INDUSTRY CONNECTIONS
Azure Dynamics Restructuring Unlikely to Affect Collins NEXBUS Hybrid Te filing of creditor protection last spring by Azure Dynamics
will likely have no long-term effect on an exclusive partnership the company has with Collins Bus Corporation to build the hybrid- electric drivetrain for the Type A NEXBUS, said spokesmen from both companies. Azure Dynamics filed for protection with the Supreme Court of
British Columbia under the Canadian Companies’ Creditors Ar- rangement Act. Azure Dynamics Inc., a U.S.-based subsidiary that handles sales, supply chains and some product support, also filed for similar Chapter 15, title 11 U.S. bankruptcy protection in Michi- gan, and another subsidiary based in the U.K. filed there. Mike Elswood, director of marketing for Azure Dynamics, said all
customers have been notified of the company’s current position and Azure is continuing to provide all warranty service. As for the long- term health of its suite of electric and hybrid products, Elswood said discussions with parties interested in purchasing the company all in- dicate a desire to continue manufacturing the technologies. John Doswell, vice president of sales and marketing for Collins
Bus, added that NEXBUS customers had been notified and that manufacturing the hybrid option with Azure Dynamics remained “business as usual.”
Atlantic Express Bus Driver Dies Following ‘Road Rage’ Beating
A 65-year-old school bus driver for contractor Atlantic
Express died in June after his family asked doctors to re- move him from life support. Te motorist caught on camera striking Juan Del Valle now faces multiple felony charges, in- cluding manslaughter. An eight-year veteran of Atlantic Express, Del Valle was
driving for the New York City Department of Education on June 11 when he struck the side window of a car that was double-parked on a narrow street in the Bronx. Company spokeswoman Carolyn Daly said Del Valle stopped the bus and exited it to assess the damage, per company policies and procedures. Te owner of the double-parked vehicle, Joey Scott, then confronted Del Valle, as shown by surveillance video taken from a camera positioned across the street. Daly said Del Valle told Scott that he was going to call
police to report the accident, again per company policy, when Scott responded by throwing two punches. Te sec- ond blow sent Del Valle to the asphalt, where he struck the right side of his head. He never regained consciousness. “He was a wonderful, gentle man who did his job pro-
fessionally and with great dedication and compassion,” said Daly. She added that, at this writing, the New York City District Attorney was seeking criminal child endan- germent charges in addition to multiple counts of assault and manslaughter.
16 School Transportation News Magazine August 2012
BIZ BITES: Navistar announced its diesel engine solution to meet 2014
and 2017 federal greenhouse gas emissions regulations. Te In- Cylinder Technology Plus (ICT+) solution incorporates Advanced EGR with urea-based aftertreatment. A company spokeswoman said the current focus is development of big-bore truck engines, but eventually the new emissions solution will also be used in medium-duty engines, such as for IC Bus ... ATS announced it will use AngelTrax’s IntelliGuard stop-arm enforcement camera system with the CrossingGuard automated enforcement system to help school districts and local police identify illegal passers … Chrysler Group recognized Cummins Inc. as the 2012 Sustain- ability Supplier of the Year during its Annual Strategy Meeting and Supplier Awards Ceremony June 6 in Detroit … Bosch intro- duced a new series of QuietCast medium-duty disc brake pads, expanding the QuietCast brake products line with the addition of 24 popular medium-duty brake pad numbers … Rick Shaw, president and CEO of Awareity, spoke on “Getting the Right Info to the Right People: Keys to Moving From Reaction Mode to Pre- vention Mode” at the National Conference on School Discipline and joint Conference on Girl Bullying and Relational Aggression held June 28–30 in Atlanta, Ga. … Te Ontario School Bus As- sociation Board of Directors elected new executives for the 2012–2013 school year: Greg Hammond of Hammond Trans- portation Ltd., president; John Chapman of Newry Coach Lines, vice president; Mark Begg of Delaney Bus Lines, treasurer; and Gord Taylor of Stock Transportation, past president … Student Transportation Inc. announced it is expanding a fleet-leasing program to keep interest rates among the lowest in the industry.
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