important concept . At transit agencies , what was recognized , and reinforced by fleet management software , was that Bid-Buses did not last as long as previous buses . They actually ended up costing the agencies more money and downtime during their usable lives . In short , their Total Cost of Ownership was higher . As a result , and after a few years compiling data , we are seeing a strong reaction against Bid Buses and a heightened emphasis on other products that promote quality and reliability . Bid Buses are still out there disguised as transit buses , but agencies now have data to assist in their decisionmaking processes and know what to look for and what to avoid . I believe this bodes well for the industry , because we are only as good as the products and services we provide .
What has been the most recent significant development which affected the size or health of the specialty vehicle industry ?
Davey : There ’ s not any one thing . The industry is diversified with enough different manufacturers , which precludes there from being any one thing . Backlogs are bigger than they ’ ve ever been , which speaks to the health and size of the industry .
Schetky : One of the biggest developments from the perspective of the specialty vehicle industry has been the platforms in which small and midsize bus manufacturers can build upon . The Ford Transit chassis has opened the door for smaller , more nimble vehicles used for demand response applications . It has also reintroduced a diesel engine for light-duty use . Electric conversions are available and being purchased in states that provide grants and / or incentives for their implementation .
Hotard : Consolidation is absolutely the biggest development in the midsized bus industry . As I said earlier , the manufacturers are larger , able to produce more units , able to improve the manufacturing processes , have more capital for engineering resources , and are investing more in assembly lines and the manufacturing process .
Where do you see the biggest growth opportunities for operators using specialty vehicles ?
Hotard : We are seeing many of our customers pursue contracts for public / private partnerships , such as school or university transportation .
From a specialty vehicle perspective , we have three vehicles that I think are worth highlighting in terms of competitive advantages and growth opportunities :
First is the convertible Sprinter , a vehicle from Europe with a unique executive transport feel . It offers a great 360-degree view , with a convertible top for any kind of weather . Limousine customers , tour customers , resorts and hotels are considering these vehicles to set themselves apart from their competition .
The 40-foot , low-floor transit bus has been the staple of many urban agencies across the country , but we are finding more of these agencies are looking for smaller , more fuel efficient , more maneuverable vehicles , but they still want it to be a heavy-duty bus . This Grande West Vicinity bus allows them to reach more into the smaller routes , feeder routes or routes that may not otherwise be possible to accommodate if not for a more maneuverable heavy-duty bus . Thus , we are seeing an increase in 30-foot buses in our market .
Finally , more of our manufacturers have been offering a larger capacity midsize bus , something that ' s in that 35- , 40- , 45-passenger capacity that is probably half the cost of an intercity motorcoach . These are going to for-hire , limousine and charter customers .
Schetky : Connected buses provide growth opportunities for operators in that they improve the experience for customers and provide valuable information to increase the efficiency of operations . Passengers can check the status of their ride in real-time on their phone and track its location / progress when a vehicle is en route . Technology has trained people to expect information to be available to them with a few clicks and connected bus applications provide this . Fleet managers receive valuable data on vehicles and can better plan for preventative maintenance with alerts and notifications . Underperforming vehicles can be flagged when fuel economy no longer falls within the ideal range . The possibilities are endless , and the need for manually inputting information is lessened with automated data collection and reporting . Allowing passengers to better utilize their personal time to plan for transportation , and fleets to lower operational costs and improve the performance of the vehicle , provides a landscape for operators to grow .
Davey : Operators will find a niche that serves the areas they operate . For example , if you operate in Northern California , you ’ ll likely do a lot of wine tours . Operators near big cities , such as New York or Los Angeles will do sight-seeing tours . Another big opportunity is nonemergency medical transportation , which is one to observe , going forward . As our communities age , there are more and more services surrounding that segment of passengers , and it continues to grow .
How have new vehicle designs and technological advancements affected the specialty market ? Are these new vehicles affecting new business development for the operators purchasing them ?
Schetky : New vehicle designs are always being discussed and are driven by the demands of the fleet operators . One example is the modernization of low-floor cutaway buses . Low-floor buses allow all passengers , both wheelchair and ambulatory , to enter through the front entry door using an ADA ramp . Low-floor cutaway buses have been around for a while , starting with the ELF in the 1990s . When low-floor buses were reintroduced years later , they were a bit awkward in their configuration . Building a low-floor bus presents obstacles . The floor structure needs to be low enough in the front of the bus for a ramp to meet ADA ’ s required rise over run , but high enough in the back of the bus to clear the rear axle . So , when lowfloor buses were reintroduced , the initial design used a sloped floor to clear the rear axle . That meant , in the interior of the bus the entire floor sloped downward from the rear of the bus to the front . Our opinion has always been that this just isn ’ t a practical design for a public-use bus , and that the sloped floor provided too many potential issues for passengers and operators . We just can ’ t get behind the idea of seating wheelchair passengers on a slope .
Shortly thereafter , Champion Bus decided to develop their own low-floor bus and reached out to agencies to determine how this new product ought to be developed . It was determined that a floor that is level throughout with a short ramp to get over the rise of the rear axle was the ideal floorplan . The level floor Champion design is what transit agencies were accustomed to with their heavy-duty transit buses . It was a tried and true design , but brand new for a light-duty bus manufacturer . Also , wheelchair passengers would not be seated on a slope , they would be seated on a flat , level surface , which alleviated many concerns . The input that the fleet operators provided allowed the Champion LF to be built without the pitfalls of previous products , and this collaboration is a prime example of how customer demand for products and improvements drive the innovation of new products .
Davey : We ’ ve seen a shift toward better fuel economy in new lightweight chassis models . In the past , lightweight models restrict the number of passengers because the engine is also smaller . The technological pursuit of better fuel economy makes weighing the pros and cons a challenge for operators .
Hotard : As far as new business , I think of factors like the smaller transit bus I mentioned earlier which is bringing new riders into the industry that would not have existed beforehand . The convertible Sprinter , as well , is especially attractive to a millennial customer who may not have taken a bus trip before .
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