New Flyer

Last updated
New Flyer Industries
FormerlyWestern Auto and Truck Body Works (1930–1948)
Western Flyer Coach (1948–1971)
Flyer Industries Limited (1971–1986)
New Flyer Industries Limited (1986–2005)
Type Subsidiary
Industry Bus manufacturing
Founded1930 (1930) (as Western Auto and Truck Body Works Ltd)
FounderJohn Coval
Headquarters
Winnipeg, Manitoba
,
Canada
Area served
North America
Parent NFI Group
Website newflyer.com

New Flyer is a Canadian multinational bus manufacturer, specializing in the production of transit buses. New Flyer is owned by the NFI Group, a holding company for several bus manufacturers. New Flyer has several manufacturing facilities in Canada and the United States that produce the company's main product, the New Flyer Xcelsior family of buses.

Contents

History

1941 Western Flyer 1941 Western Flyer (17899878506).jpg
1941 Western Flyer

New Flyer was founded by John Coval in 1930 as the Western Auto and Truck Body Works Ltd in Manitoba. The company began producing buses in 1937, selling their first full buses to Grey Goose Bus Lines in 1937, [1] before releasing their Western Flyer bus model in 1941, prompting the company to change its name to Western Flyer Coach in 1948. [2]

In the 1960s, the company further focused on the urban transit bus market. In 1971, the then-financially struggling Western Flyer was sold to the Manitoba Development Corporation, an agency of the government of Manitoba, and renamed Flyer Industries Limited. [3] In 1974 the opposition Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba had urged the NDP government in power to divest Flyer Industries from government ownership. [4]

On July 15, 1986, Jan den Oudsten, a descendant of the family who formed Dutch bus manufacturer Den Oudsten Bussen BV, purchased Flyer Industries from the Manitoba government, changing its name to New Flyer Industries Limited. [5]

New Flyer designed and tested North America's first low-floor bus in 1988 and delivered the first production model, called the D40LF, to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey in 1991. [6] In 1994, New Flyer delivered the first compressed natural gas bus in North America and the world's first hydrogen fuel cell powered bus. In 1995, the company delivered the first low-floor articulated bus in North America to Strathcona County Transit.

In March 2002, New Flyer was acquired by KPS Capital Partners, an investment company that specializes in turning around struggling businesses, for $44 million. [7] Later that year Jan den Oudsten retired as CEO. He was later inducted into the American Public Transportation Association's Hall of Fame for his work at the company.

In 2003, King County Metro in Seattle placed an order for 213 hybrid buses, the world's first large order for hybrid buses. [8]

On December 15, 2003, New Flyer was purchased by private equity firms Harvest Partners and Lightyear Capital. The company's CEO, John Marinucci, called the purchase an indicator that the company's operational and financial turnaround had been accomplished. [9]

On August 19, 2005, New Flyer became a publicly traded company on the Toronto Stock Exchange, renaming the company to New Flyer Industries Canada ULC and creating the publicly traded parent company NFI Group Inc. [10] [11] 2005 also saw a restyling of New Flyer's popular low-floor coaches with new front and rear endcaps, to modernize and streamline the exterior appearance of the bus.

In June 2012 New Flyer, in a joint venture with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, the Manitoba Government, Manitoba Hydro and Red River College, unveiled a fully electric battery-powered bus. [12]

In May 2012, New Flyer and Alexander Dennis announced a joint venture to design and manufacture medium-duty low-floor bus (or midi bus) for the North American market. The bus, called the New Flyer MiDi, was based on the design of the Alexander Dennis Enviro200. Alexander Dennis engineered and tested the bus, and it was built and marketed by New Flyer under contract. [13] During the partnership around 200 buses were delivered to 22 operators in Canada and the U.S. In May 2017, New Flyer and Alexander Dennis announced their joint venture would end and production of the bus would transition to Alexander Dennis' new North American factory in Indiana, where it is produced alongside the double-deck Enviro500 series bus. [14] [15] Alexander Dennis was later purchased by New Flyer's parent company, NFI Group, in 2019. [16]

Models

ModelLengthWidthIntroducedDiscontinuedImage
Xcelsior [17] 35 ft (10.7 m)
40 ft (12.2 m)
60 ft (18.3 m)
102 in (2.6 m)
2008
in production MUNI 8630.JPG
Low Floor 30 ft 6 in (9.3 m)
35 ft 6 in (10.8 m)
40 ft 10+14 in (12.5 m)
60 ft 8+12 in (18.5 m)
102 in (2.6 m)
1989
2014
Mississauga Transit Bus 0309.jpg
Invero [18] 41 ft 3 in (12.6 m)102 in (2.6 m)
2002
2007
Community Transit New Flyer D40i Inveros in Downtown Seattle.jpg
High Floor [19] 35 ft 3 in (10.7 m)
40 ft 6+14 in (12.4 m)
60 ft 8 in (18.5 m)
102 in (2.6 m)
1987
2006
King County Metro Transit D60HF 2353.jpg
700/800/900 35 ft (10.7 m)
40 ft (12.2 m)
96 in (2.4 m)
102 in (2.6 m)
1967
1987
Vancouver Flyer D700A and D800 buses in 1984.jpg

Related Research Articles

AM General is an American heavy vehicle and contract automotive manufacturer based in South Bend, Indiana. It is best known for the civilian Hummer and the military Humvee that are assembled in Mishawaka, Indiana. For a relatively brief period, 1974–1979, the company also manufactured transit buses, making more than 5,400 of them.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Motor Coach Industries</span> American coach and bus manufacturer

Motor Coach Industries (MCI) is a North American multinational bus manufacturer, specializing in production of motorcoaches. Best known for coaches produced for intercity transit and commuter buses, MCI produces coaches for a variety of applications, ranging from tour buses to prison buses.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Den Oudsten</span> Former Dutch coachbuilder

Den Oudsten Bussen B.V. was a Dutch coachbuilder and components manufacturer. The company was founded in 1926 by a local carriage-builder, Marinus den Oudsten. Its headquarters were just outside the city of Woerden. It eventually ceased all activities after being declared bankrupt in 2002.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alexander Dennis</span> Bus manufacturer based in the United Kingdom

Alexander Dennis is a British bus manufacturing company based in Larbert, Scotland. The largest bus and coach manufacturer in the United Kingdom with a 50% market share in 2019, it has manufacturing plants and partnerships in Canada, China, Europe, Hong Kong, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa and the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dennis Dart</span> British rear-engined single-decker midibus

The Dennis Dart is a rear-engined single-decker midibus chassis that was introduced by Dennis of Guildford, England in 1989, replacing the Dennis Domino. Initially built as a high-floor design, in 1996 the low-floor second generation Dennis Dart SLF was launched. In 2001, production of the Dart SLF passed to TransBus International, during which time it was sold as the TransBus Dart SLF; Alexander Dennis took over production in 2004, renaming the product as the Alexander Dennis Dart SLF.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NFI Group</span> Manufacturer of transit buses and motorcoaches based in Winnipeg, Canada

NFI Group Inc. is a Canadian multinational bus manufacturer, based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The company employs 8,000 people across 50 facilities in nine countries. NFI Group owns Alexander Dennis, ARBOC Specialty Vehicles, Motor Coach Industries, New Flyer, Plaxton, NFI Parts, and Carfair Composites. The company is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol NFI, and is a constituent of the S&P/TSX Composite Index.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Midibus</span> Single decker buses (length 8-11 metres)

A midibus is a classification of single-decker minibuses which are generally larger than a traditional minibus but smaller than a full-size single decker and can be anywhere between 8 metres and 11 metres long. While used in many parts of the world, the midibus is perhaps most common in the United Kingdom, where operators have found them more economical, and to have a sufficient number of seats compared to full size single-decker buses.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gillig</span> American bus manufacturer

Gillig is an American designer and manufacturer of buses. The company headquarters, along with its manufacturing operations, is located in Livermore, California. By volume, Gillig is the second-largest transit bus manufacturer in North America. As of 2013, Gillig had an approximate 31 percent market share of the combined United States and Canadian heavy-duty transit bus manufacturing industry, based on the number of equivalent unit deliveries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alexander Dennis Enviro200</span> British single deck midi-bus

The Alexander Dennis Enviro200 is a midibus that was manufactured by TransBus International and later Alexander Dennis between 2003 and 2018. The original TransBus Enviro200 design was innovative but ultimately unsuccessful, with few being sold before the introduction of the second generation Enviro200 revived sales for the product from 2006. It was supposed to be positioned in between a minibus and a rigid single-decker bus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Winnipeg Transit</span> Public Bus Agency owned by the City of Winnipeg

Winnipeg Transit is the public transit agency, and the bus-service provider, of the City of Winnipeg, Manitoba. Established 141 years ago, it is owned by the city government and currently employs nearly 1,600 people—including approximately 1,100 bus drivers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Centre Area Transportation Authority</span> Bus transit system in State College, PA

The Centre Area Transportation Authority (CATA) is a mass transit agency that provides bus transportation within State College, Pennsylvania and the surrounding areas, as well as Pennsylvania State University. In 2022, the system had a ridership of 4,305,500, or about 24,400 per weekday as of the second quarter of 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Flyer Xcelsior</span> Transit bus vehicle

The New Flyer Xcelsior is a line of transit buses available in 35-foot rigid, 40-foot rigid, and 60-foot articulated nominal lengths manufactured by New Flyer Industries since 2008. In addition to the different available lengths, the buses are sold with a variety of propulsion systems: conventional diesel, compressed natural gas (CNG), diesel-electric hybrid, hydrogen fuel cell, overhead electric wire and battery electric. A future autonomous bus variant was announced in January 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alexander Dennis Enviro200 MMC</span> Single-decker bus produced since 2014

The Alexander Dennis Enviro200 MMC, also marketed as the Alexander Dennis Enviro200, is a single-decker city bus produced by Alexander Dennis since 2014 as the successor to the Enviro200 midibus and Enviro300 full-size bus. The first Enviro200 MMCs entered service with National Express West Midlands in 2015. Notably, Enviro200 MMCs have been modified by Fusion Processing to be used as the basis for the first driverless bus trials in the United Kingdom.

Paul Soubry, ICD.D, is President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NFI Group Inc.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Flyer Low Floor</span> American low-floor transit buses

The New Flyer Low Floor is a line of low-floor transit buses that was manufactured by New Flyer Industries between 1991 and 2014. It was available in 30-foot rigid, 35-foot rigid, 40-foot rigid, and 60-foot articulated lengths. In addition to the different available lengths, the buses were sold with a variety of prime movers, ranging from conventional diesel and CNG combustion engines to diesel-electric hybrid, gasoline hybrid, and hydrogen fuel cell.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New Flyer Invero</span> Motor vehicle

The New Flyer Invero (D40i) is a line of low-floor transit buses that was manufactured by New Flyer Industries between 1999 and 2007. Produced as a 40-foot (nominal) rigid bus, the Invero was typically sold with a conventional diesel combustion engine, although a few diesel-electric hybrids were built, integrated by Stewart & Stevenson. New Flyer introduced the Invero in 1999 with the intent that it would replace the preceding New Flyer Low Floor line, but few Inveros were sold, and the line was discontinued in 2007; in 2008, New Flyer introduced the Xcelsior, replacing both the Low Floor and the Invero lines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NABI LFW</span> American low-floor transit buses

The NABI LFW is a line of low-floor transit buses available in 30' rigid, 35' rigid, 40' rigid, and 60' articulated lengths manufactured by North American Bus Industries (NABI) between 1997 and 2015. In addition to the different available lengths, the buses were sold with a variety of powertrains, including conventional diesel, LNG, and CNG combustion engines along with a diesel-electric hybrid system

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NABI BRT</span> Motor vehicle

The NABI BRT is a line of low-floor transit buses available in 60' articulated (60-BRT) and later 42' rigid (42-BRT) nominal lengths manufactured by North American Bus Industries (NABI) between 2004 and 2015. In addition to the different available lengths, the buses were sold with a variety of prime movers, ranging from conventional diesel and CNG combustion engines to diesel-electric hybrid.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tiger Transit</span> Bus system of Princeton University

Tiger Transit is the Princeton University shuttle service in and around its campus in Princeton and other nearby areas of Mercer County, New Jersey. Tiger Transit operates six routes within the campus and around the city of Princeton. WeDriveU operates the service.

References

  1. Modified, Julia-Simone Rutgers Posted: Last. "Country's leading electric bus maker hopes to ride wave of zero-emission transit technology". Winnipeg Free Press. Retrieved 2022-08-23.
  2. "Coachbult.com - Western Auto & Truck Body Works". www.coachbuilt.com. Retrieved 2021-01-16.
  3. Stauss, Ed (1988). The Bus World Encyclopedia of Buses. Woodland Hills, CA (USA): Stauss Publications. ISBN   0-9619830-0-0.
  4. "Sell Bus Company, PCs Urge Gov't". Winnipeg Free Press. October 24, 1974. p. 3.
  5. Barker, John. "Mayor takes a look at New Flyer Industries for city buses". Thompson Citizen. Retrieved 2021-01-16.
  6. "New Flyer - History". www.newflyer.com. Retrieved 2017-08-09.
  7. "N.Y investors buy Manitoba bus maker". CBC News . Dec 16, 2003. Retrieved January 15, 2021.
  8. "New Flyer Receives Order for Up To 715 Buses From King County Metro" (Press release). New Flyer Industries Inc. May 16, 2007. Archived from the original on August 12, 2007. Retrieved 2017-07-13.
  9. "Harvest, Lightyear Drive Through New Flyer LBO". Global Capital. 19 March 2004. Retrieved 16 November 2020.
  10. "New Flyer Industries Canada ULC was Incorporated in Alberta on Jun 22, 2005. at 4500, 855 - 2ND STREET SW, CALGARY ALBERTA, T2P 4K7". Alberta Corporations. Retrieved 2021-01-16.
  11. "MRAS Business Registry Search". beta.canadasbusinessregistries.ca. Retrieved 2021-01-16.
  12. Kusch, Larry (June 2, 2012). "New Flyer green leader". Winnipeg Free Press . Retrieved 2017-07-13.
  13. "Industry News: New Flyer In Bus Joint Venture". Diesel Progress. Waukesha, Wisconsin. May 10, 2012. Archived from the original on May 31, 2012.
  14. "New Flyer and Alexander Dennis Agree to Transition MiDi Bus to North American-Based Alexander Dennis Inc". New Flyer. May 10, 2017. Retrieved May 26, 2017.
  15. Enviro200 joint venture terminates Buses issue 748 July 2017 page 21
  16. "NFI Group Inc. Announces Acquisition of Alexander Dennis Limited". Business Insider . May 28, 2019. Archived from the original on December 6, 2021. Retrieved 2023-03-13.
  17. "Xcelsior". New Flyer | North America’s Bus Leader. Retrieved 2021-01-16.
  18. "D40i = Diesel 40' Invero™" (PDF). New Flyer Industries. September 2002. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 13, 2004. Retrieved December 13, 2018.
  19. "New Flyer D40 High Floor Bus". New Flyer Industries. Archived from the original on 11 April 1997.