Hawaii's Cummins-powered buses reach 1 million miles
The two Cummins-powered buses, which are owned by the City and County of Honolulu and operated by Oahu Transit Services Inc., are the first transit bus applications to be inducted into the club.
The City of Honolulu bought its first 10 Cummins engines in 1995 as a trial to see how they would perform. Ninety percent of the 531-bus fleet is now powered by Cummins engines.
[IMAGE]Cummins-Honolulu-bus-full.jpg[/IMAGE]Two Cummins-powered transit buses with M11 engines, operated by TheBus located in Honolulu, Hawaii, became the first of their kind to earn recognition in the Cummins Million Mile Club.
Cummins Million Mile Club awards customers who have amassed at least one million miles on their Cummins engine, and it's predominantly comprised of trucking customers. The two Cummins-powered buses, #767 and #771, which are owned by the City and County of Honolulu and operated by Oahu Transit Services Inc. (OTS), are the first transit bus applications to be inducted into the club.
The milestone was celebrated with a ceremony at TheBus' Pearl City maintenance facility in Honolulu. Cummins Inc. and local distributor Cummins West Inc. personnel as well as representatives from other suppliers and local community leaders were present to recognize the history-making customer.
"Cummins is proud of the historic milestone that TheBus has reached. We design and manufacture our engines to be the most reliable and durable on the road, and this event serves as a testament to the benefits of a strong engine and proper maintenance," said Tom Hodek, Cummins General Manager - Worldwide Bus Business.
The City bought its first 10 Cummins engines in 1995 as a trial to see how they would perform. OTS Vice President of Maintenance Herb Barboza said, "not only did the engines' performance speak for itself; the service we've continued to receive from Cummins West has been second-to-none." Ninety percent of the 531-bus fleet is now powered by Cummins engines.
Coincidentally, bus #767 is powered by one of the first 10 Cummins engines purchased by the City and was the first to turn one million miles. Only regular maintenance items have been replaced on the engine; no internal work has been needed. Regular preventative maintenance played a key role in its longevity and performance. TheBus has utilized the same maintenance practices throughout its fleet and expects other Cummins-powered units will soon reach the million-mile mark.
Oahu Transit Services Inc. is subcontracted by the City and County of Honolulu to operate mass transit for the island of Oahu and transports over 226,000 passengers a day. The fleet tallies a total of 85,000 miles a day, equaling more than three trips around the globe.
More Bus
Frontrunner Bus Group Expands with New Massachusetts Headquarters
The significantly larger facility will provide the infrastructure needed to support the company’s growing workforce, advanced technologies, and expanding product line.
Read More →
Joshua Schank on Transportation Innovation, Risk, and the Future of Mobility
In this edition of METROspectives, Joshua Schank discusses lessons from launching LA Metro’s Office of Extraordinary Innovation, the challenges of advancing new mobility technologies, and much more.
Read More →
Reinventing Fleet Maintenance with Real-time Visibility and AI
Transit leaders need to know what needs fixing, where to look, who is responsible, when work is completed, and what it costs without having to chase information across disconnected systems.
Read More →
SamTrans Sets Priorities for Potential Connect Bay Area Revenue
The board-approved framework allocates future funding to maintaining service, rider improvements, equity initiatives, and infrastructure repairs.
Read More →
When Routine Fails: How Public Transit Must Adapt for the World Cup
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will test transit agencies’ ability to manage unpredictable travel patterns, making real-time data and operational flexibility critical to moving millions of visitors efficiently.
Read More →
Photo Highlights from APTA's 2026 Mobility Conference
The photo gallery captures scenes from the conference, including the International Bus Roadeo, exhibit hall activities, the Bus Showcase, and much more.
Read More →
Chicago's NITA Act Moves Into Next Phase as Service Improvements Begin
Rider-focused improvements will begin rolling out across the system immediately as CTA, Metra, and Pace increase service this summer in the six-county region.
Read More →
Philadelphia's SEPTA Approves Annual Transit Service Plan
Between 2021 and 2024, SEPTA held more than 200 public meetings — including 144 in-person sessions — throughout the SEPTA service region.
Read More →
A True Low-Floor Minibus Design Delivers Better Accessibility and Efficiency for Everyone
As transit demands evolve, so should your fleet. Download the whitepaper to see how the Low-Floor Frontrunner Minibus compares to traditional options.
Read More →
WMATA Debuts 'Fares Pay for Service' Awareness Campaign
The campaign was highlighted during a media event at the Paul S. Sarbanes Transit Center in Silver Spring, where WMATA’s GM/CEO Randy Clarke joined Metro Transit Police officers, WMATA management team, board members, and staff to expand fare enforcement and customer education efforts on Metro Bus routes throughout the region.
Read More →