BusTalk

DE60LF · Joined: 03 Oct 2007 Posts: 142 Location: Albuquerque, NM

Yes, we all know that New Flyer doesn't make a CNG articulated bus. I once asked New Flyer themselves on why they don't, and the New Flyer rep told me that the market is too small.

However, with all the NABI 60-BRTs being sold now (most if not all which are CNG-powered), I am beginning to question New Flyer's reason for not producing a CNG articulated bus. Appearently, with WMATA being the latest customer for the NABI 60-BRT CNG, it seems the market for a CNG artic is much larger than what New Flyer thinks. I am starting to think that this is a great opportunity for New Flyer to compete with NABI in this market.

New Flyer dominates the diesel-electric hybrid artic market with the DE60LF, DE60LFR, and DE60LF BRT, however, they should maybe introduce a CNG artic (a C60LFR or C60LF BRT) to be more competitive. NABI has produced a diesel-electric hybrid prototype of the 60-BRT, however, it has yet to recieve any orders.

RailBus63 · Moderator Joined: 16 Apr 2007 Posts: 1063

The North American standard for articulated buses is the 'pusher' model with the engine in the rear section. CNG pusher-type articulated buses present engineering challenges because the fuel tank must be on the larger front section of the bus, requiring the use of flexible hoses over the articulation joint. While the market for CNG artics has grown, I believe it is still small compared to the overall demand for clean-diesel and hybrid articulated buses. In addition, NABI already has a strong foothold selling CNG artics, which would drive down the price NFI could charge if they built one. I'm guessing that New Flyer may well have decided that the engineering investment in CNG articulated buses just wasn't worth it.

DE60LF · Joined: 03 Oct 2007 Posts: 142 Location: Albuquerque, NM

ProBus · Posted: Sat Jul 26, 2008 8:34 am Post subject:

Artics yes! CNG no! TTC wants nothing to due with them, been there done that, there toast ! big mistake cut there loss and gave the fleet away to the third world. This is a very large Trasit system as you no and there are othere Systems that feel the same way.To darn expensive to operate, endless cost to high mantainess and they are to darn heavy destoryed street they operate on speical heavy duty steel rim required at more cost, without them had limit the passenger load! could go on and on. Clean Desiel good! HyBrid good! CNG $$$ , any way that's the veiw from this chair.