BusTalk

[DE60LF]

I have noticed that the NABI 60-BRT CNG has been a big seller for NABI. In fact, the CNG models are outselling the diesel and diesel-electric hybrid models. However, I have something to ask. Previously, Neoplan also made a CNG articulated bus. It has been stated in the past that the Neoplan AN460 CNG was one of the reasons for Neoplan's downfall.

In theory, a CNG articulated bus is not an optimal design, as the CNG tanks will generally be stored on top of the front section, and since the engine is on the rear section, the CNG fuel lines would need a flex pipe along the accordion section. This explains why New Flyer does not produce a CNG articulated bus. New Flyer favors diesel-electric hybrid articulated buses, hence why the DE60LF has been a success. In southern California, TAs are not allowed to purchase diesel buses, even if they are ULSD or diesel-electric hybrids. Another potential option could be a gasoline-electric articulated bus, which no manufacturer currently offers. However, say if New Flyer were to make a GE60LF, since gasoline engines produce less torque than diesel engines, a GE60LF may not be feasible.

Does anyone know why the NABI 60-BRT CNG has been a success, contrary to the failure of the Neoplan AN460 CNG?

[tovinman]

One reason is a point you've already made - most of the systems that have bought the CNG BRT have to buy alternative fuel buses in the first place, particularly LACMTD, San Diego, and Foothills Transit

I don't see the NABI BRT being really all that successful in numbers. Flyer
is likely to surpass them next year and so far has built about 400 BRT buses
and with new BRT buses from Gillig and coming from Nova next year I think the NABI BRT will just be a modest success. They were first out the gate, and will continue to sell in California, but only because NFI won't build CNG artics.

I think that in a couple of years with three other manufacturers in the BRT business NABI's BRT market penetration will sink a fair bit, particularly if New York City buys them from Nova.

The BRT has been a good seller for NABI, but other manufacturers are entering
the market and NFI and Gillig are catching up fast.

I too wonder what is driving these transit systems to spend 800k on a bus in this economic downturn; but then I simply fail to understand why transit
systems are dumping perfectly good buses in order to spend 500k on new ones that last half as long and cost twice as much to maintain, just to get the
handicapped onboard. Cities like Vancouver that, just prior to the Olympics, sent nearly 200 lift equipped MCI Classics to the scrapheap just because they weren't lowfloor. Some of them were driven around the scrapyard by the employees, and several were used in a demolition derby until the engines siezed (they put fuel in them but all the other fluids had been drained)