Magazine serving the bus and rail transit & motorcoach operations since 1904
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THE ROAD to Refurbishment Buying a new motorcoach to replace an aging vehicle is not always financially possible, but refurbishment can be a viable alternative. Choosing the right company, considering financing options and making a detailed refurb plan are essential to getting the most out of your coach. Photo Courtesy ABC Companies BY BRITTANY-MARIE SWANSON, Associate Editor ABC Companies offers the option of retrofitting select coach models with new seating with 3-point seat belts. Pictured here is a refurbished Van Hool coach. f or the typical operator, purchasing brand new motorcoaches to replace an aging fleet is simply not a possibility. But, refurbishment can give new life to a worn out coach for about one-third the cost of a new vehicle, and the refurbishment process can cover structural, mechanical and even cosmetic issues. So, how do you know if refurbishment is right for your fleet? METRO Magazine spoke with leaders in the refurbishment industry to find out what kinds of operators will benefit from this service. IS YOUR COACH A CANDIDATE? Operators want to know if they are getting the value they want if they put money into updating an older coach. Big Rig Collision Group (BRC) VP, Business Development, Rob Pek says that operators must take a hard look at the condition of the vehicle to make that decision. "If the bus is up to sound safety standards mechanically, then it probably does make a good candidate for refurbishment," he explains. "But if they have to go in and rebuild the bus mechanically — new engine, new transmission, electrical work, as well as brakes, suspension, etc. — then you really have to ask yourself: does it make sense to put a couple hundred thousand into a 12-year-old bus?" On average, the cost to remanufacture a coach is $125,000 while a new coach will typically cost $400,000, according to statistics provided by CoachCrafters Inc. Besides the difference in costs, though, operators need to consider whether or not they can have a coach out of service for the two months it usually takes to complete the refurbishment process. JANUARY 2013 mETRO mAGAZINE > 43