Forgotten buses

[CrabbyMilton]

There are several buses that came out and for any number of different reasons, they weren't built very long. I'm sure we can think of some. I'll start since one is right off the top of my head. The VAN-HOOL 3035RE. It was built from circa 2007 to 2013 and was replaced by the CX35. I don't know how well liked they were but it looked pretty sharp.
https://cptdb.ca/wiki/index.php/ABC_Companies_3035RE

Here's a better picture http://www.kevinsbusrail.com/cblbc/cblbc_611-2.jpg

[luvrbus]

They are testing the CX45E VanHool electric bus here now it uses the LTO batteries that are water cooled wonder how long they will last,I was told the LTO batteries will take a charge down to -40C

[Fred Mc]

Are they putting multiple emergency exits on the electric buses like they have on planes?

[freds]

Dang saw a video of an electric bus up in flames, looks like the battery pack was on the top so no one was injured.

Considering how few electric buses are out there it had to be an outlier.

I am a Tesla owner since 2014 and the fire rate is 1/500th compared to gas vehicles' though each one does occur make the news, where as the others are ho-hum...

Anyway the bleeding edge of battery research is currently hinting at a 100 year battery (hard to prove that).

Sort of like equating small airplanes to airliners, etc.

[CrabbyMilton]

They are testing the CX45E VanHool electric bus here now it uses the LTO batteries that are water cooled wonder how long they will last,I was told the LTO batteries will take a charge down to -40C

Time will certainly tell. PREVOST seems to be holding off in jumping in to the "lectric" market. MCI is really pushing their CHARGE models. Not sure how far the VAN-HOOL's version is toward regular production but it's probably shrewd to wait and see how MCI does with theirs first.

[CrabbyMilton]

Are they putting multiple emergency exits on the electric buses like they have on planes?

After seeing that video from France, it makes you wonder.

[CrabbyMilton]

BLUEBIRD had the Q model from 1992-2001. Not too bad of a run but BLUEBIRD wanted to concentrate on school buses instead of branching out too far.

[CrabbyMilton]

DINA had a good hold in the market back in the '90's when they partnered with MCI.
Now I can't even remember the last time I saw one around here.

[chessie4905]

Bluebird was smart. The boom bust history of rv's has and will bankrupt many companies.
The school bus market is steady and with required replacement every 10 years or so helps keep business steady.

[CrabbyMilton]

Yeah good point about BLUEBIRD. If one wants to create their own version of a WANDERLODGE, they can buy a ALL AMERICAN shell and convert it or find a builder to customize it.

[chessie4905]

I cansee the skoolie interest taking off in the next several years.
Good used chassis are cheap because of required replacement on a specific cycle. True, there can be storage issues, but are surmountable. No problem getting them repaired at any truck service center. Regearing from 7:20 to something like 5:86 will improve mpg and noise reduction when causing. Headroom is decent in them. Easy to strip out to start. Very low cost to obtain a good base. Just get rid of that yellow with a thoughtful repaint. Yeah, they ride rough, but once converted and added food and water needs, they are close to rated gvw and ride is greatly improved. When I was a kid, our family travelled all over the US on summer and Xmas vacation.

[luvrbus]

The last years of Blue Bird RV's they were built on the BB intercity bus chassis separate from the school bus Spartan chassis I like the LX,LXI BB RV's good buses with the series 60,Cat or 600 hp Cummins engines 

[CrabbyMilton]

IC(NAVISTAR) was on the verge of releasing a couple over the road buses back in the late '00's. They even had the pictures and specs on their website but pulled the plug. Just like BLUEBIRD, the wanted to concentrate on skooklies. Besides, they were going to use their own MAXFORCE engines that were absolute crap. So things often times work out for the best.

[luvrbus]

IC(NAVISTAR) was on the verge of releasing a couple over the road buses back in the late '00's. They even had the pictures and specs on their website but pulled the plug. Just like BLUEBIRD, the wanted to concentrate on skooklies. Besides, they were going to use their own MAXFORCE engines that were absolute crap. So things often times work out for the best.

You see a lot of the Maxxforce engines in Monoco RV's they seem to be good engines,IH owned Monaco for several years and the chassis manufacturing was done by IH

[chessie4905]

Are you familiar with Bus Boys? Stumbled onto it.