Benefits of Purchasing Pre-Owned Transit Buses: Available as a Straight Purchase or Full Refurbishment
Transit agency fleet managers face interesting challenges given the inflection point we see in today’s market. Virtually every agency in the country has been adopting zero emission fleet plans over the past 5-10 years as a result of either regulatory mandates or the requirements of their own agency policies. As those fleet plans have been modified as a result of operational learnings from the deployment of zero emission buses including charging (or fueling in the case of hydrogen) infrastructure, many fleets have found themselves with gaps in their fleet replacement plans. Further, with the dynamic nature of the bus OEM landscape and deliveries that at times can be up to two years, the consideration of faster and less expensive bus purchasing options have risen to the top vs. exclusively buying new buses.
The purchase of pre-owned buses or the refurbishment of an agency’s own buses have proven to be viable options and, in many cases, an integral part of a comprehensive fleet replacement strategy for transit agencies. The benefits of including these options in an agency’s fleet plan are outlined below demonstrating an extremely cost-effective option.
Delivery
Pre-owned equipment can delivered in as little as 90 days with a standard make ready scope of work and 180 days with a full refurbishment. These timelines are a fraction of the delivery of a new bus allowing fleet deployment or service gaps to be filled quickly while waiting for a new bus delivery.
Cost
The cost of a pre-owned bus with a standard make ready scope can be as low as 15% of a new bus and 50% of a new bus with a full refurbishment scope which includes all new powertrain, interior and exterior optimizations restoring the bus to a like new appearance. In turn capital funds are optimized so that far more buses can be purchased using the same available dollars.
Vehicle Life Expectancy Extension
With a full refurbishment of a pre-owned bus, the vehicle’s life expectancy can be extended by 8-10 years, which comes very close to the service life of a new bus. Therefore, instead of retiring buses, refurbishment is a much better use of capital funds for transit agencies.
Warranties
Warranties for major components can be purchased that are essentially the same as those available for new buses provided the security and peace of mind for fleet managers.
Selection
Agencies are able to choose from a vast array of bus models and lengths, powertrains, and seating configurations when they partner with experts in the business such as Complete Coach Works (CCW). CCW has hundreds of buses available to choose from for quick deployment. We have CNG, hybrid, and even battery electric propulsion options available.
Environmental Benefits
Buying pre-owned or refurbished buses is the new green. By reusing existing components instead of building entirely new ones, scarce resources are conserved thereby creating a powerful marketing message for agencies while concurrently saving the planet.
Passenger Benefits
With updated exteriors and interiors, passengers will notice the difference immediately with fresh and comfortable amenities – who knows, you may even attract more passengers with the refreshed look.
Complete Coach Works and its sister companies, Transit Sales International (TSI) and Shuttle Bus Leasing (SBL) is the nation’s largest pre-owned transit bus seller and bus refurbishment expert with a history spanning over 38 years and thousands of successful deliveries. We have the selection, expertise, and capacity to provide proven and cost-effective solutions to transit agency fleets that deliver in half the time and at half the cost. Be a star at your agency and adjust your fleet plan to include pre-owned or refurbished buses – you’ll be glad you did!
Contact us to learn more: 800.300.3751