USA
Alexander Dennis has confirmed a further order for an Enviro500 double-decker from US operator AppalCART, which provides free public transport in Boone, North Carolina, on a fixed-route network focused around the Appalachian State University campus. The operator is a new customer to both Alexander Dennis and the wider NFI Group, and the purchase follows the successful trial of a similar demonstrator in October 2021.
The double-decker will be used on the ‘Pop 105’ route which links university institutions, downtown Boone and apartment complexes, where its high capacity of over 100 passengers, including 84 seated, will address overcrowding on key journeys.
AppalCART’s Enviro500 will be built in the United States as part of the recently announced partnership between Alexander Dennis and Big Rig Manufacturing and is expected to be delivered in 2025. It will be supported in operation by Alexander Dennis’ own staff as well as through the wider NFI Parts organisation.
AppalCART Director Craig Hughes said: “The bus will provide AppalCART with helpful operational efficiency, as we will almost double capacity without the need for additional staffing. We will be able to be more responsive to our passengers’ needs by adding seats to a very high volume route, helping to eliminate the frequency of overcrowding. As an added benefit, a double-decker bus rolling down the streets of Boone will also bring attention, excitement, and fresh eyes to what an efficient public transportation system can mean for the college students and local residents that ride our routes daily.”
Jason Steinbrunn, Vice-President Commercial for Alexander Dennis in North America, added: “We’re delighted to welcome AppalCART to NFI Group for their first Alexander Dennis Enviro500. This order shows how the high passenger capacity of a double-decker can improve operational efficiency on campus-focused transit systems, which typically experience high loadings on selected journeys.”