James, The manufacturers/engineers have done a very good job of making their products go up and down the highways safely. Each have their own creature comforts and unique problems. Drivers and mechanical technicians all have their favourites, for various different reasons. I have never dealt with Van hool, but have with MCI and Prevostcar for many many years. They both have first rate products, service, and parts departments. As a technician, I have found that service reps are your friends, treat them with respect and they will go to the moon and back for you. Another great video. Thanks. Rick
I work on a fleet of 100% Prevost. Amazing buses even though they carry a higher price tag. Its great when its all the same because its easier on knowledge and parts support. And MCI's are nice buses, we've leased one as we had a great deal for the lease for a short term. I think one of the biggest factors to consider is the service and support you recieve. If the manufacturer is always easy to reach and quick to take care of you, it makes a big difference in keeping your fleet on the road and keeps you as a happy client of theirs. I'm lucky we have a Prevost center 30 minutes away so its easy to get a bus in quick. If we were to maybe consider a different bus to purchase, I'd think leasing one or getting a demo would be a great way to get a feel for the bus and to compare. Another great video james!
I run for a small, family operated trucking company. We used to run a wide variety of trucks from Mack, Volvo, Kenworth, Peterbilt, International, and Freightliner but are slowly phasing the older trucks out and consolidating around the Freightliners, specifically the ones equipped with the Detroit DD15 engine. As James mentions in the video there are advantages to having just one make and model, but the downside is that if there’s a design flaw or a recall it can shut down the entire operation.
With the comment about a design flaw or a recall, you make a very good and valid point. I now see the possible reason my boss has different makes and models. As a driver, I don't like it, but I see the advantage as you pointed out.
Our leasing fleet had two models of box truck, the Durastar and M2. Once the MaxxForces were retired (kinda miss them) they all had the ISB with no semblance of power. Issue with the ISB and we’d be at a standstill. A handful of the new Detroit’s came out for the M2’s, and i love them. I’d take the ISL over the DD5, DD5 over the ISB. As for road trucks, i cannot stand the DD15. ISX all day.
Hmmm...fleet of exotic buses that stand out...I just felt a spotlight light up on me! lol. This episode was excellent. The memery made me literally lol. Now excuse me while I go fabricate from scratch a part for my bus because none exist anymore lol.
@@MotorcoachWorld Yeah..always something with my fleet. Im actually working on the Ranchero...its a chain of events. To move the bus, gotta move the Vic. To move the Vic, I need to move the Continental. Then I can move the bus closer to the air compressor...but then I need the space in the garage to work on the brake cylinders..so the Ranchero has to go out, but it has holes that will rain inside, therefor I have to weld that up...(imagine next part in movie trailer voice guy). In a world, where every car needs repairs, one man, defies all odds and becomes..the Heavy Metal Mechanic ....errr...damnit..I change dmy channel name LOL. Meh..its still my title lol. How you been man? Sorry I didnt call. Been so busy getting this truck up and doing it between more and more mris and tests at the va.
I prefer the newer MCI J4500s. They ride really smooth. I like being able to adjust the riding height of the bus, improved ac system, larger luggage bays, and comfortable interior. I find the Vanhools a bit bumpy and less comfortable for passengers. The double deckers have limited drivers space and not enough storage for anything overnight. I don't remember driving our Temsas, and the Prevost are great but cost a pretty penny. I think choosing the right bus depends on the group and type of charter or run. I prefer taking a Vanhool down south depending on the group.
You really do listen to you viewers, I saw a few people mention they don't like the premiers last video, and this time it seems you just released it. Personally, I don't care as long as it doesn't show up in my feed more than 24 hours before. I've had a premier show up scheduled for later in the day, so I think I'll be watching it later in the day...but I didn't read the date, so when I go back to the video and realize my mistake I am disappointed I have to wait lol
James this was a great video. The intro was my favorite part. 😁 A nice perspective on owning different buses and the associated costs involved. Thanks for sharing my photo that was greatly appreciated. Look forward to more videos in the future.
I don't have a title - somwhere between fleet manager and bus cleaner :) But having a uniform fleet saves a lot more than what the other salesmen offer. You touched on everything I bring up, thanks for making me think I'm not alone. As far as electric, I saw the VH CXe(i think) model at 2019 UMA [edited here] in Nashville probably wrong year[end ediit] - range of 200 miles, unless you wanted amenities. Like HVAC, Video, Lights, etc... which brought it down to less than 150 miles, then it was an 8 hour recharge. If you could find a station. I'm sure they'll get there, but it'll be a long time before electric coaches can provide the service a charter company needs.
Excellent job addressing the complexity of acquisition. This issue is like so many others in leadership: under what circumstances do my usual SOG's get adjusted. When I worked in Emergency Medical Services (EMS) we had similar discussions and debates. Does our operation need to fill a different niche? (MICU, NICU, BLS-Psych vs. ALS, etc.) Is the delivery lead time too great for my preferred unit, so I'll take a vehicle today that someone else ordered? Has my "standardized" manufacturer's chassis so changed that going forward it is like a different brand? Is my operating environment being driven by nonmonetary "green?"
Was it the Sceniccruiser that was likened to driving a diving board, requiring the jack to be stowed under the seat? I had an International that bucked so hard, i’d be thrown from the seat while buckled in.
I don't know the technicalities of most motorcoaches. However, from an economics POV, it seems better to have a fleet of the same make and model. You get economies of scale and avoid inefficiencies in having mechanics switch from one model to another and dealing with different manuals, etc. It is also cheaper and easier to train new drivers since you do not need to spend time and $$ familiarizing them with different models. Also, if you are a very large fleet owner, you might get a price break from the dealer when you buy your bus and better customer service when technical issues arise.
“Fleet commonality” or fleet consistency is nice to have, but for many companies, impossible to achieve. The ever-present problem of manufacturers switching to a different engine or transmission every year, or making your preferred transmission prohibitively expensive in a particular year, that you end up having the same bus but with different powertrain components. For a good number of companies, it’s temptation: buying an oddball vehicle because it’s too good of a deal to pass. Other companies need fleet diversity to meet customer or service needs. Then there’s always a company that likes to have one pet vehicle on hand, available for actual service, that’s vintage, exotic, odd or humorously terrible.
James, New technology. Let someone else test it out. I've driven MCI -8 , 9 and 102's (For Greyhound) Eagles (For Greyhound) And Van Hools, DINA, Prevost for charter companies. Yes, a 1990's DINA Marcopolo Viaggio !! LOL I would say that it is a toss up between a MCI 102's and an Eagle. And never been a fan of Prevost. Sorry.
As a Ex driver of a bus company with 20 or so busses we had MCI and VanHool. I went to another company with MCI and Volvo. I liked the MCI the best, just never got comfortable with the VanHool, can’t explain why. I ever had a incident, never unsafe just did t like it. Couple that with the terrible dealer and warranty help I would side with the MCI. I was told but not confirmed that the VanHool was chosen for fuel mileage. Forget what the Volvo was powered by but all the rest were Detroit’s except the one 40’ MCI that had a Cummins.
How was the ride quality on the Van Hool motorcoach? Was it firm or soft? I only rode their transit buses, and they rode so hard that it was as if they never put any springs on them.
@@texasabbott ride was nice actually. I think I wasn’t use to the front axle placement. Doesn’t help that you run a J model for 7 runs straight then get the VanHool for one. Also that lane departure alarm was annoying, in SoCal with winding freeways it was always screaming.
James, we have Setra and MCI. I want to get rid of the MCI, and get another Setra ADA bus. I prefer having one brand. I like the drivability of the Setra. Also The setra styling has not changed much. An older well taken care of Setra still looks new. Unfortunately I may have to buy the university a new garbage truck. $200,000 making trips to the dump.
John. Send me a pic of your self in front of your buses. I would be honored to put you in an intro. You've been watching my stuff since day one I think 🤣.
Wow. Something I never hear. I want to buy more Setras lol. I will say the electrical layout doesn't change much which makes troubleshooting lots easier. If you can say diagnosing a Setras is easy, especially since the electric schematics are in German 🤣
So far we have had great success with our Serra’s. I love the styling, and they drive really nicely. I will buy more. I don’t mind being different. Parts are also reasonably priced and usually quick to get.
I think that it's worth considering the specialized roles that all different makes and models provide. One model could be incredibly reliable, but be loud and unpleasant to ride in on long journeys. One model could have terrible fuel economy in the city but excellent fuel economy on the highway, making it better for cross-country journeys. It's all about what the company specializes in. Though I must say--I really do like it when a company has a really diverse fleet. And, yeah...you can't go wrong with a Toyota. They never break. I love 'em.
Great video. Another thing that you didn't mention is availability of build slots on the assembly line . It could be that you might have to wait awhile before the coach you want can be built. I remenber back in 1997 we ordered 5 MCI E series for the summer of 98. We were able to secure 4 slots but the 5th could not be built until 3 months after the first 4. Mine was the 5th so I resigned my self to driving my DL for another summer. Fortunately a coach that was being built a week after ours became available when the company that ordered it went out if bussiness. It was 2/3 finished when they offered it to us at the same price as what our coach cost. It actually had some options that we didn't order like the speakers mounted under the floor that when turned on and up made the whole bus vibrate from the bass. I had the best sound system in a bys in the the Canadian Rockies.
I know that my industry utilizes equipment that is a little bit of a different than a bus, but many of the fleet management concepts are similar. I am part of an excavating company with 17 pieces of equipment, including equipment such as excavators, bulldozers, and front-end loaders. Currently, 14 of those 17 pieces are Caterpillar. Why does Cat dominate our fleet? The short answer is that nobody in our area is able to match the support (for parts, service, ect.) that Cat is able to provide. We also find that many larger Cat machines tend to last about 20 percent longer than most competing brands. Plus, once they do get tired, they are designed to be rebuilt, and you can potentially get many more good hours of service from the machine. Another plus for us is most of the operators prefer Cat equipment due to the operator comfort and control layouts, making them more productive at the end of the day. Many people believe we waste a lot of money on our Cat equipment, but some of our particular work environments, such as marine construction, create conditions where if a machine breaks down and we can’t get a part to fix it that day, we may have a machine sustain damage, or even lose the whole machine. I will say it’s very interesting to me to see how some brands are perceived so differently in different applications and industries. I’ve heard from multiple bus companies that Cat engines have not worked out well for them. Yet you go into the heavy haul trucking industry, it seems like everybody wants to have a Cat engine. I enjoy watching your videos!
Having driven trucks equipped with engines from the Big Three (Detroit, Cummins, and Cat) plus some of the “smaller” manufacturers like International and Mack, I can comfortably say that the Cat engine was by far my favorite. Plenty of power, ultra reliable, and designed with routine maintenance tasks in mind. To be fair, it was a pre-emissions engine so it was much simpler than the engines that came later, and it didn’t get the fuel economy that my current DD15 does. That said, I miss it.
Some bus companies open there maintenance shops to the public and other sister companies ive seen it first hand down here with thrasher brothers trailways and cline tours...if a sister company coach breaks down near their shop they will fix it not sure how the hand shake works but they do it here in Alabama
If you are reputable, these manufacturers will give you a demo to drive. You can gage driver, mechanics and passenger feedback before deciding to purchase a given model. I drove a brand new Renaissance demo coach. It drove nice but it had so many issues, the company i worked for chose not to purchase any. However, with mergers taking place, we wound up with Renaissance buses eventually. Personally I think Prevost is the best
Sounds like my Dad's favorite piece of advice on purchasing a new car also somewhat applies to coaches; Never buy a first model year vehicle, wait a year for all the design bugs to be worked out and the assembly line process to get settled. I've worked in the car rental industry almost a decade, and have definitely seen issues show up on brand new car models or redesigns, any manufacturer. Maybe this would be more for another video topic, but curious, are short term motorcoach leases an option as well in some situations? I know I've seen leased coaches operated by a local company during a major special event in the past.
Your father sounds like a wise man. Yes there are leasing options for motor coaches. Usually 10 year leases with a limited amount of miles. It's easy for anyone to go out and lease a fleet of motor coaches off the bat. What gets people in trouble is year 7 and onward after the lead when the buses starts to age and things begin to fail and now you need to hire techs and buy parts to keep them running while still paying the monthly leases payments.
I am a keeper rather than a buyer. I try to use and repair everything as far as I can. How's that a thing in your industry? What are reasons to replace a bus? I get that at some point you run out of spare parts. Or the components are just worn so repairing stuff would be basically rebuilding the bus. Can you discuss that from a company's perspective? For Europe I see buses to be laid off after around 10 years being "to old", but they tend to get a second life. These buses are sold off to developing country, and even sold off at a profit, and serve another 20 years.Adressing sustainability, under which circumstances would your comany keep the buses longer? You don't have to answer instantly. Just have it on your list. :)
To add, you can put in a sleeper in the luggage compartment, and tow a luggage trailer, so you can do longer trips with one coach, two drivers that don't need minivans, and better experience for your longer trip customers. Just a thought from an over the road trucker.
Back in the day, companies had mixed fleets, but all had the same drivetrain (which would be a 2-stroke Detroit and either a spicer manual or Allison automatic). Nowadays one make may have a Cummins, another may have a Caterpillar, and another may have a MAN. Anyhoo, give me either a vintage GMC, Flxible, or Neoplan.
I’ve driven MCI D4500’s and 4000’s, with ISX and Detroit 60, and i thought the Detroit had more oomph, but the ISX engine brake was less finicky. Not as useful, but less finicky.
I work for the shop that does all Prevost Liberty busses custom paint jobs. Some of the paint jobs cost as much as a base model of other busses. Crazy to think about.
Personally, I think motor coach diagnosing software should be universal across all motor coach manufacturers. This way, one software subscription covers your entire fleet of buses.
Yes the G model I heard was a nightmare. As for the 4500 Express model from Bluebird, those are even worse. And forget trying to get parts for those Bluebirds. I used to work in the Transit field and we had Bluebird transit coaches (Ultra LF) and they were utter garbage. I have driven both transit as well as motorcoaches. Transits, I prefer the Gillig Phantom and the RTS. Coaches, I absolutely love the C2045 from VanHool. The 102DL3 is a very solid coach but it isn’t as nice riding as the VanHool.
Here: We prefer buying Hyundai mostly. The next, would be.leading Chinese bus manufacturers like BYD, Higer, Ankai etc. For sure, there are some Chinese buses available in American market.
James me and my dad were talking about meeting you at your Champaign facility and we were thinking about doing it on Halloween morning at 10am what do you think
some companies will pay for training. Some companies wont. Some will not hire you without a prior CDL. So its all different. Peoria Charter does offer paid training for your license.
Question: in your opinion who makes the best diesel engine for motor coaches? also which is the easiest diesel engine to work on and lstly which diesel engine has the cheapest part cost?
James you cool guy like your channel I like have Volvo 9700 with 18 speed I shift 550HP Volvo D13. Deep ocean blue with blue LEDs street glow under bus with blue LEDs lights inside.
you should buy a few movies for the bus misssippi burning fast and furious harriet tubman dune just as property for the bus that way in case no one sent movies and or they want to see something new you have the bus company movies
A ! have a great day . , and safe be family man . I will show my gratitude if I do a start up or acquisition , and if anybody doesn’t check you out , they might as well just file now for bankruptcy. THANK YOU .🇺🇸🚓🦉🚁🍑
Electric buses have a long way to go; even for electric cars, infrastructure is always changing and the energy density issue is always improving so quickly. I am an MCI fan boy, if I ran a motorcoach company I would never get VanHools so my passengers would still have a spine at the end of the day 🤣🤣
I can see the logic in waiting to see how a new technology pans out. But I also don’t think that we really have 3 years to wait for EV coaches either. We’re really in a massive race against time now to slash emissions and I have no idea what’s going to happen. We definitely need to curtail private car ownership as much as possible and switch back to public transport including coaches (because we were right the first time). Whether we could slash car use but still get away with diesel coaches in the short term remains to be seen. I could see that being a possibility.
EVs are NOT the answer, not with the sorry state the power girds are in for starters replace the coal powerplants that account for HALF of all global emissions yet only give 15% of the energy we need to fix those first worry bout the cars and busses later
The European Mercedes/toyot parts price ratio is not sooo different from the us, also the Mercedes mechanics must have PhDs going from their hourly rates. I love driving and having one, and as you said - have at it but they sell their premium image, that's it. On German forums I even read guys talking about a common reliability problem with a specific model - a 1500 euro repair - and they just said "if you buy a Mercedes, you subscribe to that, suck it up" as long as they have insane customers like that in Germany, we will have diesel scandals and unreliable cars
I'm sure by talking to the sales people. It's hard to sell a new product when the customer knows nothing about it. It's sort of like taking a car for a test drive, but since it's used in a business, you have to see how it works out in that situation
I recently found out that my dd Jeep uses the same serpentine belt as my business Ford box truck. I'm sure nothing else is the same though. I'm the only one driving and doing repairs, so my main concern is how easy is it to get parts and their cost. I'm not trying to impress passengers, my cargo doesn't care as long as they are in a good temperature range. If I ever get another work vehicle, it's got to be along the lines of a GM or Ford. Something the local parts stores can at least get parts the next day. A previous place I worked, were I did maintenance used an Isuzu truck and Mercedes vans, both of them sucked getting parts for. I had to wait 2 days for a power steering hose for the Isuzu, a day for the oil of the Mercedes. If I had to bring the Mercedes to the dealer, it was an hour away because the local one won't touch them. The local GM dealership won't get parts for the Isuzu, but sold them at some point. On the Mercedes, me and someone else had to drive 1 hour each way, but had to make two trips, just over a brake light that was leaking water. I didn't care, I got paid the same, and I got to spend the bosses money. Now that I have my own business, it's about what saves me the most time and money.
I love the way the newer MCI J45s look and drive, it's my weapon of choice in a mixed fleet of MCI, Vanhool, and Temsa coaches. Looking forward to driving some Prevost XLIIs/IIIs and H3-45s one day too .. Still a big fan of the old MC Series and the DL3 from MCI too.
@@MotorcoachWorld The company I work has a metric ton of Prevost X3-45s and H3-45s, and a few MCI D4505s, The D4505s suck for driver comfort and the passengers always complain how uncomfortable they are. The X3-45s are like driving a Cadillac, super comfortable for the driver and passengers. The H3-45s are even more comfortable, they usually have big, wide, cushy leather seats for the passengers. The Prevosts you can lift the rear tag to make your turns tighter then the MCIs, but I do find the MCIs more responsive for steering going down the highway.
I work for a company that runs all MCIs mostly J4500s but a couple D4505s and D4005s. We had a former EVP decide to get a Van Hool. Worst bus I ever drove. Always broken down, and the body was more fragile Quark on an away mission. Well that EVP was shown the door, and his replacement traded in the Van Hool for the 2017 MCI J4500 demo model of the 2018 J4500 I drive now. Yes it's a 2017 by VIN, 2018 by design. Rather unique in that respect. Although my company pays more upfront to maintain a fleet of all MCIs, we saved on the reduced parts inventory due to part commonality, and reliability. And remember, good preventative maintenance, equates to longevity. Longevity equates to profit as you'll have many years of running that coach without a payment on a banknote.
I’m really curious to see how electric vehicles do in the charter market. Electric buses are pretty well established in the transit field, and they are getting to the point now where they have been around long enough to start making some long-term projections and decisions about them. I know for any battery vehicle the range is always the biggest issue, and for a coach bus that’s a big deal! Transit it’s easy to install on route charging at transfer points and other places where the bus waits for a bit, but with the unpredictable nature of coach buses that’s much harder. I could see battery coaches starting out on either intracity runs where it comes back to the yard every night, or line runs where you could have charging stations at either end. I predict it’s going to be a while before battery coaches make it into true overnight charter runs.
Something else to think about people are buying used coaches to make into RV's,, and as you stated parts and proper service are a most but if you watch Scott BGM ( Bus Grease Monkey ) you can see that service of a used coach is is very hard and parts are very costly and hard to get. My advice to the RV guy the MCI will make a Bad Ass Motor Home but the school bus build on a freightliner chassis is easy to get parts for ,,but the MCI will look much Cooler Hehe
In the trucking aspect, I am a one brand guy (International) and I opted to keep what I've had for 11-years now. It was the last model before emissions regulations took effect, I bought it used. I've had the engine rebuilt twice now by Detroit Diesel and it is exactly as it were brand new with all spec's that were in effect at the time it was manufactured. As for the truck, well it too has been rebuilt multiple times and I am continuously updating it and mechanically it is no different than a brand new truck. I know my truck inside out and do the majority of the work myself because it is an easy truck to maintain and repair. Only heavy repairs go to pro-shops. Fuel mileage still knocks my socks off with roughly 7.5 mpg which is better than today's trucks. I love the newer trucks however they seem to spend a lot of time on the side of the road or in one shop or another while mine is still going down the road. For the money I've reinvested in my truck I could've bought brand new but why? With mine, just turn the key and go.
I am thinking of buying a used motorcoach with a conversion with is better prevost eagle van hools or MCI I am looking under 40000 used prevost with marathoner conversion a 1977 with series sixty refit with 13 speed Manuel
Should a bus break down, say the engine gives out. Which would be easier to 1. Find a repair center. 2. Get parts for repair. 3. How long of a wait time for said parts to get to said repair center. If your at Yellowstone National Parks, and your Van Hool drops a cylinder. You could be waiting a few day. Versus a MCI, which (might) can be over-night to the repair shop.
That is a hard question to answer. As a Driver I guess I prefer a H3-45... Unless its a trip into a area with a bunch of low bridges. then I would rather drive a J4500 as they are not as tall.. As a fleet manager or Owner. I would rather have J4500's. They are lower maintenance and cheaper to own. They are also cheaper to buy/
If you enjoy new car smell so much, just buy a can of it! It's a spray they specifically put in, even used cars from higher-end dealerships have the same smell. Would personally recommend getting the 'Chemical Guys AIR_300 New Car Scent and Leather Scent Combo Pack' on Amazon
Hey Taylor Jay. It depends on a lot of different factors. What kind of trips you use your bus for, Price and earnings will also play a huge factor in this time frame. How many are in your fleet... Some operators never make the money back. Some bus companies survive solely on cash flow and never really make a profit. And some will make the money back within a year.... So there is no real black and white answer to this question.
I would probably have to say the Prevost H345 was my favorite experience. Although I prefer the J 4500 just because I'm used to it and know where everything's at
@@MotorcoachWorld Cool! I do like MCI's a good amount but even though I've never been on one, I seem to like Setra's too. I've only been on motor coaches for two field trips, I think for the first one I was on either an MCI D4505 or maybe an older model J. For the second one that I took back in June, I was on an MCI D4505(the buses that I took for that trip are my TH-cam logo by the way. They were parked there and I figured I would take a picture of them because why not. I like buses. I've been trying to film buses driving by me now.)
My Company has mostly MCI J4500s, with a few Setras and VanHools. I have things I like and dislike about each of them. The Setras, I don't like the design of how the mirrors and windshield shades interact. The shades block the use of the mirrors. The newer VanHools we have, I don't like the feeling of sitting in a hole compared to the passengers, and the use of a joystick/menus to make adjustments of HVAC, mirrors, etc. Of our fleet, I prefer to drive the MCIs or the older VanHools we have.
I'm not a purchasing manager, I'm a "test-pilot", long-term, that is.... A company I worked with for ten years, had approximately a 50-50 split between leased power units (tractors), and so-called "company owned" units. The truth was that they leased everything. Half through a very popular and well-known truck rental/leasing company, the other half was leased through a large financing company. The leased units from "Company P" came with 100% maintenance included, and they supplied some of the consumables, oil, w/wash fluid, bulbs, tires (if you didn't blow them on the road). The only thing the operator supplied was diesel fuel, and later on, DEF. The trucks leased through "Company GEC", you had to supply your own parts, repairs, maintenance, everything, boosts, service calls, etc. Obviously on paper, there was a difference in the monthly payment price, but in the long run, leasing the units on a 5-yr lease and letting the leasing company maintain it and be responsible for it, was THE way to go. Especially when Diesel Particulate Filters, and Diesel Exhaust Fluid technologies were first coming down the pipe. Leasing with "Company P", if the unit went down, all one had to do was find a phone or use a cell phone, or the company satellite, tell them where the downed unit was, and they would take over. If the unit could not be repaired where it was, it would be towed in, at their expense. IF you (the driver) could not be back on your way within a very reasonable window of time (8 hrs), a replacement/susbstitute unit would be made available, or towed to where it was needed. I'm sire that other rental and leasing companies out their also offer full coverage maintenance packages on equipment that you can rent or lease through them, but these financing companies who merely front the cash and credit on your behalf, offer little to know benefit beyond the convenience of instant financing for what you need. I don't know what the next big thing, well, maybe electric buses, trucks, etc. Will the rental and leasing companies take the plunge in to these technologies, renting and leasing to THEIR customers and taking the responsibilities for bugs and failures? I don't know the answer yet, but you can bet your bottom dollar that if that is what will be coming down the pipe for the future, leasing (even if only in small quantities at first) would be a good way to test things out to see if they are going to work for your needs, and how quickly and easily the leasing companies can get parts, get their techs trained, and get you through the nightmares and back on the road moving freight (or passengers) and bringing in revenue. With sensors that fail, parts the wear out and fail, and just plain good old prevetative maintenance to cathc problems before they can happen, I can't say enough good things about the experiences I had testing... I mean driving equipment that came with an unconditional backing and support. Not sure wif buses can be leased, but if they can, and if they offer full-meal-deals on maintenance, yes, it looks like more money up front, per monthly payment, but I saw it pay off. I left that company I drove for after ten years for reasons not related to the equipment. It wasn't long after I had departed, they began to steer toward 100% leased power, through that same "Company P". Yes, with leasing or renting, you don't own the thing, and never will own it (through you probably could try to buy it after the 4 or 5 year lease is up, because they do get sold), but the entire time you lease it, you won't have to worry about unexpected, expensive breakdowns. This is where the higher monthly payments, pay off. With something you own yourself, it's your own problem, no matter what "warranty" it might come with.
Mercedes-Benz Tourismo (3rd gen). Works flawlessly, fuel-efficient and reliable. Relatively simple, thus easy to maintain, and great for driving! You can also chose different length and axle configurations according to your needs, but they are all based on the same model with the same spare parts. And I love its basic simple, but very practical design. Overall - it's a great bus!
By having a uniform fleet of buses you have more purchasing power with a manufacturer meaning trade discounts/manufacturing timelines being shortened because they want to impress the big buyer to be a repeat customer. Insurance premiums may also go down because bureaucracy between different models would be reduced. It would be drastically easier to average expenses between coaches and track wear. When is it advantageous to have multiple models? 1. Different customer needs would warrant different specifications, perhaps a different builder has a better offer for what you need for this customer. Different depot specifications perhaps. Bigger buses one depot, smaller other for instance. 2. Second hand purchasing. You can't necessarily get the same models when buying a whole fleet of second-hand buses. I've seen this occur a few times though but this was sudden regulatory change forcing fleet selling. 3. Finance. Maybe it is cheaper to go to two different manufacturers because the finance differentiates between builders. 4. One-off orders, some companies build on a bulk order basis some do individual orders bespoke.
Thoughts on Volvo 9700 2018/19? We are running a fleet of 5 currently and have mixed feelings. Prevost service center where we take them is about 45min away from us.
It's been my experience that customers can have a vug influence on the decision making process. I worked for a company that was nearly exclusively MCI. The owner decided to purchase two H3 40 coaches. Customers loved the underbelly luggage space and started requesting them. That lead to the owner buying five H3 45s. Again customers not only loved the extra luggage space and extra seats they obviously knew these were newer buses and they were constantly getting requested . The owner then purchased four more H3 45s. Also companies may choose different models for the different services they offer. For instance, an MCI D series coach may perfectly be suited to operate a casino line run where luggage space won't be an issue. Travel groups may want a J series coach while a professional sports team or teams will opt for the H3 45s . Commuter services may only need a D series from MCI or a Prevost X3 45. Other high end clients may want the VanHool CX 45. A charter only company can probably get away with just one make and model, but a company with diverse services or a company that operates in a city like Chicago that has areas where a taller motorcoach won't clear certain viaduct, the company may have to diversify its fleet to meet the needs of its diverse clientele
Never buy anything in it's first model year; especially the Block 1 models. Too many problems pop up. MCI been building buses and motorcoaches for decades as a GM division before become independent. One model fleets have a major disadvantage-too many versions. The Boeing 737 as an example- 737-100 through 900 (old classification) -8,-9,-10 (new classification) Classic, Next Generation and MAX, Extended Range or not. Different airlines; different intertor setup.
James, even though I’ve never driven a motor coach, I enjoy watching your videos! Enjoyable, educational, humorous and insightful.
James, The manufacturers/engineers have done a very good job of making their products go up and down the highways safely. Each have their own creature comforts and unique problems. Drivers and mechanical technicians all have their favourites, for various different reasons. I have never dealt with Van hool, but have with MCI and Prevostcar for many many years. They both have first rate products, service, and parts departments. As a technician, I have found that service reps are your friends, treat them with respect and they will go to the moon and back for you. Another great video. Thanks. Rick
Truer words have never been spoken. Thanks Rick
I work on a fleet of 100% Prevost. Amazing buses even though they carry a higher price tag. Its great when its all the same because its easier on knowledge and parts support. And MCI's are nice buses, we've leased one as we had a great deal for the lease for a short term. I think one of the biggest factors to consider is the service and support you recieve. If the manufacturer is always easy to reach and quick to take care of you, it makes a big difference in keeping your fleet on the road and keeps you as a happy client of theirs. I'm lucky we have a Prevost center 30 minutes away so its easy to get a bus in quick. If we were to maybe consider a different bus to purchase, I'd think leasing one or getting a demo would be a great way to get a feel for the bus and to compare. Another great video james!
I run for a small, family operated trucking company. We used to run a wide variety of trucks from Mack, Volvo, Kenworth, Peterbilt, International, and Freightliner but are slowly phasing the older trucks out and consolidating around the Freightliners, specifically the ones equipped with the Detroit DD15 engine. As James mentions in the video there are advantages to having just one make and model, but the downside is that if there’s a design flaw or a recall it can shut down the entire operation.
With the comment about a design flaw or a recall, you make a very good and valid point. I now see the possible reason my boss has different makes and models. As a driver, I don't like it, but I see the advantage as you pointed out.
Our leasing fleet had two models of box truck, the Durastar and M2. Once the MaxxForces were retired (kinda miss them) they all had the ISB with no semblance of power. Issue with the ISB and we’d be at a standstill. A handful of the new Detroit’s came out for the M2’s, and i love them. I’d take the ISL over the DD5, DD5 over the ISB. As for road trucks, i cannot stand the DD15. ISX all day.
Hmmm...fleet of exotic buses that stand out...I just felt a spotlight light up on me! lol.
This episode was excellent. The memery made me literally lol. Now excuse me while I go fabricate from scratch a part for my bus because none exist anymore lol.
LOL 😅😆 nice man.
@@MotorcoachWorld Yeah..always something with my fleet. Im actually working on the Ranchero...its a chain of events. To move the bus, gotta move the Vic. To move the Vic, I need to move the Continental. Then I can move the bus closer to the air compressor...but then I need the space in the garage to work on the brake cylinders..so the Ranchero has to go out, but it has holes that will rain inside, therefor I have to weld that up...(imagine next part in movie trailer voice guy). In a world, where every car needs repairs, one man, defies all odds and becomes..the Heavy Metal Mechanic ....errr...damnit..I change dmy channel name LOL. Meh..its still my title lol. How you been man? Sorry I didnt call. Been so busy getting this truck up and doing it between more and more mris and tests at the va.
I prefer the newer MCI J4500s. They ride really smooth. I like being able to adjust the riding height of the bus, improved ac system, larger luggage bays, and comfortable interior. I find the Vanhools a bit bumpy and less comfortable for passengers. The double deckers have limited drivers space and not enough storage for anything overnight. I don't remember driving our Temsas, and the Prevost are great but cost a pretty penny. I think choosing the right bus depends on the group and type of charter or run. I prefer taking a Vanhool down south depending on the group.
You really do listen to you viewers, I saw a few people mention they don't like the premiers last video, and this time it seems you just released it.
Personally, I don't care as long as it doesn't show up in my feed more than 24 hours before. I've had a premier show up scheduled for later in the day, so I think I'll be watching it later in the day...but I didn't read the date, so when I go back to the video and realize my mistake I am disappointed I have to wait lol
James this was a great video. The intro was my favorite part. 😁 A nice perspective on owning different buses and the associated costs involved. Thanks for sharing my photo that was greatly appreciated. Look forward to more videos in the future.
I don't have a title - somwhere between fleet manager and bus cleaner :) But having a uniform fleet saves a lot more than what the other salesmen offer. You touched on everything I bring up, thanks for making me think I'm not alone.
As far as electric, I saw the VH CXe(i think) model at 2019 UMA [edited here] in Nashville probably wrong year[end ediit] - range of 200 miles, unless you wanted amenities. Like HVAC, Video, Lights, etc... which brought it down to less than 150 miles, then it was an 8 hour recharge. If you could find a station. I'm sure they'll get there, but it'll be a long time before electric coaches can provide the service a charter company needs.
Excellent job addressing the complexity of acquisition. This issue is like so many others in leadership: under what circumstances do my usual SOG's get adjusted. When I worked in Emergency Medical Services (EMS) we had similar discussions and debates. Does our operation need to fill a different niche? (MICU, NICU, BLS-Psych vs. ALS, etc.) Is the delivery lead time too great for my preferred unit, so I'll take a vehicle today that someone else ordered? Has my "standardized" manufacturer's chassis so changed that going forward it is like a different brand? Is my operating environment being driven by nonmonetary "green?"
I want to talk to the guy who ran out and bought a BCI Falcon 45! See if he is still employed!
I only saw those on the road twice in my entire life.
Lol
So what's the story ??
I like driving the MCI much better than Van Hool. Van Hool is so bouncy in the front end. Like driving a pogo stick sometimes!! lol.
Was it the Sceniccruiser that was likened to driving a diving board, requiring the jack to be stowed under the seat? I had an International that bucked so hard, i’d be thrown from the seat while buckled in.
Good to have you back! Always enjoy seeing the video even though I am not in a bus industry.
Hey Jin thanks man. Always love seeing your comments
I don't know the technicalities of most motorcoaches. However, from an economics POV, it seems better to have a fleet of the same make and model. You get economies of scale and avoid inefficiencies in having mechanics switch from one model to another and dealing with different manuals, etc. It is also cheaper and easier to train new drivers since you do not need to spend time and $$ familiarizing them with different models.
Also, if you are a very large fleet owner, you might get a price break from the dealer when you buy your bus and better customer service when technical issues arise.
“Fleet commonality” or fleet consistency is nice to have, but for many companies, impossible to achieve. The ever-present problem of manufacturers switching to a different engine or transmission every year, or making your preferred transmission prohibitively expensive in a particular year, that you end up having the same bus but with different powertrain components. For a good number of companies, it’s temptation: buying an oddball vehicle because it’s too good of a deal to pass. Other companies need fleet diversity to meet customer or service needs. Then there’s always a company that likes to have one pet vehicle on hand, available for actual service, that’s vintage, exotic, odd or humorously terrible.
@@texasabbott Sounds like there is a conspiracy on the part of the manufacturers 😗
That's fine until the manufacturer recalls the coach bus model that you've bought due to manufacturing defects etc.
James, New technology. Let someone else test it out.
I've driven MCI -8 , 9 and 102's (For Greyhound) Eagles (For Greyhound) And Van Hools, DINA, Prevost for charter companies.
Yes, a 1990's DINA Marcopolo Viaggio !! LOL
I would say that it is a toss up between a MCI 102's and an Eagle. And never been a fan of Prevost. Sorry.
There's definitely something to be said for fleet commonality... H3-45 is my #1
Great video again “as always “
As a Ex driver of a bus company with 20 or so busses we had MCI and VanHool. I went to another company with MCI and Volvo. I liked the MCI the best, just never got comfortable with the VanHool, can’t explain why. I ever had a incident, never unsafe just did t like it. Couple that with the terrible dealer and warranty help I would side with the MCI. I was told but not confirmed that the VanHool was chosen for fuel mileage. Forget what the Volvo was powered by but all the rest were Detroit’s except the one 40’ MCI that had a Cummins.
How was the ride quality on the Van Hool motorcoach? Was it firm or soft? I only rode their transit buses, and they rode so hard that it was as if they never put any springs on them.
@@texasabbott ride was nice actually. I think I wasn’t use to the front axle placement. Doesn’t help that you run a J model for 7 runs straight then get the VanHool for one. Also that lane departure alarm was annoying, in SoCal with winding freeways it was always screaming.
The Volvo would almost certainly have a Volvo engine
New Car Smell by The Chemical Guys. It's live changing! I bought it because I needed an actual new car smell and it's pretty spot-on in my book
Ill have to check it out! thanks!
James, we have Setra and MCI. I want to get rid of the MCI, and get another Setra ADA bus. I prefer having one brand. I like the drivability of the Setra. Also The setra styling has not changed much. An older well taken care of Setra still looks new. Unfortunately I may have to buy the university a new garbage truck. $200,000 making trips to the dump.
John. Send me a pic of your self in front of your buses. I would be honored to put you in an intro. You've been watching my stuff since day one I think 🤣.
@@MotorcoachWorld No one wants to see that! Lol!
Wow. Something I never hear. I want to buy more Setras lol. I will say the electrical layout doesn't change much which makes troubleshooting lots easier. If you can say diagnosing a Setras is easy, especially since the electric schematics are in German 🤣
So far we have had great success with our Serra’s. I love the styling, and they drive really nicely. I will buy more. I don’t mind being different. Parts are also reasonably priced and usually quick to get.
@@johnwright3710 I own a Setra where do you get services and parts?
I think that it's worth considering the specialized roles that all different makes and models provide. One model could be incredibly reliable, but be loud and unpleasant to ride in on long journeys. One model could have terrible fuel economy in the city but excellent fuel economy on the highway, making it better for cross-country journeys. It's all about what the company specializes in. Though I must say--I really do like it when a company has a really diverse fleet.
And, yeah...you can't go wrong with a Toyota. They never break. I love 'em.
Great video. Another thing that you didn't mention is availability of build slots on the assembly line . It could be that you might have to wait awhile before the coach you want can be built.
I remenber back in 1997 we ordered 5 MCI E series for the summer of 98. We were able to secure 4 slots but the 5th could not be built until 3 months after the first 4. Mine was the 5th so I resigned my self to driving my DL for another summer. Fortunately a coach that was being built a week after ours became available when the company that ordered it went out if bussiness. It was 2/3 finished when they offered it to us at the same price as what our coach cost. It actually had some options that we didn't order like the speakers mounted under the floor that when turned on and up made the whole bus vibrate from the bass. I had the best sound system in a bys in the the Canadian Rockies.
I know that my industry utilizes equipment that is a little bit of a different than a bus, but many of the fleet management concepts are similar. I am part of an excavating company with 17 pieces of equipment, including equipment such as excavators, bulldozers, and front-end loaders. Currently, 14 of those 17 pieces are Caterpillar. Why does Cat dominate our fleet? The short answer is that nobody in our area is able to match the support (for parts, service, ect.) that Cat is able to provide. We also find that many larger Cat machines tend to last about 20 percent longer than most competing brands. Plus, once they do get tired, they are designed to be rebuilt, and you can potentially get many more good hours of service from the machine. Another plus for us is most of the operators prefer Cat equipment due to the operator comfort and control layouts, making them more productive at the end of the day. Many people believe we waste a lot of money on our Cat equipment, but some of our particular work environments, such as marine construction, create conditions where if a machine breaks down and we can’t get a part to fix it that day, we may have a machine sustain damage, or even lose the whole machine. I will say it’s very interesting to me to see how some brands are perceived so differently in different applications and industries. I’ve heard from multiple bus companies that Cat engines have not worked out well for them. Yet you go into the heavy haul trucking industry, it seems like everybody wants to have a Cat engine. I enjoy watching your videos!
Having driven trucks equipped with engines from the Big Three (Detroit, Cummins, and Cat) plus some of the “smaller” manufacturers like International and Mack, I can comfortably say that the Cat engine was by far my favorite. Plenty of power, ultra reliable, and designed with routine maintenance tasks in mind. To be fair, it was a pre-emissions engine so it was much simpler than the engines that came later, and it didn’t get the fuel economy that my current DD15 does. That said, I miss it.
Some bus companies open there maintenance shops to the public and other sister companies ive seen it first hand down here with thrasher brothers trailways and cline tours...if a sister company coach breaks down near their shop they will fix it not sure how the hand shake works but they do it here in Alabama
If you are reputable, these manufacturers will give you a demo to drive. You can gage driver, mechanics and passenger feedback before deciding to purchase a given model. I drove a brand new Renaissance demo coach. It drove nice but it had so many issues, the company i worked for chose not to purchase any. However, with mergers taking place, we wound up with Renaissance buses eventually. Personally I think Prevost is the best
Sounds like my Dad's favorite piece of advice on purchasing a new car also somewhat applies to coaches; Never buy a first model year vehicle, wait a year for all the design bugs to be worked out and the assembly line process to get settled. I've worked in the car rental industry almost a decade, and have definitely seen issues show up on brand new car models or redesigns, any manufacturer.
Maybe this would be more for another video topic, but curious, are short term motorcoach leases an option as well in some situations? I know I've seen leased coaches operated by a local company during a major special event in the past.
Your father sounds like a wise man.
Yes there are leasing options for motor coaches.
Usually 10 year leases with a limited amount of miles.
It's easy for anyone to go out and lease a fleet of motor coaches off the bat. What gets people in trouble is year 7 and onward after the lead when the buses starts to age and things begin to fail and now you need to hire techs and buy parts to keep them running while still paying the monthly leases payments.
Prevost hands down ... Never disliked my experience with MCI either
I agree with you assessment Max!
I am a keeper rather than a buyer. I try to use and repair everything as far as I can. How's that a thing in your industry? What are reasons to replace a bus? I get that at some point you run out of spare parts. Or the components are just worn so repairing stuff would be basically rebuilding the bus. Can you discuss that from a company's perspective? For Europe I see buses to be laid off after around 10 years being "to old", but they tend to get a second life. These buses are sold off to developing country, and even sold off at a profit, and serve another 20 years.Adressing sustainability, under which circumstances would your comany keep the buses longer?
You don't have to answer instantly. Just have it on your list. :)
Great business management advice! Keep up the good work!
Get a Volvo 9800 or a Skania Irizar i8, your going a lov it!!
Buy a Van Hool TD925 Double Decker. It'll take planning for Chicago trips, but it's 60-80 passengers depending on configuration
To add, you can put in a sleeper in the luggage compartment, and tow a luggage trailer, so you can do longer trips with one coach, two drivers that don't need minivans, and better experience for your longer trip customers. Just a thought from an over the road trucker.
Back in the day, companies had mixed fleets, but all had the same drivetrain (which would be a 2-stroke Detroit and either a spicer manual or Allison automatic). Nowadays one make may have a Cummins, another may have a Caterpillar, and another may have a MAN. Anyhoo, give me either a vintage GMC, Flxible, or Neoplan.
I’ve driven MCI D4500’s and 4000’s, with ISX and Detroit 60, and i thought the Detroit had more oomph, but the ISX engine brake was less finicky. Not as useful, but less finicky.
Plaxton/Volvo made in Scarborough north Yorkshire
That be interesting
this would be good for entertaining people movies you buy
I work for the shop that does all Prevost Liberty busses custom paint jobs. Some of the paint jobs cost as much as a base model of other busses. Crazy to think about.
Great video you snuck the video I about missed you 😞 but you were excellent 👍
Hey Michael. Thanks man. Yeah sorry there was no premier today
Must have a beautiful wonderful amazing Volvo 9700 18 speed I shift .
Only Van Hool. But you can't compare the US ones and the European ones. Looks the same, but are playing in completely different leagues.
Ive noticed that... US tend to get the watered down versions of them...
Personally, I think motor coach diagnosing software should be universal across all motor coach manufacturers. This way, one software subscription covers your entire fleet of buses.
James can you do a video on the Setra brand? There is almost no videos or info on TH-cam about them?
I’m planning on getting my first G1 licence here in Ontario I’m planning on getting a Toyota or an Nissan vehicle 🚗
I spy a caterpillar motor, I want one!
Dont get the DPF ones. They were nightmares. There was a class action lawsuit against cat for the C-13 regen engines.
Great video
James, I think Peoria Charter needs the MCI G4500, I’ve seen Norcan Tours using G4500 and Bluebird 4500 in San Diego for MTS
I don't have a lot of Faith in the G models. They were very unreliable.
You can get them for really cheap but they don't last.
Yes the G model I heard was a nightmare. As for the 4500 Express model from Bluebird, those are even worse. And forget trying to get parts for those Bluebirds. I used to work in the Transit field and we had Bluebird transit coaches (Ultra LF) and they were utter garbage. I have driven both transit as well as motorcoaches. Transits, I prefer the Gillig Phantom and the RTS. Coaches, I absolutely love the C2045 from VanHool. The 102DL3 is a very solid coach but it isn’t as nice riding as the VanHool.
Absolutely MCl brand J4500 type COACH
Prevost is the Ferrari of motor coaches newer mci are like Cadillacs and vanhool is both all depends on what your company can afford end of the day..
Here:
We prefer buying Hyundai mostly.
The next, would be.leading Chinese bus manufacturers like BYD, Higer, Ankai etc.
For sure, there are some Chinese buses available in American market.
1995-1998 Eagle Model 15 45’ coach’s are as good as it gets. Fight me 🤷🏻♂️
James me and my dad were talking about meeting you at your Champaign facility and we were thinking about doing it on Halloween morning at 10am what do you think
Sounds good to me. Just make sure its on a weekday and let me know as time gets closer. Email me. Jwang@peoriacharter.com
@@MotorcoachWorld will do
James:
Any updates on how the MCI J4500 Charge has been doing 2 years after making this video?
Thanks!
I’m interested in becoming a charter bus driver. What is the best way to become one? You mentioned your schooling was paid for by a company?
some companies will pay for training. Some companies wont. Some will not hire you without a prior CDL. So its all different. Peoria Charter does offer paid training for your license.
Question: in your opinion who makes the best diesel engine for motor coaches? also which is the easiest diesel engine to work on and lstly which diesel engine has the cheapest part cost?
James you cool guy like your channel I like have Volvo 9700 with 18 speed I shift 550HP Volvo D13. Deep ocean blue with blue LEDs street glow under bus with blue LEDs lights inside.
Hey thanks Matthew. I'll add that to my list of places to eat! Appreciate it
Would you consider bringing on your parents ?? for their take on your AMERICAN DREAM SUCCESS ??
are you picking a charlottesville group from the airport june 2022 in alabama
you should buy a few movies for the bus misssippi burning fast and furious harriet tubman dune just as property for the bus that way in case no one sent movies and or they want to see something new you have the bus company movies
MAN? That european vehicle brand deserves a north American branch
James:
I'm looking for a chater bus with a 10 speed SPICER manual transmission.. Any advice?
Thanks!
James which company has a responsible fair price for coach buses?
2023 MCI J4500 CUMMINS X12 ALLISON B500R6
Do you guys have MARCOPOLO buses in the US?
No, but in the 90s the Viaggio with DINA chassis was sold here.
A ! have a great day . , and safe be family man . I will show my gratitude if I do a start up or acquisition , and if anybody doesn’t check you out , they might as well just file now for bankruptcy. THANK YOU .🇺🇸🚓🦉🚁🍑
Electric buses have a long way to go; even for electric cars, infrastructure is always changing and the energy density issue is always improving so quickly.
I am an MCI fan boy, if I ran a motorcoach company I would never get VanHools so my passengers would still have a spine at the end of the day 🤣🤣
LOL 😅 nice man. But yes. Battery technology needs a bit more refining before I put that much faith in it.
I can see the logic in waiting to see how a new technology pans out. But I also don’t think that we really have 3 years to wait for EV coaches either. We’re really in a massive race against time now to slash emissions and I have no idea what’s going to happen. We definitely need to curtail private car ownership as much as possible and switch back to public transport including coaches (because we were right the first time). Whether we could slash car use but still get away with diesel coaches in the short term remains to be seen. I could see that being a possibility.
EVs are NOT the answer, not with the sorry state the power girds are in
for starters replace the coal powerplants that account for HALF of all global emissions yet only give 15% of the energy
we need to fix those first worry bout the cars and busses later
The European Mercedes/toyot parts price ratio is not sooo different from the us, also the Mercedes mechanics must have PhDs going from their hourly rates. I love driving and having one, and as you said - have at it but they sell their premium image, that's it. On German forums I even read guys talking about a common reliability problem with a specific model - a 1500 euro repair - and they just said "if you buy a Mercedes, you subscribe to that, suck it up" as long as they have insane customers like that in Germany, we will have diesel scandals and unreliable cars
Nothing over 2010. Depending on your budget, a prevost liberty or a country coach.
Hahaha Hahaha 😂
I’m laughing about your small car
How do you get demo buses?
I'm sure by talking to the sales people. It's hard to sell a new product when the customer knows nothing about it. It's sort of like taking a car for a test drive, but since it's used in a business, you have to see how it works out in that situation
Once you get large enough or show potential. They will all come to you and give you demo buses to try
Volkswagen
The Kia Grandbird silkroad my favourite
Setra.
Not a driver,but absolutely luv your videos!!!
James did say it, you are part of the motorcoach world! Ha, he's going to kill me for stealing his line haha
I recently found out that my dd Jeep uses the same serpentine belt as my business Ford box truck. I'm sure nothing else is the same though. I'm the only one driving and doing repairs, so my main concern is how easy is it to get parts and their cost. I'm not trying to impress passengers, my cargo doesn't care as long as they are in a good temperature range. If I ever get another work vehicle, it's got to be along the lines of a GM or Ford. Something the local parts stores can at least get parts the next day. A previous place I worked, were I did maintenance used an Isuzu truck and Mercedes vans, both of them sucked getting parts for. I had to wait 2 days for a power steering hose for the Isuzu, a day for the oil of the Mercedes. If I had to bring the Mercedes to the dealer, it was an hour away because the local one won't touch them. The local GM dealership won't get parts for the Isuzu, but sold them at some point. On the Mercedes, me and someone else had to drive 1 hour each way, but had to make two trips, just over a brake light that was leaking water. I didn't care, I got paid the same, and I got to spend the bosses money. Now that I have my own business, it's about what saves me the most time and money.
I love the way the newer MCI J45s look and drive, it's my weapon of choice in a mixed fleet of MCI, Vanhool, and Temsa coaches. Looking forward to driving some Prevost XLIIs/IIIs and H3-45s one day too ..
Still a big fan of the old MC Series and the DL3 from MCI too.
Ive never driven a XL. Always wanted to. I heard they have the longest wheel base of any motorcoach making them harder to maneuver in tight spots.
@@MotorcoachWorld The company I work has a metric ton of Prevost X3-45s and H3-45s, and a few MCI D4505s, The D4505s suck for driver comfort and the passengers always complain how uncomfortable they are. The X3-45s are like driving a Cadillac, super comfortable for the driver and passengers. The H3-45s are even more comfortable, they usually have big, wide, cushy leather seats for the passengers.
The Prevosts you can lift the rear tag to make your turns tighter then the MCIs, but I do find the MCIs more responsive for steering going down the highway.
I work for a company that runs all MCIs mostly J4500s but a couple D4505s and D4005s.
We had a former EVP decide to get a Van Hool. Worst bus I ever drove. Always broken down, and the body was more fragile Quark on an away mission.
Well that EVP was shown the door, and his replacement traded in the Van Hool for the 2017 MCI J4500 demo model of the 2018 J4500 I drive now. Yes it's a 2017 by VIN, 2018 by design. Rather unique in that respect.
Although my company pays more upfront to maintain a fleet of all MCIs, we saved on the reduced parts inventory due to part commonality, and reliability.
And remember, good preventative maintenance, equates to longevity. Longevity equates to profit as you'll have many years of running that coach without a payment on a banknote.
PREVOST! The best in the world.
I’m really curious to see how electric vehicles do in the charter market. Electric buses are pretty well established in the transit field, and they are getting to the point now where they have been around long enough to start making some long-term projections and decisions about them.
I know for any battery vehicle the range is always the biggest issue, and for a coach bus that’s a big deal! Transit it’s easy to install on route charging at transfer points and other places where the bus waits for a bit, but with the unpredictable nature of coach buses that’s much harder. I could see battery coaches starting out on either intracity runs where it comes back to the yard every night, or line runs where you could have charging stations at either end. I predict it’s going to be a while before battery coaches make it into true overnight charter runs.
9:27 Mercedes Benz Vancouver BC Canada
British Columbia is Canada Disney for the Rich & wealthy.
Buy more what u already have you already have the parts and maintenance crew is familiar with what's already on the yard
Prevost
Not a driver, just a guy who enjoys your videos. My first exposure to motor coaches was a few years ago when I visited England.
Yes indeed. European countries like England have a lot more emphasis on buses than we do
Something else to think about people are buying used coaches to make into RV's,, and as you stated parts and proper service are a most but if you watch Scott BGM ( Bus Grease Monkey ) you can see that service of a used coach is is very hard and parts are very costly and hard to get. My advice to the RV guy the MCI will make a Bad Ass Motor Home but the school bus build on a freightliner chassis is easy to get parts for ,,but the MCI will look much Cooler Hehe
In the trucking aspect, I am a one brand guy (International) and I opted to keep what I've had for 11-years now. It was the last model before emissions regulations took effect, I bought it used. I've had the engine rebuilt twice now by Detroit Diesel and it is exactly as it were brand new with all spec's that were in effect at the time it was manufactured. As for the truck, well it too has been rebuilt multiple times and I am continuously updating it and mechanically it is no different than a brand new truck. I know my truck inside out and do the majority of the work myself because it is an easy truck to maintain and repair. Only heavy repairs go to pro-shops. Fuel mileage still knocks my socks off with roughly 7.5 mpg which is better than today's trucks. I love the newer trucks however they seem to spend a lot of time on the side of the road or in one shop or another while mine is still going down the road. For the money I've reinvested in my truck I could've bought brand new but why? With mine, just turn the key and go.
I am thinking of buying a used motorcoach with a conversion with is better prevost eagle van hools or MCI I am looking under 40000 used prevost with marathoner conversion a 1977 with series sixty refit with 13 speed Manuel
Should a bus break down, say the engine gives out. Which would be easier to
1. Find a repair center.
2. Get parts for repair.
3. How long of a wait time for said parts to get to said repair center.
If your at Yellowstone National Parks, and your Van Hool drops a cylinder. You could be waiting a few day. Versus a MCI, which (might) can be over-night to the repair shop.
I have a question. Since you're able to say which one you enjoyed the most while driving, do you prefer the H3-45 or J4500?
That is a hard question to answer. As a Driver I guess I prefer a H3-45... Unless its a trip into a area with a bunch of low bridges. then I would rather drive a J4500 as they are not as tall.. As a fleet manager or Owner. I would rather have J4500's. They are lower maintenance and cheaper to own. They are also cheaper to buy/
@@MotorcoachWorld What makes the Prevost Require more maintenance?
If you enjoy new car smell so much, just buy a can of it! It's a spray they specifically put in, even used cars from higher-end dealerships have the same smell. Would personally recommend getting the 'Chemical Guys AIR_300 New Car Scent and Leather Scent Combo Pack' on Amazon
13:05 us with the Covid vaccine!!
I want a 90’s MCI and a mid 2000’s Prevost :D
If you buy a brand new bus how long does it take to get your money back if the business is at its peak
Hey Taylor Jay. It depends on a lot of different factors. What kind of trips you use your bus for, Price and earnings will also play a huge factor in this time frame. How many are in your fleet... Some operators never make the money back. Some bus companies survive solely on cash flow and never really make a profit. And some will make the money back within a year.... So there is no real black and white answer to this question.
I love Toyotas too, James. Toyota is Japanese for "reliable"
As a owner of New Flyer I approve the hat
Nice videos! What is your favorite motor coach you've ever driven?
I would probably have to say the Prevost H345 was my favorite experience. Although I prefer the J 4500 just because I'm used to it and know where everything's at
@@MotorcoachWorld Cool! I do like MCI's a good amount but even though I've never been on one, I seem to like Setra's too. I've only been on motor coaches for two field trips, I think for the first one I was on either an MCI D4505 or maybe an older model J. For the second one that I took back in June, I was on an MCI D4505(the buses that I took for that trip are my TH-cam logo by the way. They were parked there and I figured I would take a picture of them because why not. I like buses. I've been trying to film buses driving by me now.)
My Company has mostly MCI J4500s, with a few Setras and VanHools. I have things I like and dislike about each of them. The Setras, I don't like the design of how the mirrors and windshield shades interact. The shades block the use of the mirrors. The newer VanHools we have, I don't like the feeling of sitting in a hole compared to the passengers, and the use of a joystick/menus to make adjustments of HVAC, mirrors, etc.
Of our fleet, I prefer to drive the MCIs or the older VanHools we have.
I'm not a purchasing manager, I'm a "test-pilot", long-term, that is....
A company I worked with for ten years, had approximately a 50-50 split between leased power units (tractors), and so-called "company owned" units. The truth was that they leased everything. Half through a very popular and well-known truck rental/leasing company, the other half was leased through a large financing company. The leased units from "Company P" came with 100% maintenance included, and they supplied some of the consumables, oil, w/wash fluid, bulbs, tires (if you didn't blow them on the road). The only thing the operator supplied was diesel fuel, and later on, DEF. The trucks leased through "Company GEC", you had to supply your own parts, repairs, maintenance, everything, boosts, service calls, etc.
Obviously on paper, there was a difference in the monthly payment price, but in the long run, leasing the units on a 5-yr lease and letting the leasing company maintain it and be responsible for it, was THE way to go. Especially when Diesel Particulate Filters, and Diesel Exhaust Fluid technologies were first coming down the pipe. Leasing with "Company P", if the unit went down, all one had to do was find a phone or use a cell phone, or the company satellite, tell them where the downed unit was, and they would take over. If the unit could not be repaired where it was, it would be towed in, at their expense. IF you (the driver) could not be back on your way within a very reasonable window of time (8 hrs), a replacement/susbstitute unit would be made available, or towed to where it was needed.
I'm sire that other rental and leasing companies out their also offer full coverage maintenance packages on equipment that you can rent or lease through them, but these financing companies who merely front the cash and credit on your behalf, offer little to know benefit beyond the convenience of instant financing for what you need.
I don't know what the next big thing, well, maybe electric buses, trucks, etc. Will the rental and leasing companies take the plunge in to these technologies, renting and leasing to THEIR customers and taking the responsibilities for bugs and failures? I don't know the answer yet, but you can bet your bottom dollar that if that is what will be coming down the pipe for the future, leasing (even if only in small quantities at first) would be a good way to test things out to see if they are going to work for your needs, and how quickly and easily the leasing companies can get parts, get their techs trained, and get you through the nightmares and back on the road moving freight (or passengers) and bringing in revenue.
With sensors that fail, parts the wear out and fail, and just plain good old prevetative maintenance to cathc problems before they can happen, I can't say enough good things about the experiences I had testing... I mean driving equipment that came with an unconditional backing and support. Not sure wif buses can be leased, but if they can, and if they offer full-meal-deals on maintenance, yes, it looks like more money up front, per monthly payment, but I saw it pay off.
I left that company I drove for after ten years for reasons not related to the equipment. It wasn't long after I had departed, they began to steer toward 100% leased power, through that same "Company P".
Yes, with leasing or renting, you don't own the thing, and never will own it (through you probably could try to buy it after the 4 or 5 year lease is up, because they do get sold), but the entire time you lease it, you won't have to worry about unexpected, expensive breakdowns. This is where the higher monthly payments, pay off. With something you own yourself, it's your own problem, no matter what "warranty" it might come with.
Do you own Peoria charter?
I am a co owner and Director of operations
Mercedes-Benz Tourismo (3rd gen). Works flawlessly, fuel-efficient and reliable. Relatively simple, thus easy to maintain, and great for driving! You can also chose different length and axle configurations according to your needs, but they are all based on the same model with the same spare parts. And I love its basic simple, but very practical design. Overall - it's a great bus!
By having a uniform fleet of buses you have more purchasing power with a manufacturer meaning trade discounts/manufacturing timelines being shortened because they want to impress the big buyer to be a repeat customer. Insurance premiums may also go down because bureaucracy between different models would be reduced. It would be drastically easier to average expenses between coaches and track wear.
When is it advantageous to have multiple models?
1. Different customer needs would warrant different specifications, perhaps a different builder has a better offer for what you need for this customer. Different depot specifications perhaps. Bigger buses one depot, smaller other for instance.
2. Second hand purchasing. You can't necessarily get the same models when buying a whole fleet of second-hand buses. I've seen this occur a few times though but this was sudden regulatory change forcing fleet selling.
3. Finance. Maybe it is cheaper to go to two different manufacturers because the finance differentiates between builders.
4. One-off orders, some companies build on a bulk order basis some do individual orders bespoke.
Hey what engine do you prefer in a motorcoach cummins or Detroit
I'm a huge fan of the old Detroit series 60s with a Allison transmission combo. In my opinion... You wont find a smoother ride!
Thoughts on Volvo 9700 2018/19? We are running a fleet of 5 currently and have mixed feelings. Prevost service center where we take them is about 45min away from us.
It's been my experience that customers can have a vug influence on the decision making process. I worked for a company that was nearly exclusively MCI. The owner decided to purchase two H3 40 coaches. Customers loved the underbelly luggage space and started requesting them. That lead to the owner buying five H3 45s. Again customers not only loved the extra luggage space and extra seats they obviously knew these were newer buses and they were constantly getting requested . The owner then purchased four more H3 45s.
Also companies may choose different models for the different services they offer. For instance, an MCI D series coach may perfectly be suited to operate a casino line run where luggage space won't be an issue. Travel groups may want a J series coach while a professional sports team or teams will opt for the H3 45s . Commuter services may only need a D series from MCI or a Prevost X3 45. Other high end clients may want the VanHool CX 45. A charter only company can probably get away with just one make and model, but a company with diverse services or a company that operates in a city like Chicago that has areas where a taller motorcoach won't clear certain viaduct, the company may have to diversify its fleet to meet the needs of its diverse clientele
Never buy anything in it's first model year; especially the Block 1 models. Too many problems pop up. MCI been building buses and motorcoaches for decades as a GM division before become independent. One model fleets have a major disadvantage-too many versions. The Boeing 737 as an example- 737-100 through 900 (old classification) -8,-9,-10 (new classification) Classic, Next Generation and MAX, Extended Range or not. Different airlines; different intertor setup.