Alexander Dennis Taps Big Rig to Partner on Double-Deck Bus Builds

Alexander Dennis appointed Big Rig Manufacturing as contract manufacturing partner to meet resurging interest in the Enviro500 double decker in North America.

Big Rig Manufacturing is a subsidiary of Big Rig Collision Group, a provider of truck, bus, and motorcoach accident repairs in Canada and the U.S. Starting next year, it will assemble clean diesel Enviro500 double deck buses and the zero-emission Enviro500EV CHARGE to Alexander Dennis designs, specifications, and processes at a new facility in Las Vegas.

The Alexander Dennis, Big Rig Connection

The new arrangement replicates the highly successful partnerships Alexander Dennis has in the Asia-Pacific region with contract manufacturers in China and New Zealand.

With U.S. and Canadian bus and coach production facilities within NFI Group responding to the group’s largest order book and backlog in history, cooperation with Big Rig Manufacturing allows Alexander Dennis to meet North American demand for its double deck range with Buy America-compliant arrangements.

Alexander Dennis engineering and production staff will be located permanently on site at the brand-new facility in Las Vegas, supporting chassis production, major sub-assembly, and full production of the bus body.

Alexander Dennis closed its previous Enviro500 production facilities in Toronto and Nappanee, Ind., when the COVID-19 pandemic delayed orders. The longer-term order book has remained buoyant with orders from new and existing customers in the pipeline, according to the company.