Optima Bus Corporation

Optima Bus, LLC, formerly Chance Coach Inc., is a brand of small transit buses manufactured by North American Bus Industries. It was established in 1976 in Wichita, Kansas.

It was originally the trolley and bus production business of Chance Industries Inc. In 1998, Chance Coach, Inc. was sold to American Capital Strategies ^[1], which rebranded the company as Optima Bus Corporation in 2003^[2]. American Capital subsequently sold Optima to North American Bus Industries, who closed the Kansas assembly plant on August 8, 2007 with production moved to their existing plant in Anniston, Alabama. ^[3] The brand name continues to be used.

Products

Current

An Opus run by the Red Rose Transit Authority.

RIPTA CNG trolley replica #16

• Opus: under 30' or under 35' low-floor bus, design based on Wrightbus bodywork
• American Heritage Streetcar AH-28 - trolley body on bus chassis

Opus ISE series hybrid

There is a hybrid Opus version, called Opus ISE Series Hybrid Buses. ^[4]

It utilizes ISE-Siemens ThunderVolt hybrid technology built around Siemens ELFA motors, generators and inverters.

Historic

Chance manufacturered the Sunliner trams, an open air towed tram used at various parks zoos in the United States and Canada.

See also

• RT-52

References

1. ^ American Capital Strategies
2. ^ Dinell, David, "Chance Coach Inc. will be renamed Optima Bus Corp." Wichita Business Journal, January 15, 2003.
3. ^ www.kansas.com
4. ^ [1], isecorp.com, 08-12-13

External links

• Optima page on North American Bus Industries site
• Opus ISE Series Hybrid Bus