BUSRide Magazine - May 2017

MAY | 2017

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enjoys strong ties and durability

p12

Managing paratransit operations p11 Fare collection roundtable p16 Seven steps to bus safety p 22

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European leading technology Proven reliability

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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

MAY 2017 CONTENTS

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COVER STORY Access enjoys strong relationships and durable vehicles 12 Building on a partnership with ElDorado lasting 23 years, the Cincinnati paratransit agency prides itself on distinctive, longlasting vehicles

By Richard Tackett

FEATURES Bridging the gap – paratransit costs, demand response and transportation network companies 11

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By Jeff Zarr

Official BUSRide Roundtable Discussion: Fare Collection

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Experts from Genfare and INIT share their thoughts on the current state of fare collection, notable trends and projections for the future

Seven steps to safety

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Great safety is no accident. It takes seven steps to really improve safety performance in your operation

By Paul Comfort

MCI delivers a new service and parts experience at UMA Motorcoach EXPO

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DEPARTMENTS 8 UPDATE 28 DELIVERIES

COLUMNS 6

DAVID HUBBARD

15 THE CONNECTED BUS

Paola Realpozo 20 SECURITY AND SURVEILLANCE

By Lori Jetha

25 FOCUS ON: FARE COLLECTION

By Darren Dickson

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26 THE INTERNATIONAL REPORT

By Doug Jack

30 ELECTRIFYING TRANSIT

By Jennifer McNeill

21 ENTERPRISE ASSET MANAGEMENT

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By Kiel Knisely

BUSRIDE | MAY . 2017

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Backup Camera Wireless Destination Signs OBNSS (On Board Next Stop Sign)

Diagnostics

AVA

DAVID HUBBARD

Peter Pan’s STAR Ed Hope hits the big ‘4 mil’ Each year, Peter Pan Bus Lines, Springfield, MA, one of the country’s largest privately-owned motorcoach companies serving over 100 communities throughout the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, sets aside an evening to give special recognition to its super team of achievers.

This year, the company’s annual STAR Awards Dinner was absolutely over the moon in honoring super-veteran Ed Hope of Enfield, CT, as this country’s first coach driver to reach four million miles without an accident of any kind.

In addition to honors from Peter Pan, Hope also will be inducted into the National Safety Council Hall of Fame for his remarkable achievement.

The National Safety Council defines “One Million Miles” as the equivalent of 12 consecutive years of average driving. Peter Pan Chairman and CEO Peter Picknelly is more picturesque with his math, noting that in his long career Hope has made the equivalent of eight roundtrips to the moon and circumvented the planet Earth 160 times in a motorcoach.

The 2009 BUSRide Safe Driver Hall of Fame honored Hope for crossing the 3-million miles mark accident free — the first coach driver in the Commonwealth of Peter Pan Bus Lines President Peter A. Picknelly with Massachusetts to do so. professional coach driver Ed Hope, the country’s first four-million mile driver; now retired after 49 years.

Hope began his career as an intercity bus driver for Continental Trailways for the better part of 18 years along the New York-Boston corridor. He joined Peter Pan Bus Lines during its acquisition of Trailways New England in 1986, transferring his spotless safe driving records and continuing to excel.

Hope attributes his achievement to his healthy positive attitude and good relationships with his co-workers, and, above all, his continuous courteous service to the traveling public.

“Needless to say, this is a truly remarkable milestone for a professional motorcoach operator,” Picknelly says. “Peter Pan Bus Lines is proud to employ more one- and two-million mile drivers than any other transportation company of its size.”

Now, with his recent retirement from his phenomenal 49 years behind the wheel, his four million miles without an accident should inspire the many other professional drivers out on the roads counting down.

David Hubbard Associate Publisher BUSRide Magazine

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BUSRIDE | MAY . 2017

busride.com VOL. 53 • NO. 4 Richard Tackett

Editor in Chief rtackett@busride.com David Hubbard

Associate Publisher dhubbard@busride.com Steve Gamble

Art Director sgamble@busride.com Joyce Guzowski

Assistant Editor jguzowski@busride.com Judi Victor

CEO & Publisher Director of Sales jvfly@busride.com Scott Bracken

Senior Account Executive sbracken@busride.com Mitch Larson

Business Manager mlarson@busride.com Blair McCarty

Sr. Sales and Marketing Coordinator bmccarty@busride.com Hollie Broadbent

Marketing & Sales Associate hbroadbent@busride.com

BUS industry SAFETY council

A publication of:

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UPDATE Grande West is the ‘Transit Vehicle Manufacturer’ of record with the U.S. FTA and responsible for all the necessary compliance with the federal government and Buy America requirements.

ABG will invest in excess of $1 million to transform their existing 70,000 square-foot manufacturing and service facility with tooling and test equipment necessary for production. Improvements will also include a customer inspection and delivery acceptance area. The project is slated for completion by the third quarter of 2017, at which time production will commence.

ABC unveils NextGen FX concept coach at UMA Motorcoach EXPO 2017 ABC Companies featured a fully-connected, tech-laden concept coach at their booth during the United Motorcoach Association (UMA) Motorcoach EXPO 2017 in St. Louis, MO. The Van Hool NextGen FX prototype coach was created to showcase how future technologies can create opportunities for passengers, drivers and business owners. Integrating an elaborate and expansive variety of practical and futuristic passenger and driver features, the NextGen FX concept combines intelligent control systems, integrated infotainment platforms, enhanced onboard connectivity and more.

The coach is built on a two-door Van Hool TX45 model, and features a multi-zoned floor plan with new and emerging technologies. With designated zones that showcase cutting-edge systems from intelligent driver’s controls, to robust infotainment platforms that integrate virtual reality and gaming stations, surround sound and more – the NextGen FX model simulates how passengers and drivers might experience and interact onboard an advanced design environment.

UMA names interim president and CEO Steve Klika, who is managing the national search process to replace retiring UMA President and CEO Victor Parra, is serving as interim president and CEO, effective April 1, 2017, while the recruitment process continues. Klika is the former president of the International Motorcoach Group (IMG) and has been active in recruiting new leadership for numerous motorcoach companies and trade associations in the United States and Canada.

“This is the next step in a planned process that has been carefully crafted to smooth the transition, keep UMA’s mission on track, and provide seamless service to members following the departure of a successful long-time chief executive,” says Dale Krapf, chairman of UMA and Krapf’s Coaches. “With Steve as interim president and CEO, UMA will maintain its focus and continue moving forward as the executive committee completes the recruitment and hiring process.”

Parra, who retired March 31, served as UMA’s chief executive for nearly 19 years.

Grande West secures U.S. manufacturing in Atlanta Grande West Transportation Group Inc., a Canadian bus manufacturer of heavy-duty mid-sized transit buses for sale in Canada and the United States, announced its securement of a manufacturing agreement to produce Vicinity buses in Atlanta, GA, that meets FTA Buy America requirements on March 28, 2017.

Alliance Bus Group (“ABG”), Grande West’s exclusive U.S. distributor, will produce Buy America compliant Vicinity buses for sale to U.S. transit authorities.

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BUSRIDE | MAY . 2017

ABA, SYTA write letter urging President Trump to encourage secure foreign travel On March 24, 2017, the American Bus Association (ABA) and the Student Youth Travel Association (SYTA) sent a joint letter urging President Donald Trump to clarify that the United States is open for business and encourage secure foreign travel into the country.

Citing the economic impact of international travel to the United States – in 2016 international visitors spent $246 billion on travel to and tourism-related activities – and also the cultural exchanges that occur with international travelers in the United States, the two organizations supported the call for the president to include a clear statement that legitimate international business and leisure travelers remain welcomed and valued by the United States.

Four Florida agencies move toward interoperability agreement Miami-Dade County’s Department of Transportation and Public Works (DTPW) – along with Broward County Transit, Palm Beach Transit, and the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority (SFRTA) – are collaborating to bring residents and visitors an accessible transit fare system that’s interoperable.

Currently, all four transportation hubs operate their own unique form of fare collection. Upcoming infrastructure developments will allow for the EASY Card and EASY Pay mobile app – as well as other alternative payment methods – to be used across all four regional transportation options. Riders can load cash value onto their transit cards and ride anywhere. That means transferring between MiamiDade Transit to Broward County Transit, or from Palm Tran to Tri-Rail, all with the use of one easy-to-use system.

Each transit agency will maintain control and manage their own respective fare policies and assure interoperability of the payment system. DTPW, SFRTA, Broward County Transit, and Palm Tran are working together towards this regional fare collection with the intention of passengers having the option of seamless travel in the near future.

Stephen Morris, Jr. honored as PBA Driver of Distinction Stephen Morris, Jr., bus operator for Trans-Bridge Lines, Bethlehem, PA, was honored on March 28, 2017, with the Pennsylvania Bus Association (PBA) Driver of Distinction Award. Morris’ achievement was recognized at the PBA Driver and Employee of Distinction and Associate Member Reception at the Spooky Nook Sports Complex in Manheim, PA. busride.com

UPDATE

From left: Trans-Bridge Lines: Scott Clark (safety manager), Mark Ertel (director of operations), Danielle Morris (wife of Stephen Morris, Jr.), Stephen Morris, Jr. (bus operator and PBA 2017 Driver of Distinction Award recipient), Jim JeBran (executive vice president), Tom JeBran (president)

Morris began driving for Trans-Bridge Lines in September of 2006, and is six years accident-free. He assists members of Trans-Bridge Lines’ dispatch team in New York City by being their eyes and ears during peak travel times, and helps guide passengers at Port Authority Bus Terminal to the correct gates and buses.

Morris also assists Trans-Bridge Lines’ Training Department by instructing a one-day e-log class to new drivers and teaching the intricacies of Trans-Bridge Lines’ routes. Morris developed a “Driver Directions Packet” for the company, which contains directions for the most efficient routes to all of Trans-Bridge Lines’ stops, as well as alternate routes to take when there is an accident or road closure.

UConn introduced its 10 new buses from New Flyer in late March.

UConn rolls out 10 new buses at Storrs campus 10 new vehicles were introduced to the University of Connecticut (UConn) on March 23, 2017. All were put in to service, with one parked on Fairfield Way to give students and employees the chance to check out the new 35-foot vehicles, ask questions, and provide suggestions about UConn’s bus service.

The new buses each have 16 USB ports along with bike racks, “kneeling” technology that lowers the front to help people get on and off more easily, soft blue LED lighting, and other technology. Starting in the next academic year, they’ll also have Wi-Fi service.

Dennis Solensky, general manager of transportation and fleet services at UConn Transportation, noted that the 10 new buses alone will transport more than 1 million passenger trips annually on the Storrs campus, not including trips on other buses already in the fleet.

The buses were built by New Flyer Corp. in St. Cloud, MN, and represent the latest in large transit bus technology. In addition to the

improved passenger amenities, they also have cameras to capture the view inside and outside of the buses; automated passenger counters; and suspensions and seats that offer a more comfortable ride.

Each bus seats 31 passengers, not including people who prefer to stand; has two positions for wheelchairs; and carry “Husky GO” designs on the exterior, introducing the new brand by which the bus service will be known.

The University has strongly supported the state’s plan to extend its CTfastrak service east to Storrs. Once that service launches, the Husky GO buses will also travel off campus to link Storrs with a local stop near I-84, connecting students to network of bus lines throughout central Connecticut.

Some of the University’s oldest buses will be taken out of service because they have become too costly to maintain and have exceeded their useful life, but the popular and relatively new “Ice Bus” and other buses with UConn scenes on them will remain in the fleet for several more years.

New transit planning leader joins Palm Tran Palm Tran, West Palm Beach, FL, announced the appointment of a new member to its Executive Leadership Team (ELT). Khaled Shammout, director of transit planning, joined Palm Tran on Friday, March 31, 2017.

Shammout is an accomplished transit leader and comes to Palm Tran with over 22 years of both public and private sector experience in the industry. As the director of transit planning at Palm Tran, Shammout will plan, organize, and direct all of the activities of the Transportation Planning Division including: scheduling, bus stops and shelters, strategic planning, grant research and other planning-related research and analysis functions. He will be a member of Palm Tran’s Executive Leadership Team (ELT). He will also lead Palm Tran’s Route Performance Maximization (RPM) project, which is a comprehensive redesign of Palm Tran’s bus network.

In his previous position as the chief of bus services for Makkah Mass Rail Transit in Saudi Arabia, Shammout managed a multibillion-dollar effort of creating the first-ever bus transit system in Makkah. Prior to this, Shammout served as the deputy director of mass transit for the Jacksonville Transportation Authority (JTA) where he oversaw the service planning, Skyway, paratransit services, regional coordination efforts, Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS), facilities and operations. Shammout has also worked for Abu Dhabi Department of Transportation, TranSystems, and the Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA), where he was involved in transit planning and operations efforts, managing long/short term plans, Major Investment Studies (MIS), on-time performance analysis and transit scheduling and service.

ABC Companies promotes new VP of sales ABC Companies recently announced the appointment of Bryan O’Connell to the position of senior vice president of sales (SVP) for ABC’s Western Region. As the new SVP for the industry-leading transportation solutions provider, O’Connell brings decades of transportation-related expertise to the position.

In his new role with ABC, O’Connell will be responsible for the dayto-day supervision and management for all of the Western Region’s sales-related activities that impact financial performance, operational performance, new business development and inventory management, as well as ongoing development and relationship management of new and existing customer accounts. busride.com | BUSRIDE

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UPDATE

McDonald Transit awarded interim management contract by Capital Area Transit Earlier last month, McDonald Transit, a division of RATP Dev North America, was selected as the interim managing body of Capital Area Transit (CAT) for the city of Harrisburg, PA and the surrounding Cumberland and Dauphin counties. The CAT board of directors selected McDonald Transit through a national competitive process.

Contract services have started and cover an initial period of six months. Partnering with CAT, McDonald Transit has appointed Tony Johnson, an industry veteran and former interim president of the Fort Worth Transit Authority to serve as CAT’s general manager.

Under the terms of the contract, McDonald Transit will directly supervise CAT’s daily operations and vehicle maintenance for the Fixed Route Bus Division and the Shared Ride/Paratransit Division.

McDonald Transit will also provide recruiting and training for bus and maintenance service staff, support the Public Transit Authority’s state safety oversight requirements, and will oversee labor relations, service planning and organizational restructuring.

MCI operators Karst Stage and Villlage tours win awards for green practices and industry innovation Karst Stage, Bozeman, MT, and Village Tours, Wichita, KS, both Motor Coach Industries (MCI) operators, received honors for their respective work in green transportation and innovation in ground transportation.

Karst Stage / UMA Green Highway Award As a ground transportation provider in Big Sky country, Karst Stage President Dan Martin took home the 2017 UMA Green Highway Award for one of the most environmentally forward business operations in today’s motorcoach industry. Headquartered in Bozeman, MT, Karst won for an industry-leading assortment of green policies including full participation in the EcoDriver and IdleFree certification for all of its drivers under the Certification for Sustainable Transportation (CST) program sponsored by the University of Vermont. Karst is also working to make sure every single one of its vehicles are eRatingcertified through the same program. Staff, drivers and technicians adhere to a wide-ranging recycling policy that covers everything from printer paper to used mufflers and waste oil. All recyclable materials collected from cubicle to passenger seat to service bay are picked up by a dedicated hauler or delivered personally by Karst for recycling.

The company has retired more than 15 older vehicles over the past two years, improving its carbon footprint and making the average age of its fleet to seven years or newer. At its facilities, the company switched to LED and motion- and sound-sensor lighting in its bus barns more than two years ago.

Village Tours / UMA Vision Award /Large Operators Founded in 1980 and acquired by the Arensdorf family in 2000, Wichita, KS-based Village Tours began a steady march of organic growth and acquisitions that has made it one of the largest full-service charter and tour companies in the Midwest. The company brought home the 2017 UMA Vision Award for large operators.

In the Arensdorf family’s hands, a love of the business has led to 10

BUSRIDE | MAY . 2017

great growth as well. Village Tours believes that constant fleet renewal has been a catalyst for growth. It also offers creative tour packages, charter and shuttle services and personalized service with access to travel agents, and live chat website sessions.

Traditional travel agency services and daily scheduled service in cooperation with Greyhound adds to its ridership numbers and keeps its fleet of 91 coaches on the go. The Vision Award committee took notice of how Village Tours carefully tracks its fleet utilization, which it has replicated in every expansion market. Always looking for businesses with a similar footprint to its own, since 2011, Village Tours has acquired eight bus companies within a 400-to-500-mile radius from its headquarters. The company is known for attracting mechanics in the industry with an aggressive training program. In accepting the award, President Jeff Arensdorf thanked his father, his wife and his entire team for their focus on the business.

ARBOC announces new national sales manager Due to her outstanding performance and commitment to the company, ARBOC Specialty Vehicles, LLC is announced the promotion of Kim Yoder to the position of national sales manager. As national sales manager, Yoder will be responsible for overseeing all sales procedures for both the United States and Canada.

Yoder joined the company in 2013 as a regional sales manager.

“Kim has excelled in her position for the past 3.5 years, so we are confident she will be a fundamental key in elevating our organization to new heights,” said Don Roberts, ARBOC president & CEO.

One woman’s story of personal ambition, service, survival and success; lessons learned as June Bratcher and her family grew Daisy Charters from a $200 startup to a $6 million business—working on the cutting edge with critical decisions at every turn.

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BRIDGING THE GAP – paratransit costs, demand response and transportation network companies

By Jeff Zarr Transit agencies are in constant battle with operating costs. Most fixed route operations only lose a few dollars on a single trip. But, paratransit trips potentially cost an agency up to $70. Normally, you wouldn’t keep this service operating if you were losing that much money on a single transaction. So, why do transit agencies?

The simple answer is: Because they have to.

Agencies that don’t get any subsidies for a service that, if not provided, can result in major fines, are examples of unfunded mandates.

What is the solution?

At the time of the Americans with Disabilities Act’s (ADA) inception, the cost of paratransit trips was approximately $15. The cost of paratransit trips has doubled over the past 20 years – the average trip cost is now $29.30. Couple that with the fact that people aged 65 and older are expected to make up 20 percent of the world’s population by 2030, and agencies are at a loss, quickly.

With the increased cost and passenger rates on the rise, transit agencies are still expected to provide the same amount and quality of service, so it’s easy to see why public transit is pushing to circumvent the costs of operating paratransit.

Partnering with transportation network companies (TNCs), like Uber or Lyft, seems to be the current solution. Working with TNCs is the 21st century version of the taxicab model – and is 20 percent cheaper than working with taxis providing the same service. This is an attractive benefit. TNCs can reduce the cost of a single paratransit trip to $13-16, which is massive savings compared to a door-to-door service run solely by the transit agency.

But is it too good to be true?

With everything, there are pros and cons that you need to be aware of. There are some operational considerations when working with

TNCs. TNCs, like taxi cabs, won’t work for everyone – either due to the passenger’s cognitive abilities or having a limited/unknown number of accessible vehicles. Additionally, as with taxi cabs, contractual oversight of non-dedicated drivers and the refusal (by some drivers) to accept service animals are legitimate concerns. Another consideration that needs to be addressed is the refusal or inability for TNCs to accept cash payments. Nevertheless, many transit agencies have overcome the operational challenges and have elected to use non-dedicated providers like taxi cabs and TNCs. However, many TNCs are working extremely hard to close these gaps. Lacking the ability to book paratransit trips in advance was a common issue when dealing with TNCs. This is actively being addressed to make services more accessible. It wouldn’t be surprising to see future changes to address other limitations.

But it doesn’t have to be that way TNCs shouldn’t be seen as adversarial. The whole point is to move people and do so in the most economical way possible. Decreasing the cost of operations results in more money to be spent to improve your system. If that means you will have more money to spend on other things, these partnerships seem to be the way to keep passengers happy (and isn’t happier passengers the ultimate end goal?). Whether it’s in the fixed or paratransit side of transit, partnering with TNCs makes the door-to-door service a reality, expanding the definition of demand response.

Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) is one agency that has seen success with partnering with TNCs. They’re expecting about 20 percent savings on the paratransit side, which accounts for 20 percent of their total operations.

Looking to the future Today, it would be hard to find a bus that has actual steps to enter up and down the bus – but that’s what older buses looked like, prior to ADA regulations, making it impossible for anyone with a wheelchair to use a bus.

But now, not only are there no longer steps, there are designated spots for wheelchairs on the bus. How things are mandated forces us to adapt.

So, while fixed route and paratransit agencies try to catch up to the newest technologies and regulations, TNCs can help reduce operating costs, and be the bridge you need to access the newest features as quickly as they’re able to incorporate them. Both agencies and TNCs will have to adapt as the ADA and industry changes.

This is all part of the goal to, as much as possible, move towards one system. While generally seen as being exclusive to paratransit, demand response is becoming the norm in all modes of transit. It’s just a matter of time before a unified system is put in place to become a complete door-to-door transportation service. The next question is: What can we do to bridge the gap?

Jeff Zarr has over 30 years of transit experience and 20 years of project management experience in the public transportation industry, as well as providing paratransit consulting services for over 100 paratransit agencies across North America, Europe, and the UK. As the industry solutions manager, demand response, for Trapeze Group, Zarr shares his paratransit expertise and experience throughout the North American Demand Response industry.

Visit www.trapezegroup.com for more information.

busride.com | BUSRIDE

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O F F I C I A L

BUSRide Field Test:

Access enjoys strong relationships and durable vehicles Building on a partnership with ElDorado lasting 23 years, the Cincinnati paratransit agency prides itself on distinctive, long-lasting vehicles

By Richard Tackett Beginning in 1994, the relationship between ElDorado, a subsidiary of REV Group, and Access, the paratransit service provided by the Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority (SORTA), remains as durable as the vehicles which have sustained it.

SORTA, which is the tax-supported independent political subdivision of Ohio, operates Cincinnati Metro, the city bus system for Cincinnati, OH, which

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BUSRIDE | MAY . 2017

consists of fixed-route bus service, as well as Access, the city’s service for individuals whose disabilities prevent their riding Metro.

Access serves close to 2,700 eligible riders, and provided around 222,000 rides in 2016. All of this was accomplished with a compact fleet of 58 buses – 51 of which are ElDorado branded.

busride.com

Customization is key Whitworth Bus Sales of Dayton, OH, was a contracted dealer for the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) in 1994 – a contract that the company has held continuously since 1985.

“The service, which is now branded Access, was looking to ‘piggyback’ on the ODOT contract in order to fill its fleet,” says Kevin Whitworth, president and CEO of Whitworth Bus Sales. “They came to us in search of good, reliable buses for that purpose.”

Whitworth connected Access with ElDorado, a manufacturer of light- and medium-duty midsize commercial buses for transit, paratransit, airport and other markets. The first eight vehicles ElDorado built for Access were the 22-foot Aerotech 220.

Whitworth says that Access saw at that time that the space needed on board vehicles, for both wheelchairs and passengers, was growing.

“Access was one of the first customers that saw the interior and said, ‘We need more room,’” Whitworth says. “They opted to expand the interior and almost immediately went with a modified 24-foot vehicle.”

“Access has always been big on customizing the vehicles we use for our needs,” says Lisa Aulick, director of accessible services for Access. “Our relationship with ElDorado through Whitworth Bus Sales has grown so that every year we work directly with their factory representatives to make sure the vehicles are best suiting our needs. Sometimes, we even get to be the ones pioneering new decisions” For example, Access once requested bright-style interior lights for buses traveling at night.

The extra illumination ended up being a huge hit with nighttime passengers.

Similarly, interior modifications have been accepted just as easily by ElDorado.

“Riding in cutaway buses can be a very noisy experience,” Aulick says. “Because we have direct contact with the manufacturer, we’ve been able to develop pouch pockets to hold straps, seat belts, and extra securement straps, and that alone helps to reduce interior noise.”

Honeycomb construction Originally, Access officials had identified the ElDorado vehicles as potential five-year investments – but the vehicles eventually began amassing hundreds of thousands of miles driven while still maintaining a quality structure. Whitworth and Access both attribute this to top-quality engineering, and ElDorado’s steel reinforced patented fiberglass “honeycomb” composite.

Above all else, the steel reinforced fiberglass composite is durable.

“One of the most important aspects of the Aerotech vehicles’ fiberglass honeycomb composite is that it’s a non-corrosive body,” says Darrin Hendrixson, ElDorado Brand Manager. “It holds up extremely well in harsher conditions, such as in southwest Ohio, with harsher climates in the winter and salt on the road.”

About REV Group REV Group is a leading designer, manufacturer and distributor of specialty vehicles and related aftermarket parts and services.

They serve a diversified customer base primarily in the United States through three segments: Fire and Emergency, Commercial and Recreation. REV provides customized vehicle solutions for applications including: essential needs (ambulances, fire apparatus, school buses, mobility vans and municipal transit buses), industrial and commercial (terminal trucks, cut-away buses and street sweepers) and consumer leisure (recreational vehicles (“RVs”) and luxury buses).

REV’s brand portfolio consists of 27 well-established principal vehicle brands including many of the most recognizable names within our served markets. Several of REV’s brands pioneered their specialty vehicle product categories and date back more than 50 years.

busride.com | BUSRIDE

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“While you’re standing up, it seems like you have a good viewpoint – but when you’re seated, it’s not as easy to see outside and where you’re going,” she says. “It was harder for passengers to see upcoming stops. Working with ElDorado, we made alterations to our specifications which fixed the issue and really served our passengers.”

Furthermore, the insulated cabin and honeycomb fiberglass composite contribute to a much quieter ride for passengers.

Aesthetically, Aulick says passengers are very receptive to the buses’ sharp look, also customized as a collaboration between ElDorado and Access.

The vehicles’ blackout windows, combined with the program’s signature logo, make for a striking image on the streets of Cincinnati.

“The starburst logo is just eye popping, and certainly can’t be confused with other buses or smaller agency buses that might be around town,” Aulick says. “It’s a very clean and pretty look. It’s fresh, and the logo almost implies a wheel in motion.”

Maintenance savings The program’s maintenance staff includes some of the biggest proponents of the ElDorado buses.

Clockwise from left: Lisa Aulick, director of accessible services for Access; Mike Roth, district manager of The interior and exterior construction materials MV Transportation; Kevin Whitworth, president and CEO of Whitworth Bus Sales. are easy to keep clean, and Aulick says upkeep is much easier than other bus models.

The methods used in constructing this steel reinforced composite “I’ll often hear comments from maintenance staff that these buses body are completely different than the rest of the mid-sized vehicle always look ‘assembly-line new,’” she says. marketplace. The pieces actually come out of fiberglass molds, which One of the biggest benefits to the agency is cost savings attributable ElDorado pieces together into a front cap, sidewalls, a rear cap, and to the vehicle’s unique fiberglass composite. The high-quality a roof structure. ElDorado ties all of these pieces together, essentially construction materials from ElDorado allow for hard use by the agency creating a uni-body vehicle. and extended life for parts or or componentry.

“When we’re done with it, it’s one piece,” Hendrixson says. “It’s Joe Routt, former maintenance manager for MV Transportation, extremely strong. It has a gel-coated exterior that is highly maintainable, soon realized the ElDorado honeycomb body, was going to far outlast and you can hit this vehicle with a buffer years after you’ve bought it the chassis. They initiated a re-power program in order to get the best to make it look brand-new. It’s extremely forgiving and thrives in the bang for the dollar. harshest of conditions.”

“Our goal was 300,000 miles out of the original drive train, with The steel-reinforced composite body essentially has twice the the re-power to get an additional 150,000 to 200,000 miles,” Routt strength-to-weight ratio of an all-steel frame structure found in steel says. “It was not unusual to see a half million miles prior to disposing buses (like yellow school buses). When the Aerotech went through the vehicles.” rollover and impact testing, it exceeded the criteria set in place for steel “The cabin area will probably outlive all of us just because of the school buses. composite materials,” she says. “And we get so much usable life out of “When school bus manufacturers would undergo this testing, the the seats and the flooring. We do pay an upgrade for the nice seats, but school bus body would immediately go to the scrap yard – because it’s because we keep them in service for as long as we do. As someone it would total the vehicle,” Whitworth says. “It would destroy the who must be diligent with taxpayers’ money, I can appreciate that integrity of the vehicle. When the ElDorado vehicle went through we’re getting the best ‘bang for our buck’ that way.” the same test, they actually resold it - because the honeycomb construction has a memory that will rebound”.

Carrying the relationship forward “One of the highlights of a fiberglass product is its ability to absorb Thanks to the familiarity and knowledge shared between Access, shock of an impact and localize it to the area where the impact occurs,” Whitworth Bus Sales and ElDorado, their long relationship has been Hendrixson adds. “In a steel-frame bus, you get a lot of radiation from consistently pleasant. that impact throughout the frame of the vehicle, where you see a lot “Our relationship with our dealer and manufacturer makes training, of bent frames and exterior sidewall damage. Most of the time with operations and maintenance so much easier than normal,” Aulick says. our product, when needed, we simply remove the piece of damaged “Also, our customers always know to expect a consistent, safe, quality fiberglass and reattach a new piece in its place. It’s very forgiving, and ride. I don’t see that changing and I see that relationship lasting well it’s extremely strong.” into the future.”

“This relationship will continue to flourish,” Hendrixson says.

Community feedback “That’s because of the day-to-day, boots-on-the-ground work that Access riders love the ElDorado buses, and they’ve responded Kevin Whitworth does with every one of his customers, backed by especially well to customization initiated by the agency and OEM. a very robust customer service and warranty program that we offer Aulick recalls one passenger who indicated that, because of her through the REV Group here at ElDorado. This relationship will stature, she was having a hard time seeing out the vehicle’s windows keep growing.” when seated.

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THE CONNECTED BUS

Achieve great results and cost savings with an integrated bus connectivity solution

By Paola Realpozo As the demand for onboard applications grows, bandwidth data requirements become higher.

As the interest and demand for more onboard applications is growing, so is the need for higher bandwidth data requirements.

There is a significant focus on augmenting the number of applications and services onboard vehicles to provide increased safety, information, and connectivity to passengers, as well as real-time monitoring systems. When bus operators have a reliable connectivity solution with fully-managed services, they can focus on achieving their business goals knowing that their technology needs are covered in a cost-effective way.

An optimal bus connectivity solution is designed to help bus companies improve operations and generate new revenue streams.

It begins with intelligent IoT gateways that offer multiple wired and wireless connectivity options for the highest amount of throughput at the lowest possible cost. Centralized management tools enable valuable insights on remote devices, network performance, user statistics, ridership reports, and more.

The’ onboard gateway serves as the central communications hub for all operational and passenger services that require high throughput connectivity, computation, and storage. The platform functions as the communications gatekeeper, determining what communication link to connect based on the operational goals and priorities of the bus operator. Communication can be provided by the LTE network or by Wi-Fi networks, when available, at stations or depots.

IoT Platforms: Technology advantages for operational cost-savings Efficient use of the network As more onboard diagnostics, passenger services, and safety applications are deployed, onboard connectivity becomes crucial. An industrial IoT platform allows transit agencies to have more efficient usage of the communication networks by intelligently conserving network bandwidth when computing data on the edge, and also by creating policies that assign priority to more critical applications.

In the case of an emergency, the operator-defined network policy can be such that when emergency video streaming is triggered, other noncritical applications are temporarily restricted.

More efficiencies can be achieved when cellular connectivity is optimized. If your IoT platform can do multi-carrier or multi-link aggregation, then your bus can stay connected using the least cost routing option. The platform drives traffic to the lowest cost carrier.

Different cellular carriers have different rates, and if your network policy has rules around bandwidth quality and carrier costs, operators can save thousands of dollars on their monthly bill. Also, a smart communications gateway will know when a radio or Wi-Fi network is available, reducing the cost of cell communication even further.

Simplified architecture A platform that can integrate multiple applications and sensors, compute and analyze data at the edge of the network and in a public, private or hybrid cloud, will help reduce the number of components that must be deployed, wired, and maintained. This is especially relevant for vehicles with multiple applications that require an antenna installed on the roof of the vehicle, or that require a box installed inside the cabin. A simplified architecture will reduce the total cost of ownership.

Saving time and resources Operations management is key to operation efficiency as it also enables the remote monitoring, tracking, provisioning, troubleshooting and firmware/software updates of the communications gateway and onboard applications. No need to deploy employees to perform these tasks locally. This is very relevant when large fleets are equipped with communications gateways and their management becomes complex.

Connectivity-as-a-service: fully-managed services When operators need connectivity onboard their fleet, it is important that they find the right technology with the flexibility to scale as needed, and with the option to use their capital or operational budgets. Connectivity-as-a-service provides a fully-managed service for vehicular connectivity, where operators do not have to incur upfront costs or keep IT staff to manage data plans or maintain the onboard infrastructure.

LILEE Connected Vehicle solutions for buses are powered with a flexible and future proof technology to provide consistent Internet access to riders. Thanks to LILEE’s open architecture, applications such as CCTV, automatic passenger counting, infotainment, and digital signage can be installed and run from the gateway’s application.

Operators can also take advantage of built-in sensors (GPS, gyroscope, and accelerometer) in the LILEE IOT gateway to complement their safety and operations applications. Devices such as IP cameras or digital displays can be directly connected to and powered from the gateway using its multiple USB, HDMI, Serial, PoE ports. LILEE’s onboard WiFi network also enables the delivery of passenger applications to their own personal mobile devices for a bring-your-own-device (BYOD) model. These fully-managed connectivity solutions help bus operators to transform their fleets into Connected Vehicles for a better passenger experience and operational efficiency, with the best and most costeffective communications technology.

Paola Realpozo is director of rail strategy at LILEE Systems. LILEE Systems provides solutions for passenger connectivity, and a range of other broadband solutions, including on-board entertainment and advertising, surveillance and security, fleet management, and positive train control. Visit www.lileesystems.com for more information.

busride.com | BUSRIDE

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Official BUSRide

ROUNDTABLE

DISCUSSION

FARE

COLLECTION

BUSRide spoke with experts in the fare system industry to hear their thoughts on the current state of fare collection, notable trends and projections for the future. This roundtable discussion featured the following panelists:

Darren Dickson, president – Genfare Jordan Medlin, senior product manager – INIT

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How important is it for transit systems to provide mixed fare options for their customers? Why? Darren Dickson: Customer convenience is one of several driving factors in retaining riders and ridership growth. By embracing the new technologies available in fare collection systems today, including mixed fare options, an agency can guarantee that they will be able to provide the most convenient and economical fare options for their passengers.

By allowing fare payment by smart cards, mobile phones, magnetic stripe cards/tickets or cash, agencies can ensure their passengers of having the right fare product for all of their diverse riders. Different fare payment options appeal to different ridership groups. Public transportation is competing with more and different types of mobility options – transit must make sure it stays at the forefront of technology.

Jordan Medlin: Transportation is a public service, therefore transit agencies have an obligation to provide the widest array of payment options for their customer base. Patrons want to use what is convenient for them. Whether it’s the mobile-demand of millennials, the vital necessity of paratransit payment options for the elderly and disabled, or the need for simplicity and routine payment methods for the average daily rider, a diverse fare system is essential to the success of any transit system. A key necessity for public transportation is to remove any obstacles to ride. A daily commuter who relies on public transportation to get to and from work knows how they will pay, and for most, the buying process is largely an afterthought. A tourist who wants to get the true feeling of the city may opt to venture out and experience the city through the eyes of a “local”. Both riders are of equal importance, yet the buying experience may be holistically different.

To what degree are North American transit systems adopting mobile payments? To what degree are passengers utilizing them?

Dickson: Mobile payment options are a very hot topic in transit today. The use of mobile continues to increase and be embraced by many sectors of the North American population, and transit needs to stay abreast of this evolving trend. Millennials, a population group that transit is very interested in capturing as riders, are especially comfortable with using their phones for everything. However, this is only a part of the fare payment solution. As previously noted, it is important to offer passengers a wide range of fare options to ensure that you appeal to all groups.

Passenger utilization rates vary from agency to agency. In other areas of the world where mobile ticketing is well established, average utilization rates range from five to ten percent. Some North American cities are seeing some higher and some lower rates than these more established cities. Many transit-dependent riders and regular commuters may find other fare payment methods more cost-effective and just as convenient.

Medlin: Mobile payments are no longer the future. They are the present.

Most modern fare payment and/or management procurements require some kind of mobile application. Specifically, enabling the convenience of platform and onboard payments reduces a substantial barrier to entry, especially to the younger generation of riders, for whom convenience is a must. Additionally, attracting these young, environmentally-conscious riders can help ensure the viability of a transit system in the long term.

These passengers are far more likely to ride public transit than their parents are/were, but will not do so if they find it inconvenient. busride.com | BUSRIDE

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Medlin: The good news is that in the nearly 30 years since the Americans with Disabilities Act was passed, ADA compliance has become both a financial and moral imperative. By combining the ethical reasons with the financial reasons, industries across the board have come to the realization that not only is ADA compliance the right thing to do, it’s also a potentially profitable endeavor. As a result, hardware providers of all stripes have catered a specific segment of their development to, not only meet the requirements, but find ways to exceed them.

Specifically, for riders of low or no vision, touchscreen displays can be problematic because you can’t put brail on an LCD touchscreen.

That’s one specific area in which transit agencies and hardware providers need to remain vigilant as the technology matures and saturates markets. Additionally, ADA height restrictions are an important area of observation. Especially as TVMs continue to mature and the technology miniaturizes, it will remain important that disabled passengers have access to the full functionality of the TVM.

Are open payments and account-based payments destined to be the “new normal” in public transit?

How can fare collection technology contribute to a better public perception of transit?

Dickson: For large transit agencies, open payment and account-based systems are beginning to emerge. Open payment systems allowing the use of credit cards can expand as the technology and communications connectivity matures. Account-based systems rely on this same technology and communications connectivity. As systems evolve and stabilize, it is expected that they will become more cost effective. The real challenge will be to extend these systems to mid-size and smaller size transit operations at an affordable cost. This is an area that Genfare is especially interested in and making great progress at delivering to the marketplace.

Dickson: We can enhance the public perception of transit by delivering a simple and easy-to-use rider experience for the fairest price possible. Fare collection systems should be intuitive and user-friendly, and they should allow for seamless mobility across all transport modes.

As mobility options become more connected, we want systems that will make the user experience pleasant and convenient. Bus, rail, bike and car share, Uber and Lyft all have a place in the mobility solutions of the future. That’s where Genfare is headed.

Medlin: Unequivocally yes. Account-based systems enable the convenience of back-end account management, which reduces costs to riders, specifically in card values. In account-based systems, cards need to be less sophisticated, since the sophistication exists on the back end. This makes cards cheaper, for agencies and, by extension, passengers. They also provide improved security and convenience; since balances do not exist on the card, one need only activate a new card on the account and the balance remains. Lost cards no longer mean lost fare balances.

Sooner rather than later, we will see the industry move to the prevalence of open payment systems. While adding a layer of complexity to any fare system, open payments provide a convenience that consumers of all industries want and demand. Moreover, as the technology has matured, so too have the security measures. As a result, consumers are less concerned with the viability of security measures in place for these technologies. Simply put: the technology is available, viable and more affordable than ever.

In what ways must transit agencies – and thus TVM providers – remain cognizant of the ADA as it relates to fare collection?

Dickson: As fare collection system suppliers, we must all be aware of ADA requirements as we design our products. We want to make sure that our designs use the best possible combination of functionality, ease of use for all passengers and convenience. We, and our agency partners, are required to provide equipment that is compliant with the ADA laws and regulations, so we design with this in mind. We strive to incorporate the latest in audio, visual and other technologies to make it easy for all passengers to use – especially those who are physically challenged.

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Medlin: Fare collection may be the best tool in an agency’s tool belt to make transit more attractive. What component of the transit process has the most customer access? The ability to provide a diverse, technologically relevant and convenient payment methodology is a fantastic tool to demonstrate to passenger that an agency is modern, affordable, customer-focused and provides a desirable transportation alternative.

What will fare collection look like in 5 years? 10 years?

Dickson: Fare collection will change dramatically as public transit moves from bus and train operators to mobility managers. The future holds great promise for a more connected mobility platform, which offers a variety of options and choices available to the riding public.

Fare collection systems can unite all forms of mobility management and give the user the greatest number of alternatives to meet their travel needs.

Medlin: Don’t be surprised to see the overwhelming majority of transit transactions occurring on mobile devices. The market for mobile-based payment systems like Android Pay, Apple Pay, Google Wallet, Visa Checkout, Master Pass, etc. is going to continue to grow.

This growth will be from new consumers who have less concerns about security and viability as those products mature. Agencies that have the ability to accept payments onboard and at platforms for these applications will be able to attract more passengers. Additionally, with some vendors and agencies exploring the capabilities of Bluetooth, including BLE “zones” (a convenient, but undeveloped, way to tap on/ off without having to wait in lines - simply walk through a “zone” and your fare is debited via mobile app or payment app upon leaving the “zone” as a tap off), we believe that the convenience of mobile payments will become ubiquitous in our industry. busride.com

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SECURITY & SURVEILLANCE

Hybrid or NVR: Making the right choice for a surveillance upgrade

By Lori Jetha of the hybrid, such as Seon’s recent introduction of the HX16 and TH6, give further flexibility by offering any combination of analog and HD cameras capable of plugging into any DVR port without complicated programming.

IP or HD: Is there a difference?

The terms IP and HD are often used interchangeably, but are they really the same thing? All IP cameras are high definition, however not all high-definition cameras are IP. Some hybrid systems support analog high definition technology (AHD) which can deliver the same resolution as IP cameras, but don’t require the complicated programming or specialized installation. This can be a benefit and save significant dollars in a large scale retro-fit project as you don’t need specific computer networking expertise to install and maintain your camera system. If you decide to go all IP, it’s a good idea to have IT people on staff that are well-versed in IP networks.

On-board video technology is in the midst of an important transition in image quality, or what I like to call a ‘resolution evolution.’ The introduction of the Network Video Recorder (NVR) into the fixed surveillance market several years ago, brought with it the promise of higher quality images, as well as remote configuration, camera re-booting and monitoring. High-definition cameras and recorders were on the hot list for many transit agencies looking to upgrade their existing vehicle camera systems, with improvements in resolution driving the desire for change.

What many have discovered while implementing NVRs and IPbased systems in a mobile environment, is that there are different challenges with respect to video storage time, existing camera return on investment (ROI), ease of installation, maintenance, and both general networking and IT expertise, that need consideration. This has led to the introduction of hybrid systems capable of recording both analog and high-definition cameras. These systems seem to offer a good blend of resolution improvements, reduced installation complexity, and extended analog camera ROI. DVR vs. NVR vs. Hybrid The ‘brains’ of a mobile surveillance system is the video recorder.

Traditionally this was a digital video recorder or DVR, which supported low-to-medium-resolution analog cameras, converting analog camera feeds into a digital format for viewing and recording.

A Network Video Recorder (NVR) was the next evolution that allowed for the use of IP cameras that delivered a high-definition image directly to the recorder without requiring conversion. Although these new systems offered higher resolutions, they also had the added complexity of IP networking, programming, and required a complete replacement of existing cameras and cabling.

New hybrid DVRs were introduced to offer the advantages of supporting high-definition cameras, while extending the life of existing analog cameras, as well as increasing ROI. Newer versions 20

BUSRIDE | MAY . 2017

Maintain video retention times One important consideration in choosing whether to go hybrid vs. NVR are the requirements for video retention. While highdefinition cameras improve image clarity, they also increase storage requirements. Footage from a 720p HD camera can take up three times the storage of a medium resolution analog camera feed. Multiply this by 16 cameras and your storage capacity requirements grow and video retention times decline. Many transit agencies require up to 30 days storage on the recorder before being overwritten. With hybrid systems you have the flexibility to use a mix of analog and HD cameras so you get the benefits of high resolution in key areas, such as the fare box, windshield and outdoor cameras, while not having to sacrifice desired video retention timeframes.

Cost impacts Hybrid systems not only offer the flexibility to choose the pace of your video upgrade program, they also provide some additional cost savings over NVRs. This is most significant in scenarios where agencies are replacing a fleet of buses with existing analog camera systems. Hybrids allow you to maintain your existing analog cameras, extending your ROI and decreasing the overall cost of the system.

We’ve almost come full circle Although the introduction of NVRs brought with them the promise of new, higher quality images and simplified network infrastructure across the entire transit IT system, they also created additional complexity and costs that new technology initially brings. The introduction of hybrids are proving to be a good balance of adding future-thinking technology while not having to sacrifice your investment in existing video components.

One size definitely does not fit all when it comes to technology.

Choose a vendor partner that offers a number of scalable solutions and is willing to work with you to explore the best fit.

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

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‘Warehousing’ can optimize transit data Avail Technologies, State College, PA, is an intelligent transportation systems (ITS) solutions provider for public transit operators in the United States, specializing in CAD/AVL solutions for fixed route and paratransit. In an interview with BUSRide, Kiel Knisely, fixed-end software development lead at Avail Technologies, answered questions about data warehousing in public transportation.

Please define data warehousing.

Kiel Knisely: Data warehousing is the structure of data that drives business intelligence. Designed to decrease the amount of time it takes to sift through data, it involves taking all manner of source data – financial data, ridership data, and other source types – and optimizing it for analysis and reporting.

How can transit agencies best utilize data warehousing?

Knisely: Agencies can utilize data warehousing in a multitude of areas – really every department at your agency produces some sort of data that can be mined and analyzed to produce actionable business intelligence. Pulling data from multiple sources and vendors can help agencies find anomalies or efficiencies that they can use to make their service better. The more data you pull in, the more benefit you’re going to get. Data warehousing is all about optimizing data organization for intelligent reporting.

As an example, financially, agencies want to know how much they’re spending on a customer per ride, so if they have the financial data available, they can pull that in along with the ridership data. Then they can more efficiently analyze what it is costing on a per rider basis, and can tweak routes to handle either high or low figures. You can modify the routes to provide a better cost efficiency. It’s about taking data from multiple areas and using it to see the bigger picture.

How can data warehousing increase the efficiency of transit agencies?

Knisely: Agencies can preset and create automatic filters that get aggregated on the data. For example, in Avail Technologies’ system, if there’s a detour, agencies can flag data associated with the detour to quickly identify outlying data that isn’t part of their regular operations. Agencies can also add dimensions to their data analysis to compare their data. To name an example, weather data combined with agency data can be used to determine patterns that could affect ridership and service.

Quick recollection, analysis, and the ability to add dimensions lead to increased efficiency by eliminating the need to sift through multiple reports or search data across various databases. Data warehousing saves agencies time, resources, and money that can be reinvested into serving their ridership.

What tools are available to really take advantage of data warehousing?

Knisely: If an agency is thinking about adopting data warehousing the first step before you pick a tool is to look at what your sources of data are. Qualified ITS integrators can help an agency really examine what they have and say, “Where is all this data coming from and what do you want to do with it?” Once that’s identified, their qualified ITS integrator will know how to put this into a data warehousing solution, and mine the data to get them the answers they’re looking for. A good ITS integrator is going to know which data to collect to feed into any number of business intelligence tools on the market today. Data warehousing is the foundation for getting informed decisions from business intelligence tools to better serve your riders today and in the future.

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By Paul Comfort

Great safety is no accident. It takes seven steps to really improve safety performance in your operation.

Define safety performance Before you embark on your journey to improve your agency system’s safety, be sure you know what to measure. Like a wise man once said, “Be careful not to climb the ladder of success only to find out at the end of your life that it was leaning against the wrong wall.”

While working at major city transit system I noticed that the AFR for our paratransit service was too high and our benchmark was 2.0 preventable accidents per 100,000 miles (a good industry P-AFR average) but we were sometimes over 4 P-AFR. When I looked into comparing our rates with other cities, I noticed that theirs were often a lot lower. However, when I looked at how they defined an accident versus our definition, I quickly realized why they were “outperforming” us. Their definition of an accident was much different than ours. Our agency was counting curb strikes/bumps and the like as reportable “accidents” instead of incidents like most of the rest of our peers.

As I surveyed the industry, I noticed that many used a version of the National Safety Council definition of an accident. It seemed to include all that was needed - “An accident is an undesired event that results in personal injury or property damage,” and, an “incident is an unplanned, undesired event that adversely affects completion of a task”.

By adopting this nationally accepted definition of accident, and driving performance according to it, our accident rate dropped to below 2.0 P-AFR and stayed there for the next two years. Curb strikes and other minor incidents that caused no property damage or injury were still tracked and addressed but damage/injury causing incidents became the focus of our efforts to improve safety- and it worked.

Track all safety data In order to address behavior-causing accidents you need to track safety related incidents relentlessly. This means mandatory reporting of all incidents by drivers or employees that meet certain criteria. You must require this clearly in writing and have every employee sign a document stating they understand these must be reported (and failure to do so is just cause for job discipline).

Accidents should be reported immediately and investigated.

The data from the accident should be entered into tracking software and accident cause and effect categorized.

Trend safety data To really drive down accidents you need to understand the trends of your employees. Take the data you gathered in Step 2 and aggregate it into spreadsheet form, tracking accident categories over the past year, quarter and month.

Look for trends.

This type of trend analysis can assist you as you work to improve your AFR. You need to understand what the top categories of accidents are and focus your efforts on reducing them.

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Do not make mountains out of molehills. If you have one or two high profile accidents it can often disorient you and cause you to spend most of your time on “one – offs,” instead of real change for your whole driver force that can improve your overall safety record.

Perform a root cause analysis Now that you know the trends and where most of your accidents are occurring, do a deep dive and figure out what’s causing them. It’s not hard. In D.C., the trends showed our paratransit vehicles getting a lot of mirror strikes, often when the driver was at the door of the passenger. The root cause analysis showed that because our vans often had to park on the street in front of a passenger’s house, sometimes drivers behind them would swerve around the van and hit their side mirrors, or tight traffic and street parking caused opposing vehicles to hit our side view mirrors.

We also noticed operators were too often driving under overhangs at fast food restaurants, medical centers etc... and hitting the top of their van roofs. A root cause analysis showed that drivers often wanted to get their lunch fast at a drive-thru but didn’t always remember that their van had a high clearance of 11 feet. So they would hit the overhang at the drive-thru of the restaurant. Or when they were pulling up to a hospital or medical center they would drive under the overhang not noticing the clearance to pick up a passenger and hit their roof.

Develop a strategy After analyzing and determining the root cause of your highest trending accidents, you need to develop a strategy to attack their root causes. This often involves a discussion with drivers, road supervisors, safety leaders and senior management. These discussions can take place at your monthly safety meetings where you review your safety trends, or in regular management meetings.

In our example of mirror strikes by surrounding traffic a simple fix was found. If we fold in the mirrors when leaving the vehicle in an on street parking situation it should reduce mirror strikes. And these types of accidents are often considered “non-preventable” because the driver isn’t in the vehicle, but as you can see - they are preventable with the right approach. Even if considered non- preventable they still put a vehicle out of service and require costly repairs.

For reducing hitting overhangs our strategy was two pronged - remind drivers of their 11-foot roof clearance and do not allow them to use fast food drive-thrus. Often drivers must go under overhangs at hospitals etc... to provide true curb to curb service as required under ADA. So we couldn’t simply prohibit them all together but we needed to have them be more mindful of their van roof clearance.

Implement a campaign Have you ever heard that “Safety Never Sleeps”? That was our campaign name in D.C. implementing numerous safety strategies including the van clearance/ overhang issue. It was a team effort that involved everyone in management speaking to all of our thousand plus drivers during each shift pull out and pull in for several months. Early, dark, cold mornings and late nights were required. Every driver, every shift, every day.

It wasn’t always fun but it got the job done.

Our maintenance teams put together PVC pipe structures for the vans to drive through each morning on the way out of busride.com

“Develop a strategy to attack the root causes of your highest-trending accidents.” the yard that had a tennis ball attached to a string, that would hit their windshield to remind them they might hit something driving through an overhang. On the PVC structure and at the gates we had signs that said “Your van has an 11-foot Clearance.” Inside each van we put a sticker overhead that said “This van has 11-foot Clearance.” We stood outside at pullouts dressed as “Superheroes of Safety” reminding drivers of their clearance. We took pictures of all the buildings with overhang structures that drivers had hit in the past year and put that collage of photos on posters in each drivers lounge. We called it “The Overhangs of Washington,” and it served as a reminder not drive under them. We issued mandatory safety guidance that drivers were not allowed to use drive- thrus at restaurants etc... And we did it repeatedly.

The results? - no more overhang hits. We nearly eliminated this major safety issue and dramatically reduced accident related costs and lost time.

The mirror strikes were handled similarly and drivers were repeatedly reminded by their dispatchers to pull in their mirror when parked on the street. These reminders were stated when staff was given their equipment and manifests as they began their shift, and it was also written on their manifests. Gate keepers also reminded them when they pulled out. Road Supervisors handed out written campaign reminders in their regular safety/credentials checks on the road.

The results? Drivers pulled in their mirrors and we basically eliminated this costly “non-preventable” accident type. It was a nocost fix that saved thousands.

Campaigns are needed to really implement lasting change. You cannot just issue a memo to enact behavior change in drivers or employees. I believe you need to make your case, similar to a political campaign. Have fun with it when you can and reward outstanding performance.

Make it policy In each of these cases after we defined the safety goal, tracked the safety data, performed a root cause analysis, developed a strategy and implemented a campaign - we then made it a policy with consequences. Most changes were added to our safety policies that resulted in safety points if there was non-compliance. Many of these policies were not always welcomed by the unions but all of them stuck and are now enforced. Safety is #1 in transit and in most industries. If we aren’t safe we can’t do our job. The way to keep up good safety results is to institutionalize the strategy that caused it.

That’s the main role of policy - to implement good procedures so we can reproduce great results.

Remember the Seven Steps to Safety and enjoy improved safety at your system.

Paul Comfort serves as administrator and chief executive officer at Maryland Transit Administration (MTA), Baltimore, MD.

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FOCUS ON: FARE COLLECTION

Mobile ticketing – demand is on the rise

BUSRide interviewed Darren Dickson, president of Genfare, about mobile ticketing. Genfare is a leading provider of fare collection solutions for transit agencies of all sizes. Dickson speaks about the prevalence of mobile ticketing, as well as its benefits and challenges.

Finally, he discusses the main drivers behind mobile ticketing’s nationwide adoption and implementation.

How prevalent is mobile ticketing in North America today?

On the agency side, the demand for mobile ticketing is certainly on the rise and growing quickly. Mobile solutions are in every walk of life, and it’s a natural extension of an agency’s fare collection payment options to offer mobile ticketing for added convenience. As a fare collection provider, mobile ticketing is one of a full suite of payment options we provide to create a comprehensive fare collection solution that is designed to meet the needs of each agency and their ridership.

Aside from purchasing convenience, what benefits does mobile ticketing present for riders?

Mobile ticketing opens up an entire communication channel for riders that allows the agency to connect with a rider at a heightened level. Vehicle data, on time data, push notifications, receiving the best deal on a ticket—the options abound.

It’s this level of connectivity that will serve as the base platform for the last mile approach. Mobile can serve as the gateway for ride share, bike share and other platforms to ensure a rider is able to make a full trip with a single source.

How does mobile ticketing help agencies better protect against theft and fraud?

Mobile ticketing with full validation is one of the best ways to protect against theft along with the ability to incorporate your data into a single backend. There are a number of security measures in place for visual validation as well. Those measures include daily changing images, a countdown of the active ticket, and an interactive background that lets the driver interact with the application if there is a question about whether the ticket is valid.

Darren Dickson serves as president of Genfare, Elk Grove Village, IL. Visit www.genfare.com for more information.

What are the benefits for transit agencies adopting mobile ticketing solutions?

The biggest benefit to the agency is the ability to implement a standalone visual solution quickly. Mobile ticketing can be implemented in phases and initially doesn’t have to integrate into the agency’s backend. The ideal implementation is to phase in visual validation, and then phase in the full validation through your fare collection system to ensure everything is tracked and reported through a single backend.

The benefits to the agency are multifold. Mobile ticketing allows the agency to appeal to a specific demographic, such as those with smart phones, choice riders, and those wanting the convenience of purchasing a ticket at a moment’s notice. Other benefits include the agency’s ability to reduce cash transactions as well as ticket sale costs, and provide an additional media platform and revenue stream.

What challenges does mobile ticketing face?

Most mobile apps aren’t integrated into an agency’s backend system.

It’s a standalone application, which means the agency must manage an additional stream of revenue and data—both need to be incorporated and reported upon.

Another significant challenge is that there is a level of security to be aware of—there are always security threats. With visual validation, the driver is now brought back into the mix of fare collection and is put into a situation where they need to make boarding decisions which is what an agency wants to avoid. A validating mobile ticketing app leaves the driver out of the mix.

How soon do you believe mobile ticketing adoption will become a necessity for major transit agencies? Why? The demand is already high—and ridership is pushing for the adoption of the technology. New technology opens the door to new options, but it’s also about convenience—the ease of trip planning, tracking vehicle location, etc. Once mobile starts to integrate more successfully, it will allow agencies to offer programs that are largely beneficial to the riders.

As with many new initiatives, budget, speed of implementation and ridership are just a few of the main drivers. busride.com | BUSRIDE

25

THE INTERNATIONAL REPORT

Alexander Dennis strengthens activities in North America

By Doug Jack

The Enviro500 in North America.

I recently caught up with Colin Robertson, CEO of Alexander Dennis (ADL), headquartered in Labert in central Scotland, where it’s believed to be the fastest growing bus manufacturer in Europe. When Robertson took up his post just over 10 years ago, the annual turnover was around $200 million per year and had risen to more than $750 million by 2015. The company expects a similar figure for 2016.

ADL specializes in volume production of two distinct product lines: midi buses in various lengths up to 38 feet, and its specialty double-decker buses on two and three axles, for export to North America, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore. At the time of our interview, a demonstrator was running in Santiago, Chile.

All of these vehicles have steel underframes, with the structures built of a patented aluminum system which lends itself to overseas assembly and saves weight while benefiting fuel economy. ADL also builds Plaxton coach bodies, in stainless steel, mainly on Volvo chassis.

Robertson reminded me that ADL has been active in North America for more than 20 years.

“We have sold more than 1,000 double-decker buses and we see ourselves as part of the fabric of the North American industry,” he says. “We have progressively developed the concept to meet the needs of US and Canadian customers.”

In the last few years, ADL has consistently taken more than 40 percent of the UK bus market, while pursuing 26

BUSRIDE | MAY . 2017

a strategy of expanding its export activities into an increasing number of markets.

UK legislators allowed around 15 years for bus fleets to take vehicles out of service that had floors two or more steps above ground. Beginning this year, all local and suburban buses have their floors one step above the ground and are fully wheelchair accessible.

ADL anticipated a decline in demand from domestic customers once their fleets became fully low-floor.

Strong domestic demand in 2015 and 2016 coincided with particularly strong orders from Hong Kong. This former British Colony, now a Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China, restricts buses to an 18-year operational life. Major orders were secured to replace the first generation of low-floor double-decker buses. Operating conditions are extremely tough in Hong Kong, with many buses running practically around the clock on heavily congested streets.

ADL has a wholly-owned subsidiary, Alexander Dennis Incorporated, (ADI), which is responsible for the Canadian and US markets. A factory in Canada is assembling chassis for Metrolinx/GO Transit and at the time of our interview more than 50 Enviro500 SuperLo chassis had been completed. These have bodywork built to an overall height of 12 feet, 10 inches for use practically anywhere. The first orders are being supplied to Canada with the SuperLo available in the U.S. later this year with the option of 13-foot-6-inch overall height. busride.com

THE INTERNATIONAL REPORT

The Enviro500 on trial in Santiago, Chile.

Last December, ADI acquired total ownership of assembly facilities in Nappanee, IN. The company is currently consolidating all its activities in one building of 127,000-square feet.

“We have taken on another 100 people in Nappanee and the production lines are full through 2017,” Robertson says.

Working with BAE Systems, ADL has built large numbers of hybrid double deck buses for the UK market. It has also built bodies on BYD electric chassis with the first 51 single-deck models now running in central London. The collaboration is logical because the BYD chassis is proven, while the aluminum framed ADL bodies are lighter than BYD’s steel structures, enabling an increase in passenger capacity.

ADL has also worked with Scania to develop a gas-fueled doubledecker bus that more than exceeds all the latest European emission limits. The Scania engine can run either on compressed natural gas or biogas and has attracted interest from British customers concerned about the imposition of low emission zones in city centers.

ADL cleverly located the gas cylinders within the standard British overall height of 14 feet, 4 inches. Four tanks are located under the rearmost row of seats in the upper deck while another three rest in a cradle that fits underneath the staircase.

Currently, ADL is committed to research and development programs valued at more than $40 million. This has included working with Cummins to be the first manufacturer to bring stopstart technology to the market. ADL is working on the roll out of smart accessories that will further help to reduce fuel consumption.

This will be followed by a Smart Hybrid solution. A small electric motor, fed from super capacitors, will boost acceleration to reduce the load on the diesel engine. Super capacitors maintain their original performance over time and therefore will not have to be replaced. As a low voltage system, Smart Hybrid also avoids complex electrical installations.

I asked Robertson if any of this technology would be offered in North American markets.

“There is not the same level of interest in hybrid solutions, but we are in active discussions with several authorities on gas and electric powered double deck buses,” he says. “These discussions obviously take time and need investment, but we can apply the same technology solutions we have put into service in the United Kingdom.”

ADI has also built open top double-decker buses for sightseeing for several customers in the US. Robertson says it is a low volume market and that he would want to see reasonably sized orders to justify compliance with EPA17.

We talked about the decision of the United Kingdom to leave the European Union, known as Brexit. This has already reduced the value of the British pound against the Euro and there is the risk of further decline. ADL has currency hedges in place for 2017 but, like other British manufacturers, has had to pass on some increase in costs to customers because of content bought from continental European suppliers.

“Internationally, we may see a benefit if the pound’s value remains depressed as this would give us a competitive advantage in some markets,” Robertson says. “This is unlikely to lead to any price reductions in North America because we have considerable local content. Indeed, ADI is fully compliant with buy-American regulations, including the increase in percentage content to 65 percent.”

An important element in the success of ADL has been customer support. It is one of Colin’s favorite subjects, calling it the bedrock of the company’s ability to attract repeat business.

“We apply the same principles in North America where the customers invariably have their own repair and maintenance facilities,” he says. “We often embed ADI service technicians into agencies to conduct both on-site training and create a comprehensive learning curve for agency maintenance technicians.

We have also invested in parts stocks at three strategic locations in the U.S. and Canada.”

An Enviro400 demonstrator on trial in the United Kingdom.

busride.com | BUSRIDE

27

DELIVERIES GRANDE WEST TRANSPORTATION GROUP INC. added

ABC COMPANIES / VAN HOOL added

10

MOTOR COACH INDUSTRIES (MCI) added

1

13

Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) Atlanta, GA

Windstar Lines Carroll, IA

Coach Atlantic Group Charlottetown, PE, Canada

Grande West’s exclusive US distributor Alliance Bus Group (ABG) will deliver 10 Vicinity buses to MARTA for operation in their transit system.

“We are committed to creating more efficient transportation options for our customers,” said MARTA GM/CEO Keith Parker. “That means building a more highly layered, customized service model. ’These new Vicinity vehicles allow our bus operators to travel safely into neighborhoods where our standard fleet could not easily navigate while offering more space than our current Mobility bus options.”

During the United Motorcoach Association (UMA) Motorcoach EXPO 2017, ABC Companies and Van Hool honored Windstar Lines for taking delivery of Van Hool’s 1000th CX45 model since its introduction in November of 2013. Pete Bachrach, ABC senior account manager, has been doing business with the Greteman family since 2002.

“The Greteman family personifies integrity in this business,” Bachrach said. “Their family-values, honesty and inclusiveness really raise the bar for everyone in our industry.”

Since its market debut last year, The Van Hool CX45 has quickly become an important staple in the Windstar fleet.

With more on order for 2017, Windstar is excited about the flexibility and versatility of the model.

Motor Coach Industries (MCI), a subsidiary of New Flyer Industries Inc., capped its first year as a New Flyer company with the signing of a $7.5 million order with Coach Atlantic Group for 13 MCI J4500 motor coaches at the 2017 UMA Motorcoach EXPO. Coach Atlantic’s 2017 models are equipped with the latest clean-diesel Cummins engine technology and features. These include electronic stability, ZF independent suspension for great handling, plus new sleekly styled Amaya extra-legroom seating for 56 passengers, enjoying the 110-volt power outlets and USB ports for work and play.

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MCI delivers a new service and parts experience at UMA Motorcoach EXPO

MCI showcased advances in service, parts and training support at UMA Motorcoach EXPO.

Motor Coach Industries (MCI), a subsidiary of New Flyer Industries Inc., announced at the 2017 United Motorcoach Association (UMA) Motorcoach EXPO that nearly 15-months into joining New Flyer, MCI has advanced its service, training and parts support.

“We’re deploying more people and better technology to protect our customers’ long-term investment in our product,” says Ian Smart, MCI president. “It’s about reliability around the clock.”

That’s meant a big upgrade in service, parts and training options already getting a favorable response from MCI customers. At UMA Motorcoach EXPO, MCI detailed such moves in the last year alone: • Expanded field support team throughout the U.S. and Canada.

• Better warranty administration and an expansion in warranty staff.

• Improved live assistance at the MCI Emergency Road Side Assistance center.

• The all-new online MCI Parts Store, provides more product detail, delivery speed and money-saving discounts.

Driving all this change is a new reporting relationship borrowed from New Flyer. MCI’s Service Centers, warranty, field service and technical support operations now report to the Winnipeg plant as an OEM function, rather than aftermarket.

“The idea here is to make knowledge-sharing seamless between MCI’s manufacturing/engineering talent at the factory and all customer-facing MCI professionals,” Smart says. “Whether it’s a situation that needs immediate action or a great customer or employee idea that enhances service, we are eliminating the walls between those who listen to our customers and those who design and build our products.”

A look at field and emergency support MCI has added five more Technical Solutions Managers (TSMs) and redefined territories for better coverage throughout the U.S. and Canada. The additions bring the team to 27 TSMs in the field to help MCI and Setra operators understand new technologies and gain expertise on various coach systems.

The ERSA (Emergency Road Side Assistance) program has seen improvements too. Every call to 800-241-2947 is now answered by an MCI employee, not an outside source. Also, MCI now offers a service locator on the MCI Companion App or on desktop that identifies all licensed service locations within an immediate area.

“Our operators deserve MCI professionals at the other end of the line whether they have a problem, a question or suggestion,” Smart says.

“You can’t have a true partnership unless the partners are on the line.”

A bigger, better warranty team MCI offers some of the best warranties in the business on new and preowned coaches and has added more staff to warranty administration.

These professionals will work to speed warranty claims resolution and improve customer communication in all regions.

More options for vehicle service and technical training MCI Academy’s mix of on-site and online offerings will keep MCI’s technicians and operator-based technicians in top form. Located at www.mciacademy.com, MCI Technical Training Manager Scott Crawford and his team are constantly launching new coursework on system qualifications as well as certificate programs to equip professionals with the knowledge and skills to properly maintain, diagnose and repair systems found on MCI coaches to maximize onroad time, passenger safety and operator profitability.

As for service availability, operators have access to more than 100 MCI and Setra factory-trained technicians located at MCI service centers locations in Des Plaines, IL; Orlando, FL; Los Alamitos, CA; Blackwood, NJ; Dallas, TX; and Montreal, Quebec, Canada. A San Francisco Bay Area location is coming soon.

The new location will expand MCI’s service network to seven North American locations that support both MCI and Setra brand coaches with OEM parts, maintenance, repair and warranty. Consistent with other MCI Service Center locations, the San Francisco facility will include service and bus-wash bays, and a parts pick-up window along with new and pre-owned coach inventory.

Today’s MCI Parts Store represents a major improvement over past iterations.

A closer look at the new MCI Parts Store MCI was the first coach manufacturer to launch an online parts ordering system nearly 30 years ago known as C.O.A.C.H. – short for the Customer Order-Assisted Computerized Handling system.

Many updates followed. Today’s MCI Parts Store at www.partsstore. mcicoach.com is superior.

Equally desktop and mobile-friendly, the site features improved search capabilities, on-point suggestions, unprecedented visuals, expedited shipping estimates, upgraded order tracking and so much more. A visit to the new Parts Store offers a 360-degree view of many parts in inventory, stock availability and suggestions, with better pricing, shipping and discount options at checkout.

Brian Dewsnup, president of the combined MCI/New Flyer coach and bus parts business, has also been focused on enhancing the customer experience. Last year, he moved to Louisville, home to MCI’s parts warehouse and distribution operations, to lead the entire parts operation, building on many improvements already underway. In addition to the expansions in free standard shipping and the Coach Critical Parts program, the Louisville team completed the installation of a state-of-the-art conveyor system to take advantage of technical advances that include new software applications that increase productivity and safety.

Service expansion also extends to “a parts partner warehouse branch in Hawaii for local parts availability on the islands and parts availability at the planned MCI service center in San Francisco expands our West Coast reach,” Dewsnup says. busride.com | BUSRIDE

29

Choosing a zero-emission bus technology: Key considerations

By Jennifer McNeill

H

eightened public concern surrounding climate change, air quality and the supply of fossil fuels has certainly accelerated the testing and adoption of zero emission buses (“ZEBs”) throughout North America over the last couple of years. A zero-emission transit bus is able to eliminate 1,690 tons of CO2, 10 tons of nitrogen oxides, 350 pounds of particulate matter (Source: U.S. Department of Transportation), and can save hundreds of thousands of dollars in fuel costs over its 12-year lifespan. Regardless of the technology a transit agency selects, every zero-emission bus eliminates the need for up to 160,000 gallons of fossil fuel. It’s simply good, sustainable innovation in our communities.

ZEB technology has been evolving for more than two decades in North America. While battery-electric buses are the most widely publicized, trolleyelectric and hydrogen fuel cell-electric buses are also in active transit service in cities throughout the United States and Canada. All three ZEB technologies are electric buses driven by electric motors, with common New Flyer’s Xcelsior ® 60-foot hydrogen fuel cell-electric bus power electronics and common electric accessories, such as power steering, doors and HVAC systems. Selecting a zero-emission bus technology basically boils down to making choices regarding the investment in onboard energy storage and “fueling” methods.

The pros and cons Today’s ZEB technology choices by have become a trade-off between vehicle range and infrastructure complexity and cost.

Trolley-electric ZEBs are electric buses that use electricity from overhead wires to drive an electric motor. Despite the very minimal onboard energy storage, this technology has virtually unlimited range. The primary drawback to trolley-electric buses are the high infrastructure constraints and costs. Trolley-electric buses are limited to specific routes with installed overhead catenary systems, and allow for very short “off-wire” operation. Trolley-electric buses are a great choice for cities that have already invested in the infrastructure.

Hydrogen fuel cell-electric ZEBs are electric buses incorporating a small hydrogen fuel cell that operates as an on-board battery charger.

The technology uses advanced hydrogen fuel cells and regenerative braking to charge batteries on board, resulting in vehicle range in excess of 250 miles. This allows agencies to adopt electric buses on virtually any transit route without relying on electricity from the utility grid. It does however, require the investment in hydrogen fueling islands at the transit depots (similar to compressed natural gas) and requires the supply or creation of hydrogen. Hydrogen fuel cell-electric buses are a great choice for agencies who wish to employ similar fueling methods to today’s practices and avoid the complex

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BUSRIDE | MAY . 2017

and costly infrastructure for re-charging batteries. While there is definitely a higher up front cost for fuel cells in today’s market, the evolution of fuel cell technology is expected to reduce the component cost and weight in the coming years.

Battery-electric ZEBs are electric buses that store energy in flexible, modular, onboard battery packs. The total capacity of onboard battery packs determines the vehicle range.

Although regenerative braking is also involved, all battery-electric buses require investment in charging infrastructure to re-charge the batteries (Depot Plug-in Charging or On-Route Charging), and an electricity grid ® capable of charging large New Flyer’s Xcelsior 40-foot battery-electric bus numbers of vehicles.

Investment in on-route charging infrastructure allows the batteryelectric bus to have unlimited range with a lighter, more efficient vehicle but typically requires a more expensive and complicated infrastructure solution than plug-in charging, and constrains the buses to specific routes where on-route chargers are installed.

A depot charging strategy requires the investment in more onboard energy storage but simplifies route planning and has the added benefit of charging during off-peak hours, when electricity costs are lower.

Unfortunately, even with the most advanced automotive battery technology available on the market today, maximum allowable axle weights constrain the number of battery packs that can be installed before compromising passenger capacity. As automotive battery technology evolves and becomes mainstream, it is expected that the component cost and weight will reduce, allowing for greater onboard energy storage capacity, passenger capacity and range.

Battery-electric ZEB technology adds the complexity of grid management and interoperability, meaning – the ability to provide enough electricity to charge a large number battery-electric buses from multiple manufacturers using a single charging technology. Although charging standards for battery-electric ZEBs do not exist today, it is critical that bus and charging equipment manufacturers collaborate to introduce and comply with standards for both on-route and depot plug-in charging to simplify the infrastructure requirements.

Other considerations Electric bus technology works, and it is here to stay. While onboard energy storage and infrastructure technology is evolving quickly, the expected service life of a North American heavyduty transit bus remains unchanged. The bus has New Flyer’s Xcelsior ® 40-foot battery-electric bus to reliably meet pull out at an on-route charging station and safely carry passengers every day for at least 12 years or 500,000 miles. When choosing a ZEB technology, consider the reliability of the vehicle and its subsystems, as well as the ability of the manufacturer and the major component suppliers to support the vehicle for the life of the bus.

Jennifer McNeill serves as vice president of sales & business development for New Flyer. New Flyer is the only manufacturer in North America that offers three types of zero-emission electric buses - battery-electric, trolley-electric, and fuel cell-electric. Visit www.newflyer.com.

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