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Bus and coach manufacturer NFI Group has announced that subsidiary New Flyer of America has launched its Electrical Technician Training Program (ETTP). The company has been a leader in zero-emission mobility, with electric vehicles operating in 80+ cities in five countries, especially within public transit systems. NFI offers a wide range of zero-emission battery and fuel cell-electric buses and coaches, and its vehicles have completed more than 40 million EV service miles.
The ETTP, launched initially in New Flyer’s Crookston and St. Cloud, Minn., facilities, is a program encompassing classroom and on-the-job (OJT) training and providing employees with knowledge and skills to continue leading and supporting zero-emission adoption across North America. The program, whose module development leveraged existing programming from NFI subsidiary Motor Coach Industries, is intended for expansion and launch across NFI’s other major manufacturing facilities in future.
North American Bus and Coach President Chris Stoddard
The purpose of the ETTP is to provide entry-level training for new employees, to help existing employees upskill and reskill through the industry’s accelerating transition to zero-emission propulsion and the increased demand for advanced zero-emission bus manufacturing, and to serve as a skills development pipeline to help employees reach the Senior Electrical Technician role. It includes five preparatory modules and two levels of training. Training levels include “Red” and “Blue”, respectively, indicating Electrical Technician 1 and Electrical Technician 2, which are earned upon training completion. The program is underway and will roll out through 2022.
“By the time an employee has fulfilled all program requirements, they will have completed 64 hours of classroom learning and over 3,600 hours of OJT,” said North American Bus and Coach President Chris Stoddard. “This is in addition to the 150,000 hours of training completed annually across the New Flyer team. Continued learning is critical for advancing zero-emission deployment, which is why workforce development remains one of four important pillars in our mobility solutions offering.”
xcelsior CHARGE NG
Additionally, the company announced the launch of NFI Financial Solutions–its comprehensive vehicle, infrastructure, and battery financing service. The announcement occurred during the American Public Transportation Association’s TRANSform Conference and EXPO in Orlando, Florida this week.
NFI Financial Solutions offers North American public and private operators the flexibility and support needed to procure vehicles, infrastructure, and batteries, to make the transition to zero-emission more accessible. Financing covers new and pre-owned buses and coaches, infrastructure development (including hardware, software, and support services offered by NFI Infrastructure Solutions), and vehicle batteries.
Visit newflyer.com for more information.
[11.09.21]
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- Category: Industry News
Updated: 11.10.21
The National Limousine Association (NLA), which announced its roster of candidates for its Board of Directors election in October, began the election process on Tuesday and will close on Thursday, November 11 at 8:00 p.m. ET. The voting is entirely online.
NLA President Robert Alexander of RMA Worldwide confirmed in his weekly letter that members will soon receive their unique voting credentials via email (the address associated with your NLA membership profile). If you need any assistance or have any questions, contact the association at info@limo.org.
The candidates are (click on the candidate’s name for more information):
At-Large (one open seat)
- Simon Chen of Eight Black Transport
- David Eckstein of Valera Global
- Jason Kaplan of The Driver Provider
Central (one open seat)
Northeast (one open seat)
West (one open seat)
- Harry Dhillon of Ecko Worldwide Transportation
- Charlie Grimm of BAC Transportation
- Kevin Illingworth of Classique Worldwide Transportation
Canada (one open seat)
International (one open seat)
Candidates were offered a chance to make their case and earn your vote during a series of live streams in late October. The debates were hosted by Bill Faeth of Limo University and were broken down by region. If you missed the debates live, you can view them on NLA’s Official Member Group Facebook page here (must be a member):
Visit limo.org for more information.
[11.08.21]
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- Category: Industry News
Four US Representatives have rallied 89 of their colleagues to join them in calling for House leadership to exempt Coronavirus Economic Relief for Transportation Services (CERTS) Act grant funds from federal taxation in the next possible legislative vehicle. Representatives Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.), Darin LaHood (R-Ill.), Albio Sires (D-N.J.), and John Rose (R-Tenn.) led the effort over the past two weeks, and motorcoach operators across the country did their part, emailing and calling their representatives to ask them to sign the letter.
L to R: Congressmen Jimmy Panetta, Darin LaHood, John Rose, and Albio Sires rallied 89 of their colleagues to support a tax-exemption for CERTS grant funds
The CERTS Act, with $2 billion in funding, was signed into law in December 2020 and funds were dispersed to grant applicants beginning in August of 2021. The industries assisted by the grants include passenger vessels and school buses in addition to motorcoach companies.
United Motorcoach Association (UMA) Chairman Jeff Polzien said, “UMA thanks Representatives Panetta, LaHood, Sires, and Rose for their outstanding leadership on this issue, the other 89 members of the House of Representatives who joined them in this effort, and the many hundreds of members of UMA who engaged directly with their elected representatives. We look forward to continuing to work with Congress to see the tax exemption become law.”
“This is a matter of fairness,” UMA President & CEO Scott Michael said of the tax exemption. “Similar industry relief program grants to restaurants and shuttered venues are already exempted from federal taxation. It’s not surprising there is so much bipartisan support for this measure to be codified in the next possible legislative action. Our industry is grateful for the leadership of Representatives Panetta, LaHood, Sires, and Rose.”
The UMA lead a push with members to urge their representatives to back the tax exemption for the grants, to help struggling coach operators who were severely impacted by the COVID shutdowns and are now just getting back to work.
“We know many motorcoach operators do not expect to return to ‘normal’ business until sometime in 2023,” Michael added. “Exempting these struggling businesses from paying back a large portion of these emergency grants in taxes will hasten their recovery.”
Visit uma.org for more information.
[11.02.21]