.

Damiani: I agree with that. It’s going to make our lives a lot easier as it will enhance financial transparency. Currently we need to request full fleet and debt schedules, as typically many customers do not carry all of their debt obligations on the balance sheet. Under the new rules all lease and loan obligations will be on the balance sheet which will 18

enhance our ability to accurately assess cashflow.

BUSRIDE | JUNE / JULY . 2016

Hotchkiss: It goes back to what your depreciation appetite is. If you don’t need the accelerated depreciation, then you are better off leasing.

If you are paying more taxes today because of not taking accelerated depreciation, then you need to measure that against the cashflow savings of the lease.

Read the August / September 2016 edition of BUSRide for the second chapter of this roundtable discussion – Getting Your ‘Financial House’ In Order – What Lenders Look For.

busride.com

WHERE THE BUS INDUSTRY MEETS FOR BUSINESS BusCon

SEPTEMBER 19-21, 2016 INDIANA CONVENTION CENTER INDIANAPOLIS

REGISTER NOW!

BusConExpo.com

•

(800) 576-8788

For exhibiting inquiries, contact James.Blue@Bobit.com or call (310) 533-2449.

Brough ght to ght to you by

SECURITY & SURVEILLANCE

Enhancing driver visibility – removing the deadly blind spot

By Lori Jetha Every vehicle has blind spots, but transit vehicles are particularly vulnerable to blind spots due to their size and composition. On a transit bus, blind spots not only impair driver visibility but often lead to deadly (and costly) collisions. Improving driver visibility can increase the safety of passengers and pedestrians and should be an integral part of any transit system’s safety program. But what are some solutions available today that help solve the killer blind spot? Let’s examine a few that have been tried to increase driver visibility and prevent common types of collisions.

Defensive driving techniques and policies Rock and Roll. Bob and Weave. These aren’t just dance moves, but real-life strategies bus operators are trained to use to improve their visibility around the bus. These types of defensive driving techniques as well as policies on turning procedures are recommended to prevent pedestrian collisions in the Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) Guidebook for Mitigating Fixed-Route Bus-and-Pedestrian Collisions.

The key behind this approach is to attempt to overcome and compensate for the presence of blind spots. Although mandatory turning procedures, such as no right turns on red lights or continual scanning when entering an intersection, have been reported to reduce the likelihood of a pedestrian accident, they do not materially improve driver visibility or eliminate the blind spots causing collisions, particularly those contributing to lane change crashes. Furthermore, some techniques such as square left turns or bobbing and weaving can take a toll on the operator’s body and increase disability rates.

Operator training and public outreach Another approach is to train both operators and pedestrians to be especially vigilant of potential bus blind spots and take steps to avoid collisions. Examples of this would be bus safety posters or decals with awareness messaging about staying alert and mindful of bus blind spots. Although this takes steps to reduce the risk of a pedestrian collision, or at least reduce the severity of injuries, the blind spots remain.

Bus stop design or bus modification In some cases technology designed to improve safety, such as side mirrors or thick bus A-pillars, can create vehicle blind spots that are particularly dangerous for pedestrians. Use of smaller mirrors, or adjustments to their placement, can improve driver visibility. At bus stops, better lighting can improve visibility at night, while increased sidewalk space and traffic control technology can help prevent the likelihood of pedestrian accidents.

20

BUSRIDE | JUNE / JULY . 2016

Collision avoidance technology The most common technology used on transit buses to reduce blind spots is mirror technology. This can improve visibility along the left and right sides of the vehicle, but does not completely eliminate sideof-vehicle blind spots or improve rear views. Traditional back-up or rear-vision camera systems help with the rear view, but rear-backing scenarios and collisions are less common in a typical fixed bus route.

One of the more promising emerging camera technologies to eliminate blind spots is the around-vehicle monitoring system, such as the recently introduced inView 360 product from Seon. With this technology, four cameras are strategically placed around the vehicle to capture an ultra-wide angle view of each side of the vehicle. These four views are blended and stitched together to give drivers a real-time, 360 degree bird’s eye view around the vehicle on a dash-mounted monitor.

A split screen also displays a second view that changes depending on operating conditions. For example, when a driver employs the turn signal to change lanes, this will change the view displayed on the right side of the monitor — from the front view, to the left or right side view.

Although data on the impact of this technology for preventing collisions is limited due to its relative infancy, a 2002 study on side-view camera-based systems by the Florida Department of Transportation revealed a number of promising conclusions.

Wide-angle side view cameras were able to eliminate 100 percent of blind zones on the left and right sides, and provided better observation

Effectiveness in Improving Driver Visibility

SOLUTION

Blind Spot Reduction

Defensive Driving

No

Operator Training

No

Bus or Stop Design

No

Mirrors

Only Partial

360 Degree Camera System

Yes

of boarding and late arriving passengers, and better lane change visibility. Camera systems also provided better visibility in dark conditions or inclement weather than mirror solutions. Finally a driver survey showed that a camera-based system provided an image that is simpler and faster to process and that drivers were quick to adapt to.

Drivers reported feeling more confident in lane changes and believed it would reduce side crashes.

Although we’ll never eliminate transit bus collisions caused by operator fatigue and distraction, or pedestrian inattention, this new camera technology is so far one of the only ways to eliminate one of the deadliest contributing factors in collisions – the blind spot.

Lori Jetha serves as marketing manager for Seon, a video surveillance and fleet management company based on Coquitlam, BC, Canada.

busride.com

Transform all your data on fare payment, collection and revenue into

Š 2016 SPX Genfare

actionable intelligence

A Total Fare Management Solution Genfare Link is a comprehensive, digital fare management platform – a suite of fully integrated, hardware and software-based solutions that can manage multi-media fare collection and customer service across multiple transit authorities and modes of transport. This single-source resource lets you harness next-generation technology to keep you on the right side of the change curve.

Take control: www.genfare.com/genfare-link

Roll out mobile payment immediately!

Contact us at genfare.com/demo to schedule a demo today.

EQUAL ACCESS

Accessibility as philosophy Last year, as the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) celebrated its 25th Anniversary, BUSRide intensified its mission to explore the many ways the bus industry is improving the overall transit experience for passengers who rely on paratransit services. In this installment of Equal Access, Greg Heichelbech, REV Group president, Specialty Products, responds to questions on his company’s philosophy behind the vehicles that are safer, more inviting and more comfortable for people who travel in wheelchairs.

What guides REV Group in its work to improve accessibility?

It begins with the REV Group tagline – Vehicles for Life – which expresses our commitment to engineering and building vehicles that perform to very high standards for operators who manage transportation in life and death situations, such as medical emergency and fire protection. REV has since brought its philosophy of connecting and protecting to our specialty paratransit bus brands that operate in this arena, but certainly not to such extreme levels.

Nonetheless, with the same level of compassion, we strive to provide this community with special vehicles that dramatically improve the lives of people using wheelchairs, and give them the freedom and access that perhaps they have not experienced in the past. We consider all the situations in which these individuals and their caregivers rely on these vehicles to go about their daily lives.

What innovations by REV Group would the paratransit community see as going above and beyond?

We make it our mission to understand the importance of what goes into the design and manufacture of our paratransit vehicles in terms of need and comfort.

For example, as most passengers in wheelchairs are particularly sensitive to ride quality, ElDorado Mobility has chosen to install its own air suspension systems. Air suspension simply provides the smoothest possible ride at the adjustable height with the best kneeling capability, as well as the optimum ramp slope for easy loading and unloading.

Has REV Group connected directly with the paratransit community in the design and manufacture of its specialty buses?

Not only with this community at large – we have employees working in our company who use wheelchairs, as well as family members in wheelchairs who ride in our vehicles. For example, from their input and feedback, our ElDorado product incorporates the widest doors in the industry at 33 inches; the longest floor at 87 inches for 2 extra inches of foot room for a wheelchair passenger. We offer 58- and 60inch interior heights and a variety of chairs and seating configurations, and a ramp system that supports 1000 pounds. This is particularly significant as wheelchairs and scooters have become larger.

REV conducts both formal and informal focus groups, in which we have many opportunities to hear from people at trade shows and conferences, and to interact with individuals who wish to sample the vehicles and be assured they’ll work for them.

22

BUSRIDE | JUNE / JULY . 2016

The Dodge Amerivan PT by ElDorado Mobility.

As a matter of fact, our 10-inch drop floor is coming directly from such interaction and comment from end users. More than a few told us they absolutely did not want to feel like they were “siting in a hole in the back;” that they wanted to a clear view out over the dashboard.

What lies ahead as REV Group works to enhance mobility for the paratransit community?

In terms of product innovation, REV is working to expand on the existing features with new innovations currently in development as we speak. We will continue to improve through an aggressive approach to examine more durable materials and manufacturing processes that expanding the product line; all based on what we hear consumers asking for in the marketplace.

Heichelbech says the Eldorado Mobility logo makes a clear statement that the customer is at the center of every decision they make and every product they design.

busride.com

THE INTERNATIONAL REPORT

Electric bus developments in Europe

By Doug Jack

Before getting into the main theme of this article, it was amazing to read a recent report by IDTechEx, a respected research organization which has offices on both sides of the Atlantic. Over here, it is based in the beautiful old university city of Cambridge.

Alexander Dennis will body 51 BYD electric chassis for service in London later this year.

T

hey predicted that the electric bus battery market will overtake the consumer electronics sector by 2020. In a report, entitled “Lithium-ion Batteries for Electric Buses 2016-2026,� they predicted that the large e-bus battery market will grow to $30 billion by 2026, potentially making it the largest segment of the overall battery market. That was because electric buses require large-sized batteries ranging from 74kWh (on a fast charging electric bus) to over 300kWh (on a slow charging bus with a full day’s range in the batteries).

If those predictions are correct, then there will be a quite dramatic ramp-up in production of electric buses.

Looking only at Europe, annual registrations of city and suburban buses are around 12,000 to 14,000 per annum. A very small percentage of those registrations are trolleybuses, drawing their power from overhead wires. We are starting to see some developments where those vehicles can have mixed on and off wire operation, for example, capable of running off wire for a few miles in suburban areas.

However, excluding trolleybuses, there were probably no more than 100 deliveries of large all-electric buses in Europe last year and, of those, 35 BYD vehicles were delivered to Amsterdam Airport, mainly for airside use.

The numbers will be higher in 2016, partly as more new models come on stream. The largest order will probably be one for London, with 51 BYD chassis that will have Alexander Dennis bodywork. Last October, the two companies signed a 10-year deal to supply the British market, with an estimated value of $300 million per annum.

It is interesting to see how the development of electric buses is evolving over here. On the one hand, we have the traditional bus manufacturers, and they have been moving at different speeds. On the other hand, there are companies that are specialists in electrical systems and batteries that have started developing buses as an additional sales outlet for their products.

If you look first at the traditional bus manufacturers, the prevailing thought was that hybrid buses would be a step towards the development of all-electric. This was certainly true of Volvo, which started a few years ago with hybrid buses, including chassis for double-decker bodywork for the U.K. market, then used fast charging to extend the range of those vehicles up to 70 percent in all-electric mode. Last year, Volvo took that to the final stage, the all-electric bus, which still relies on fast charging at each end of its routes. busride.com | BUSRIDE

23

THE INTERNATIONAL REPORT

Three of these all-electric Volvo ElectriCity buses are running in Gothenburg.

Other manufacturers are working on electric solutions. MercedesBenz is developing the next generation of city bus which will have platform suitable for diesel or gas engines, hybrid, all-electric or fuel cell drive. Parent company Daimler company recently extended a factory that makes batteries for electric cars and Mercedes-Benz will be able to plug in to that technology for electric city buses.

Similarly, other parts of Daimler are working on fuel cells and the Bus Division can share the development costs and technology.

It is some of the smaller European bus builders who have moved more rapidly with electric vehicle technology: Irizar of Spain, Solaris of Poland, Van Hool of Belgium and VDL of the Netherlands have all brought their solutions to the market.

Irizar is best known for its range of luxury coaches, but has in recent years added suburban and interurban models with lower floor levels. Irizar never contemplated a hybrid city bus, but has electrical specialists in its group and has now delivered its i2e buses to customers in Spain, France and the United Kingdom. Their model has sufficient battery capacity for a full day’s operation.

Solaris has built more all-electric buses, of various lengths, including 60-foot articulated, and with various engineering solutions.

The company argues that if a bus is fitted with sufficient batteries for a full day’s operation, then it will reduce the number of passengers that

can be carried. Its preference is for smaller batteries and regular fastcharging. Battery technology seems to be improving all the time, so that fast charging can be accomplished very quickly.

The problem with fast-charging is the need to install gantries, usually at each end of the route, to give a bus a 5 to 6-minute charge.

Even standard diesel buses normally have a lay-over time at each

end of a route, to give recovery from any traffic delays. With allelectric buses and fast charging systems, it is difficult to recover from traffic delays.

VDL has been working on all-electric versions of its Citea city bus for

many months. The base model is interesting, because it makes extensive use of composites, saving weight and improving fuel economy. A fleet

of eight Citea articulated electric buses has recently been supplied to Koln, Germany.

In a significant recent development, Irizar, Solaris, VDL and Volvo came together with three suppliers of charging infrastructure, ABB,

Heliox and Siemens, to ensure an open interface between electric buses and charging infrastructure and to facilitate the introduction of electric bus systems in European cities.

They have anticipated European legislation that is due to come standards that are due in 2020. into force in 2019 and international They have specifically said that other bus manufacturers and charging systems suppliers are invited to join their cooperation. It is in the interests of transit operators to have common, preferred interfaces that are compatible with the different makes of buses that they might own.

The capital cost of electric buses is considerably higher than standard diesel buses. On the other hand, even though the price of 24

BUSRIDE | JUNE / JULY . 2016

diesel has fallen in the last year, it remains much more expensive in Europe than North America, so the payback in fuel costs should be around four to five years. That makes term financing of electric buses a practical possibility.

The introduction of large numbers of all-electric buses will raise many other challenges. Drivers need to be re-trained, because they handle in quite a different way to diesel buses. In fact, Transport for London believes that the acceleration on prototype all-electric buses is too fast, and has had to slow down their performance.

There is also a challenge for the supply infrastructure. One British manufacturer has said that if all 9,000 buses in London were to become all-electric, the grid would not be able to cope. Their demand would be greater than the total capacity of the city’s largest power station. On the other hand, one of his competitors has said that, if every city bus in the United Kingdom was electric, it would only increase demand for electricity by around 3 percent.

Whatever the case, electricity suppliers have to think about the implications of a depot full of all-electric buses being charged overnight. What impact will that have on other consumers in the area, such as hotels, hospitals and houses?

The large-scale introduction of electric buses opens up new challenges for the manufacturers. Many of them have developed contract maintenance packages where they not only sell vehicles, but provide parts and service for a fixed price over a fixed period. They earn money by using their own genuine parts. Many of those, like engines and engine auxiliaries, will not be needed on electric buses – so where will they make that kind of income?

It will be very interesting to see how the electric bus industry develops – and how rapidly.

Doug Jack is with Transport Resources in the United Kingdom.

Contract Solicitations

RFQ#: 131123

Due Date: 7/21/16

Title: Bus Interior Cleaning

Type: RFI

Description: New York City Transit and MTA Bus Company (which shall be referred to as The Authority) is seeking an expression of interest in order to identify and obtain information from Industrial Engineers or manufacturers experienced in designing and executing a system of cleaning the interior areas of all of the Authority’s bus fleets at Department of Buses and MTABC facilities system‐ wide.

For additional information, please visit

http://web.mta.info/nyct/procure/rfipage.htm busride.com

Announcing a new name for an old friend

22’ Transit with Bus Doorway.

Available in Paratransit and Shuttle configurations

Now has a new name!     

35 Years Experience Certified Ford QVM NHTSA Registered FTA TVM Program approved Meets All FMVSS Safety Requirements

WWW.MOBILITYTRANS.COM CALL FOR INFORMATION 800-496-4280 RAM ProMaster too!

Paratransits in 3 Sizes

Retired Greyhound driver Emory Hysell never rushed through 4.5 million miles To hear Emory Hysell tell it, his 4.5 million safe, accident-free miles behind the wheel of Greyhound coaches were simply the result of keeping at it for 51 years – and never rushing.

Hysell’s path to his Hall of Fame driving record started in 1958 with his first job at the Greyhound Bus Lines terminal in Charleston, WV. “Rather than go back to college, I worked this job for a year and then moved into driving,” he says. “I drove out of Charleston, but we eventually transferred to Miami, FL, to be closer to my wife’s family.”

They later moved north to Calahan, FL, allowing Hysell to work out of Jackonsville, FL, where he retired in 2014.

“Calahan is away from the big city and reminds us of West Virginia,” he says. “We never wanted to move again.”

During his career, Hysell worked the Greyhound extra board, spending half or more of his time driving charters for American Travel out of Ft. Lauderdale, FL. “After my first connection, I became their requested driver for many years after,” he says. “That led to more requested work from AAA (American

Automobile Association) as well as Air and Sea Travel.

They chartered Greyhound buses for tours ranging from overnights to as long 45 days.”

Hysell transported his loyal following throughout the U.S., racking up miles in New England, the Pacific Northwest and California. He says the smaller companies simply didn’t have the equipment to go the distances Greyhound covered.

“On most tours, if I carried 25 passengers, probably half had traveled with me before,” he says. “I enjoyed working charters, especially when I was requested. They were like traveling with my family.”

Earning his 50-year safe driving ring from Greyhound, and finishing out his career as a respected Greyhound driving instructor, Hysell attributes his success to his patience and skill in assessing the changing ebb and flow of traffic around him.

“Get the feel of the traffic pattern, look ahead and don’t try to fight what is going on at that moment,” he says. “Go with the flow; pass as necessary. Above all, just don’t rush.”

Emory Hysell racked up 4.5 million miles over 50 years throughout New England, the Pacific Northwest and California.

SAFET Y THAT REVOLVES AROUND YOU PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION The members of Protective Insurance Company’s Loss Prevention & Safety Services Team are specialists in the transportation industry and use a collaborative approach to partner with our insureds to address their specific safety and risk management needs.

Our team understands that no two companies are the same and solutions must be tailored to fit each one's unique needs.

Visit www.protectiveinsurance.com/publictransportation to learn about our specialized online training offerings for public transportation.

FOR COVERAGE THAT REVOLVES AROUND YOU, CONTACT STACY RENZ: (800) 644-5501 x2570 pr o t e c ti ve i n s u r a n c e .c o m

EXCELLENCE IN: 26

FLEET TRUCKING | PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION |

BUSRIDE | JUNE / JULY . 2016

WORKERS’ COMPENSATION | INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS

busride.com

DELIVERIES MOTOR COACH INDUSTRIES (MCI) added

added

4

2

AJL International Worldwide Chauffeured Transportation Dallas, TX

MCI announced the delivery of four 2016 MCI J4500 coaches to AJL International Worldwide Chauffeured Transportation.

A best selling intercity coach for 11 consecutive years, the J4500 offers premium curb appeal, reliability and excellent fuel economy for the transportation demands of the major Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area. Featuring a Bendix braking system, AJL drivers will notice its car-like control, and turning radius of 41 feet, 9 inches, with standard passive rear tag for maneuvering tight city streets.

CH BUS SALES / TEMSA

added

added

1

14

Krapf’s Coaches, Inc.

Royal Coach Tours

Anderson Coach and Travel

West Chester, PA

Lake County, OH

Greeneville, PA

MCI has delivered two 2016 MCI J4500 coaches to the Krapf’s Coaches, Inc. headquarters to help kick off Krapf’s strategic plan to renew its fleet over the next eight years. Krapf’s, which has a long purchasing history with MCI, plans to refresh its entire fleet exclusively with MCI models.

Optional features on Krapf’s new MCI J4500 coaches include plush seating with footrests and leather headrests, interior simulated woodgrain finishes, Tarabus Harmonia wood flooring, 110v seatback power outlets with USB ports in every row, and a state-of-the-art REI entertainment system with HD LCD monitors.

MCI announced that Laketran, the regional public transportation system in Lake County, received 10 new MCI Commuter Coaches three months ahead of schedule, and has exercised an option for four more coaches.

The new commuter coaches feature plush, forward facing seating and overhead parcel racks with individual reading lights and airflow controls.

Engineered to provide a comfortable, safe ride on express and highway routes, Laketran’s new coaches are each equipped bike racks, a wheelchair lift, on-board security cameras, and the latest cleandiesel engine technology for near-zero emissions.

Anderson Coach and Travel recently purchased the 500th TEMSA TS 35 motorcoach delivered in the U.S. as they prepared to celebrate their 80th corporate anniversary. The company currently employs nearly 300 associates and operates 42 motorcoaches, 150 school buses and a fleet of vans and passenger cars.

The 500th TS35 is a 40-passenger luxury coach that sports a stunning metallic black graphics package. Powered by a Cummins 345 HP ISL engine driving through an Allison B500 six-speed transmission, it’s equipped with 110V outlets, USB ports, an REI Elite Entertainment system with 15-inch monitors and a woodgrain rubber floor.

VDO RoadLog – Affordable ELD Solutions.

VDO and RoadLog – Trademarks of the Continental Corporation

www.vdoroadlog.com

Whether it’s for one coach or 100, VDO RoadLog™ offers simple, low-cost solutions for FMCSA ELD mandate compliance. Choose no monthly fees or plans with affordable wireless connectivity. Either way, RoadLog makes you more efficient and gives you 100% compliance – now and in the future.

Plus, RoadLog is the only ELD with a built-in printer to get you through inspections faster.

CO3344 BusRide_RoadLog_2016_Buses_HalfIHoriz_6-16_v1.indd 1

Find out where to get yours:

Call: (855)-ROADLOG Visit: www.vdoroadlog.com E-mail: roadlog-sales@vdo.com

busride.com | BUSRIDE 5/3/16 2:53 PM

27

OUR REPUTATION FOR SERVICE IS FUELED BY EXPERIENCE. Every Prevost coach is backed by a highly skilled service team that’s committed to keeping you productive and profitable. From our 24-hour emergency assistance to our coast-to-coast network of certified providers, we’re here with uptime support that’s unmatched in the industry. www.prevostcar.com

Whether you need a single oil change, complete fleet-wide refurbishment, or anything in between,

WE’VE GOT YOU COVERED Your partner for parts and service solutions… from a simple fix to a complete refurbish. service experience 40+ ofin the motorcoach &

YEARS

transit bus industry

200,000+

parts in our inventory strategic service locations

ABC is the service partner you can count on to keep your buses on the road and looking new.

ONE CALL. SERVICE FOR ALL.

CALL US 844.287.3183 or visit www.abc-companies.com TODAY! © 2016 ABC Companies. All rights reserved.