Vicinity Classic
Vicinity Classic | |
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Years of manufacture | 2009 to present |
Length | 27.5 to 38 feet |
Width | 98 inches |
Power/Fuel | Diesel CNG |
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The Vicinity Classic (known as the Grande West Vicinity until March 2021) is a low floor, heavy-duty, mid-sized transit bus sold in Canada and the United States by Vicinity Motor Corp. It is available in lengths of 27.5, 30, and 35 feet. The Vicinity Classic was designed at the behest of BC Transit and has been adopted by other transit agencies across North America.
History
BC Transit had relied on cutaway buses for their rural and community transit routes, however these buses were constrained by the use of wheelchair lifts and lack of standee space. BC Transit, together with TransLink and OC Transpo, issued an expression of interest in 2008 for a more conventional low floor transit bus that was under 30 feet. Grande West Transportation was founded by William Trainer in response to that need for a heavy-duty, accessible low-floor community shuttle bus. Grande West worked closely with BC Transit to design what would become the Vicinity.
Grande West sought out Yaxing Motor Coach Company as a manufacturing partner after no feasible North American option was available.[1] Yaxing's experience included manufacturing Mercedes-Benz motorcoaches under a joint venture with DaimlerChrysler known as Yaxing Benz.
The Vicinity bus prototype was delivered in February 2010, as part of a beta-testing program during the Winter Olympics.[2] Initial trials, evaluations and passenger surveys were completed for 21 months during the Vicinity bus’ tour of various BC Transit systems. The trial was meant to expose the bus to a variety of extreme climate conditions and difficult terrain.
In 2011, BC Transit placed an order for 15 buses to further evaluate their performance.[3] Delivery of these buses occurred in August 2013. Sales efforts across Canada have resulted in orders being received and production scaling up.
On production models, the lower front fascia was revised. It features large, single LED headlights with the turn signals positioned in the place of the fog lights that were featured on the initial bus. Beginning with Oakville Transit's 2016 order, the Vicinity may be specified with two-piece slide glide doors and EASB bumpers.
In November 2014, Grande West announced the launch of a 30 foot model at the Canadian Urban Transit Association’s fall conference and trade show in Niagara Falls, Ontario. The 30 foot model was designed with optional two passenger doors, catered to the specifications of the Ontario public transit market. In June 2015, Grande West announced the production of a 35 foot model. Rather than mounted transversely, the engine is mounted longitudinally at the rear; giving a greater rear overhang.
The Vicinity has received certification by the Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Standard, Transport Canada and the British Columbian Ministry of Transportation. The Vicinity was determined compliant with the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (“FMVSS”) for the United States in April 2015, allowing the Vicinity bus to be sold to the US market. In November 2016, Grande West announced their first US customer: Standard Parking at the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. The buses were sold through Alliance Bus Group, the dealer in the US. The following month, Grande West announced that they have received "Buy America" certification which includes 60 percent US component content. This allows the company, through Alliance Bus Group, to bid on public transit opportunities.[4]
At the beginning of 2017, Grande West announced that a compressed natural gas (CNG) fueled option would be available going forward. The bus uses the Cummins Westport ISB6.7 G.[5] In May 2016, BC Transit had signed a contract with Grande West that had options for CNG- powered buses.[6] The order for the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport shuttles also specified CNG. These buses were delivered in 2017.
Along with the CNG option, an option for a 30 foot model with a longitudinally mounted engine became available. With a greater rear overhang, the bus is actually just over 32 feet long. One of the first examples was the CNG-powered buses for the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. By the end of 2022, the 32 foot long model replaced the 30 foot long model after the rear axle used for the transverse engine layout was discontinued. This also meant the 27.5 foot long model was discontinued too.
Towards the end of 2020, Grande West began producing a 38 foot version of the Vicinity. Like the 35 foot Vicinity, the engine is mounted longitudinally at the rear.
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Original prototype bus on trial with BC Transit.
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27 foot Vicinity.
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30 foot Vicinity with stock specifications.
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35 foot Vicinity.
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30 foot Vicinity with EASB bumpers.
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30 foot Vicinity CNG.
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38 foot Vicinity with optional single-piece rear door.
Specifications
Measurements | ||
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Length: 8.382m (27' 6"), 9.144m (30'), or 10.668m (35') | ||
Width: 2.48m (98") | ||
Height: 3m (9' 8") incl. HVAC | ||
Turning radius 7.925m, 8.900m, or 9.400m | ||
Wheelbase: 4.115m (13' 4"), 4.862m (16'), or 5.700m (18.7') | ||
GVWR: 13,200 kg (29,101 lb), 13,700 kg (30,203 lb), 16,802 kg (37,044 lb) | ||
Engine | Emissions | Availability |
Cummins B6.7 6.7 litre, 220 hp | GHG17 | 2017 onward |
Cummins Westport B6.7N 6.7 litre, 220 hp | GHG17 | CNG, 2018 onward |
Cummins ISB6.7 6.7 litre, 220 hp | EPA07, EPA10, EPA13, GHG14, EPA16 | 2009 to 2017 |
Cummins Westport ISB6.7 G 6.7 litre, 220 hp | EPA16 | CNG, 2016 to 2018 |
Transmission | Availability | |
Allison B300R | 2016 onward | |
ZF 6AP1002B - Ecolife | 2015 onward | |
ZF 6HP504C - Ecomat 4 | 2009 to 2014 | |
Voith D854.6 | 2016 onward | |
Axles | ||
Front: BRIST Alxe Systems (Voith) TJ58-225 | ||
Rear: Graziano BRA81DC80 drop centre (V-drive) or HanDe single reduction (T-drive) | ||
Suspension | ||
Computer controlled air ride with independent front suspension | ||
Brakes | ||
Four wheel disc brakes | ||
Tires | ||
Front:275 70R 22.5 | ||
Rear: 385 55R 22.5 | ||
Passenger capacity | ||
23 seated + 16 standees, 24 seated + 18 standees, or 31 seated + 18 standees |
Operators
Bolding denotes that this system operates CNG Vicinity Classic buses.
Italics denote that the system only operated demonstrators.
Canada 
- BC Transit:
- Campbell River Transit System - Campbell River, BC
- Central Fraser Valley Transit System - Central Fraser, BC
- Chilliwack/Agassiz-Harrison Transit System - Agassiz & Chilliwack, BC
- Comox Valley Transit System - Comox Valley, BC
- Cowichan Valley Regional Transit System - Cowichan Valley, BC
- Cranbrook Transit System - Cranbrook, BC
- Dawson Creek Transit System - Dawson Creek, BC
- Fort St. John Transit System - Fort St. John, BC
- Kelowna Regional Transit System - Kelowna, BC
- Kitimat Transit System - Kitimat, BC
- South Okanagan-Similkameen Transit System - Penticton, BC
- Port Alberni Regional Transit System - Port Alberni, BC
- Prince George Transit System - Prince George, BC
- Prince Rupert & Port Edward Transit Systems - Prince Rupert, BC
- Quesnel Transit System - Quesnel, BC
- Squamish Transit System - Squamish, BC
- Sunshine Coast Regional Transit System - Sunshine Coast, BC
- Terrace Regional Transit System - Terrace, BC
- Vernon Regional Transit System - Vernon, BC
- Victoria Regional Transit System - Victoria, BC
- West Kootenay Transit System - Castlegar, Nelson, Trail, BC
- Williams Lake Transit System - Williams Lake, BC
- Burlington Transit - Burlington, ON
- Calgary Transit - Calgary, AB
- Cobourg Transit - Cobourg, ON
- Edmonton Transit Service - Edmonton, AB
- exo - Réseau de transport métropolitain
- exo L'Assomption (operated by Keolis Canada) - L'Assomption, L'Épiphanie, Charlemagne, Repentigny and Saint-Sulpice, QC
- exo Chambly-Richelieu-Carignan (operated by Autobus La Québécoise (second hand)) - Carignan, Chambly, Marieville, Richelieu and Saint-Mathias-sur-Richelieu, QC
- exo Haut-Saint-Laurent (operated by Autobus Dufresne) - Mercier, Sainte-Martine, Ormstown, Très-Saint-Sacrement and Howick, QC
- exo Laurentides (operated by Transdev Québec, Autobus Paquette (On order), Autobus Transcobec (On order) and Autobus Séguin(On order)) - Blainville, Bois-des-Filon, Boisbriand, Deux-Montagnes, Lorraine, Mirable, Pointe-Calumet, Rosemère, Sainte-Anne-des-Plaines, Saint-Eustache, Sainte-Marthe-sur-le-Lac, Sainte-Thérèse, Saint-Jérôme and Saint-Joseph-du-Lac, QC
- exo La Presqu'Île (operated by Le Groupe Transbus) - Hudson, Île-Perrot, Notre-Dame-de-l'Île-Perrot, Pincourt, Rigaud, St-Lazare and Vaudreuil-Dorion, QC
- exo Roussillon (operated by Autobus Dufresne) - Delson, Sainte-Catherine and Saint-Constant, QC
- exo Sainte-Julie (operated by Transdev Québec) - Sainte-Julie, QC
- exo Sorel-Varennes (operated by Le Groupe Transbus) - Varennes, Verchères, Contrecoeur, Saint-Amable, Saint-Joseph-de-Sorel and Sorel-Tracy, QC
- Grand River Transit - The Regional Municipality of Waterloo, ON
- Grande Prairie Transit - Grande Prairie, AB
- Hamilton Street Railway - Hamilton, ON
- Kings Transit - Annapolis Valley, NS
- Lethbridge Transit - Lethbridge, AB
- Medicine Hat Transit - Medicine Hat, AB
- Metrobus - St. John's, NL
- Moose Jaw Transit - Moose Jaw, SK
- Oakville Transit - Oakville, ON
- Orangeville Transit - Orangeville, ON
- Regina Transit - Regina, SK
- Prince Albert Transit - Pince Albert, SK
- Saskatoon Transit - Saskatoon, SK
- Selkirk Transit - Selkirk, MB
- Simcoe County LINX (operated by First Transit) - Simcoe County, ON
- Société de transport de Lévis - Lévis, Québec
- Société de transport de Trois-Rivières - Trois-Rivières, Québec
- Société de transport du Saguenay - Saguenay, Québec
- Transcollines (operated by Campeau Bus Lines) - Brownsburg-Chatham, QC
- Transit Cape Breton - Cape Breton, NS
- Universal Coach Line (on behalf of the Vancouver International Airport Authority) - Richmond, BC
- Ville de Mont-Tremblant (operated by Groupe Galland) - Mont-Tremblant, QC
- Ville de Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu (operated by Transdev Québec) - Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, QC
- Welland Transit - Welland, ON
- Whitecourt Transit - Whitecourt, AB
- Yellowknife Transit - Yellowknife, NT
United States 
- Asheville Transit System - Asheville, NC
- Brooklyn Navy Yard Development Corporation - Brooklyn, NY
- Delta Air Lines LaGuardia Airport shuttle bus (operated by Golden Touch Transportation) - Queens, NY
- Delta Air Lines Employee Shuttle Service (Detroit) (operated by First Transit) - Romulus, MI
- Delta Air Lines Employee Shuttle Service (Minneapolis) (operated by Transdev) - Minneapolis, MN
- Encore Casino - Boston, MA
- Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport Shuttle (operated by Standard Parking) - Atlanta, GA
- Joseph’s Transportation (operated on behalf of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority) - Medford, MA
- LaGuardia Airport Management Council - Queens, NY
- Oxford-University Transit Commission - Oxford, MS
- Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) - Atlanta, GA
- Starkville-MSU Area Rapid Transit - Starksville, MS
Demonstrator and engineering units
Fleet number | Thumbnail | Year | VIN | Engine | Transmission | Notes |
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7130 (BC Transit) later V2012 |
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2009 | LJSKB6GP29D000703 | Cummins ISB6.7 | ZF 6AP1002B |
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March 2013 | LJSKB6GP5CD002419 | Cummins ISB6.7 | ZF 6AP1002B |
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2014 | 2G9B30AA9FA098018 | Cummins ISB6.7 | ZF 6AP1002B |
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2015 | 2G9B30AA2FA098023 | Cummins ISB6.7 | ZF 6AP1002B |
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2015 | 2G9B30AA0GA098037 | Cummins ISB6.7 | ZF 6AP1002B |
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August 2016 | 2G9B30AA4GA098056 | Cummins ISB6.7 | ZF 6AP1002B |
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2016 | Cummins ISB6.7 | ZF 6AP1002B |
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2017 | 2G9B33GA7HA098160 | Cummins Westport ISB6.7 G | Allison B400R |
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References
- ↑ Vicinity bus opportunity. Victoria Regional Transit Commission. 11 September 2012.
- ↑ Modern European-inspired Community Test Bus, transitbc.com, retrieved on 2010-11-04
- ↑ City hopes to take bus on test drive, bclocalnews.com, retrieved on 2011-07-18
- ↑ Grande West Achieves Buy America Certification. Press release. 12 December 2016. Grande West Transportation. Retrieved on 19 December 2016.
- ↑ CNG Clean Burning Fuel Option for Vicinity. Press release. Grande West Transportation. 11 January 2017.
- ↑ BC Transit awards Grande West a contract for up to 112 Vicinity® buses. Press release. Grande West Transportation. 10 May 2016.
- ↑ "La Point commune" (26 July 2013) Association du transport urbain du Québec. Retrieved on 06 October 2013.
- ↑ https://twitter.com/GrandeWestTrans/status/781901658389295106?s=20 CEO Driving the 35' Vicinity to Victoria. Posted September 30, 2016, retrieved December 13, 2019.