BusTalk

[Q65A]

Yet another fallen flag in the bus industry:

http://www.masstransitmag.com/press_release/10975272/new-flyer-announces-the-acquisition-of-north-american-bus-industries?utm_source=MASS+NewsViews+Newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=MASS130615002

So who is still standing in the heavy duty North American transit bus market?
Gillig, New Flyer and NovaBus.
Sic transit gloria mundi.

[Mr. Linsky]

Bob,

I think the question should now be; who will still be standing after the other two are eventually swallowed up?

Regards,

Mr. 'L'

[Q65A]

I completely agree, Mr. L.
NF has done pretty well lately, although they also had had some "near death experiences" in the not too distant past.
Back in the 1970's, few people would have predicted that GM's lengthy reign in the bus market would have ended so abruptly, but I suppose anything is possible.
In his excellent corporate history of Flxible, author Bob Ebert stated that the heavy duty transit bus market (even when Flxible was still alive) truthfully could not support more than a small handful of manufacturers.
I have to assume that a larger number of transit bus builders could compete in the post-World War 2 era because many obsolete buses and many streetcars were in need of replacement.
(This is not unlike the American diesel locomotive business, where only GE and EMD remain in business, even though at one time there were 5 or 6 major builders.)

[traildriver]

I still don't understand why some of the Asian player's haven't tested the waters over here....they're into everything else.....
When I've cruised the Caribbean, I see lots of Toyota minibuses of about 20 seats. Wonder why they haven't marketed them here? And the rest of the large makers from Japan and Korea are conspiculously absent as well.....

[Tiny Tim]

Hino had tested with mta in the mid 80's. MSBA had a odd ball artic form overseas also. And Carey had the Renault/Mack coach demo around 1985. It was a Renault that had the mack name put on it.The sign had RIDE A MACK and had the bulldog on the dash. They saw the market wasn't there so they bought back the few they did sell and pulled out of the market.

[ripta42]

I wouldn't call NABI a "fallen flag" quite yet, since it appears New Flyer will continue to operate NABI as a separate division.

[buslist]

And we are overlooking the entry of ElDarado into the 40' bus market. They are active with PACE at the moment.

[traildriver]

[GBL Rebel]

[traildriver]