Megabus Rider

I was checking the wiki few weeks back at the govdeals links. Some units were listed as 'does not start & run.' Who knows if the company tracked down the scrap company that won the bid and may have checked to see if those buses are worth the repair job.

First year MCS filings only require to show 1 bus and 1 driver. Within the next 18 months, a US DOT inspector from the nearest field office to Windsor, ON will show up for a 'New Entrant Audit' to confirm the total fleet and drivers and make them do another MCS filing. Furthermore, this is where the US DOT will make sure the company is compliant such as confirming the Ownership Structure of the company, Ownership of the buses, Insurance, Driver files, maintenance program, substance testing in place, IFTA and HOS requirements. If there any buses parked at the premises during the visit, it will be inspected as well. My friend who owned Equinox Bus Lines, mentioned during their audit, they were dinged for 2 minor things, 1 was the maintenance files, they needed to have a document that showed the bus information such as Year, Make, Model, VIN, Weight, if there is a WCL, seating capacity and tire size. 2 the driver application form had some minor improper legal words to ask about if the previous job was regulated by the FMCSA. Again, it goes by operating radius. if it was a 56 passenger coach going beyond 300km radius with US exposure, you're looking at $3,000 to $5,000 CAD/month per bus on a Facility Association policy. Northbridge can get it down to $2,000 to $4,000 CAD/Month. Again, there are factors to Third Party liability, new Coaches financed may be required to carry $5 to $10 Million Third Party coverage and higher amounts for Passenger Bodily Injury coverage.

For those curious about the insurance, the company is on a Facility Association policy underwritten by Nordic (Intact Insurance). Nordic uses a US Insurance company for US exposures. I am guessing their insurance is about $1,600 to $2,000 CAD/month per bus with being rated on a 40km operating radius. If they get newer buses in 2-3 years, they could be moved to Northbridge paying less than $1,500 CAD/month per bus and they have to hire experienced transit/coach drivers who are not less than 25 years of age. Northbridge is cheaper but comes with lots of restrictions on hiring drivers. They are but at random times and days. Before the pandemic Saturday morning was common with Charter buses starting out their OTR trips to Chicago and Louisville to Nashville. With the low demand due to boycotts, MSP must be more at the Ambassador Bridge and Blue Water Bridge focusing on trucks and English proficiency checks.

The Border is the perfect place for inspections. while the passengers are being checked by CBP, that;s when a DOT Inspector can do the checks. Keep in mind the company is exempt from US HOS and Canadian HOS. They would still have E-log but maximum shift hours would be 14 hours, this would speed up the inspection by a DOT officer. They're supposed to have PRP plates and the buses should have IFTA stickers. E-log devices would be doing the IFTA reports. That's not bad for a September 22 filing from the Insurance Company. Before the pandemic it could take a month minimum.

Misinformed by the Insurance broker because they got a copy that the filing to the FMCSA was accepted but has not been updated. The FMCSA waits for both Insurance and blanket of coverage to be filed first and then the FMCSA does a check on the shareholders to identify if the new application for an operating authority are chameleon operators. If you recall the past blitz of mass shut downs of asian bus companies in the Northeast US, many of those owners operated again under new corporate names and then again got shut down.

You missed what I said. I said If they are caught by Michigan State DOT. CBP does not care. You can can buy a bus, put plates on and slap on a corporate name and US DOT number, the CBP will think you're legit. If your bus has no US DOT number, that's when CBP can refuse entry. Same with CBSA. It's up to Provincial Forces and State DOT officers to determine that. Michigan State DOT does sit at the border, it's a matter of time. When was the last time CBP or CBSA checked your bus documents for a US DOT and/or NSC/CVOR? Never. Michigan State DOT, just like New York State DOT sometimes sits at the border. New York State DOT is also known for sitting at the Downtown Buffalo, NY Bus Terminal checking buses. As for the shutdown, isn't FMCSA/US DOT an essential service?

I just ran the US DOT number and it says "Not Authorized' The Insurance has been filed with the correct amount since September 22, but it can take another 30 days minimum for the FMCSA and US DOT to give them an 'Authorized" status. As per US Law, they CANNOT operate until their Operating Authority Status is Authorized. I hope its just a test run on a Service Plate without passengers otherwise they CANNOT cross the border with Passengers. They can operate in Canada. This information is from my friend who owned Equinox Bus Lines and did hold a valid US DOT from 2018 until 2023. If they are caught by Michigan State DOT, their US DOT will be revoked and they will be fined, put out of service and will have an up hill battle to get another US DOT Operating Authority.

Replaced with the current service between Brampton and Ottawa. It's not financially feasible .

Looks legit, this is what I found: US DOT: 4455380 Registered as 17209444 CANADA INC Address: 320 SHOREVIEW CIR WINDSOR ON N8P 1M7 Phone: 519-965-5444 CVOR: 225329640 Wish them well and glad they are following the rules.

Where are they going to put the diesel heater? The diesel heater is in the rear below the window with some duct work and diesel fuel tank.

I did some checks for CVOR and any pending US DOT operating authority applications, nothing! I used keywords like Tunnel and Coach, nothing! I did a whois search for ABC Coach website, website was registered in August 2019. I am beginning to think ABC Coach is a broker and they are trying to find a poor sap in the Windsor area to operate the service on their behalf. Not sure how $10 a head would work with Insurance, bus payments, fuel and tolls. Not to mention the maintenance on the after treatment system with excessive low speeds and idling on a Coach. Maybe Argo Transit should run it with the Karsan E-Jest buses lol

Just noticed this thread! Here is the current status of Argo Transit in Brampton: https://www.rideargo.com/cities/brampton The city has made an announcement about Argo Transit: https://www.brampton.ca/EN/residents/transit/service-alerts/pages/transit-updates.aspx

More than likely a Onexbus reject

Its just a wet lease as they have buses sidelined waiting for parts. Onexbus also gives the owner of that bus Chartered trips.

Where do I begin? Ya those flashy Prevost Coaches, Insurance for a start up company and the cost of being compliant with the US DOT, is it really worth it? It would be better to have Flixbus, Adirondack Trailways and maybe even Onexbus (since they also have a valid US DOT operating Authority), and maybe Badder under the Megabus brand, to just increase departures on the Toronto - Detroit corridor to supplement the cross border bus service.

Onexbus was being resold on Ourbus but that reselling of the Toronto - Ottawa route was terminated by Onexbus.

I am just going to put this here and when the service starts maybe Argo Transit would need its own thread: https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/argo-and-city-of-brampton-announce-10-9-million-smart-transit-partnership-853805972.html Onexbus is currently training recruits with 2 buses on the road. Argo Transit has a contract with the City of Brampton to provide door 2 door transit pilot project. This is the second municipality for Argo Transit and Onexbus with the first one being in Bradford.

Newcan Coach Company has a new US DOT: 4266086 Also noted a new CVOR number Trentway-Wagar is now history.

Toronto - London is not as good as it used to be. Onexbus and Flixbus are not pulling the high numbers anymore. From what I am hearing while early morning departures are over 20 passengers, anything the leaves mid-morning, ridership dips to 10 passengers and under. Onexbus is looking at options including running some trips as OTR like Brampton to London, Driver takes 2 hours layover and then London to Ottawa, and the Driver overnights in Ottawa. The next day from Ottawa to London, 2 hours layover and then London to Brampton, and call it a day. I believe Flixbus is doing something similar. The purpose of this is to make through travel appealing instead of changing buses in Toronto or Pearson Airport. The bus would maximize its revenue as instead pulling 20 passengers return between Toronto and London, the bus would be pulling 40 plus passengers on a long haul. This would be the reason Red Arrow cancelled it, they were trying to run it like Greyhound Canada and, their fares are higher than Onexbus, Flixbus, Megabus/Trailways and Rider Express combined. The Greyhound Canada style of operating is outdated and over so Carriers have to be creative and think outside the box.

Onexbus has extended that Brampton, Toronto to Kingston service all the way to Ottawa. Currently 1 trip is being offered from Brampton and another from Ottawa to Brampton. Instead of Downtown Toronto, it stops at Toronto's Yorkdale Mall. Ottawa stops include the Via Rail Train Station which is perfect for those going to Montreal and Quebec City from Brampton, Mississauga and north of Downtown Toronto, and Kanata at Terry Fox Drive. Service operates Thursdays to Mondays. It's nice to see Onexbus expand all the way to Ottawa with Book A Ride being shut down for good by the MTO.

oh but it sports the Coach USA subsidiary's DOT number. I know when Coach Canada does a charter to the US and their own bus breaks down and needs repairs, Coach USA loans them any of their bus until the repairs are complete. Coach USA would even dispatch the repaired Coach Canada bus within the US until Coach Canada brings back the loaned bus.

Was this today?

There was a mass auction of MCI/Van Hool coaches (repo'd to pay outstanding debts to Wells Fargo) so the new buyers of the remaining Coach USA/Canada companies (Renco Group) may have participated in the purchase of those coaches. The newest one was 2017 model year. Onexbus has 2 units from that auction. As for the Van Hool Double Decks, those buses were repo'd and left with ABC Companies. Must have been the repo'd units bought from ABC Companies.

Unfortunately you have to be an employee of a bus operator or transit agency. If you love the bus industry why not get a job with a bus operator or transit agency. I have been to OTE, ABA and UMA.

Onexbus had a 3 unit order of 2024 H3-45s. They accepted 1 unit and rejected the other 2 as MCI already delivered 2 2025 J4500s. The rejected unit with the E mirrors went to PW (not sure if its this unit with Red Arrow) and the other went to Lewis in New Orleans. Onexbus has settled for another order of 3 2025 H3-45s.