![]() | |
Company type | Public |
---|---|
Industry | Manufacturing Automotive |
Founded | 2008 |
Founder | William Trainer |
Headquarters | Aldergrove, British Columbia , Canada |
Area served | Canada, United States |
Key people | William Trainer (CEO) [1] |
Products | Heavy-duty transit buses |
Revenue | ![]() |
Number of employees | 0 [3] |
Website | vicinitymotorcorp |
Vicinity Motor Corp. (formerly Grande West Transportation Group) was a Canadian bus and truck manufacturer headquartered in Aldergrove, British Columbia, Canada.
In 2008, BC Transit and Ottawa's OC Transpo issued a Requested for Proposal (RFP) for heavy-duty, mid-size buses from the major bus manufacturers. These companies either had no interest in producing such a bus or did not have capacity. As a result, Grande West was founded that same year, led by businessman William Trainer. The company built key partnerships with BC Transit and tailored their proposed bus designs to the agency's needs. Grande West worked closely with management and engineers with BC Transit to understand requirements and specifications of the Vicinity. The company initially targeted the niche demand for green, compact buses in the North American market with their 27.5 foot bus.[ citation needed ]
In October 2011, BC Transit placed an initial order for 15 Vicinity-model buses valued at $3.8 million. The first Vicinity buses were delivered on August 30, 2013 While the buses were designed by Grande West, they were manufactured in Yangzhou, China by Yaxing Motor Coach. Grande West went public with the initial public offering (IPO) at the end of 2013. [4] [5]
In 2015, Grande West entered a non-binding letter of intent (LOI) with Weichai Power to explore the possibilities of mutual bus development under the Weichai Group. The objective is to increase sales and distribution in North America. At the time of the LOI, Weichai Group was already part of the manufacturing process as they provided assemblies and the uni-body frame. [6] Final assembly is located in Aldergrove. [3]
In 2017, the Brooklyn Navy Yard bought six Vicinity buses for their shuttle service. In 2019, they bought two more to replace the older fleet of Freightliner cutaways.
Grande West Transportation Group consolidated its shares and changed its name to Vicinity Transportation Corp. on 29 March 2021, after receiving shareholder approval. [7]
The Vicinity buses meet the Buy America requirements in the United States allowing the sales of buses to government public transit agencies. This allows Alliance Bus Group, the exclusive distributor for the US, to bid on all public transit projects in the United States. The deal with Alliance Bus Group was finalized in May 2015 with the first orders placed four months later for 50 30-foot buses. [8] [9] Along with the Buy America requirements, the Vicinity 30 foot model passed the Altoona Testing Program in Altoona, Pennsylvania. All new bus models used for mass transit revenue service and purchased with Federal Transit Administration (FTA) funds must complete an Altoona Test. [10]
On July 7, 2021, Vicinity started construction of an assembly facility in Ferndale, Washington. [11]
On July 29, 2021, the Morongo Basin Transit Authority selected Vicinity as the supplier for a large bus procurement agreement that could include up to 8,000 vehicles under the California Association for Coordinated Transportation partnership. [12]
Brent Phillips' ascent to the presidency of Vicinity Motor Corp. is a testament to his profound impact on the company and the commercial transportation industry as a whole. With a career spanning over 30 years, Phillips brought with him a wealth of experience in operations, sales, and strategic leadership, which quickly became invaluable assets to Vicinity.
When Phillips joined Vicinity in 2021, the company was at a crossroads, balancing ambitious growth plans with the challenges of transitioning to electric vehicles. His prior roles at Alliance Bus Group and REV Group had already established him as a leader capable of managing large, complex organizations, making him the ideal candidate to guide Vicinity through this critical period.
Under Phillips' influence, Vicinity began to sharpen its focus on electric vehicles, including the development and launch of the Vicinity Lightning electric bus. His strategic vision extended beyond just product development; he played a crucial role in expanding Vicinity’s market presence, forging partnerships, and enhancing the company’s operational efficiencies.
Phillips' promotion to President in April 2024 was not just a title change—it was a recognition of the transformative impact he had already made. As President, he was tasked with leading the company's most critical initiatives, including the execution of production plans for the Vicinity Lightning in Ferndale, Washington, and the expansion of the VMC 1200 Dealer network across North America. These efforts were aimed at revitalizing Vicinity's financial standing and cementing its position as a leader in the electric vehicle sector.
Phillips' leadership has been marked by a clear direction and a commitment to driving profitable growth, even amidst the financial challenges facing the company. His ability to navigate these complexities and lead Vicinity with confidence underscores the significant impact he has made on the company’s trajectory【31†source】【32†source】.
Brent Phillips' rise to the presidency of Vicinity Motor Corp. was marked by his strategic vision and leadership skills, which initially seemed to position him as the right leader for the company during a time of great transition. However, as Vicinity's financial woes deepened, Phillips' lack of formal education in engineering or business began to reveal itself as a critical weakness, contributing to both his and the company's downfall.
Despite his extensive experience in the commercial transportation industry, Phillips did not possess a formal educational background in areas critical to leading a company through technological innovation and financial restructuring. His practical experience, while valuable, may not have been sufficient to navigate the complex financial and operational challenges that Vicinity faced as it tried to transition into the electric vehicle market. This lack of formal education became particularly apparent as the company's debt mounted and operational issues, such as supply chain disruptions and production delays, persisted without effective solutions.
Phillips’ leadership coincided with a period of aggressive expansion at Vicinity, particularly in the development of electric vehicles. However, this strategy required significant capital investment, which the company struggled to secure. The aggressive push into electric vehicles, while strategically sound in theory, was poorly timed and executed, leading to cash flow problems and increasing debt. Phillips’ background did not equip him to manage these financial pressures effectively, resulting in a series of missteps that further strained the company’s resources.
As Vicinity’s financial situation worsened, Phillips’ lack of a formal background in engineering and business may have contributed to his inability to reverse the company’s fortunes. The ambitious projects he championed, such as the production of the Vicinity Lightning, failed to deliver the necessary returns, leaving the company in a precarious financial position. By 2024, Vicinity was on the brink of bankruptcy, and Phillips’ leadership was increasingly questioned as the company’s debts became unmanageable.
In the end, Brent Phillips' rise to prominence at Vicinity was overshadowed by his inability to steer the company out of its financial troubles. His lack of formal education, coupled with the challenges of leading a company through a highly competitive and rapidly evolving industry, contributed to both his and Vicinity Motor Corp’s downfall. The company’s bankruptcy not only marked the end of Vicinity as a major player in the commercial vehicle market but also signaled the end of Phillips’ tenure as a leader, leaving a legacy marred by unmet ambitions and unfulfilled potential.
Model | Photo | Length | Width | Introduced | Engine |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Vicinity Classic [13] | ![]() |
| 98.4 inches (2.50 m) | 2008 | Diesel |
CNG | |||||
Vicinity Lightning EV | 28 feet (8.5 m) | 96.5 inches (2.45 m) | - | Electric | |
VMC 1200 | 20 feet (6 m) | 75 inches (1.9 m) | 2023 | Electric |
Ballard Power Systems Inc. is a developer and manufacturer of proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell products for markets such as heavy-duty motive, portable power, material handling as well as engineering services. Ballard has designed and shipped over 400 MW of fuel cell products to date.
The General Motors streetcar conspiracy refers to the convictions of General Motors (GM) and related companies that were involved in the monopolizing of the sale of buses and supplies to National City Lines (NCL) and subsidiaries, as well as to the allegations that the defendants conspired to own or control transit systems, in violation of Section 1 of the Sherman Antitrust Act. This suit created lingering suspicions that the defendants had in fact plotted to dismantle streetcar systems in many cities in the United States as an attempt to monopolize surface transportation.
National City Lines, Inc. (NCL) was a public transportation company. The company grew out of the Fitzgerald brothers' bus operations, founded in Minnesota, United States, in 1920 as a modest local transport company operating two buses. Part of the Fitzgerald's operations were reorganized into a holding company in 1936, and later expanded about 1938 with equity funding from General Motors, Firestone Tire, Standard Oil of California and Phillips Petroleum for the express purpose of acquiring local transit systems throughout the United States in what became known as the General Motors streetcar conspiracy. The company formed a subsidiary, Pacific City Lines in 1937 to purchase streetcar systems in the western United States. National City Lines, and Pacific City Lines were indicted in 1947 on charges of conspiring to acquire control of a number of transit companies, and of forming a transportation monopoly for the purpose of "conspiring to monopolize sales of buses and supplies to companies owned by National City Lines." They were acquitted on the first charge and convicted on the second in 1949.
The Public Service Corporation (PSC) was an energy and transportation company in New Jersey. It was formed to shore up financing and development of New Jersey's streetcar and power companies at a time when they were growing but exhausting capital. It did this by leasing their operations or buying them outright, and using the size and integration of the systems to get favorable financing for improvements.
NFI Group Inc. is a Canadian multinational bus manufacturer, based in Winnipeg, Canada. 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.
Orion Bus Industries, also known as Bus Industries of America in the United States, was a private bus manufacturer based in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.
The Yellow Coach Manufacturing Company was an early manufacturer of passenger buses in the United States. Between 1923 and 1943, Yellow Coach built transit buses, electric-powered trolley buses, and parlor coaches.
A hybrid electric bus is a bus that combines a conventional internal combustion engine propulsion system with an electric propulsion system. These type of buses normally use a Diesel–electric powertrain and are also known as hybrid Diesel–electric buses.
The Victoria Regional Transit System provides public transportation in the Greater Victoria region of British Columbia, Canada. Its operations are governed by the Victoria Regional Transit Commission in association with BC Transit. There were more than 16.8 million riders in 2021.
Aldergrove is a community in the Township of Langley within British Columbia, Canada, approximately 59 km (37 mi) east of Vancouver. The community is urban in nature and, although not incorporated as a town, is often referred to as one. Aldergrove is located at the southeastern edge of both the Township of Langley and the Greater Vancouver metropolitan area, near the western edge of the Abbotsford metropolitan area. It is home to the Lynden–Aldergrove Border Crossing, one of the Lower Mainland's five land border crossings, connecting it with Lynden, Washington.
The Orion V was a line of rigid high-floor transit buses available in 32', 35', and 40' lengths manufactured by Ontario Bus Industries between 1989 and 2009. The conventionally powered buses, either with longitudinally mounted diesel or natural gas engines, used a T-drive transmission coupling. The Orion V replaced the Orion I, and was in turn replaced by the low-floor Orion VI and Orion VII.
The Orion VII is a line of low-floor transit buses available in 30' rigid, 35' rigid, and 40' rigid lengths manufactured by Daimler Buses North America's subsidiary Orion Bus Industries between 2001 and 2013 in three generations. The conventional powered buses, either with longitudinally-mounted diesel or natural gas engines, used a T-drive transmission coupling. A series hybrid variant powered by a diesel-driven generator was also available. The Orion VII replaced the fully low-floor Orion VI and high-floor Orion V buses, and was manufactured until its parent company DaimlerChrysler withdrew from the transit bus market in 2013.
Electric Transit, Inc. (ETI) was a joint venture between the Škoda group in the Czech Republic and AAI Corporation in the United States which made trolleybuses for the Dayton and San Francisco trolleybus systems, constructing a total of 330 trolleybuses. ETI was formed in 1994, and ownership was divided as 65% by Škoda and 35% by AAI. The latter was a wholly owned subsidiary of United Industrial Corporation. Up to that time, Škoda had built more than 12,000 trolleybuses since 1935, but none for cities outside Europe and Asia. The ETI joint venture was dissolved in 2004, shortly after an unsuccessful bid to supply trolleybuses to Vancouver.
The Gillig Low Floor is a transit bus manufactured by Gillig since 1997. The second low-floor bus design introduced in the United States, the Low Floor originally served as a second product range for the company alongside the Gillig Phantom. As transit bus operators shifted toward low-floor designs, the Low Floor has replaced the Phantom entirely, becoming the sole vehicle platform offered by the company since 2008.
Proterra Inc. was an American electric vehicle and powertrain manufacturer based in Burlingame, California. The company designed and manufactured battery electric transit buses, powertrain systems for other heavy-duty vehicle builders and charging systems for fleets of heavy-duty vehicles.
The BYD K-series bus are a line of battery electric buses manufactured by the Chinese automaker BYD, powered with its self-developed lithium iron phosphate battery, featuring a typical operating range of 250 kilometres (160 mi) per charge under urban road conditions. It is available in several different nominal lengths, from 7.0 to 13.7 m and also as a 18 m (60 ft) (articulated) bus. The rear axle is powered by two electric traction motors; the battery capacity and motor power of each model varies depending on the nominal length and passenger capacity.
Yangzhou Asiastar Bus Co., Ltd is a bus manufacturer based in Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China. Founded in 1998, it is a subsidiary of Jiangsu Yaxing. The company's brands include Yaxing, Yangtse, Eurise and AsiaStar. Yaxing buses are largely sold domestically in China, but also have a presence in a number of international markets. It is listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange.
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.
GreenPower Motor Company Inc. is a Canadian electric bus manufacturer and distributor in North America. The company fabricates multiple zero-emission models, including transit buses, school buses, and double decker buses. GreenPower headquarters are in Vancouver, British Columbia, with a sales office in Rancho Cucamonga, California; an assembly facility in Porterville, California; and a production facility in South Charleston, West Virginia. Its stock is traded on Nasdaq the United States.