New Flyer Industries Inc., a leading manufacturer of heavy-duty transit buses in the United States and Canada, signed an agreement Tuesday with ABC Companies, Inc. to serve as the exclusive distributor of New Flyer’s MiDi® and Xcelsior® transit bus models to United States private bus and shuttle operators.Under the terms of the agreement, ABC will market, sell and provide after sales service for New Flyer’s MiDi® and Xcelsior® transit buses through its established service locations and select independent dealerships. All New Flyer products purchased through ABC will be fully supported by New Flyer’s industry leading warranty, genuine New Flyer spare parts, and lifetime customer care programs.
“This is a great opportunity for New Flyer to respond to private customer demand and expand our market reach in the United States,” said Paul Smith, New Flyer executive vice president, Sales and Marketing, in a written statement. “The addition of New Flyer’s best selling transit buses to ABC’s current portfolio of highway coaches, light-duty cutaway buses, and refurbishment services provides a comprehensive solution for private bus operators.”
The New Flyer MiDi® is a mid-sized, low-floor, clean diesel powered bus that the company says is ideal for use in community, airport, university and hotel shuttle services. Available in 30’ and 35’ lengths, the streamlined design of the MiDi® provides greater maneuverability while maintaining excellent accessibility for passengers with one or two doors and a 1:6 slope wheelchair ramp. Substantially lighter than vehicles in its class, MiDi® was developed through a joint venture with Alexander Dennis, and is based on its proven E200 design with over 16,000 vehicles deployed worldwide.
New Flyer says the Xcelsior® is a heavy-duty; low floor bus that is ideal for use in rigorous duty cycles and provides higher passenger capacities. Available in 35’, 40’ and 60’ lengths, the Xcelsior® is offered with clean diesel, compressed natural gas, and diesel electric hybrid propulsion systems.
“ABC is excited to partner with New Flyer to offer the Xcelsior® and MiDi® to the US private bus market,” said Dane Cornell, ABC chairman and CEO. “New Flyer’s reputation for quality, reliability and innovation, aligns with our mission of providing market leading solutions to our customers.”
ABC will offer New Flyer models through their Specialty Vehicles Division, headed by Roman Cornell, senior vice president, ABC Companies. As a third generation participant in the family-owned business, Cornell brings over 20 years of industry experience to the company’s sales and marketing efforts.
“ABC is committed to offering our customer base an expansive selection of transport solutions to support their fleet’s unique requirements”, Cornell said. “The ABC/New Flyer alliance complements our overall strategy to offer a diverse range of equipment solutions, and we’re pleased to offer New Flyer’s wide range of vehicle options to our customers, along with the industry leading after sales support for which ABC is known.”
New Flyer says the MiDi® and Xcelsior® models have been designed to deliver life-cycle savings, offering industry leading reliability, better fuel economy, and lower maintenance costs, by incorporating features such as weight optimized structures, disc brakes and long lasting LED headlights. New Flyer vehicles meet or exceed all applicable US regulations, including FMVSS, ADA, Buy America requirements, and the Federal Transit Administration’s new model bus testing program in Altoona, PA.
The New Flyer MiDi® and Xcelsior® bus models will both be available for sale at all ABC’s North American sales locations.