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  • 2 weeks later...

Will Houston Metro recieve the CNG NABI buses also since Newflyer has been switching NABI contracts over to them?

At last check, the original contract states that they're to receive 150 CNG NABI buses - since this happened BEFORE New Flyer announced that they're getting rid of NABI.

From METRO dated Tuesday, November 25, 2014 3:30 PM: "METRO currently has a contract through 2016 with NABI for 150 CNG buses and 115 diesel buses. This contract currently remains in effect and NABI plans on delivering the number of buses currently under contract."

Within the New Flyer article, it states that "New Flyer expects to deliver orders as previously committed and to provide support for NABI customers of the LFW and BRT products for as long as those buses are in service."

Again, Houston METRO's order happened before New Flyer wanting to get rid of NABI.

Unless things change and I have yet to see what needs to be seen for proof, the CNG NABI order still stands.

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Edited by HoustonMETROFan
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At last check, the original contract states that they're to receive 150 CNG NABI buses - since this happened BEFORE New Flyer announced that they're getting rid of NABI.

From METRO dated Tuesday, November 25, 2014 3:30 PM: "METRO currently has a contract through 2016 with NABI for 150 CNG buses and 115 diesel buses. This contract currently remains in effect and NABI plans on delivering the number of buses currently under contract."

Within the New Flyer article, it states that "New Flyer expects to deliver orders as previously committed and to provide support for NABI customers of the LFW and BRT products for as long as those buses are in service."

Again, Houston METRO's order happened before New Flyer wanting to get rid of NABI.

Unless things change and I have yet to see what needs to be seen for proof, the CNG NABI order still stands.

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A high level Metro official has told me that the CNG order will be converted to diesel because the bids to build the CNG physical plant have come in too high. He's a pretty reliable source so I have no reason to believe otherwise. Also, one of the new buses was lost in the recent flooding this past Memorial Day.

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A high level Metro official has told me that the CNG order will be converted to diesel because the bids to build the CNG physical plant have come in too high. He's a pretty reliable source so I have no reason to believe otherwise. Also, one of the new buses was lost in the recent flooding this past Memorial Day.

Lovely but I'll still ask myself for proof and will post here what I'm told.

Update: Email was just sent and I'll post whatever response I receive.

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  • 3 weeks later...

A high level Metro official has told me that the CNG order will be converted to diesel because the bids to build the CNG physical plant have come in too high. He's a pretty reliable source so I have no reason to believe otherwise. Also, one of the new buses was lost in the recent flooding this past Memorial Day.

So much for believing this. Just saw 2003 - a CNG NABI - signed up on the 56 route.

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  • 2 weeks later...

The CNG NABI era has begun. Six of the first 50 are now in revenue service - and yes, the fueling facility is still gonna be built.

From Bill Peterson - the person who is tasked to provide info like this monthly:

METRO has begun operating six (6) CNG 40-foot NABI buses from Fallbrook. These are the first of fifty (50) CNG buses numbered 2000-2049.
METRO’s fixed-route bus fleet has increased thirteen, (+13) buses, to 1217 from 1204 buses. This is due to the introduction of six (6) of the new NABI 40-foot CNG buses at Fallbrook, while METRO is retaining extra buses until the fueling facility is completed.

:)

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  • 1 month later...

I wonder, with the last NABI produced, what will become of Houston METRO's NABI order? I thought they were supposed to receive 100 additional NABIs next year. Obviously due to METRO's stainless steel requirement, New Flyer cannot fulfill the contract with the Xcelsior.

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I wonder, with the last NABI produced, what will become of Houston METRO's NABI order? I thought they were supposed to receive 100 additional NABIs next year. Obviously due to METRO's stainless steel requirement, New Flyer cannot fulfill the contract with the Xcelsior.

According to the contract and unless I am told otherwise as to what happened to it, we're still gonna look for those other buses. I'll ask but what the agency tells me will stand.

In the meantime, the 50 buses are here with several in service.

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According to the contract and unless I am told otherwise as to what happened to it, we're still gonna look for those other buses. I'll ask but what the agency tells me will stand.

In the meantime, the 50 buses are here with several in service.

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Lets see if New Flyer is really gonna sweeten the offer to change the order to XN and XD

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Lets see if New Flyer is really gonna sweeten the offer to change the order to XN and XD

Nope - not gonna happen because they don't offer a "stainless steel" Xcelsior model.

If both parties "mutually" agree to end the order at just 50 NABI CNGs so NFI can finally focus only on the Xcelsior, METRO may have to look somewhere else for those 100 CNGs.

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Edited by HoustonMETROFan
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Nope - not gonna happen because they don't offer a "stainless steel" Excelsior model.

If both parties "mutually" agree to end the order at just 50 NABI CNGs so NFI can finally focus only on the Xcelsior, METRO may have to look somewhere else for those 100 CNGs.

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Makes you wonder if they will wanna try Nova then.

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Without further ado, here are the answers to whatever questions I have asked METRO in regards to the NABI order and what's happening moving forward with bus purchases.

Q 1: What will become of the other 100 other NABI CNGs that we are needing to get for THIS fiscal year? Are they still coming or will the order end at just 50 NABI CNG buses?

A 1: [Chuck Berkshire] The contract for 100 CNG buses due in FY16 from NABI was cancelled due to the current business changes underway between NABI and New Flyer. As such, METRO will operate the current fleet of 50 CNG buses to determine future needs.

Q 2: If - repeating - IF METRO is still needing more buses in the near future, who might be the winning manufacturer since we all know New Flyer doesn't build a "stainless steel" Xcelsior bus model?

A 2: [Chuck Berkshire] METRO recently went out to bid for 80 transit and 20 articulated buses powered by clean diesel. We hope to bring a recommendation to the Board in December. Also, New Flyer does now offer the Xcelsior model with a stainless steel frame option.

What "80 transit" means is that they want 80 total 40' transit style buses.

Now that I'm told that they (NFI) does offer a stainless steel frame option, I would think it'll be between New Flyer and NovaBus. Why only those two and not put Gillig and maybe even Eldorado National (with their Axess 40' bus model) in the mix? Well - if you want one straight order from a single manufacturer, only those two have 40' and 60' buses available. Gillig and Eldorado National can only be in the running only because they have 40' buses available and just deal with NFI or NovaBus for 60' buses.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Without further ado, here are the answers to whatever questions I have asked METRO in regards to the NABI order and what's happening moving forward with bus purchases.

Q 1: What will become of the other 100 other NABI CNGs that we are needing to get for THIS fiscal year? Are they still coming or will the order end at just 50 NABI CNG buses?

Q 2: If - repeating - IF METRO is still needing more buses in the near future, who might be the winning manufacturer since we all know New Flyer doesn't build a "stainless steel" Xcelsior bus model?

What "80 transit" means is that they want 80 total 40' transit style buses.

Now that I'm told that they (NFI) does offer a stainless steel frame option, I would think it'll be between New Flyer and NovaBus. Why only those two and not put Gillig and maybe even Eldorado National (with their Axess 40' bus model) in the mix? Well - if you want one straight order from a single manufacturer, only those two have 40' and 60' buses available. Gillig and Eldorado National can only be in the running only because they have 40' buses available and just deal with NFI or NovaBus for 60' buses.

NFI will be coming out with a stainless steel frame Xcelsior option

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  • 2 weeks later...

My guess is that Nova had the price advantage here due to their experience in the use of stainless steel, while the stainless steel version of the Xcelsior is still a new product that hasn't seen mass production yet. I'm a bit surprised that Gillig was not present in the RFP though.

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