Micro Bird launches new Type A
The Micro Bird T-Series bus was unveiled at the Blue Bird booth. Company officials noted the Type A bus’ striking design, including a narrow body for enhanced maneuverability and optimum efficiency. According to Blue Bird, the new body’s aerodynamic features aid in increasing fuel economy by about 20% and offering low cost of operation. The bus is available lift-equipped in single and dual rear wheel with a capacity of up to 25 passengers under 10,400 pounds. Micro Bird is taking orders for the new line, with full production scheduled for spring 2015.



Thomas to offer CNG Type C
Thomas Built Buses is developing another alternative-fuel offering for its line of school buses: a compressed natural gas (CNG) Type C. The Saf-T-Liner C2 CNG is slated to go into production in the first quarter of 2016. It will be CARB-certified and will exceed EPA 2013 emissions requirements, according to the company. The bus will be powered by a Cummins Westport ISB6.7 G engine, with 200 to 240 horsepower, and an Allison 2500 transmission.




Trans/Air compressor designed for heavy duty systems
Trans/Air Manufacturing Corp. showcased its TM43 Transit Compressor at its booth. The TM43 is designed to provide high reliability and capacity only available from a transit compressor design for heavy duty split system and rooftop applications, company officials said. With a capacity of 80K (SAE)/128K (IMACA) BTU/hr, the TM43’s features include a 10 cylinder swash plate for smooth operation; heavy duty transit clutch in multiple configurations; flexible port and mounting design for easy installation; high and low pressure switches for protection; and compact/lightweight design enabling mounting directly to the engine.





Tiger Mirror to offer camera-equipped mirrors
A new advanced interior mirror system that is designed to enable “through the glass viewing” of a flush-mounted 7-inch high brightness LCD monitor/camera system was displayed at Tiger Mirror’s booth. The mirror glass component also provides a way to see the location of embedded LED warning lights that alert the bus driver of children or objects within 8 feet of the sides of or behind the bus, company officials said. The LEDs are activated by sensors mounted into the sides of the bus body.
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Lion debuts all-electric bus
At the Lion Bus booth, the manufacturer debuted the eLion, its 100% electric, multi-function school activity bus. The 71-passenger eLion can fully recharge in five hours and can cover a range of 70 miles on a full charge, company officials said. The eLion is available on a Lion or Spartan chassis and offers 78 inches of headroom, according to the manufacturer. Features include ample indoor space, with wider aisles and wider seats; an ergonomic driver station; and a lifetime anti-corrosion body warranty, company officials said.





Collins, Westport display new CNG bus
Collins Bus and Westport unveiled the new NEXBUS Type A school bus powered by compressed natural gas (CNG). The Collins bus is equipped with the Westport WiNG Power System and is built on a Ford E-450 chassis. Collins and Westport exhibited a chassis to allow attendees to see the Westport CNG system. The Collins Type A CNG school bus is EPA and CARB certified and is available for order at Collins dealer locations across the U.S. and Canada.


Seon offers all-in-one solution
Seon showcased its all-in-one solution for student transportation. For routing, the web-based vMax Compass program (pictured) targets the planning of safe, efficient routes and provides access to student and vehicle information. For tracking, vMax Live Plus adds real-time vehicle data, GPS location and live video streaming capabilities, while vMax Trac records and reports student ridership. For video surveillance, the Explorer and Trooper systems record high-resolution video, while vMax View allows playback, review and archiving of on-board video footage.

Type B bus features enhanced driver visibility
Starcraft Bus introduced the Quest XL Type B bus at the NAPT Summit. This is the first and only Ford approved product built on an F-59 chassis, company officials said. The Quest XL boasts best-in-class driver visibility, neighborhood-friendly low profile and lowest first step entry height for easy passenger entry, according to Starcraft. The bus is also available in a gas engine with CNG or propane conversion available as an option.



247 introduces stop-arm violation data system
247Security featured SACS (Stop-Arm Camera Systems), designed to offer a flexible method to deploy a stop-arm violation program, company officials said. When the school bus stop arm is activated, the system automatically detects vehicles passing the stopped bus. Using an image of the entire vehicle, a close-up of the license plate, geolocation and time data, the system creates a report that can be used for community education, as a deterrent program or as part of a revenue-generating citation plan, according to the company.

 




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