BusCon 2014 took place in Indianapolis after several years in Chicago. One thing that didn’t change, however, was a packed show floor with all the latest technologies available in the industry today.
BusCon 2014: Hot Products
Turtle Top
The Terra Transit shuttle bus is an economical compliment to Turtle Top’s mid-size fleet. The abridged version of the Odyssey also offers seating for up to 25 passengers and maintains the same safety standards the company is known for. Riders will find it easy to enter and exit with ample headroom and aisle passage. With a variety of floor plans, you can meet your needs for storage, seating preferences and wheelchair accessibility. A full roll cage, quality construction, and two-year warranty make this the most affordable and practical choice for safe, dependable transportation.
www.turtletop.com
Thomas Built Buses
Built for durability and longevity, the TRANSIT-LINER™ C2 bus, which debuted at BusCon, is built to last for the long haul. The C2 seats up to 52 passengers, has a GVWR of up to 33,000 lbs. and is powered by a Cummins engine, with a liquid propane injection system also available. It can also be customized with unique features like coach-style seating, overhead roof racks, video systems and tinted windows. All C2 buses also come with a base warranty that provides three-year or 50,000-mile coverage. The robust warranty covers the chassis and many other components, including electrical and manual controls, safety equipment, assemblies and more. Normal wear items are excluded.
<a href="http://www.thomasb
Altro Transflor
Altro Transflor Wood Safety flooring product is manufactured with 14% bio-based ingredients, does not contain any phthalates and complies with CA 01350 low-VOC emitting standards. The new flooring is two meters wide and is available in a 2.2 mm thickness. The range consists of eight patterns and offers a combination of contemporary classic and modern wood visuals, which are ideal for a variety of interiors. The wood visuals were redesigned to provide an even more authentic look and together with Altro’s Easyclean Maxis PUR technology, the product remains extremely stain-resistant and easy to maintain.
www.altrofloors.com
Masabi
JustRide is the comprehensive mobile ticketing platform from Masabi used by agencies in the U.S. and Europe to improve customer satisfaction while reducing the cost of fare collection. Veolia Transportation and Nassau County, N.Y.’s NICE recently teamed to roll out the “GoMobile” fare payment app, making NICE the first bus-only U.S. transit system to offer smartphone-based mobile ticketing. The app enables passengers to purchase, store and use tickets with a smart-phone app, which greatly increases their convenience. Upon boarding, riders display to the bus operator a secure, visually verifiable ticket on their smartphone.
www.masabi.com
The Transit & Paratransit Co.
The Transit & Paratransit Co. (TAPTCO) featured its new Safety Leadership training course. The new course consists of seven interactive CD’s and takes around 4.5 hours to complete. Once completed, the leadership will understand the actions they can take to improve the behaviors of drivers to avoid unsafe acts and “Do It Right, The First Time, Every Time” in every function they need to perform. TAPTCO is the first and only professional services company dedicated solely to helping agencies and bus companies deliver on their promise of safe, efficient and friendly on-time transportation.
www.taptco.com
Radio Engineering Industries
REI’s A.R.M.O.R. Mobility demand-response solution eliminates the headaches of manual scheduling and dispatch. It provides real-time updates, user-friendly touchscreen terminals, interactive mapping, and two-way messaging between dispatch and drivers. REI provides the perfect combination of data: rider information and reporting. Together, they convey everything you need to know to deliver riders a reliable accessible trip while proving the value of your service. With every pickup, you’ll also be HIPAA compliant.
www.radioeng.com
Q’Straint
The Q’Straint QRT-360 is the first four-point, heavy-duty, fully automatic retractable tie-down system designed, engineered, and built to perform successfully in a 30-mph frontal crash when the user of a powered wheelchair is traveling in a motor vehicle while using a commercially available crashworthy lap belt that must be used in the frontal-impact test conducted of wheelchairs under WC19. The new QRT-360 meets these increased standards years ahead of their effective date in 2015.
www.qstraint.com
Meridian Specialty Vehicles
Meridian, a Mercedes-Benz-approved Sprinter upfitter offers dozens of varieties of Sprinter-based buses, limousines, paratransit vehicles and executive transporters. Introduced on the BusCon show floor were examples of its Stadium Seating 16 +1 configuration with 67 cubic feet of luggage space and its J-Seating design. Both of these models feature a Forward Plug Door that adds seating space, a stylish look and superior functionality to the Sprinter. Meridian’s vehicles and option content push the limits of design, elegance and functionality offered at very reasonable prices. All vehicles meet or exceed all applicable FMVSS/CMVSS requirements. Meridian has stocking dealers and service centers located
Freedman Seating Co.
Giving its engineers two priorities — safety and comfort — resulted in the Esquire seat. Features include height-adjustable three-point shoulder belts, Knee Saver backrests for increased hip-to-knee room and contoured head rests. Also on display at BusCon was the Eleganza by FMS collection. Ideal for executive shuttles, the Bellagio, Trieste and Napoli seats are available with several different insert styles and upholstery materials, allowing operators to customize the look that fits their needs.
www.freedmanseating.com
EnerDel Inc.
EnerDel featured two new products, including the MHPS, which uses an onboard battery energy storage system (BESS) as the normal source to the load, enabling it to more quickly and efficiently adjust to load fluctuations than traditional engine driven generators. The BESS reduces generator size and runtime, dramatically reduces fuel consumption and fueling operations, and extends system maintenance intervals. Meanwhile, the air-cooled PP320-689-LP Vigor+ ESS is a direct drop-in replacement for NiMH packs currently populating many diesel-hybrid buses.
www.enerdel.com
Dur-A-Bus Coach Builders Ltd.
The Dur-A-Bus GT upfit features an air-tight fully-electric plug door; a bigger windshield and larger passenger windows; elevated or stadium-style seating; and the largest luggage capacity for any Sprinter minibus on the market. Additional features include a 13.5-inch TV monitor (with the ability to add more monitors); overhead parcel racks for extra luggage storage; fully reclining leather seats equipped with arm rest’s and three-point seat belts; and illuminated steps, aisle way and mood lighting.
www.durabuscoach.com
Ameritrans Bus Co.
Ameritrans featured two new offerings on the show floor: the Eco-Charge and the M2 Vista. Built on a Ford chassis, the E-series, zero-emission Eco-Charge electric vehicle transports up to 12 passengers and offers many unique features and custom built-to-order options. Meanwhile, the M2-Series coach offers a low step-up front entry, making passenger access easier, as well as a variety of standard floor plans and build-to-order seating configurations; 102-inch-wide body; a Cummins engine and air-ride suspension.
www.ameritransbus.com
American Cooling Technology
The new RTS-75rooftop air conditioning system is available in two capacity ranges: 75,000 Btu/hr. IMACA and 90,000 Btu/hr. IMACA. The system is also available with optioning heating coils, digital drivers display with AC system diagnostics, and can be supplied with a 12-volt or 24-volt electrical system. It can be used as a single AC unit on small and mid-size buses and by using dual units on full-size buses. ACT developed the RTS-75 by benchmarking existing similar rooftop units and based on market feedback from customers who stated what they liked about their existing rooftop units and what improvements they would like to see in a new small bus rooftop unit.
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AbiliTrax by Fenton Mobility Inc.
AbiliTrax is a common platform that integrates quick disconnect Step N Lock/Camlock seating with several different wheelchair tie-down options, wheelchair lifts, grab handles, stretcher mounts and several other accessories using a floor grid system. The platform allows users to change the configuration of a vehicle in seconds. Benefits include the ability to own fewer vehicles, a lower cost of operation and a higher resale value, according to the company.
www.abilitrax.com