7800

[Busjack]

How was your correspondent in the correct place to get the good pictures of 7800? It seems almost impossible to find one out of 2000 buses.

Also, what do you think the odds are of CTA getting more, given (1) its financial condition, (2) quality complaints about the 7500 series NABI articulateds, and (3) NABI announcing on its website http://www.nabi.hu/en/investor/index_D5EEB...DB3467169D6.php that it was serverly cutting back at its Hungarian Compobus body plant because it lost the Buy America Act waiver, although the existing CTA options presumably still come within that waiver?

[Kevin]

How was your correspondent in the correct place to get the good pictures of 7800? It seems almost impossible to find one out of 2000 buses.

Pure luck.

It's currently not on the property as it was just a prototype. Not sure when it will be back.

Also, what do you think the odds are of CTA getting more, given (1) its financial condition, (2) quality complaints about the 7500 series NABI articulateds, and (3) NABI announcing on its website http://www.nabi.hu/en/investor/index_D5EEB...DB3467169D6.php that it was serverly cutting back at its Hungarian Compobus body plant because it lost the Buy America Act waiver, although the existing CTA options presumably still come within that waiver?

Any bus purchases would be capital, so problems with the operational budget would not affect the decision. However, the CTA did have to recently make some cutbacks to this year's capital budget because of some funding programs which expired.

I'd say that if anything, the issues with the 7500s may cause CTA to be hesitant to exercise the options for 24 more. Last I heard, the CTA has stopped payments on the 7500s until NABI agrees to work out some issues.