BUS PROCUREMENT
process remains the same, the
newest frontier we are seeing is in
the specifi cations for technology,
especially electric buses.”
According to Todd Kangas, Director
of Sales & Marketing – Advanced
Products for component
supplier EMP, “Price is still ‘king,’
which is why the development and
defi nition of the equipment specifi
cations are so important to our
sales teams as they build relationships
with the transit agencies.”
Right-Sizing with a
Right-Sized Vehicle
One of the most impactful trends
suppliers are seeing is the gradual
move away from a homogenized
fl eet and toward a fl eet mix that
refl ects what can best be described
as right-sizing to fi t the needs of
the particular service.
“Increasingly, agencies are reconsidering
their fl eet mix. Th e
reality for urban transit today is
that it is no longer a one-size-fi tsall
approach, like the Southwest
Airlines model,” said Michael
Roschlau, a strategic advisor to
Grande West Transportation
Group and former Chief Executive
Offi cer for the Canadian Urban
Transit Association (CUTA).
According to Roschlau, with slight
declines in ridership across North
America, agencies cannot justify
using large 40-foot buses on some
community and feeder routes.
AMENITIES AND passenger comfort are in the forefront of suppliers minds.
Grande West has developed
one solution for customers in its
Vicinity community bus, a vehicle
that in and of itself is right-sized.
According to Grande West’s Vice
President of Corporate Development
John LaGourgue, the Vicinity
bus is available in 27.5-, 30- and
35-foot models powered by clean
diesel or CNG and is designed
with aff ordability, accessibility
and the environment in mind. “It
represents a less costly alternative
to a traditional 40-foot transit
bus, burns less fuel
and emits fewer emissions,”
26 | Mass Transit | MassTransitmag.com | NOVEMBER 2018
said LaGourgue.
Recognizing the
growing demand for
electric vehicles,
Grande West is developing
a battery powered
version to further expand the
Vicinity’s value in the public
transit marketplace.
Roschlau cautions, however,
that these changes to
transit fl eets will need to
TRANSIT CUSTOMERS are
looking for increased
efficiency in vehicles.
occur over time. “Right-sizing is
just a part of the 10-20-year transition
toward a more dynamic
and fl exible fl eet mix. It will not
occur overnight.”
Entering the Zero-
Emission Frontier,
But What About the
Infrastructure?
With the rising demand for electric
vehicles, there is a commensurate
demand for charging infrastructure,
which represents a
huge diff erence for the industry,
according to Scully. “Th ere is a
learning curve on both sides of
the procurement process,” said
Scully. “For example, defi ning
the range for an electric vehicle in
the agency’s specifi cation is much
diff erent than with a traditional
diesel vehicle.”
So how is the supplier side of
the transit industry addressing the
infrastructure question?
MCI’s answer is to work alongside
their customers to understand
the specifi cations and learn together.
“We invite customers to
join us and our experts at our Vehicle
Innovation Center where we
Right-sizing
The Vicinity bus is
available in sizes
27.5,30-
35-foot
models
/MassTransitmag.com