NEW FLYER Complaints

Greensboro Transit Agency (GTA), operated by RATP Dev USA, is formally notifying you of an engine compartment fire involving one of our transit vehicles. Vehicle Information: •Fleet Number: 764 •Manufacturer: New Flyer •Vehicle Type: Heavy-Duty Transit Bus •Incident Date: [XXX] •Location: Greensboro, North Carolina Summary of Incident: While in revenue service, the operator reported hearing an abnormal noise and observed white smoke coming from the rear engine compartment area. The operator safely evacuated passengers and emergency responders arrived quickly to suppress the fire. No injuries or fatalities occurred. A third-party fire investigation was conducted by Halsey King & Associates. Based on the preliminary findings, the fire is believed to have originated from a catastrophic failure of the Thermo King A/C compressor clutch bearing assembly. The bearing reportedly overheated, seized, and caused the compressor belt to ignite while still being driven by the engine. The investigation identified evidence consistent with: •A seized A/C compressor clutch bearing •Extreme heat generation within the clutch assembly •Belt ignition and progression of fire through engine compartment components At this time, our maintenance records do not indicate any previously documented defects associated with this specific Thermo King assembly prior to the incident. Our fleet currently has inspection and preventive maintenance procedures in place related to belt alignment, pulley alignment, belt tension, clutch air gap measurement, and related A/C system inspections. We are providing this notification for awareness, documentation, and any further review deemed appropriate. Please let us know if additional information, photographs, maintenance records, or investigative documentation are required. Respectfully, [XXX] Assistant General Manager / Maintenance Director Greensboro Transit Agency RATP Dev USA [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The contact is a fleet manager for a transit company that owned a 2022 New Flyer Xcelsior. The contact stated that after the electric bus was done refueling at their private fueling station, the bus caught fire while parked and was shut off. There was smoke coming from the rear of the bus when an unknown object dropped to the ground, and then flames came from the rear battery compartment and rear of the bus. The bus was engulfed in flames and burned to the ground. The fire department arrived on the scene to extinguish the fire. A fire department report was filed. There were no injuries sustained, and no medical attention was received. The bus remained at the scene of the fire. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 9,682.

TL* THE CONTACT DROVE A 2017 NEW FLYER XD60. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE RADIATOR DOOR PANEL DETACHED. AS A RESULT, THE DOOR PANEL STRUCK THE WINDSHIELD OF AN ONCOMING VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO COAST THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A GARAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THEY WERE MAKING IMPROVEMENTS TO THE DOOR LATCHES ON NEWER MODEL VEHICLES. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 6,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

"U" BOLT THAT SECURES THE CHARGE AIR COOLER PIPE FOR THE ENGINE, RUBBED THROUGH THE 24 VOLTS DC POSITIVE CABLE INSULATION THAT CAUSE A DIRECT SHORT TO GROUND, IGNITING THE REAR ENGINE COMPARTMENT INTO FLAMES, WHILE THE BUS WAS PARKED BY THE FUEL ISLAND AFTER COMING OFF REVENUE SERVICE.

I AM AN ATTORNEY IN THE SEATTLE AREA AND MY CLIENT, WHILE AT WORK PERFORMING MAINTENANCE ON A CERTAIN NEW FLYER BUS/COACH, WAS ELECTRICALLY SHOCKED/ELECTROCUTED/INJURED. I BELIEVE THAT THIS BUS WAS PART OF A BATCH THAT WERE PUT INTO SERVICE AND ON THE ROAD AND CARRYING PASSENGERS WITH THE KNOWLEDGE OF KING COUNTY METRO TRANSIT, AND THE MANUFACTURER, NEW FLYER THAT THE BUSES/COACHES WERE DEFECTIVE AND UNFIT FOR USE AND PRESENT A DANGER TO ANYONE (RIDERS & MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL, ET AL.,) WHO CAME INTO CONTACT WITH THESE BUSES/COACHES. TO MY KNOWLEDGE, THESE BUSES/COACHES REMAIN IN SERVICE IN A DANGEROUS CONDITION WITH THE KNOWLEDGE OF BOTH NEW FLYER AND KING COUNTY METRO TRANSIT. ## VIN FAILED ## NEW FLYER COACH, AT LEAST, SERIES "4000" PURCHASED BY KING COUNTY METRO FROM NEW FLYER ##

THE STEERING COLUMN HAS TWO PODS THAT HANG OFF THE LEFT AND RIGHT. THE LEFT POD OBSTRUCTS ONE OF THE AIR PRESSURE GAUGES. THE RIGHT OBSTRUCTS THE SPEEDOMETER. THIS COLUMN IS FOUND ON THE ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING ASSIST MODELS. *TR

DRIVESHAFT ATTACHMENT FAILURE ALLOWING THE DRIVESHAFT TO PENETRATE THE FLOOR OF THE BUS, A FORTY FOOT HYBRID GASOLINE / ELECTRIC TRANSIT BUS. THE SHAFT FAILURE WAS DUE TO BROKEN BOLTS AT THE ATTACHMENT OF THE SHAFT TO THE FLANGE OF THE COMBINING GEARBOX FLANGE TO OUTPUT SHAFT. SINCE THE FAILURE IN NOV. 2010, THE SUBJECT FLEET OF BUSES (85) HAVE BEEN INSPECTED AND THE BOLTS REPLACED. RECURRENCE OF BOLT FAILURES IS BEING ADDRESSED VIA RECALL # R11-017, CAMPAIGN # 11V407000. *TR

THIS IS IN REGARDS TO THE SHOULDER HARNESSES IN PIERCE TRANSIT BUSES, LAKEWOOD, WASHINGTON 98499. THE SHOULDER HARNESS IS A 2 PART SEAT BELT. DURING DRIVING CONDITIONS, THE SHOULDER HARNESS LOCKS UP RANDOMLY, AND PREVENTS THE SAFE OPERATION OF THE BUS. MANY BUS DRIVERS IN WASHINGTON STATE DO NOT WEAR THE SHOULDER HARNESS PART DUE TO THE INJURIES MANY DRIVERS HAS SUSTAINED WHEN WORN. USSC SEAT MANUFACTURER'S DEVELOP AND INSTALL THESE HARNESSES DIRECTLY ON THE SEATS. THERE ARE 4 MAJOR BUS COMPANIES WITH THESE SEATS AND THE SAME MALFUNCTIONS. THE COST TO REPAIR THEM IS MORE THAN THE COMPANIES WANT TO SPEND. THEREFORE BUSES WITH FAULTY EQUIPTMENT ARE ON THE ROAD DAILY. PASSENGERS AND FELLOW DRIVERS ARE AT SERIOUS RISK. POLICE AND WSP WILL NOT ENFORCE THE SEAT BELT LAW AND FORCE THE COMPANIES TO FIX THIS LETHAL PROBLEM. PLEASE INVESTIGATE AND FORCE COMPLIANCE UPON THE COMPANIES, AND THE MANUFACTURER.

THIS DEFECT INVOLVES A PUBLIC TRANSIT BUS MANUFACTURED BY NEW FLYER. THE DEFECT IS RELATED TO BOLTS BREAKING IN THE TURN-TABLE AREA. THIS COULD RESULT IN THE REAR OF THE BUS BECOMING DISCONNECTED FROM THE FRONT OF THE BUS. THIS PROBLEM WAS RETROFITTED BY THE MANUFACTURER ABOUT 1 YEAR AGO AND IS BEING RETROFITTED AGAIN CURRENTLY. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 NEW FLYER LOW FLOOR BUS. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. A MECHANIC STATED THAT SOMETHING IN THE AIR SYSTEM IS MOMENTARILY REDUCING THE AMOUNT OF AIR THAT IS RECEIVED THROUGH THE HYDRAULIC BRAKING SYSTEM. ON ONE OCCASION, THE FAILURE CAUSED THE CONTACT TO CRASH INTO A TREE. SEVERAL OCCUPANTS REPORTED MINOR INJURIES. THE DRIVER STATED THAT THE ABS WARNING INDICATOR WAS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE MANUFACTURER DID NOT ASSIST. THE VIN AND MILEAGES WERE UNKNOWN.