UPDATE
MCI’s battery-electric coach models have already performed
as reliably as the company’s best-selling clean diesel, hybrid-
electric, and compressed natural gas (CNG) models during
U.S. demonstration tests. MCI’s all-electric move is supported
by New Flyer’s 50 years of electric experience and New Flyer
Infrastructure Solutions™, a full-suite of services that help deliver
charging specifications to meet each customer’s needs. New
Flyer actively supports over 41,000 heavy-duty transit buses
currently in service, of which 7,300 are powered by electric
motors and battery propulsion and 1,600 are zero-emission.
Its battery-electric bus programs are deployed across North
America.
“Our MCI D45 CRTe LE is built for the range and distances
required on Coach Atlantic Maritime Bus routes,” said Michael
McDonald, MCI’s sustainable transportation specialist. “Projected
range is an average of 210 km at 389 kWh.”
McDonald holds a Ph.D. in chemistry with post-doctoral work
at MIT in battery chemistry.
MCI offers two battery-electric models. The J4500e (bringing
all-electric capability to the industry’s best- seller in the tour,
charter and employee shuttle markets) will deliver later this
year and due to the high floor configuration the coach can be
configured for more than 370 km at the top end by adding more
batteries to achieve a capacity of 544 kWh. The D45 CRTe LE,
which features a revolutionary patented LE (Low Entry) vestibule
with a seating area and ramp that significantly improves dwell
times and the boarding and ride experience for passengers with
disabilities and mobility will be available in 2021.
Both models share the same electric platform. McDonald
and the engineering team at MCI have spent the past two
years testing MCI’s first battery-electric vehicles in varied road
and weather conditions including extreme cold and snow in
Michigan’s Northern Peninsula during 2019’s polar vortex.
Coach Atlantic Maritime Bus also tested MCI’s latest safety and
fleet management technology on the new 54-seat MCI D45 CRTe
LE model, including the benefits of MCI Connect Telematics.
MCI’s new diagnostic system, standard on 2021 coaches, will
measure key performance metrics including distance and time
on route, auxiliary systems and battery efficiency related to
grade and ambient temperature in real time. According to MCI’s
McDonald, the data collected will be used to help Coach Atlantic
Maritime Bus plan its future fleet needs.
Coach Atlantic Maritime Bus said its consideration of battery-
electric also includes savings and maintenance costs compared
to diesel coaches. With battery-electric buses, engine oil
and filter changes, emissions and transmission systems are
eliminated, and there is less brake wear due to the electric
motor’s regenerative braking capability.
Each day, Coach Atlantic Maritime Bus provides affordable
service to the three Maritime Provinces with connecting service
to central Canada.
“Electric coaches can absolutely transform distant travel,
and the D45 CRTe LE brings the benefit of appealing
to more riders,” McDonald said, noting that MCI is the
only motorcoach manufacturer to involve people with
disabilities and their advocacy groups in the design of an
actual motorcoach. “We’re proud to demonstrate both the
accessibility and zero-emission technology breakthroughs
offered by MCI throughout the Maritimes. We thank Coach
Atlantic Maritime Bus for this opportunity.”
The new MCI Academy Motorcoach Operator Certificate Program helps build the
best drivers in the industry.
MCI introduces new MCI
Academy Motorcoach Operator
Certificate Training Program
Motor Coach Industries (MCI), a U.S. subsidiary of NFI Group
Inc., (NFI), one of the world’s largest independent global bus
manufacturers, is introducing a driver training program to help
answer the industry’s shortage of qualified drivers. Part of
the ASE-accredited MCI Academy, the Motorcoach Operator
Certificate Program is a graduated sequence of online training
courses on safety, federal regulations and coach systems, geared
to meet the needs of both new and experienced drivers, and
enable career advancement.
In an independent recruitment survey, external training was
cited as one of employees most preferred incentives for staying
with a company. It can also incentivize job seekers to apply
because of the potential to advance their career.
MCI Academy’s program is online, free of charge and spans all
skill levels. The program is designed around four levels of training.
Levels three to one include eight hours of training per level with
coursework taught via video and PowerPoint narratives. The
fourth level is a Master level certificate for the most experienced
coach operator.
The Level 3 Certificate helps prepare entry-level drivers to meet
new Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) rules
for Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) application. Mid-career
drivers benefit by Level 2 and 1 coursework designed to improve
road safety and coach system knowledge. There is also Master
Level coursework for drivers who complete the three levels of
certification.
“We’ve built a solid training program for drivers from a registry
of industry-approved sources,” said Scott Crawford, MCI training
manager. “The beauty of the program is that drivers can complete
their training while waiting for their groups or during their off
hours from any location via laptop or mobile device.”
The new program completed a soft rollout with nearly 100 drivers
earning a Level 3 certificate and six achieving a Master certificate.
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