MCI Electric Bus

[FreqFlyer]

MCI debuts D45 CRTe CHARGE battery-electric model at Calif. event

FlixBus tests long-range, 100% battery-electric MCI coach

Get on the ball Tesla,this market is ripe for the taking.

 

[tjkessler]

Electric buses make a great deal of sense for cities where particulate emissions from diesel are a big issue.
It's good to see long range models coming along as well. In the big cities of china electric buses are all the rage.

 

[FreqFlyer]

MCI Demonstrates First Battery Electric Coach In Canada

131 Mile range.

 

[Brando]

Bus Market in USA; I suspect main problem in local government corruption.

examples: school buses - nearly empty - taxi rides would be cheaper on my 25,000 person island.
Won't even use Vans. Public Transport in US vs Europe - no comparison, right?
Many towns no buses run on the weekends.

More school buses in US than mass transit buses.
Seattle late 1990s; CNG powered buses even after testing & approval - some how went back to diesel anyway.

Garbage Truck maker wrightspeed - same problem I suspect - trash collection notoriously run by organized crime - why bother to change?

See most any road/highway project in US. Cost over runs expected. Number of cars go up, gasoline sold goes up - condition/quality of roads continues downward.

Boston Big Dig, Seattle Tunnel, LA subway extension - you all know many more.

 

[Brando]

500,000 school buses vs 60,000 public buses

With the national school bus fleet nearing 500,000 vehicles, the state of New York has the largest number, at nearly 45,000, according to School Bus Fleet. Texas ranks second with 40,000 school buses, while Illinois, California and Pennsylvania have between 20,000 and 30,000 buses. The combination of just a few states can exceed the national total of transit buses (60,000).
School Buses: America's Largest Transit System | Newgeography.com

Are ridership statistics accurate?
I have no idea, but little faith. On my little island cars are backed up over a mile in all four directions for start & end of school.
Bus to take kids home after the after school activities? Of course not.

We do have two different Van operations. One for public, one for disabled. Entertaining to watch people at the Senior Center questioning Van drivers which Van they can take. Do you have to schedule Van only thru dispatch? perhaps It is a mess. Uber & Lyft seem to work better.
Would be great if Van operators used Uber/Lyft type cell phone apps. Are Taxi companies using similar cell phone apps?