LACMTA awards contract to New Flyer for 550 CNG buses, with an optional 350

[Turbo19 2,509]

Directly from the Metro System Saftey & Operations Commitee.

Authorize the Cheif Executive Officer to award a firm fixed price contract under RFP No. OP33202869 with New Flyer of America, Inc for the manufacturing and delivery of 550 forty-foot CNG transit buses, in the amount of $302,094,182 for the base contract buy including tax and delivery, exclusive of contract Options for up to 350 additional buses for a total of 900 buses.

 

 

The report is avaliable in the link below.

http://boardsecretar...ement Buses.pdf

 

 

In the report, you can see that replacing buses built between 1998 to 2001 is the priority, which encompasses the current high floor buses, many of which are C40HF's. The next priority is replacing the Orion Vi's and NABI's operated by Metro's contract service providers. These would be replaced if the extra 350 option was taken. Should the whole order be fulfilled, there would still be 236 buses eligible for replacement.

 

I'm a bit disappointed NABI didn't win as I was interested in viewing their 40C, but nonetheless I'm pleased that Metro is recieving some new buses as some of Metro's division ran their fleet to the ground.

 

Comments anyone?

[RailBus63 212]

From reading the attachment, it appears these will be an Xcelsior BRT model with the all-electric HVAC system.

[jgood6195 216]

Wait, these are for XDE40s? No CNGs?

[Turbo19 2,509]

From reading the attachment, it appears these will be an Xcelsior BRT model with the all-electric HVAC system.

 

At this point in time, I believe the Xcelsior is New Flyer's default offering.

 

Wait, these are for XDE40s? No CNGs?

 

And how diid you reach that conclusion, especially when the title clearly reads CNG buses?

[compobus fan 55]

More likely than not they will be similar to Culver City's Xcelsior CNG's which look pretty good. Orange should do them well !! I hope NABI stays with the Metro 40C idea, it looks better than the GEN III

[Turbo19 2,509]

More likely than not they will be similar to Culver City's Xcelsior CNG's which look pretty good. Orange should do them well !! I hope NABI stays with the Metro 40C idea, it looks better than the GEN III

 

Like I said, perhaps Metro will order them later in the future.

[User 2,251]

Alright New Flyer! I'm sure if Orion was still here, they would have had an influence on this decision! But nevertheless, I'm glad to see New Flyer becoming the best out there now.

[Orion VII 4 Life 1,062]

Not like I even visit LA, but it's gonna be nice to see some more XN40s around. Glad CRAPI didn't win for once.

[Turbo19 2,509]

Alright New Flyer! I'm sure if Orion was still here, they would have had an influence on this decision! But nevertheless, I'm glad to see New Flyer becoming the best out there now.

Would have been nice to have some Orion's out in LA though.

 

 

Not like I even visit LA, but it's gonna be nice to see some more XN40s around. Glad CRAPI didn't win for once.

In my opinion, some NABI's would have been nice. Need some variety besides New Flyer.

[Turbo19 2,509]

Due to a broken link, I present an update.

 

http://boardsecretary.metro.net/2013/01_January/20130117OPItem54.pdf

[C40LFR 5]

Not like I even visit LA, but it's gonna be nice to see some more XN40s around. Glad CRAPI didn't win for once.

 

Actually, I wanted Compos over XN40s. LACMTA stated clearly it's praises of the 45C over other buses in the fleet by a mile. We'll see about the Xcelsior. NABI's Compo is pretty impressive, I think 40Cs would have worked better here. There are of plenty of munis rocking the XN40.(Remember, here in LA, Munis play a much larger role)

Edited January 10, 2013 by C40LFR

[C40LFR 5]

Would have been nice to have some Orion's out in LA though.

 

 

In my opinion, some NABI's would have been nice. Need some variety besides New Flyer.

 

I agree I was kind of hoping to see some Orion VII 3Gs rolling around LA back before Orion quit, oh well.

Edited January 10, 2013 by C40LFR

[jgood6195 216]

I agree I was kind of hoping to see some Orion VII 3Gs rolling around LA back before Orion quit, oh well.

Don't you guys have a couple of agencies with Orion VII CNGs? Most of these TAs are stupid for not buying Orions, they don't know what they missed out on. Same with Neoplans.

Edited January 10, 2013 by jgood6195

[compobus fan 55]

Not like I even visit LA, but it's gonna be nice to see some more XN40s around. Glad CRAPI didn't win for once.

At least "CRAPI" is still in business !!

[jgood6195 216]

At least "CRAPI" is still in business !!

 For now....

[Turbo19 2,509]

Don't you guys have a couple of agencies with Orion VII CNGs? Most of these TAs are stupid for not buying Orions, they don't know what they missed out on. Same with Neoplans.

The only agency in S. California is Thousand Oaks with their VII NG CNG's, and they are 35 feet. Most everyone with Orion buses are in N. California.

 

 

At least "CRAPI" is still in business !!

And will be for a long while the way I see things.

 

 

 For now....

No signs of slowing down!

[DJ MC 1,207]

Don't you guys have a couple of agencies with Orion VII CNGs? Most of these TAs are stupid for not buying Orions, they don't know what they missed out on. Same with Neoplans.

 

 For now....

 

A bus that works well in NYC doesn't mean it will work every where. Mentioning Neoplan is pointless as the company left almost seven years ago. Finally NABI has a 459 bus order for DART that will be delivered between 2013-2015.

Edited January 10, 2013 by DJ MC

[Turbo19 2,509]

A bus that works well in NYC doesn't mean it will work every where. Mentioning Neoplan is pointless as the company left almost seven years ago. Finally NABI has a 459 bus order for DART that will be delivered between 2013-2015.

The logic seems to be that because NABI doesn't have a large presence on the eastern part of the U.S. they are not receiving much business and will shut down. Under that logic, because NOVA doesn't have a large West Coast presence then they will shut down. I would have used Orion as an example, but too late for that.

[DJ MC 1,207]

The logic seems to be that because NABI doesn't have a large presence on the eastern part of the U.S. they are not receiving much business and will shut down. Under that logic, because NOVA doesn't have a large West Coast presence then they will shut down. I would have used Orion as an example, but too late for that.

 

They do in New Jersey Transit. I can name various other places too, but NJT is closer to NYC though.

Edited January 10, 2013 by DJ MC

[jgood6195 216]

They do in New Jersey Transit. I can name various other places too, but NJT is closer to NYC though.

Bee-lines too.

[C40LFR 5]

I don't Novabus has ANY following in the west. NABI dominates So Cal, though power has switched to Gillig it seems. New Flyer is the only manufacturer that consistantly has buses in every part of the US. Can't think of any major US City that doesn't have an LF/LFR/Xcelsior that if not part of the major agency, some muni around the major city would have 'em.

Edited January 11, 2013 by C40LFR

[Turbo19 2,509]

I don't Novabus has ANY following in the west. NABI dominates So Cal, though power has switched to Gillig it seems. New Flyer is the only manufacturer that consistantly has buses in every part of the US. Can't think of any major US City that doesn't have an LF/LFR/Xcelsior that if not part of the major agency, some muni around the major city would have 'em.

That just may change soon as Nova relased information last year regarding the production of a CNG LFS. The model is expected to debut later this year.

[compobus fan 55]

That just may change soon as Nova relased information last year regarding the production of a CNG LFS. The model is expected to debut later this year.

On a side note, I am curious as to which bus NABI actually based the bid upon.  We assume (at least I do) that they bid the Metro 40C, but I can't find documentation on that, to me even though the GEN III has some composites, the DART numbers that got them the award, would have been lower than the cost of the 40C, IIRC New Flyer was like 28 grand under NABI per bus.

[Turbo19 2,509]

On a side note, I am curious as to which bus NABI actually based the bid upon.  We assume (at least I do) that they bid the Metro 40C, but I can't find documentation on that, to me even though the GEN III has some composites, the DART numbers that got them the award, would have been lower than the cost of the 40C, IIRC New Flyer was like 28 grand under NABI per bus.

Damn. That says a lot about the cost.

[theaveragejoe 282]

I don't Novabus has ANY following in the west. NABI dominates So Cal, though power has switched to Gillig it seems. New Flyer is the only manufacturer that consistantly has buses in every part of the US. Can't think of any major US City that doesn't have an LF/LFR/Xcelsior that if not part of the major agency, some muni around the major city would have 'em.

 

 

There are 2 used ex Denver LFS being used by one of the contractors that does the Hollywood Bowl shuttles.

Edited January 12, 2013 by theaveragejoe