Passenger Bus, Rail and Motorcoach Industry News

New York’s Rochester-Genesee Regional Transportation Authority exercised options under an existing contract for 20 60-foot heavy-duty Xcelsior articulated clean diesel buses. Meanwhile, Daimler Buses North America assigned to New Flyer its contract with Seattle’s King County Metro Transit to build up to 381 Xcelsior heavy-duty 35- and 40-foot diesel-electric hybrid buses.

The order for 74, 40-foot buses, with an option for 30 additional buses, is a result of Daimler Buses North America’s decision, announced on April 25, to exit production of heavy duty transit buses for the U.S. and Canadian markets.

Sanmo Travel’s six TopClass S 417 luxury coaches and four Setra ComfortClass S 407 touring coaches to be added to its touring fleet for the River Rock Casino Express are powered by Mercedes-Benz OM 471 EPA 10 engines with fuel efficient BlueTec technology.

This marks the third consecutive order placed by CNYTRA. In 2009, 18 Orion VII CNG buses were delivered to Syracuse, N.Y.

Two newly manufactured Orion VIIs hosting a variety of new features and options will be on display. Manufacturer will also showcase its testing and validation programs that prove a better built bus.

Event will be held at Mardi Gras World on Oct. 2. Orion will unveil the new Orion VII diesel-electric hybrid bus powered by the Allison HP 40 system during this event.

The seven new vehicles feature roomy cabins with flush mounted interior lighting in the ceiling, fuel efficient Mercedes-Benz OM 471 engines with BlueTec technology and Selective Catalytic Reduction.

With the Maryland Terp as a focal point, the exterior livery combines the familiar university flag with the fierce mascot looking down on passing traffic.

Engineers reconfigured the layout using Vogelsitze passenger seats that are thinner in design.

Eighty percent of private sector businesses indicated that the level of federal investment in public transportation has a large influence on business revenue. Survey also showed that if federal surface transportation authorization is further delayed, 84 percent of respondents predict revenue losses, 50 percent may need to lay off employees and 49 percent may implement hiring freezes.