MCI history

[CrabbyMilton]

Well they likely go whomever comes in with the lowest cost when the time comes to order. I know of a very long and proud operator here in the Milwaukee area that used to buy MCI almost exclusively. Then they bought a PREVOST X or 2. Now they have a mix of MCI, PREVOST and VAN-HOOL and even some TEMSA's.

[Van]

Prevost takes payments lol!

[buswarrior]

I think a mixed fleet extracts the best sales prices.

If you are exclusive, they know what it will cost you to stock the warehouse in spares and train your techs, and add some of that on...

Also, whether Prevost pursued many of these regional transit contracts in the past...

Happy coaching!
Buswarrior

[CrabbyMilton]

They say variety is good and the vendors will try to get you to buy their's rather than the other guys so that's good. But there is something to be said where you have let's say all J4500's. You save time because all of them are the same because they are generally the same so less training time. So I guess it can cut both ways.

[chessie4905]

you see the same thing in school busses and railroad locomotives and freight cars. many times change is caused by poor service after the sale, among costly constant niggling issues. Especially computer systems, including def problems.

[CrabbyMilton]

Or rust issues. Many loyal PIERCE fire apparatus stalwart customers switched to other builders because of that and the stonewalling/jerk around in handling that issue. A department here in suburban Milwaukee experienced that. The rep came and was challenged by the fact that the chassis rails on a rig that was less than 10 years old were turning into cornflakes. He literally walked away. So they switched to SEAGRAVE 5 years ago and couldn't be more pleased. You can be as loyal all you want but it just takes one time to get burned once. I wonder how many charter operators got shafted with those BCI coaches. Funny that I don't remember seeing any for the longest time compared to about 10 years ago.

[chessie4905]

seeing those issues with cars and trucks as far back as the beginning, rust out issues, mechanical issues, paint issues, effects all brands at one time or another, many from saving money on the build. When you build in the millions, a dollar or two really adds up. Then the unintended insane liabilities, GM engine mounts, Vegas rust and engine issues, Corvairs, Olds diesels, Chevy engines in Cadillacs,Toyota engine sludge, frame replacements, Ford rust issues, Pintos, Edsels, Chrysler, well they had theirs, but haven't followed them much, and a  big one.. Volkswagen with dieselgate.

[CrabbyMilton]

In the case of GM, not disclosing the fact that they were putting CHEVROLET engines in OLDSMOBLE's and CADILLAC's was a bad oversight that cost them. But if the engines filled the power needs, what difference would it have made when one started the engine and drove the thing? Yes you are correct that little things do add up.

[lvmci]

During the '50s, the coach division continued to innovate, adding 85, 90, 95, 96   and launched the new MC series of coaches starting with the MC-1.

[lostagain]

This looks to me like a Courier 95. The last one riding on steel leaf suspension. The Courier 96 ( in 1957) was the first MCI on the then revolutionary air bags, greatly improving passenger comfort.

[lvmci]

Greyhound of Canada acquires all of MCI stock, 1958...