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JustinB
Advanced Member
United States
490 Posts |
 Posted - 06/10/2011 : 05:09:32 AM
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| Is this a Corbeil project or are the principals behind the product simply former Corbeil folks? |
I may not know the answer but I can usually find who does. |
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RichBusman
Advanced Member
453 Posts |
Posted - 06/10/2011 : 08:07:59 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by JustinB
Is this a Corbeil project or are the principals behind the product simply former Corbeil folks?
This is a new project with some principals and some line workers from the former Corbeil.
Not sure on the lifts and roof. |
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bigredmachine
Senior Member
USA
134 Posts |
Posted - 06/10/2011 : 12:09:41 PM
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| It seems like it would be hard to customize paint on this bus since the parts are molded and colored at the same time, unless they can just at a different color at that point in the process. I would be interested in knowing how they do this. |
Formerly BlueBirdMan |
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Kodie
Top Member
United States
2028 Posts |
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MorrisV2
Senior Member
53 Posts |
Posted - 06/10/2011 : 7:44:49 PM
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Ahhhh so this is what the Gang that was left at Corbeil were up to. I heard about this a while ago but I thought it was a Kenworth they had to work on.
If I remember right this comes from a group including some of the former managers from Corbeil. I honestly doubt they will reach sufficient numbers or have the service network International and Freightliner have. The other downside is the strength of the Canadian dollar compared to the American dollar. 10 years ago we were around 55 cents american now we are 1.02 American. |
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RichBusman
Advanced Member
453 Posts |
Posted - 06/10/2011 : 7:54:14 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by MorrisV2
Ahhhh so this is what the Gang that was left at Corbeil were up to. I heard about this a while ago but I thought it was a Kenworth they had to work on.
If I remember right this comes from a group including some of the former managers from Corbeil. I honestly doubt they will reach sufficient numbers or have the service network International and Freightliner have. The other downside is the strength of the Canadian dollar compared to the American dollar. 10 years ago we were around 55 cents american now we are 1.02 American.
The dollar value is one of the biggest reasons, if not THE biggest reason, why Corbeil ended up not being able to continue business. The other factors were International marketing the IC bus in Canada taking away Corbeil's large bus market, and First Student buying out Laidlaw which took away hundreds of yearly orders.
Lion has very strong financial backing, and has people in charge who know the challenges of the industry and current economic conditions. They are well aware of the value of the dollar, and that will not impact operations like it did at Corbeil.
Keep in mind that most of the service issues on a chassis come down to engine and transmission, so Cummins and Allison have a huge quantity of service centers in the US and Canada. Many of the other components on the chassis are shared with other chassis, such as brakes, axles, etc. |
Edited by - RichBusman on 06/10/2011 7:55:01 PM |
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Kodie
Top Member
United States
2028 Posts |
Posted - 06/10/2011 : 8:20:16 PM
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| I had asked about the dealer network for things like warranty repair and they did say that any shop that deals with Cummins engines, or any Spartan dealership can take care of any of that work, and likely will. I think people are fed up enough with how poorly bus bodies are holding up lately that this bus will definitely get some use. |
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bus724
Top Member
USA
1609 Posts |
Posted - 06/11/2011 : 09:18:55 AM
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I have to say, I'm much more impressed with this one than the Starcraft. It sounds like a lot of the features were inspired by the motorcoach industry, where quality and durability take priority over a low price tag. I'm impressed that they're actually paying attention to common problems (stepwells and battery boxes rotting out, skirt panels needing to be replaced), and trying to make this a cost-effective, durable product. It would have been cool to see a Kenworth chassis underneath, but Spartan's a good match as well.
Rich, you mentioned something about it being wider, is a 102" body standard or optional? I definitely see the benefits, but that could be an issue in some areas with narrow roads and width restrictions. It would also be a little bit more of a learning curve for drivers.
Either way, I'm looking forward to seeing the Lion in person at NYAPT. |
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mcgoo
Active Member
Canada
28 Posts |
Posted - 06/11/2011 : 11:24:00 AM
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| Nice to see that there is not controls on the steering wheel. At last, these french men know what there doing. |
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Kodie
Top Member
United States
2028 Posts |
Posted - 06/11/2011 : 6:08:14 PM
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Here's a full dash photo I stitched together for those that are curious to see the whole thing. Lots of room to mount radios, first aid kids, safety stickers, door releases.. etc.
EDIT, not sure how to resize.. sorry for side to side scrolling. |
Edited by - Kodie on 06/11/2011 6:09:03 PM |
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SuperiorGMC1963
Top Member
USA
1079 Posts |
Posted - 06/12/2011 : 11:02:34 AM
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I've been enjoying all the photos and videos Rich and Kodie have posted on Facebook. My first impression of the bus was that it was a beast! A beast it is since it actually is wider than other school buses. I wasn't just imagining it! Of course the Superior-like flared fenders are my favorite thing about this bus. I also like the simplicity of the drivers area. Kind of reminds me of the simplicity of my Camry.
A couple of questions:
Is the exterior roof metal or fiberglass. How many panels make up the roof?
Are the side emergency doors going to be standard since the sides molded panels?
Are the only lengths going to be 11 row and 12 row? |
Ted
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Kodie
Top Member
United States
2028 Posts |
Posted - 06/12/2011 : 11:27:50 AM
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| The exterior roof is made up of a fiberglass material, and the roof is one continuous piece, no seams except for where it meets the front bulk head and the rear end of the bus. The interior roof is metal and is made up of 5-6 panels if I remember right, it's also riveted As for side emergency doors.. Rich will have to chime in, though I don't think that ever came up in discussion. From what I was told they will offer the 65 passenger and 71 passenger buses only, hence SB 65 and SB 71. |
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C.HARDY
Advanced Member
354 Posts |
Posted - 06/12/2011 : 12:31:22 PM
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| I wonder how that roof will hold up against the sun and the elements? My minotours are starting to show their age on the fiberglass parts. I hope this bus does well and makes the rest step up and build a better product. However it may cause the others to raise their prices. |
"Hardybusman" |
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BlueBird16
Senior Member
USA
145 Posts |
Posted - 06/12/2011 : 12:52:43 PM
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| Rich, I am very impressed with this bus! Since I am about thru with Blue Bird, I believe I could get behind this bus. I have a few questions though. You mentioned skirts could be changed out easily. Will that allow for skirt mounted AC condensers, Luggage Compartments, etc? Will this bus have dealers in all states? Just a few things off the top of my head...when will we see a US school district with bus in their fleet? Overall I like this bus, would like to see a Transit Version of this bus as well. |
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AmTran_Buses
Active Member
USA
35 Posts |
Posted - 06/12/2011 : 1:16:31 PM
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| Yes, definatly a transit. Maybe after they get secure they can start working on a transit school bus. |
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Kodie
Top Member
United States
2028 Posts |
Posted - 06/12/2011 : 1:31:12 PM
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C.HARDY, the material itself is "dyed" school bus yellow, and according to the team if it starts to fade it can easily just be buffed and have the shine brought back. It's not just a painted surface, though I'm not sure how it's done on the Minotours.
I can answer about the luggage bays. I had asked about them because of the unique skirting and they said they've developed their own luggage bay. If you spec luggage bays, they also put a different skirt on that's about 4-5 inches longer to bring the bottom of the bay flush with the bottom of the skirting. Their dealer network will be interesting only because for the most part sales will be done directly through Lion Bus. This turns some people off I'm sure, but it keeps costs down as there's no middle man. For service they're sent to an authorized spartan dealership, or diesel repair shop. |
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MorrisV2
Senior Member
53 Posts |
Posted - 06/12/2011 : 1:50:26 PM
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| I am curious. Are the exterior panels made in Canada or are they made in China? |
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RichBusman
Advanced Member
453 Posts |
Posted - 06/12/2011 : 2:13:48 PM
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Canada.
Fiberglass parts are gel coated. Very long lasting, same stuff they use on Nova Bus.
I should also stress the panels and roof are not FRP / fiberglass reinforced plastic. This is actual fiberglass. No plastic. No luan or plywood lamination. And no paint to crack. The roof held up very well in the roof crush test, according to the manufacturer the fiberglass did not even crack, it simply compressed then rebounded when the 30,000+ pounds were taken off. I believe there will be videos and photos of all the testing released on Lion's site in the future.
Some parts of the US will have dealers other will be factory-direct. NY has Gorman Enterprises as the dealership. There are quite a few districts in NY that are very interested in the bus due to the poor lifespan of other buses with the aggressive chemicals put down on the roads. NY has the toughest bus inspections in the country, and very specific standards, so I expect once they are on road here and perform well there will be even more interest in other areas of the country. |
Edited by - RichBusman on 06/12/2011 2:34:20 PM |
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old_school
Active Member
United States
29 Posts |
Posted - 06/12/2011 : 5:58:23 PM
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| Hmmmmm kinda look like the IC....glad to see another manufacturer and it doesn't look bad at all..i like the old school ways too but i guess if it has to change this is the way to go....keep it still looking like a school bus and not the side of a banana peel (c2) i've like blue bird keeping up with the classic styling but if they don't tighten up with their quality and prices/part (so i've heard) they are going away.:( |
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kd4jfd
Top Member
USA
1168 Posts |
Posted - 06/13/2011 : 04:56:47 AM
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| Do they need a dealer in Georgia? |
539 - Repair work in progress! |
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C.HARDY
Advanced Member
354 Posts |
Posted - 06/14/2011 : 6:03:28 PM
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| This sounds like it might be a decent bus but only time and miles will tell. Any idea when they should hit the road? In a low ball market I hope school districts will give them a shot. |
"Hardybusman" |
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BlueBird16
Advanced Member
USA
382 Posts |
Posted - 06/16/2011 : 04:26:05 AM
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Rich...tell them if they ever come to GA...I'll work for them...I need a new job anyway!!!
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RichBusman
Advanced Member
453 Posts |
Posted - 06/16/2011 : 06:38:44 AM
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Move to Canada. 
I imagine they will be on the road soon since they are in production! |
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JustinB
Advanced Member
United States
490 Posts |
Posted - 06/16/2011 : 3:35:27 PM
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| I was in Spartan's neighborhood yesterday. They are now also assembling Isuzu low cab forward trucks. There's more than one good thing perculating for Spartan Motors lately. |
I may not know the answer but I can usually find who does. |
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AmTran_Buses
Active Member
USA
35 Posts |
Posted - 06/17/2011 : 03:40:25 AM
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| I need to start investing in Spartan... |
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RichBusman
Advanced Member
453 Posts |
Posted - 06/17/2011 : 07:19:44 AM
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Spartan Chassis Executes Agreement With Lion Bus Inc. for Type C School Bus Chassis
CHARLOTTE, Mich., Jun 16, 2011 (GlobeNewswire via COMTEX) -- Spartan Chassis, Inc., a subsidiary of Spartan Motors, Inc. SPAR +1.68% , has executed a supply agreement with bus manufacturer Lion Bus Inc. of Saint-Jerome, Canada. Under the agreement, Spartan Chassis will supply conventional front-engine diesel chassis for use on Type C school buses in the United States and Canada.
Spartan Motors Vice President Dave Snitgen stated, "The top 25 school districts alone covered 397 million route miles in 2010, and 55 percent of the nation's school districts were faced with lower operating budgets. Clearly, there is significant demand for both durability and lower cost of operation. Together with Lion Bus, we have developed an exceptional product which offers considerably improved durability and a lower total cost of ownership, particularly lower maintenance costs."
Spartan's purpose-built chassis design improves durability and extends the duty-cycle of the bus. In addition, each chassis features:
-- 65/66 and 71/72 passenger capacity configurations
-- 2010 EPA-Certified Cummins(R) ISB 6.7L diesel engine with horsepower
offerings of 200, 220 and 250
-- 2500 PTS automatic Allison transmission
-- Up to 31,000 lbs. gross vehicle weight rating
-- 254" or 276" wheelbase
-- Up to 50-degree wheel cut
-- Tilt/telescopic steering column
-- 50,000 psi frame rail strength
-- Five-year chassis and seven-year body warranties
-- Authorized Service Network throughout the U.S. and Canada
"Due to increasing safety regulations and the many financial challenges facing school districts and private contractors, we had to come up with an innovative product development strategy. We placed a premium on durability and lower maintenance costs, and delivered a value proposition that stands apart from anything on the market today. We have produced innovative solutions to very specific problem areas by utilizing materials and designs which stand up to the unique duty cycles found in the school bus market," said Marc Bedard, President of Lion Bus.
The Lion Bus offers a number of product attributes that are unique to the industry and which school districts and private fleet operators will find beneficial.
-- Product lifecycle (bus body): 15 years
-- Wider interior: 96-inch body width enables 18-inch aisle width using
seat widths of 39 inches
-- Safety: Three-point safety belts (lap & shoulder) can be installed
without any capacity loss using seat widths of 42 inches
-- Materials: Bus body is made of fiberglass composite material finished
with gelcoat, a high-quality coating with proven anti-corrosion
properties
-- Roof construction: Bus roof is constructed of one piece (no joints) and
is leak-free
-- Body skirts: Formed using TPO, a durable, anti-corrosive material with a
proven track record in commercial applications
-- Door step-well: Manufactured using a durable one-piece polyethylene that
will not corrode
-- Battery tray/box: Constructed of acid-tolerant polyethylene that will
not corrode
-- Driver visibility: Significant improvements (windshield is 20 percent
larger and hood slope is best in class)
Spartan Motors President and CEO John Sztykiel explained, "This program and our relationship with Lion Bus are the result of our organic growth strategy and support our plan to continue the diversification of our revenue stream across multiple segments within the specialty vehicle market. Spartan's customer-focused approach, along with our speed and agility, allowed us to significantly accelerate this project from development through launch. We look forward to working closely with Lion Bus and supporting their products in the school bus industry."
Chassis will be manufactured at the Spartan Chassis facility in Charlotte, Mich., then shipped to the Lion Bus plant near Montreal for body installation and completion. The buses will be sold directly to dealers, school districts, and school bus contractors in the U.S. and Canada.
About Spartan Chassis
Spartan Chassis, Inc., a subsidiary of Charlotte, Mich.-based Spartan Motors, Inc. SPAR +1.68% , is a world-class leader in the engineering, manufacturing and marketing of chassis and aftermarket parts for emergency-response, recreational vehicle (RV), defense and specialty vehicles. End users recognize and request the Spartan Chassis brand, which consistently delivers superior performance, exceptional safety ratings, and innovations which distinguish us from the competition. Visit Spartan Chassis at www.spartanchassis.com .
About Lion Bus
Lion Bus is managed by a team with extensive experience in manufacturing operations and in the school bus industry. The Lion Bus shareholders consist of the two company founders and a group of seasoned entrepreneurs. This ensures the company's long-term financial stability. Marc Bedard and Camile Chartrand are both visionary entrepreneurs. They have combined their complementary skill sets to develop a cutting-edge vehicle for the North American school bus industry. Visit Lion Bus at www.lionbuses.com .
This news release was distributed by GlobeNewswire, www.globenewswire.com
SOURCE: Spartan Motors, Inc. |
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BlueBird16
Advanced Member
USA
382 Posts |
Posted - 06/20/2011 : 10:21:07 AM
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| Just sent my resume' just in case they ever have a dealership in the Atlanta Area! |
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Former School Bus M8
Senior Member
143 Posts |
Posted - 06/21/2011 : 04:10:50 AM
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| I'm really impressed with this bus. Do they or will they eventually offer a 77 passenger bus? |
School Bus M8 |
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Former School Bus M8
Senior Member
143 Posts |
Posted - 06/21/2011 : 07:52:39 AM
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| When contractor's buy in bulk for a better price (i.e. like Double A or Atlantic Express)and since Spartan/Lyons doesn't offer a 77 passenger, won't this eliminate them from a company who purchases various capacities up to 77. Say if a contractor was to buy 500 buses and 200 of them need to be 77 passengers, is the contractor gonna buy 200 from Lyons and 300 from one of the other three or are they going to buy 500 in bulk from one of the other three manufacterers? Don't get me wrong I think the bus is great and sort of a ray of sunshine in this boring and depressed industry but I have noticed over the past 12 years many districts abandoning the 71 passenger buses and specing 77 passenger buses just like many more years ago districts abandoning the 65 passengers for the 71 passengers, thus making the 65 passengers a thing of the past in this area! |
School Bus M8 |
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thomas86_a
Top Member
USA
4413 Posts |
Posted - 06/21/2011 : 7:02:43 PM
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I was asking the same question yesterday. We went straight from 65 passenger units to 77 passenger units in the late 1980's.
They are offering a 276" wheelbase so they should be able to offer a 77 passenger body I would think, if I remember correctly that is the wheelbase on a 77 passenger unit. |
If you have an International, you NEED customer service. |
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C2FAN
Senior Member
United States
114 Posts |
Posted - 06/26/2011 : 8:45:15 PM
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| Not a bad looking bus, sounds like it will be a bit pricey though. Wonder what this will do to Starcraft type C plans?? Have any US dealers been formally announced? |
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BluebirdFreightliner
Senior Member
USA
59 Posts |
Posted - 07/03/2011 : 6:40:37 PM
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| Wow... Looks to me like its copying the Thomas C2 or the IC CE..... By the way SuperiorGMC, you need to build one of these... that would be an intresting project. Oh, and this is my first post ever. |
with Bluebird, ya get alot of bang for your buck. |
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vbacon
Senior Member
USA
118 Posts |
Posted - 07/05/2011 : 8:01:11 PM
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| I really like the looks of the Lion Bus. I know that Spartan Motors is a reliable company with reliable products, from the Fire Truck and Ambulance Chassis, to the RV and School Bus Chassis. My concern with this venture is that at one time, Spartan owned Carpenter School Buses but could not stop that sinking ship. I can't wait to see the outcome of this bus. |
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BluebirdFreightliner
Senior Member
USA
59 Posts |
Posted - 07/06/2011 : 11:08:58 AM
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| oh really? thats cool. |
with Bluebird, ya get alot of bang for your buck. |
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Former2209
New Member
3 Posts |
Posted - 07/14/2011 : 9:05:13 PM
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| Will Lion consider the alternative fuel options? It appears from another article that Blue Bird is stepping up on the A/F market. I must say I'm impressed with this bus. Being a Transit Fan, I'd love to see the RE & FE models come into the line-up. As others have stated, it will be interesting to see how the Lion holds up in sales. |
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Topic |
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New Type C Conventional Bus - 2012 Lion School Bus
