Refurbishment
Refurbishment encompasses overhauls of existing buses to extend the bus useful life at less than half of the cost of a new bus. All buses require refurbishment at mid-life (8-10 years) due to corrosion and normal structural wear and tear. Refurbishment provides a cost effective solution to maintaining an aging fleet. Over the past three decades MTB has overhauled virtually every bus model on the road in North America. Our experience provides us with a unique opportunity to know what works and what doesn’t in bus overhaul. We continually improve to ensure that you get the very best overhaul, and the most reliable vehicle for years to come.
The repair process typically takes 4 to 8 weeks depending on the scope involved. Most Transit facilities typically are not equipped for this process as it is highly labour intensive, requires valuable shop space as well as an experienced, productive labour force. The refurbishment process must be ‘production focused’ rather than ‘maintenance focused’ and properly set up to handle the volume in the most efficient manner.
Overview
North American winters are harsh on equipment and buses are increasingly susceptible to the elements on our roadways. Fleets may look visually fine but there are hidden problems. Structural integrity can be failing despite the bus being mechanically sound.
Corrosion typically becomes a structural problem around the 8-10 year mark. Structural corrosion typically hides behind exterior panels and below the floor.
Existing funding for transit is largely focused on rapid transit expansion, light rail, subway, stations and facilities upgrades, etc. Transit authorities must find a way to keep up with ridership growth and while providing a first class rider experience. Many municipalities are responding by moving back to an 18 year bus life and we are seeing many customers engaging in more early refresh and mid-life refurbishments. We believe demand for outsourced refresh and refurbishment services will continue to increase and we have invested in the capacity and facilities to continue to service our customers’ needs into the future.
