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 December 2019 indicated vehicle imports were up in eight categories outlined, compared to December 2018. For all of 2019, vehicles imports were also up in eight categories, compared to all of 2018.

The United States imported 331 vehicles in December 2019, up 25 percent from 264 vehicles imported in December 2018. For all of 2019, the United States imported 2,952 vehicles, up 21 percent from 2,439 for all of 2018.

Canada sent 1,664 vehicles to the United States during all of 2019.

The average price per vehicle for December 2019 was $362,880.60, down 16 percent from the average price for December 2018 of $431,398.24. The average price per vehicle for all of 2019 was $322,088.20, down 20 percent from $402,148.58 for all of 2018.

Public-Transport Passenger Vehicles For Transport Of 10 Or More Persons With Only Comp-Ign Internal Combustion Piston Engine (Diesel Or Semi-Diesel), Other

The United States received 137 vehicles in December 2019, compared to 36 vehicles for December 2018. For all of 2019, the United States imported 1,417 vehicles, down 19 percent from 1,760 vehicles for all of 2018.

The United States imported 1,379 vehicles from Germany during all of 2019.

The average price of the vehicles for December 2019 was $46,165.53, down 33 percent from $69,310.06 for December 2018. The average price per vehicle for all of 2019 was $42,999.77, down 2 percent from $43,869.43 for all of 2018.

The United States imported 13 vehicles during December 2019. There were no vehicles received during December 2018. During all of 2019, 254 vehicles were imported, compared to six vehicles for all of 2018.

All the vehicles imported came from Canada.

The average price for December 2019 was $240,184. The average price for all of 2019 was $230,502.76, down 53 percent from $490,661.50 for all of 2018.

No vehicles in this category were imported during all of 2018 and 2019.

No vehicles in this category were received by the United States in December 2019 or December 2018. The United States imported two vehicles from Canada during all of 2019, at an average price of $15,200. No vehicles were imported during all of 2018.

The United States imported two vehicles from Canada in this category during December 2019, at an average price of $13,116. No vehicles were imported during December 2018. During all of 2019, three vehicles were received, including one from Canada and two from China, compared to one during all of 2018, at a price of $10,325. The average price for all of 2019 was $17,905.67.

The United States imported six vehicles during December 2019. There were no vehicles imported during December 2018. During all of 2019, 453 vehicles were received, compared to 18 for all of 2018.

Canada shipped 332 vehicles during all of 2019.

The average price per vehicle for December 2019 was $339,659.67. The average price for all of 2019 was $134,497.69, down 26 percent from $180,598.50 for all of 2018.

The United States imported 16 vehicles during December 2019, compared to six vehicles for December 2018. During all of 2019, 128 vehicles were imported, compared to 76 vehicles for all of 2018.

China sent all of the vehicles during all of 2019.

The average price per vehicle for December 2019 was $6,499.06, down 82 percent from $35,928 for December 2018. The average price per vehicle for all of 2019 was $8,196.30, down 24 percent from $10,773.22 for all of 2018.

The United States imported 64 vehicles during December 2019, up 60 percent from 40 for December 2018. During all of 2019, 1,463 vehicles were received, up 30 percent from 1,129 for all of 2018.

Canada sent 1,439 vehicles to the United States during all of 2019.

The average price per vehicle for December 2019 was $143,914.98, compared to $50,332.43 for December 2018. The average price for all of 2019 was $83,929, up 19 percent from $70,619.07 for all of 2018.

The United States imported 230 vehicles during December 2019, compared to 54 vehicles for December 2018. During all of 2019, 1,678 vehicles were received, up 20 percent from 1,399 for all of 2018.

Canada sent 1,067 vehicles to the United States during all of 2019.

The average price per vehicle for December 2019 was $49,822.85, up 18 percent from $42,292.65 for December 2018. The average price for all of 2019 was $45,295.43, down 1 percent from $45,898.17 for all of 2018.

EXPORTS

Export totals for December 2019 were up in two categories, compared to December 2018. For all of 2019, two categories also reported increases.

The United States exported 689 vehicles during December 2019, up 11 percent from 623 vehicles exported in December 2018. During all of 2019, 7,868 were sent, down 12 percent from 8,981 for all of 2018.

Canada received 4,838 vehicles during all of 2019, while Mexico imported 1,352.

The average price per vehicle for December 2019 was $74,278.15, up 72 percent from the average price for December 2018 of $43,092.96. The average price for all of 2019 was $68,299.54, down 13 percent from $78,328.81 for all of 2018.

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

The United States shipped 14 vehicles in December 2019, compared to 177 for December 2018. During all of 2019, 2,242 vehicles were exported, compared to 983 for all of 2018.

Canada received 1,989 vehicles during all of 2019.

The average price per vehicle for December 2019 was $9,378.57, down 85 percent from $62,763.10 for December 2018. The average price for all of 2019 was $27,673.66, down 9 percent from $30,482.34 for all of 2018.

The United States exported 23 vehicles in December 2019, down 36 percent from 36 vehicles for December 2018. During all of 2019, 306 vehicles were shipped, the same as for all of 2018.

Mexico received 97 vehicles during all of 2019, while Venezuela imported 63 vehicles and the Bahamas 52 vehicles.

The average price per vehicle for December 2019 was $25,807.65, down 3 percent from the average price for December 2018 of $26,480.11. The average price for all of 2019 was $31,628.34, also down 3 percent from $32,666.24 for all of 2018.

The United States shipped 92 vehicles in December 2019, compared to four vehicles for December 2018. During all of 2019, 868 vehicles were exported, compared to 79 vehicles for all of 2018.

Canada received 849 vehicles during all of 2019.

The average price for December 2019 was $30,612.61, up 49 percent from $20,600 for December 2018. The average price for all of 2019 was $30,213.55, down 71 percent from $103,978.77 for all of 2018.

Click on statistics to open .pdf file

New Cooperation Agreement Between Irizar And Scania Deutschland

Pictured, signing the new cooperation agreement are, left to right, Rafael Sterling, CEO of Grupo Irizar, and Peter Hornig, managing director of Scania Germany and Austria. (Photo: Scania)

“Irizar has signed a collaboration agreement with Scania Deutschland to offer its Irizar-Scania range of coaches to the German market. With this agreement, Irizar hopes to strengthen its position in the inter-urban buses and coaches sectors by making a wide range of vehicles available to the premium segment, including the Irizar i8, i6S and i6 models and the suburban Irizar i4 model.

“Irizar coaches will be exclusively sold in Germany through Scania’s distribution network, which already offers an extensive portfolio of services, 17 specialized technical centers and a network of over 150 licensed workshops, in addition to a recently created used-bus center. The availability of spare parts will be guaranteed due to the Scania Parts Centre in Belgium, and a warehouse in Bremen,Germany, created especially to stock spare parts for Irizar vehicles.”

Rafael Sterling, the new CEO of Grupo Irizar, said, “We are channeling our efforts so that we continue to consolidate our positioning in Europe in the near future. Germany has always been a strategic market for Irizar, and there’s no doubt that this Irizar-Scania collaboration will allow us to offer our German clients great value in terms of products and services.”

For more information, visit www.irizar.com.

Jersey City, NJ
ABC Companies Facility Expansion Adds More Service, Parts And Equipment Sales Expertise To Northeast Region

“A major renovation and expansion at ABC Companies Jersey City, NJ, facility is attracting customers throughout the Northeast Corridor. Featuring eight service bays, two paint booths, portable lifts, full dump and wash area, and onsite equipment and parts inventory, the newly redesigned facility sits on five acres and offers customers full equipment sales and service/body shop services. In addition, a new 20,000-square-foot parts warehouse with parts-sales counter offers OEM and aftermarket options for Van Hool and other popular makes and models,” said ABC.

“Backed by ABC Parts Source, over 200,000 individual parts are available for transit and coach needs. An inventory of new Van Hool coaches, including the restyled 2020 Van Hool CX45 and CX35, as well as an expansive inventory of popular preowned motorcoach makes and models will be available on site for inspection, test drives and sale, including new ABC Express Van Hool models for fast customer delivery.”

ABC recognized the need to expand this location based on market demand and fast-tracked the build-out, which included numerous site upgrades and facility modernization of the centrally located operation.

“We are excited to expand our service offering in a key market area,” said Mike Laffan, senior vice president/Eastern Region at ABC Companies. “Our facility expansion doubles the size of operations in this region, and can support virtually any service, parts and sales requests customers have to keep their fleets performing at peak levels. We welcome all operators to find out how we can support their fleet requirements at this location.”

The company is planning a “re-opening” celebration during Q2 of 2020, according to Laffan. In addition to creating new jobs within the local labor force, he anticipates exponential growth in equipment, parts sales, and service contracts as a result of the expansion.

ABC Companies is a provider to the transportation industry with product and service offerings that cover a full spectrum of operational needs including new and pre-owned full-size highway coach equipment along with transit specialty vehicles. For more information, visit www.abc-companies.com.

U.S. Department Of Transportation Announces Increased Flexibility To Help Transit Agencies Respond To Coronavirus

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announced that expanded eligibility of federal assistance is available under FTA’s Emergency Relief Program, to help transit agencies respond to the coronavirus (COVID-19) in states where the governor has declared an emergency. This includes allowing all transit providers, including those in large urban areas, to use federal formula funds for emergency-related capital and operating expenses, and raises the cap on the federal government’s share of those expenses.

“I have issued a notice of concurrence with declarations of emergencies issued by governors that relate to COVID-19. FTA grantees may now use their Urbanized Area and Rural formula funds to take measures to protect the health and safety of their riders and their workforce,” said FTA Acting Administrator K. Jane Williams. “Expansion of the permissible uses of federal funds will allow transit providers greater flexibility in the areas of the country that need it most. Invoking the eligibility of the Emergency Relief Program also provides funds at a higher federal share.”

The announcement allows all transit providers, in states where the governor has declared an emergency related to COVID-19, to use their federal formula funds for operating expenses, in addition to capital expenses, and permits operating expenses to be covered at an 80 percent federal share rather than 50 percent.

In addition to allowing the expanded use of formula funds for transit providers, FTA has established an Emergency Relief docket that allows transit providers in states where the governor has declared an emergency related to COVID-19 to request temporary relief from federal requirements under 49 U.S.C. Chapter 53, as well as any non-statutory FTA requirements.

The U.S. Department of Transportation said it is working closely with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and other federal partners to provide guidance to the public transportation industry in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19). FTA recently held a conference call with transit stakeholders and posted Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on its website.

For more information, contact Angela Gates at Angela.Gates@dot.gov.

Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority Adds 9 New MCI D4500 Commuter Coaches

Motor Coach Industries (MCI) recently completed delivery of nine MCI D4500 Commuter Coaches to Ohio’s largest transit agency, Greater Cleveland Regional Transportation Authority (RTA).

RTA has added the coaches to its Park-N-Ride fleet, operating on RTA’s three direct routes to downtown Cleveland. RTA said the new MCIs are replacing older vehicles which have significantly surpassed their 12-year useful life, and that it plans to add three more new D4500 coaches later in the year.

“The MCI D4500 is North America’s best-selling commuter coach, known for comfort, safety and reliability. Features include forward-facing seating, overhead parcel racks, individual reading lights and air-flow controls at every seat,” said MCI.

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant and Buy America certified, RTA’s newest Commuter Coaches come equipped with wheelchair lifts/bike racks, and feature the newest technology and safety systems, including RTA’s first free Wi-Fi connectivity, USB ports at every seat, three-point passenger seatbelts, backup cameras and onboard surveillance cameras.

“This delivery also showcases several technical improvements MCI has made to the model. In total, RTA operates 38 MCI commuter coaches.”

Tom Wagner, MCI vice president of Public Sector, said, “We’re proud to have our D4500 serve the leading transportation system in North America. Our relationship with RTA began in 2001, and we’re dedicated to optimizing the ridership experience for RTA, while providing the best technical and parts support.”

In 2019, RTA received the Bus Safety & Security Excellence Award from the American Public Transportation Association (APTA). RTA has also received the Certificate of Merit for Safety from APTA for creating and implementing a top-safety and security program.

For more information, contact www.MCIcoach.com.

BYD Adds Business Development Analyst For Latin America

Marcela Cabrera Luna

BYD has named Marcela Cabrera Luna business development analyst for Latin America. She serves at BYD’s North American headquarters in downtown Los Angeles, guiding strategy and development of new business in Mexico and Latin America, working closely with each team in the region.

She has over 10 years of experience creating business strategies, managing programs, and developing climate and sustainability policies.

Cabrera was most recently a senior project manager at CALSTART in innovation mobility. Prior to that, Cabrera was at Tesla. She has also been responsible for corporate social responsibility projects with Amazon Watch, which works to protect the rainforest and indigenous peoples of South America.

She was a member of the board of directors for Women in Cleantech and Sustainability in the Silicon Valley, and now continues her work with the technology community in SoCal.

She reports to BYD President North America Stella Li.

Cabrera holds a master’s degree in international studies from the University of San Francisco and a Bachelor of Science degree in anthropology and markets from the University of California, Berkeley.

For more information, visit www.byd.com.

Prevost Ups Motorcoach Driver Visibility With eMirrors

“Prevost introduces the first electronic side mirror system in the North American motorcoach industry — eMirrors, for added confidence and safety. With cameras and screens instead of traditional mirrors, eMirrors offer a significantly larger field of view eliminating side-by-side blind spots — in addition to dramatically improving visibility in nighttime, inclement weather conditions and challenging lighting.

“Officially exempt from 49 CFR 393.80(a) [Docket No. FMCSA–2019–0159] by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) as of January 15, 2020, Prevost eMirror will be available on custom orders for early adopters starting mid-2020, with wider availability in 2021.”

François Tremblay, Prevost vice president/general manager, said, “eMirrors will revolutionize coach driving. The increased visibility, in almost any condition, is a major advancement, and our testing shows an increase in fuel efficiency caused by aerodynamic improvement. At Prevost, we focus on innovations that bring long-term value and peace of mind for our operators.”

Prevost said, “In addition to the driver confidence and safety advantages, there are also strong business benefits for owners and operators by eliminating traditional mirrors. Internal Prevost testing estimates a 3 percent fuel economy savings through improved aerodynamics. Plus, there’s no worry about costly repair and downtime expenditures caused by damage to the external mirrors in tight situations.”

Versions of the eMirror system have been utilized worldwide since 2017, installed on 1,500-plus vehicles and driven more than 3 million miles, so both operators and drivers can be confident of the system.

In addition, Prevost has been developing and testing eMirrors (since 2018) over thousands of miles, to ensure the system is optimized for Prevost coaches in the North American environment.

Prevost is a manufacturer of premium intercity touring coaches and produces conversion coaches for high-end motorhome and specialty conversion. It is part of the Volvo Group.

For more information, visit www.prevostcar.com.