USA Alexander Dennis, itself a subsidiary of the North American NFI Group, has celebrated the official opening of its own manufacturing facility in Las Vegas. To commemorate the launch of the facility, the company handed over the first two of 10 new Enviro500 double-deck buses to the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada (RTC).
The company says the opening of the new facility is a significant milestone as it will lead the development and production of double-deck buses for the North American market and support Southern Nevada’s transport and manufacturing industry. Alexander Dennis says it is the only facility making double-deck buses in the United States, so making Las Vegas a hub for cutting-edge transit solutions.
NFI Group President & CEO Paul Soubry and Alexander Dennis President & Managing Director Paul Davies worked with RTC CEO MJ Maynard-Carey and her team to deliver the first two vehicles in the fleet, which are destined to boost the operator’s fleet on its ‘Deuce on The Strip’ route.
The new Las Vegas assembly facility is owned and directly operated by Alexander Dennis Inc. (ADI), the manufacturer’s legal entity in the United States. The company says its investment of $15.3 million represents not only a commitment to innovation, but is also testament to the strong partnerships Alexander Dennis builds with its local communities and the economic value it creates. The buses are Buy America compliant, which means more than 70% of the materials and components are sourced from
US based suppliers. In Southern Nevada, ADI has spent over $5.5 million directly with local suppliers over the past 12 months.
Double-decker production is currently one bus per week, the company says, a number which is expected to ramp up to one and a half buses per week through 2026, allowing ADI to manufacture 75 vehicles per year.
As demand grows, Alexander Dennis believes there is opportunity to increase capacity within the existing facility with further investments and workforce development, which it says could increase employment from over 115 local jobs initially.
The new Enviro500 buses for RTC are built to an overall length of 42’ 5’’, or 12.9m, and are 13’ 6’’ (4.115m) high. They have capacity for up to 100 passengers, with 51 seats on the upper deck accessed via two staircases, plus a further 15 fixed seats, seven tip-up seats and spaces for two wheelchair users on the lower deck.
The new double-deckers join 40 already in the RTC fleet that were manufactured in 2020 at Alexander Dennis’ former manufacturing facility. Another 10 Enviro500 are now on order for delivery next year and will again be built locally in Southern Nevada.
“The grand opening of the Alexander Dennis manufacturing facility is a proud moment for Southern Nevada and a testament to the power of strategic partnerships,” said MJ Maynard-Carey. “As the only site in the country building double-decker buses, this facility not only supports the RTC’s mission to provide safe, efficient, and innovative transit solutions, but it also brings quality jobs and economic investment to our region. We’re thrilled to celebrate this milestone and the continued collaboration that helps keep Southern Nevada moving forward.”
Alexander Dennis’ Paul Davies added: “The opening of our new manufacturing facility secures the future of double-deck bus manufacturing in North America as we build on the Enviro500’s success and respond to growing interest in this high-capacity transit solution. Alexander Dennis introduced the first double-deck buses to North America in 2000 and over 1,300 have been sold to transit agencies and tour operators since then.
“Today also marks the continuation and expansion of our great partnership with the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada. The RTC was the first US transit agency to introduce double-deck buses in 2005. With our new manufacturing facility here in Las Vegas, we’re now giving back to the local economy and creating value in Southern Nevada. We’re very grateful for the support we have received, including the help of Big Rig Manufacturing in setting up this facility and its initial operations.”
Alexander Dennis has been working with Big Rig Manufacturing in Las Vega since 2023, when it was appointed as a contract manufacturing partner to meet resurging interest in the Enviro500 in North America. The Enviro500 had previously been manufactured at production facilities in Toronto, Ontario and Nappanee, Indiana, both of which ceased production as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
