MCI calls the MCI D45 CRT LE with “revolutionary accessibility” the most significant model launch in its history. The next-generation MCI Commuter Coach, which was unveiled at the 2017 APTA Expo in Atlanta, offers modern styling and rider comfort with passenger accessibility via a second door with a low-entry automatic ramp system to match low-floor transit bus dwell times.

A time-elapsed video has been created by MCI comparing the process of securing a passenger with a mobility device on a conventional high-floor coach, involving a multi-step process, versus the breakthrough low-entry vestibule technology design on the D45 CRT LE where boarding is radically easier according to MCI officials. View the video at www.Future-of-Commuting.com.

Altoona-tested, ADA- and Buy America-compliant, MCI’s next-generation Commuter Coach also features a shorter turning radius than the current MCI D-Series models to better navigate city streets. Enhanced interior illumination and new standard LED headlights are brighter to enhance visibility for off-weather daytime conditions and night driving. A wider front door with an ergonomic spiral entryway also features enhanced illumination on the stairwell.

MCI’s design team involved input from users in the D45 CRT LE’s design process including representatives from accessibility groups, including the National Council on Independent Living, The American Association of People with Disabilities, and Manitobans with Disabilities.

Following rigorous in-service testing by public and private transportation organizations across the nation, MCI has started delivering the new model. Alberta, Canada’s Bow Valley Regional Transit took delivery of four new D45 CRT LE Commuter Coaches in March and April to serve Bow Valley’s Roam Transit 45-minute commute connecting Banff and Lake Louise.

Later this year, Eden Prairie, Minnesota’s SouthWest Transit will take delivery of two new D45 CRT LEs, citing that the coaches will allow for better vehicle scheduling and cost-savings by providing the right vehicle for both the load demand and accessibility needs.

Additionally, the battery-electric MCI D45 CRTe LE CHARGE, planned for 2020, will come equipped with a high-torque Siemens 2130 LB FT Electric Drive System and a target range of more than 200 miles, along with a half century of New Flyer’s electric propulsion and charging solutions development.