NABI BRT

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

NABI 60-BRT / NABI 42-BRT

Top: NABI 42-BRT (2012)
Bottom: NABI 60-BRT (2011)
Overview
ManufacturerNABI
Also called
  • Metro Liner
Production
  • 2004–15 (60-BRT)
  • 2006–15 (42-BRT)
Body and chassis
ClassTransit bus
Body styleMonocoque
LayoutRR
Powertrain
Engine
Transmission
Dimensions
Wheelbase
  • 308 in (7.82 m) (42')[1]
  • F:239 in (6.07 m) / R:279 in (7.09 m) (60')[2]
Lengthover bumpers:
  • 43 ft 3 in (13.2 m) (42')[3]
  • 60 ft 9 in (18.5 m) (60')[3]
Width102 in (2.59 m)[1][2][3]
Height133 in (3.38 m)[1][2][3]
Curb weight
  • 30,450 lb (13,800 kg) (42')[4]
  • 45,870 lb (20,800 kg) (60')[5]
Chronology
Predecessor

The NABI BRT was styled to resemble a light-rail vehicle for service on bus rapid transit lines, joining the existing NABI LFW and NABI CompoBus product lines. After New Flyer acquired NABI in 2013, all NABI product lines were discontinued in 2015, once existing orders for NABI buses had been fulfilled.

Design
LACMTA #9208 (60-BRT) in G Line (Orange) service (2013)

The NABI 60-BRT was designed in response to a Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (LACMTA) request for proposal for the rolling stock on its forthcoming Orange Line (now G Line), which specified a vehicle that was "sleek, streamlined, and aerodynamic", carried three extra-wide doors to facilitate faster boarding, and were less noisy (78 dBA) than typical transit buses.

The NABI 60-BRT bus NABI designed for the contract was announced in 2003,[6] and production started in 2004.[7] A pilot vehicle was delivered in fall 2004[8] for a two-month trial, and the first 28 60-BRTs (which MTA called 'Metro Liners') were delivered in June 2005.[9]: 14 

NABI's initial as-bid price was US$633,000 (equivalent to $981,000 in 2022).[9]: 13  To meet regional air quality requirements, the buses were equipped with Cummins 320 L-Gas Plus CNG engines, with a fuel storage capacity of 27,088 cu ft (767.0 m3) in 12 storage tanks, providing a range of 400 miles (640 km).

The NABI BRT featured a double roof providing a space 18 inches (460 mm) tall, extending the length of the vehicle, which could be used to store HVAC equipment, natural gas tanks (for CNG-fueled vehicles), or batteries (for hybrid vehicles).[3] Like prior NABI buses, body shells were assembled in Hungary and shipped to the NABI plant in Anniston, Alabama for finishing[10][11]: 7–9  until body production was shifted to Anniston gradually starting in 2011; by late 2012, the transition was complete.[12]

NABI introduced by a similarly styled 42-foot rigid bus in 2006.[13] LACMTA was the first customer for this model, as well, followed by LA World Airport's "FlyAway" service and Foothill Transit over the following year.

A single 65-foot model (65-BRT) was built and sold to LACMTA.[14] The extended 65-BRT (nicknamed 'Longfellow') was introduced to service in September 2007 and required a special permit from CalTrans; to keep its weight similar to the 60-BRT, it only carries 8 CNG tanks as opposed to the 60-BRT's 12.[9]: 14, 15 

On the stamped vehicle identification plate, the vehicle type is identified as xxBRT.nn, where xx gives the nominal length (in feet) and nn is the sequentially-assigned order number,[15] starting from 01.[16]

Hybrid

Six model 42-BRT buses delivered to LACMTA in 2008 used a unique "Thundervolt" gasoline-electric hybrid powertrain from ISE Corporation. The system proved to be unreliable and after ISE went bankrupt in 2010, LACMTA was unable to get support for the system. The buses were eventually repowered.[17]

The largest user of hybrid NABI BRT buses was WMATA, who placed an order in July 2013 for 105 diesel-electric hybrid 42-BRT buses.[18] These buses used a more reliable combination of a Cummins L9 engine mated with the Allison Transmission H 40 hybrid system which is coupled to the engine in lieu of a conventional transmission.

Deployment

The first NABI 60-BRT buses were delivered to LACMTA in October 2004;[7] LACMTA was also the first customer for the 42-BRT, delivered in 2008. The final NABI BRT buses to be built were completed in 2015: the 60-BRT for Transfort, serving Fort Collins, Colorado and the 42-BRT for Massport, serving Logan Airport in Boston.[19] The NABI factory in Anniston was then retooled to produce New Flyer Xcelsior low-floor buses for the United States transit market.[20]

Most of the BRT production was for the 60-BRT model. LACMTA was the largest customer, with almost 400 60-BRTs delivered.[16] The seat fabric for LACMTA's fleet of Metro 45C CompoBus and 60-BRT Metro Liners was designed by Beep'Inc., a collaboration of artist Pae White and architect Tom Marble.[21]

Competition

References
  1. "BRT model information". nabiusa.com. Archived from the original on March 19, 2014. Retrieved November 27, 2012.
  2. "General Specifications: 60-BRT". North American Bus Industries, Inc. Archived from the original on May 12, 2006.
  3. "BRT (Bus Rapid Transit)" (PDF). North American Bus Industries, Inc. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 21, 2011.
  4. STURAA Test: 12 Year 500,000 Mile Bus from NABI, Model 42.5-BRT.01 (PDF) (Report). Bus Testing and Research Center, The Pennsylvania Transportation Institute. May 2008. Retrieved September 28, 2020.
  5. STURAA Test: 12 Year 500,000 Mile Bus from North American Bus Industries, Inc., Model 60 BRT (PDF) (Report). Bus Testing and Research Center, The Pennsylvania Transportation Institute. April 2005. Retrieved September 28, 2020.
  6. "Los Angeles Board Votes to Award Contract to NABI for 60-Foot BRT Vehicles" (Press release). North American Bus Industries, Inc. February 27, 2003. Archived from the original on November 14, 2006.
  7. "NABI and LA unveil new 60-BRT" (Press release). North American Bus Industries, Inc. October 8, 2004. Archived from the original on November 14, 2006.
  8. "Metro Liner Debuts at Media Event" (PDF). MyMetro.Net. October 15, 2004. Retrieved October 1, 2020.
  9. Flynn, Jennifer; Thole, Cheryl; Perk, Victoria; Samus, Joseph; Van Nostrand, Caleb (October 2011). Metro Orange Line BRT Project Evaluation (PDF) (Report). Federal Transit Administration. Retrieved October 1, 2020.
  10. "NABI - North American Bus Industries". Coachbuilt. Retrieved September 29, 2020.
  11. Global Bus Innovation: NABI Annual Report and Accounts (PDF) (Report). North American Bus Industries, Inc. 2001. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 29, 2020.
  12. "NABI production now entirely in U.S." Metro Magazine. May 14, 2013. Retrieved September 30, 2020.
  13. "NABI Debuts Stylized Bus Model 42-BRT at the APTA Conference" (Press release). North American Bus Industries, Inc. May 8, 2006. Archived from the original on November 26, 2006.
  14. "Los Angeles Metro Rolls Out North America's First 65-foot Articulated Compressed Natural Gas Bus on Metro Orange Line" (Press release). Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. August 27, 2007. Retrieved October 1, 2020.
  15. "2004 NABI 60B.01 OFFSITE, DISMANTLER ONLY, 9am from Riverside, Inspection Friday 1/17 9-1pm MTA 970". ProxiBid. January 2020. Archived from the original on January 31, 2020.
  16. Kristopans, Andre (October 27, 2014). "IKARUS / NABI Models and Order Numbers". Utah Rails. Retrieved September 29, 2020.
  17. "Convert six (6) hybrid buses to super low emission (SLEB) transit buses" (PDF). Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. June 2, 2015. Retrieved October 1, 2020.
  18. "New Flyer to supply D.C. Metro with 654 NABI buses" (Press release). BusWorld. July 23, 2013. Retrieved October 1, 2020.
  19. Kristopans, Andre (March 14, 2017). "North American Bus Industries". Utah Rails. Retrieved September 29, 2020.
  20. "New Flyer to Focus on Xcelsior® as Single Heavy-Duty and BRT Transit Bus Platform" (Press release). New Flyer of America. June 24, 2014. Retrieved September 30, 2020.
  21. "Metro Bus Seat Fabric". Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. 2009. Retrieved October 1, 2020.
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