new: Hometown Manufacturing

[Kobayashi]

There is a new bus maker that has come to town! Enter Hometown Manufacturing of Crandon, WI.

https://hometown-mfg.com
 

Hometown has a Urban brand. Which is available in 29', 35' or 40' versions in CNG, Diesel, HEV or Electric options in this brochure:

https://hometown-mfg.com/sites/default/files/2021-06/Blue Urban Brochure.pdf

I guess Hometown will fill in the void Orion had since its demise a decade ago.

 

[GojiMet86]

 

An interior photo.

 

There's also the Commuter.

https://hometown-mfg.com/buses/commuter

[MVTArider]

I know Duluth Transit Authority runs one of their 'Streetcar' model trolley-esque buses. I don't know of any operators of their Urban bus model yet. I'm not seeing any mention of it being Altoona tested either, but that could just be in process.

Considering their initial target market is probably smaller transit fleets looking to buy a few buses in a year, they'll certainly have their work cut out to get a piece of the heavy-duty transit bus market. Smaller orders are Gillig's bread and butter and ElDo has a fair share in some of those size orders as well. If it's a good product though and they can back it up with service and support I'm sure they'll get some business.

EDIT: Also I think the Urban promo photos were taken in Wausau, WI.

[BroncoFan623]

Here in Tennessee, we have a lot of Hometown/Double K trolleys in Pigeon Forge & Gatlinburg.