July 2016 - BUSRide


Dallas sniper attack claims the life of DART Officer Brent Thompson

Brent Thompson, 43, a Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) officer, was one of five police officers gunned down July 7 in the sniper attack in downtown Dallas, TX. Thompson joined DART in 2009 as a transit patrol officer, working in Dallas’ northwest transit sector. At the time of his death, he was a newlywed of […]

Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission (PRTC) Request for Proposals

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS RFP #16-03 – PRTC Bus Overhauls Phase II The Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission (PRTC) is soliciting proposals from qualified companies to perform overhaul services on twenty-three (23) 45-foot MCI coaches and one (1) 40-foot Gillig low-floor transit bus. There will be an optional pre-proposal conference held on Monday, July 18, 2016 […]

Mobility Transportation Services rebrands as Mobility TRANS

The commercial passenger van manufacturer formerly known as Mobility Transportation Services, based in Canton, MI, is now Mobility TRANS, in a consolidation that will see operations continue under the new name as a bus dealership in Michigan and Tennessee. In operation since 1992, the company has built paratransit and passenger vans for commercial passenger transportation. […]

AUCTION! Wednesday, July 27th @ 10 a.m. – 3999 Lakeshore Road, Hamburg, NY

AUCTION! Wednesday, July 27th @ 10 a.m. 3999 Lakeshore Road, Hamburg, NY   Over 100 Buses & Vans from Carrier Coach! Many with wheelchair lifts! Most of the buses are current DOT inspected! See the complete line-up at: www.cashauction.com, including: Ford E-450 Buses: 2013 Ford E-450 Super Duty – Only 43,000 Miles! 2012 Ford E-450 […]

Electric bus developments in Europe

Electric bus developments in Europe Before getting into the main theme of this article, it was amazing to read a recent report by IDTechEx, a respected research organization which has offices on both sides of the Atlantic. Over here, it is based in the beautiful old university city of Cambridge. They predicted that the electric […]

Accessibility as philosophy

Accessibility as philosophy Last year, as the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) celebrated its 25th Anniversary, BUSRide intensified its mission to explore the many ways the bus industry is improving the overall transit experience for passengers who rely on paratransit services. In this installment of Equal Access, Greg Heichelbech, REV Group president, Specialty […]

Enhancing driver visibility – removing the blind spot

Enhancing driver visibility – removing the deadly blind spot By Lori Jetha Every vehicle has blind spots, but transit vehicles are particularly vulnerable to blind spots due to their size and composition.  On a transit bus, blind spots not only impair driver visibility but often lead to deadly (and costly) collisions. Improving driver visibility can […]

Better information means better management

Better information means better management By Mark Anderson Businesses continually strive to “break down the silos” and allow their people to communicate in a seamless workflow. Essentially, management is asking, “How can we make the information we pass back and forth between departments flow faster and easier, with more benefit for everyone in the company?” […]

Ft. McMurray battles The Beast

Ft. McMurray battles The Beast Initially, my topic this month was the growing concern for how cruise control lulls drivers into a “zombie” state of mind. As I sat down to write, a much more eminent danger changed my mind. A run-of-the-mill brush fire in northern Alberta had suddenly grown out of control, as high […]

DATTCO— New England’s Famous Red Bus, PLUS!

DATTCO— New England’s Famous Red Bus, PLUS! DATTCO, a transportation staple in the New England region may be best known for their iconic red buses, but the family-owned company, which dates back to the 1920s, operates divergent business lines in the motorcoach, school bus and sales and service businesses. Now owned and operated by second […]