Pace 2013 budget

[Busjack]

Better place

More like a prototype...

I believe this is what NABI is going build if its gets LACMTA's upcoming bus order, which it will most likely because LACMTA has a love affair with NABI; and the bus in the pic already has the Metro Local livery. The total order (if all options are exercised) would be 900 of these Metro 40C's.

If this happens could we see Pace piggyback on this order?

First it depends if LA intends to exercise all 900 options. Then you have the question whether Pace would want to get around the competitive bidding requirements, described in the link in the SF Muni discussion.

I still think that this goes out to bid. If Pace posted a solicitation for the OTRs, even though it appears that MCI is the only qualified bidder, I can't see them not doing so, where there is a competitive market for CNGs. If nothing else, the other assemblers would protest to the FTA.

You note "if it gets LACMTA's upcoming bus order." The one for 45Cs was because LA insisted that it needed a 45 foot composite bus to handle the passenger load, and NABI was the only credible vendor for that (there was one other bid by someone who had assembled a few airport shuttle buses). If LA's solicitation is for 40 foot buses, a similar single source specification would similarly draw protests.

Finally, Pace hasn't shown any evidence that it doesn't take the low bidder. The Axess is now better looking (apparently Eldorado National now only sells what was considered the BRT), but the price of $404K each still indicates that they bid low.