By Rick Mullen,
Busline Magazine Associate Editor

The following import/export categories include motor buses, coaches, trolley buses and gyrobuses.

The U.S. Department of Commerce, Economics and Statistics Administration, U.S. Census Bureau trade figures for August 2021 indicated vehicle imports were down in five categories outlined, compared to August 2020. For the first eight months of 2021, vehicles imports were also down in five categories, compared to the first eight months of 2020.

The United States imported 65 vehicles in August 2021, down 58 percent from 156 vehicles for August 2020. For the first eight months of 2021, the United States imported 743 vehicles, down 26 percent from 1,001 vehicles for the first eight months of 2020.

Canada sent 681 vehicles to the United States during the first eight months of 2021.

The average price per vehicle for August 2021 was $254,971, up 11 percent from $229,472 for August 2020. The average price per vehicle for the first eight months of 2021 was $303,743, up 6 percent from $287,743 for the first eight months of 2020.

The United States received three vehicles in August 2021, compared to four vehicles during August 2020. For the first eight months of 2021, the United States imported 19 vehicles, down from 112 vehicles for the first eight months of 2020.

The United States imported 15 vehicles from Canada during the first eight months of 2021.

The average price per vehicle for August 2021 was $55,467, down 74 percent from $213,525 for August 2020. The average price per vehicle for the first eight months of 2021 was $153,967, up 116 percent from $71,399 for the first eight months of 2020.

The United States imported 26 vehicles during August 2021, up 13 percent from 23 vehicles for August 2020. During the first eight months of 2021, 86 vehicles were imported, down 37 percent from 137 vehicles for the first eight months of 2020.

All of the vehicles were imported from Canada during the first eight months of 2021.

The average price per vehicle for August 2021 was $230,532, down 6 percent from $245,005 for August 2020. The average price for the first eight months of 2021 was $278,217, up 13 percent from $246,558 for the first eight months of 2020.

8702306100 Public-Transport Type Passenger Motor Vehicles With Both Spark Ignition Internal Combustion Piston Engine and Electric Motor for 10 to 15 Persons

The United States imported no vehicles during August 2021, compared to one vehicle for August 2020. During the first eight months of 2021, one vehicle was received, compared to two for the first eight months of 2020.

The one vehicle for the first eight months of 2021 was imported from the United Kingdom.

The price for the vehicle for the first eight months of 2021 was $24,694, up from $8,171 for the average price during the first eight months of 2020.

8702403100 Public-Transport Type Passenger Motor Vehicles With Electric Motor Only, For Transport Of 16 Or More Persons Including Driver

The United States imported 19 vehicles during August 2021, up 36 percent from 14 vehicles for August 2020. During the first eight months of 2021, 182 vehicles were received, up 73 percent from 105 vehicles for the first eight months of 2020.

China shipped 103 vehicles during the first eight months of 2021.

The average price per vehicle for August 2021 was $293,772, down 35 percent from $451,457 for August 2020. The average price for the first eight months of 2021 was $197,247, up 23 percent from $159,870 for the first eight months of 2020.

The United States imported six vehicles during August 2021, while no vehicles were imported during August 2020. During the first eight months of 2021, 78 vehicles were imported, up 26 percent from 62 vehicles for the first eight months of 2020.

China sent 75 vehicles during the first eight months of 2021.

The average price per vehicle for August 2021 was $9,091. The average price for the first eight months of 2021 was $9,183, down 4 percent from $9,598 for the first eight months of 2020.

The United States imported 138 vehicles during August 2021, down 27 percent from 188 vehicles for August 2020. During the first eight months of 2021, 903 vehicles were received, down 6 percent from 964 vehicles for the first eight months of 2020.

Canada sent 901 vehicles to the United States during the first eight months of 2021.

The average price per vehicle for August 2021 was $62,800, up 13 percent from $55,598 for August 2020. The average price per vehicle for the first eight months of 2021 was $105,191, up 16 percent from $90,742 for the first eight months of 2020.

The United States imported 47 vehicles during August 2021, down 51 percent from 95 vehicles for August 2020. During the first eight months of 2021, 513 vehicles were received, up 18 percent from 434 vehicles for the first eight months of 2020.

Canada sent 475 vehicles to the United States during the first eight months of 2021.

The average price per vehicle for August 2021 was $40,834, down 7 percent from $44,023 for August 2020. The average price per vehicle for the first eight months of 2021 was $39,251, down 11 percent from $44,252 for the first eight months of 2020.

Export totals for August 2021 were up in three categories, compared to August 2020. Three categories reported decreases for the first eight months of 2021, compared to the first eight months of 2020.

The United States exported 690 vehicles during August 2021, down 20 percent from 859 vehicles for August 2020. During the first eight months of 2021, 3,964 vehicles were sent, down 16 percent from 4,701 vehicles for the first eight months of 2020.

Canada received 1,950 vehicles during the first eight months of 2021, while Mexico imported 1,276 vehicles.

The average price per vehicle for August 2021 was $62,935, down 23 percent from $82,007 for August 2020. The average price per vehicle for the first eight months of 2021 was $55,931, also down 23 percent from $72,342 for the first eight months of 2020.

8702200000 Public-Transport Vehicles With Both Compression-Ignition Internal Combustion Piston Engine (Diesel Or Semi-Diesel) & Electric Motor

The United States shipped 70 vehicles in August 2021, up from 12 vehicles for August 2020. During the first eight months of 2021, 577 vehicles were exported, up from 211 for the first eight months of 2020.

Canada received 318 vehicles during the first eight months of 2021, while Mexico imported 185 vehicles.

The average price per vehicle for August 2021 was $64,716, up from $10,550 for August 2020. The average price for the first eight months of 2021 was $42,546, up 4 percent from $41,077 for the first eight months of 2020.

8702300000 Public-Transport Type Passenger Motor Vehicles With Both Spark Ignition Internal Combustion Piston Engine & Electric Motor

The United States exported 61 vehicles in August 2021, up from 18 for August 2020. During the first eight months of 2021, 302 vehicles were sent, down 10 percent from 334 vehicles for the first eight months of 2020.

Mexico received 104 vehicles during the first eight months of 2021.

The average price per vehicle for August 2021 was $46,889, up 107 percent from $22,683 for August 2020. The average price for the first eight months of 2021 was $30,487, down 1 percent from $30,933 for the first eight months of 2020.

8702400000 Public-Transport Type Passenger Motor Vehicles With Only Electric Motor For Propulsion

The United States shipped 39 vehicles in August 2021, up 50 percent from 26 vehicles for August 2020. During the first eight months of 2021, 412 vehicles were exported, down from 1,388 vehicles for the first eight months of 2020.

Canada received 380 vehicles during the first eight months of 2021.

The average price per vehicle for August 2021 was $58,089, up 105 percent from $28,312 for August 2020. The average price per vehicle for the first eight months of 2021 was $50,716, up 42 percent from $35,632 for the first eight months of 2020.

Click on statistics to open .pdf file

News From BYD

BYD UK and Alexander Dennis recently announced First Bus is operating delegate shuttle service during the COP26 UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, Scotland, with a fleet of 22 BYD ADL Enviro200EV zero-emission buses.

“The shuttle service provides a fast and frequent link for all delegates attending the event between the city centre and the Blue and Green zones on the event campus based at the SSE Hydro and Scottish Exhibition & Conference Centre site,” according to BYD.

A fleet of 22 fully electric BYD ADL Enviro200EV single-deck buses built in Scotland by BYD and ADL can operate a range of up to 160 miles on a full charge with zero emissions, and provides delegates with a state-of-the-art fleet to take them to and from the event.

BYD To Supply Las Cruces, NM, With 5, 35-Foot Battery Electric Buses

Also from the company, BYD will build five of its Altoona K8M 35-foot battery-electric buses for Las Cruces, the second largest city in New Mexico. The buses are expected to be delivered to the city’s RoadRUNNER Transit fleet in the fall of 2022. Las Cruces has an option to buy seven additional buses.

BYD showcased its battery-electric K9M at this year's Cal Transit Fall Conference. This year’s conference was held at the SAFE Credit Union Convention Center, in Sacramento, CA. This year’s theme was “Embracing Change: New Era, New Vision.” BYD is a Titanium Conference and a Diamond Year-Round sponsor.

For more information, visit byd.com.

NFI Receives Orders For 173 Coaches And Buses From New Jersey Transit

The New Jersey Transit Corporation (NJ TRANSIT) has exercised options for 118 D4500 clean diesel commuter coaches, in its final year of an existing six-year contract (originally announced in 2015) with NFI Group subsidiary Motor Coach Industries (MCI).

The order was converted from NFI’s backlog. Earlier this year, NJ TRANSIT also exercised and received delivery of additional options for 30 MCI D4500 commuter coaches and 25 clean-diesel, 60-foot New Flyer Xcelsior® heavy-duty transit buses (50 equivalent units or EUs).

“The orders propel NJ TRANSIT’s fleet revitalization plan, replacing older, end-of-life vehicles and enhancing the passenger experience in the New Jersey community. NJ TRANSIT is America’s third-largest public transit agency, connecting New Jersey, New York, and Philadelphia and providing nearly 270 million passenger trips every year,” according to an NFI press release.

“NFI continues to deliver the most advanced technology and proven transit platforms available in North America,” said Paul Soubry, president/CEO of NFI. “With unmatched quality, industry-leading accessibility, lifetime service and support, and reliability through the most demanding environments, our buses and coaches provide efficient transportation for cities that need mobility solutions at scale.”

“Since 2003, New Flyer and MCI have delivered more than 3,000 vehicles to NJ TRANSIT, including 1,449 buses and 1,564 coaches,” said Chris Stoddart, president of North American Bus and Coach. “With these additional orders, we build on NFI’s proven product legacy and longstanding partnership with one of the biggest transit agencies in America. By revitalizing its fleet with MCI's ADA- compliant D4500 coaches and New Flyer's high-capacity Xcelsior buses, NJ TRANSIT ensures the continued provision of safe, reliable, and efficient mobility for the greater New Jersey community.

“Today, NFI supports growing North American cities with scalable, clean, and sustainable mobility solutions through a four-pillar approach that includes buses and coaches, technology, infrastructure, and workforce development. NFI also operates the Vehicle Innovation Center (VIC), the first and only innovation lab of its kind dedicated to advancing bus and coach technology and providing workforce development. Since opening late 2017, the VIC has hosted over 300 interactive events, welcoming 4,000 industry professionals for EV and infrastructure training.”

For more information, visit mcicoach.com.

UMA Names Scott Michael President/CEO

The United Motorcoach Association has named Scott Michael president/CEO, following a nationwide recruitment process that began in June. Michael began his tenure at UMA October 4. Previous president/CEO Larry Killingsworth will continue at UMA during the month of October to facilitate a smooth transition.

UMA President/CEO Scott Michael

According to UMA, “Michael is an experienced association executive who comes to UMA following extensive leadership experience in the transportation industry, where he was the president/ CEO of the American Moving and Storage Association (AMSA).”

UMA Vice Chair David Moody of Randleman, NC-based Holiday Companies, led the executive search along with other UMA members.

"After months of work, perusing resumes, Zoom interviews, and in-person interviews,” he said, “I believe that UMA has found the individual with the right skill set and experience to move our organization and industry forward as we rebound, restore and learn what normal is again."

During his over 26 years at AMSA, a trade association for the moving industry that has since merged into the American Trucking Associations, Michael held numerous roles, including serving as the industry’s liaison with its largest customer, the U.S. military, helping improve the process for relocating military families with every change in duty station. He also ran the association’s Membership Department, recruiting and retaining 3,000 members.

The culmination of his work at AMSA was five years as president/CEO, where he strengthened the association’s lobbying team to focus on consumer protection issues, served on an FMCSA Working Group to streamline paperwork, enhanced the criteria for the industry’s ProMover certification program, oversaw the termination of the group’s pension plan, and moved the association’s headquarters to a new location.

He also was executive director of the Moving and Storage Institute, a philanthropic organization that raised funds for scholarships, training, and industry research. He served on the board of directors of the American Highway Users Alliance to promote infrastructure and highway safety, and was the moving industry’s representative to the National Defense Transportation Association.

A graduate of Princeton University, he is a native of Oregon, but currently lives in Alexandria, VA, with his wife and three daughters.

For information on UMA, email info@uma.org.

Laketran Provides Free Rides To Polls To Vote

Lake County (OH) residents were able to take Laketran’s local routes or schedule a door-to-door Dial-a-Ride to their polling location on Election Day, Tuesday, November 2 for free.

Free rides were available for early voting before Election Day at the Lake County Board of Elections.

“At Laketran, we believe every resident should have access to vote, and we know that we are uniquely positioned to help get people to the polls,” said Laketran CEO Ben Capelle. “Exercising the right to vote is one of the most important roles an individual can play in his/her community and Laketran wants to make sure that is possible for everyone.”

Dial-a-Ride, Laketran’s door-to-door service also provided rides to early voting or polling locations at no charge and required a reservation 1 to 12 business days in advance.

“The Board of Elections applauds Laketran’s decision to offer free rides to the polling locations on Election Day. Many Lake County residents rely on their services to help get them to and from doctors’ appointments or their employers. We view the voting process as something just as vital to the everyday lives of our residents, so we are pleased Laketran has continued this program,” said Lake County Board of Elections Director Ross McDonald.

Link Transit, now in its 13th year of service to communities throughout Chelan and Douglas counties, WA, has reached 30 million boardings on its fixed-route buses. This milestone was celebrated October 6, with the awarding of the “30 millionth rider.” The winner received a weekend getaway trip to the Oregon Coast, courtesy of Sunny FM Radio in Wenatchee.

Link Transit is the public transportation provider for Chelan and Douglas counties, covering an area of nearly 3,500 square miles and serving 17 cities and towns, with a population of about 115,000. Service began on December 19, 1991, with a fleet of 13 buses. Today, Link operates a fleet of nearly 60 buses including 12 battery electric buses. Link Transit is funded primarily through a 5/10 percent voter approved sales tax.

APTA 2021 TRANSform Conference & EXPO
Set For November 7-10 In Orlando, FL

After four years of waiting, the American Public Transportation Association’s 2021 TRANSform Conference & EXPO will take place at the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) in Orlando, FL, on November 7-10. The event is billed as public transit’s premier showcase of technology, products and services, featuring attendees and exhibitors from around the globe.

The EXPO is normally scheduled every three years, but was postponed in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. At this year’s event, attendees can visit exhibits featuring different types of technology, products and services, while talking with representatives from public transportation-related companies. Over 800 exhibiting companies are expected to attend the EXPO, with booths located throughout the show floor.

The EXPO offers a marketplace for the public transportation industry. Products on display will include alternative-fueled buses and trolleys featuring the latest in technology.

Meanwhile, the APTA TRANSform Conference, held concurrently with the EXPO, will include a series of educational sessions, speakers, forums and other learning and networking opportunities.

A Note About Health & Safety:
In an effort to keep participants and staff safe from the COVID-19 virus during the 2021 TRANSform Conference & EXPO, proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test, as well as the wearing of a face mask, will be required, according to APTA.

The association also strongly recommends advanced registration to make the process as smooth as possible for attendees, and to avoid overcrowding in the registration area. On-site registration options may be limited. Contactless badge pick-up will be available. On-site registration desks will have a plexiglass barrier between registration staff and attendees. Floor decals will indicate 6-foot distance at registration lines. Hand sanitizing stations will be placed throughout the convention center. Also, high-touch areas will be cleaned and sanitized on a regular basis during the event, APTA stated.

OCCC has hosted more than 100 face-to-face events of all sizes since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Convention center officials have implemented Recovery and Resiliency Guidelines, while the OCCC has achieved Global Biorisk Advisory Council’s (GBAC) Star Accreditation. OCCC officials are also collaborating with Orlando Health, involving a medical concierge program to provide for safe events.

Visit www.occc.net/MeetingSafely for more information.

GENERAL SESSIONS

The Opening General Session for APTA’s 2021 TRANSform Conference & EXPO is scheduled from 8:30 to 10 a.m., on Monday, November 8, at the convention center. Various public transportation officials will speak at the event, as well as former NASA astronaut and U.S. Air Force Colonel Dr. Cady Coleman, who will provide the keynote address.

Dr. Coleman participated in two space shuttle missions and a six-month expedition on the International Space Station, where she acted as the lead robotics and lead science officer.

On the ground at NASA, she served in a variety of roles, including chief of robotics, lead for tile repair efforts after the Columbia accident, and lead astronaut for integration with NASA’s commercial partners, including SpaceX. Her work paved the way for commercial spaceflight collaborations that are now common.

In her keynote, Dr. Coleman will draw from her time at NASA, including extreme “remote work” situations, to discuss team building, leadership and innovation. She is currently the global explorer in residence at Arizona State University, and is also a research affiliate at the MIT Media Lab.

Another General Session is scheduled for 8 to 9:15 a.m., on Wednesday, November 10, featuring keynote speaker Jeff Henderson. He is an award-winning chef, New York Times best-selling author, entrepreneur and motivational speaker.

Henderson started his illustrious culinary career in the unlikeliest of places: federal prison. While serving nearly 10 years, he discovered a previously untapped passion for cooking. Using prison as a catalyst for self-transformation, Henderson was released in 1996 and worked his way from a dishwasher to the first African-American Chef de Cuisine at Caesars Palace. After being named Las Vegas Chef of The Year, Henderson became executive chef at Café Bellagio.

Following the publishing of his bestselling memoir, cookbooks and self-help story, Henderson travels the world teaching his life-changing lessons and working with at-risk young people through his non-profit.

Visit aptaexpo.com for more information about the 2021 APTA TRANSform Conference & EXPO.

2021 APTA TRANSform Conference & EXPO Schedule
(Courtesy of APTA: Current as of Sept. 17, 2021)

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 6
8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
APTA Committee Meetings
Noon - 4 p.m.
APTA Board of Directors Meeting

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 7
8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
APTA Committee Meetings
6 - 7:30 p.m.
Welcome Reception

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 8
7 - 8:15 a.m.
APTA Committee Meetings
8:30 - 10 a.m.
Opening General Session
Keynote Speaker:
Dr. Cady Coleman
10:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.
EXPO 2021 OPEN
1:30 - 3 p.m.
General Session:
Federal Partners Update
3:30 - 5 p.m.
Educational Sessions
5:15 - 7 p.m.
APTA Committee Meetings

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 9
7 - 8:15 a.m.
APTA Committee Meetings
8:30 - 10:30 a.m.
APTA Honors Ceremony
9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
EXPO 2021 OPEN
1:30 - 3 p.m.
Educational Sessions
3:30 - 5 p.m.
Educational Sessions
5:15 - 7 p.m.
APTA Committee Meetings

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10
8 - 9:15 a.m.
General Session
Keynote Speaker:
Jeff Henderson
9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
EXPO 2021 OPEN
9:30 - 10:45 a.m.
Educational Sessions
11 - Noon
Educational Sessions