Greyhound using Prevost.

johns4104s · August 19, 2009, 06:26:23 AM

The last time we were in Chicargo we spotted two dark blue colored Greyhound buses, they were Prevost. Does anyone know the storey.

John

luvrbus · August 19, 2009, 06:30:13 AM

Yep John Greyhound doesn't own MCI any longer so they buy the cheapest they can I see they even have Van Hools and Volvo.
The Prevost they are using are not the average Prevost they are made for Greyhound and Bolt (PeterPan) just like the G series MCI was a real cheap version of Prevost the ones I looked at in the factory.
Wait till those hit the used market in 10 years if they last that long

good luck

Sojourner · August 19, 2009, 06:32:35 AM

Greyhound New Bus Video

Sojourn for Christ, Gerald

belfert · August 19, 2009, 06:38:50 AM

With as big a fleet as Greyhound has I would think they would want to buy large batches of the same model of bus for ease of service. A random smattering of bus brands and models has got to be more expensive to service.

MattC · August 19, 2009, 06:53:37 AM

I saw a Prevost with a hound on the side heading east on Hwy 30 a couple weeks ago. I was afraid 1960s recreational activities were reappearing.

=)

Jeremy · August 19, 2009, 07:05:48 AM

Tsk Tsk... They should be using Plaxtons - after all, British company...British bus

Seriously, I have often wondered why big operators use a mix of buses when you would think that it would make servicing expensive. I suspect the answer is that nowadays the servicing contract is included in the original purchasing deal, and the operator does very little servicing themselves. In the aviation industry I know that companies such as Rolls Royce (a big employer around here) no longer 'sell' engines at all - they effectively just lease an engine service and keep complete control and ownership of the hardware and everything to do with it's maintenance. It wouldn't surprise me if buses were going the same way.

Jeremy

johns4104s · August 19, 2009, 07:08:15 AM

I really like the new colors and Paint design.

John

BG6 · August 19, 2009, 10:32:42 AM

Quote from: Jeremy on August 19, 2009, 07:05:48 AM
Tsk Tsk... They should be using Plaxtons - after all, British company...British bus

Seriously, I have often wondered why big operators use a mix of buses when you would think that it would make servicing expensive.

Many of the expendable and wearing parts are common across brands, and when you have several brands, you aren't down across the fleet if there is a safety recall.

Dreamscape · August 19, 2009, 10:44:27 AM

John, That was thought also, great looking color combo and design. Almost kind of retro with the side scallop.

Paul

buswarrior · August 19, 2009, 06:13:02 PM

Somewhat old news, Greyhound has purchased some several hundred of those Prevost and the new style paint scheme. WiFi equipped in some markets.

The mix of equipment may be lingering pieces of bought up fleets, and some trial buses purchased earlier to try them out. Whatever deals it took to keep it going in whichever market area.

Greyhound Canada bought a handful of H3 45 a few years back, trailer hitches for freighters and must have liked the support.

happy coaching!
buswarrior

Busted Knuckle · August 19, 2009, 06:25:40 PM

Wait till ya see the S417 SETRA's! They bought! (200 of them I'm told!)

BK

Must be checking out reliability factor not cheap, cheap issues! LOL!

belfert · August 19, 2009, 06:39:38 PM

Wouldn't Greyhound have enough purchasing clout to be able to return test buses they don't like so they don't end up with a mishmash of bus models?

luvrbus · August 19, 2009, 06:46:50 PM

Bk, if they are buying S417's I may start riding the bus lol.
Setra is not playing fair being the only bus with the 60 series a 5% fuel saving in a fleet will be a huge saving to GreyHound.
I know people with the D-13 Volvo engine in their Prevost and they are not happy campers .

good luck

buswarrior · August 19, 2009, 06:50:43 PM

Greyhound has been on the verge of bankruptcy for the last 20 years, only with their purchase by the British are they getting a cash infusion to re-capitalize the fleet.

Dealing with them has been risky business for a long time.

It might be suggested that in the volumes of equipment of a company like Greyhound, mixing the fleet lets you go next door more easily, and keeps your finger on the pulse across the manufacturers.

Single sourcing backfires if/when the vendor starts to squeeze back, knowing you are trapped.

happy coaching!
buswarrior

Dreamscape · August 19, 2009, 07:32:24 PM

BW, I agree, it's not good to put all of your eggs in one basket. They have more clout to keep the competition in line for bidding purposes. As far as parts, I don't think that's a big worry, it's the support that is important.

Bottom line is what is important and has the least impact.

Paul