Optima Bus Corporation
Optima Bus, LLC, formerly Chance Coach Inc., was 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-replica and conventional-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] Optima Bus is now North American Bus Industries, Inc.[4]
Products
Current
- Opus: under 30 ft (9.14 m) or under 35 ft (10.67 m) low-floor bus, design based on Wrightbus bodywork
- American Heritage Streetcar AH-28 - trolley-style body on bus chassis
- Opus ISE series hybrid
There is a hybrid Opus version, called Opus ISE Series Hybrid Buses.[5]
It utilizes ISE-Siemens ThunderVolt hybrid technology built around Siemens ELFA motors, generators and inverters.
- RT-52 Shuttle Bus
Historic
Chance manufactured the Sunliner trams, an open-air towed tram used at various parks and zoos in the United States and Canada.
