Technology

We are always making changes to bring our buses into the future with the latest technology. Here are some examples below:

E-Coating

• As of Fall 2011 all of our coach bodies go through a special E-coating process. This is the primary corrosion protection for the coach. This high tech solution is only one of the most recent changes to provide you with the most durable, high quality vehicle.

2010 Emissions

• EGR - Exhaust Gas recirculation works by recirculating a portion of an engine's exhaust gas back to the engine cylinders. In a diesel engine, the exhaust gas replaces some of the excess oxygen in the pre-combustion mixture.
• DPF and Re-Gen- Diesel Particulate Filter - The first step in the emissions control is a particulate filter similar to a catalytic converter on a car. A diesel particulate filter, sometimes called a DPF, is a device designed to remove diesel particulate matter or soot from the exhaust gas of a diesel engine. Wall-flow diesel particulate filters usually remove 85% or more of the soot, and can at times (heavily loaded condition) attain soot removal efficiencies of close to 100%. A diesel-powered vehicle equipped with a functioning filter will emit no visible smoke from its exhaust pipe.
  
  In addition to collecting the particulate, a method must exist to clean the filter. Our buses use a Regeneration system that is designed to burn off the accumulated particulate - instead of using a single use (disposable) filter. This is done either through the use of a catalyst (passive), or through an active technology, such as a fuel burner which heats the filter to soot combustion temperatures, through engine modifications (the engine is set to run a certain specific way when the filter load reaches a pre-determined level, either to heat the exhaust gases, or to produce high amounts of NOx, which w ill oxidize the particulates at relatively low temperatures), or through other methods. This is known as "filter regeneration".
• SCR - Selective Catalytic Reduction is a means of converting nitrogen oxides, also referred to as NOx with the aid of a catalyst(DEF or liquid urea) into diatomic nitrogen, N2, and water, H2O it is the last step in the exhaust chain for 2010 emissions that allows only water and nitrogen to come out the tail-pipe. Both are safe and clean for the environment, we add nitrogen to our lawns to make it dark green and help feed plants.  
• DEF - Diesel Exhaust Fluid is Basically its liquid urea...DEF (Diesel Exhaust Fluid) is an organic, non-toxic compound made of 32.5% urea and 67.5% de-ionized water that, when carefully added to diesel exhaust, helps neutralize NOx emissions. The estimated usage rate is approximately 2% per gallon of fuel and costs around $2.75 a gallon. Under temperatures below 12 degrees Fahrenheit, DEF will freeze, as soon as you start the bus heaters will begin to thaw the DEF fluid and the bus will be fully operational throughout the thawing process. DEF storage units should be kept above ground and within an enclosure with a small heater. There is no concern regarding thermal stress with the plastic DEF tank. Tanks have been extensively tested in a variety of extreme climates. DEF, when heated and maintained at a temperature above 120 degrees Fahrenheit, will very slowly start to form small amounts of ammonia. It would take over two years at this constant temperature to convert DEF into levels of household ammonia. On our instrument cluster the Fuel and DEF levels are displayed in one gauge, fuel with a needle pointing from F to E and DEF being shown with illuminated bars like signal strength on a cellular telephone.  

 

Bio-Diesel 

• Our buses are B-20 Compliant that means they can accept a blend of up to 20% biodiesel, and 80% hydrocarbon-based (normal low-sulfur) diesel. Biodiesel has better lubricating properties and much higher cetane ratings than today's lower sulfur diesel fuels. Biodiesel addition reduces fuel system wear,and in low levels in high pressure systems increases the life of the fuel injection equipment that relies on the fuel for its lubrication. Depending on the engine, this might include high pressure injection pumps, pump injectors (also called unit injectors) and fuel injectors. The calorific value of biodiesel is about 37.27 MJ/kg. This is 9% lower than regular Number 2 petrodiesel. Variations in biodiesel energy density is more dependent on the feedstock used than the production process. Still these variations are less than for petrodiesel. It has been claimed biodiesel gives better lubricity and more complete combustion thus increasing the engine energy output and partially compensating for the higher energy density of petrodiesel. Bio Diesel can often be found $0.15 cheaper per gallon than traditional diesel thanks to government tax incentives or subsidy's.

New Restroom Design

• Our new restroom design utilizes a marine style stainless steel toilet and two tanks, a freshwater tank and a waste water tank. No blue chemical is needed and there is no re circulation. A small amount of water stays in the bowl at all times, when flushed the contents of the bowl are drained then rinsed to the waste tank, finally the bowl refills with a small amount of water. Our toilets yield roughly 80 flushes per service, that's a little over two flushes per seat.   

New Entertainment System

• Our buses now utilize the Eclipse head unit that contains a touch screen interface and allows for control of the AM/FM, satellite radio, DVD player, MP3, IPOD, PA, and has a built in TomTom GPS system. For the passengers you will find Jensen LCD flat panel displays. 

New Safety Features

• Our buses are now being built with three emergency exit windows per side standard, with emergency breakout hammers mounted front and rear, every window can now be easily used as an emergency exit. Our buses still come standard with two fan vented emergency roof exits. 
• The emergency Air Dump for the passenger door is now located in an even easier to access location directly over the door. 
• All buses now include 3-point safety belts unless otherwise requested. 

Improved Mechanical Design

• We have been all across the country listening to customers and potential customers about what they would like to see in future buses, and we have started to implement what YOU asked for!
• Revised cooling fan drive
• Revised radiator design
• Improved durability where it counts
• Let us show you what we have been doing, call one of our dealers today!