With a fleet of articulated vehicles already extended past its retirement point, the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System came to North American Bus Industries Inc. to help it fill its need for replacement vehicles. The result is an order of 26 NABI 60-foot BRTs with CNG powerplants.

“These buses are going to add an exciting new dimension to our transit service here in San Diego,” said Paul Jablonski, chief executive officer of MTS. “We currently don’t have anything like these vehicles in our fleet. When people see them and ride on them, they are definitely going to create a ‘wow’ factor and enhance the MTS image.”

Bill Coryell, vice president of sales, Western Region, North American Bus Industries Inc. said the San Diego MTS’ close liaison with the Los Angeles MTA had a significant influence on the decision. Although six different operators have now purchased similar vehicles, the MTA alone operates nearly 400 of the big NABI BRTs.

The option of getting the BRT with a CNG propulsion also influenced the decision. “In California, the Air Resources Board requires transit agencies to pick a ‘fuel path’ that they can get on and stay on.” Jablonski said. “We chose CNG as our fuel path, and have been converting our fleet over from diesel engines. NABI’s BRTs were the only articulated vehicles that met our requirements and offered a CNG option. So it’s a great fit for us.”

“By concealing the 10 CNG fuel tanks and the air conditioning units inside the BRT’s ceiling, we’ve really kept this vehicle streamlined,” Coryell added. With those 10 tanks, the BRT has a 400-mile range. Other features included on the San Diego package are air disc brakes on all wheels for superior performance and easier maintenance. The buses also feature three doors to help speed boarding and reduce dwell times at stops. The buses are powered by 320 HP Cummins powerplants coupled to Allison automatic transmissions with lock-up torque converter and hydraulic retarder. All 26 buses are planned for delivery in late September 2008.

More Related Information:
Archived Article: Special Report — Tomorrows Buses Rolling Today
Mass Transit Buyer’s Guide: Bus Builders, Rebuilders, Distributors
Mass Transit Buyer’s Guide: Fuel Systems, Fueling Equipment & Alternative Fueling