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

In this episode of the video podcast from METRO Magazine in collaboration with Complete Coach Works, Alex Roman (Editor, METRO) and Mark Hollenbeck (CCW) sit down with Josh Stoddard, Director of Vehicle Maintenance at Spokane Transit Authority (STA), to discuss how Spokane Transit is preparing for the future while supporting its team and community.

What you’ll learn:

✔️Spokane Transit’s growing fleet and facility needs

✔️How technology is creating new opportunities for technicians

✔️The importance of information sharing at state and federal levels

✔️Building the right team to support long-term success

About our Guest

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Josh Stoddard is the Director of Maintenance for Spokane Transit Authority, bringing in over 16 years of experience in fleet and maintenance management. Josh attended Washington State University and now oversees all aspects of maintenance for a fleet of more than 450 vehicles, with a strong focus on innovation and sustainability. He is currently leading the development of Spokane Transit’s battery electric vehicle strategy for maintenance, aligning operational efficiency with environmental responsibility.

Josh is known for his leadership, technical expertise, and commitment to continuous improvement in public transportation. Outside of work, he’s a proud husband and father of two daughters who loves spending time outdoors and making the most of family life in the Pacific Northwest.

Navigating Transit Industry Supply Chain Issues: How CCW Helps Agencies Stay on the Road

The North American transit bus industry has faced some recent challenges in regard to the health of its overall supply chain.  From component manufacturers’ ability to supply to production lines on time to bus OEMs exiting the US market, this has created real challenges for transit agencies’ fleet strategies. Agencies across the country are grappling with extended lead times, parts shortages, and pressure to meet sustainability goals while also performing a balancing act with their capital and operating budgets in light of shifting federal and state policies in regard to public transportation.

At Complete Coach Works (CCW), we speak with agencies of all sizes, and the message is clear. Transit leaders are being asked to do more with less. Many are searching for immediate, cost-effective alternatives to traditional fleet replacement.

Here is a breakdown of the current challenges and how CCW can help bridge the gap.

Key Challenges Facing Transit Agencies

1. Lead Times for New Buses: OEM production lead times have been extended recently due to fewer OEMs in the market and some challenges with component suppliers resulting in new bus deliveries in the 18–24-month range. For many agencies this creates fleet replacement gaps requiring older buses to remain on the road longer stretching maintenance budgets.

2. Parts Shortages: At times, parts shortages occur especially for older equipment. Some agencies have resorted to cannibalizing other buses or reducing service to make daily pullouts.

3. Aging Fleets: Many fleets are operating beyond their intended service life. This increases maintenance costs, reduces reliability, and negatively impacts the rider experience.

4. Budget Constraints: Fluctuating state and federal funding are often a challenge to navigate.  For bus fleets, a balanced fleet strategy that includes a mix of new buses and bus refurbishments has proven to be both cost effective and timely. More agencies are turning to refurbishments, and engine repowers to stretch their dollars further.

5. Zero Emissions Strategies: Reducing emissions remains a desired goal for all of us in the industry.  However, with the roll out of zero emission buses over the past few years everyone has learned that they are not a 1:1 replacement for traditional diesel buses and require significant attention in the short term for charging, route design and maintenance. For many, zero emission fleet plans have been slowed or put on hold in order to stabilize maintenance and operations groups to ensure on-time quality service to riders.  This slowing has created gaps in fleet replacement plans for transit agencies.

How CCW Can Help

CCW provides fast, cost-effective solutions that help agencies respond to today’s challenges without waiting years or exceeding budgets. Our mid-life transit bus overhauls and refurbishments extend the life of existing buses through customized work scopes that improve reliability and passenger experience. These solutions are completed in a fraction of the time and at a much lower cost than new bus procurements.  Further, CCW has the nation’s largest pre-owned bus inventory that can be purchased or leased with refurbishment as part of the scope of work as well.

For agencies dealing with parts shortages, we offer direct access to hard-to-find components for older buses, maintenance support, and repower services to keep fleets running. With in-house manufacturing and engineering, we deliver faster turnaround times and consistent quality.

We also support agencies in expediting procurement processes as we have a number of State Cooperative procurement contracts that can be used by transit agencies minimizing the amount of time needed to process a transaction. 

Let’s Talk

If your agency is facing procurement delays, aging fleet challenges, or budget constraints, CCW is here to help and we have deployable solutions available at lower prices and faster delivery times to fill fleet gaps. Whether you need fleet overhauls, parts support, or assistance navigating complex procurement requirements, we offer real-world solutions that get results – fast.

Visit us at completecoach.com/contact to learn more!