Neoplan USA was a major transit bus

Bus

A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...

 manufacturing company based in Denver

Denver, Colorado

The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...

, Colorado, which was entirely separate from the German corporation, Neoplan

Neoplan

NEOPLAN Bus GmbH is a German automotive company that manufactures buses, trolleybuses and coaches. NEOPLAN is now a subsidiary of NEOMAN Bus GmbH, which itself is a part of MAN SE.-Foundations:...

, licensing its designs from the German company of the same name. The company was founded in 1981 and folded in 2006. It was originally a subsidiary

Subsidiary

A subsidiary company, subsidiary, or daughter company is a company that is completely or partly owned and wholly controlled by another company that owns more than half of the subsidiary's stock. The subsidiary can be a company, corporation, or limited liability company. In some cases it is a...

 of Neoplan, but later became an independent licensee. Its main factory was located in Lamar, Colorado

Lamar, Colorado

The City of Lamar is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Prowers County, Colorado, United States. The city population was 8,869 at the U.S...

. Its headquarters was also in Lamar, until moving to Denver in 2004. At one time, it also had production facilities in Honey Brook

Honey Brook, Pennsylvania

Honey Brook is a borough in Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,713 at the 2010 census. It is surrounded by the township of the same name, and both are referred to locally collectively as Honey Brook.-History:...

, Pennsylvania, and Brownsville

Brownsville, Texas

Brownsville is a city in the southernmost tip of the state of Texas, in the United States. It is located on the northern bank of the Rio Grande, directly north and across the border from Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico. Brownsville is the 16th largest city in the state of Texas with a population of...

, Texas.

Neoplan manufactured standard-floor buses, low-floor buses, and articulated bus

Articulated bus

An articulated bus is an articulated vehicle used in public transportation. It is usually a single-deck design, and comprises two rigid sections linked by a pivoting joint...

es. In 2003–2006 it also built 28 40 feet (12.2 m) electric trolley buses

Trolleybus

A trolleybus is an electric bus that draws its electricity from overhead wires using spring-loaded trolley poles. Two wires and poles are required to complete the electrical circuit...

 and 32 articulated dual-mode bus

Dual-mode bus

A dual-mode bus is a bus that can run independently on power from two different sources, typically electricity from overhead lines or batteries, alternated with conventional fossil fuel ....

es for Boston's MBTA

Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, often referred to as the MBTA or simply The T, is the public operator of most bus, subway, commuter rail and ferry systems in the greater Boston, Massachusetts, area. Officially a "body politic and corporate, and a political subdivision" of the...

. Neoplan had 625 employees and revenue of $810 million before it ceased operations in January 2006.

Neoplan USA filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection

Chapter 11, Title 11, United States Code

Chapter 11 is a chapter of the United States Bankruptcy Code, which permits reorganization under the bankruptcy laws of the United States. Chapter 11 bankruptcy is available to every business, whether organized as a corporation or sole proprietorship, and to individuals, although it is most...

 in August 2006, listing assets of $13.7 million and debts of $59 million, after closing its manufacturing plant in 2006.

In its last few months of operation, Neoplan had fallen on hard times, such as warranty issues with San Francisco's MUNI

Muni

"Muni" is a common abbreviation for "municipal" or a city-related service or organization:*The Muny, an outdoor musical theatre in St. Louis, Missouri*Municipal bond*San Francisco Municipal Railway, the public transit agency for San Francisco, California...

 and cash-flow problems after Boston's MBTA canceled an order over late bus deliveries.

The company still technically continued to exist until selling its parts-supply division, Neopart. Once Neopart was sold, in October 2007, Neoplan USA ceased to exist.

Models

• Metroliner models (over the road transit coach buses)

Powered by Detroit Diesel Series 60 diesel engine

*AN340 (40-foot model) (12-metre)

*AN345 (45-foot)

• Transliner models (transit buses)

Powered by Detroit Diesel Series 6V92TA/ 50 / 60, Cummins, CAT diesel or CNG engines

*AN435 (35-foot, high-floor model)

*AN435LF (35-footer, low-floor)

*AN440

Neoplan AN440

The Neoplan Transliner was a series of related mass transit bus models introduced by Neoplan USA in 1981.- Models :The Transliner was available in a wide variety of body styles. Transliners could be ordered in 35', 40', and 60' lengths...

(40-foot, high-floor)

*AN440LF

Neoplan AN440

The Neoplan Transliner was a series of related mass transit bus models introduced by Neoplan USA in 1981.- Models :The Transliner was available in a wide variety of body styles. Transliners could be ordered in 35', 40', and 60' lengths...

(40-foot, low-floor)

*AN440TLF (40-foot, true low-floor)

*AN445TLF (45-foot, true low-floor)

• Articulated models (transit buses)

Powered by Detroit Diesel Series 6V92TA/ 50 / 60, Cummins, CAT diesel or CNG engines

*AN460 (60-foot, high-floor) (18-metre)

*AN460RC (59-foot, high-floor model, made only for NJ Transit

New Jersey Transit Bus Operations

New Jersey Transit Bus Operations is the bus division of New Jersey Transit, providing bus service throughout New Jersey along with service along one light rail line, with many routes going to New York City and Philadelphia.-History:...

)

*AN460LF (60-foot, low-floor)

• Neoplan USA licensed Neoplan Bus Germany's
  Neoplan
  NEOPLAN Bus GmbH is a German automotive company that manufactures buses, trolleybuses and coaches. NEOPLAN is now a subsidiary of NEOMAN Bus GmbH, which itself is a part of MAN SE.-Foundations:...
  
   luxury coach lineup

Powered by Detroit Diesel Series 60 engine

*Starliner AN516/3 (45-foot model)

*Cityliner AN116/3 (40- or 45-foot)

*Skyliner AN122/3 (40-foot, double-decker tour/coach bus)

*Spaceliner AN117/3 (40- or 45-foot, double-decker motor home bus)

External links

• BUSRide article on Neoplan's closing
• Neoplan USA Reports Manufacturing Plant Shutdown (American Public Transportation Association
  American Public Transportation Association
  The American Public Transportation Association is a non-profit organization which serves as an advocate for the advancement of public transportation programs and initiatives in the United States. Since its founding in 1882, APTA has educated the public about the benefits of public transportation...
  
  article, December 5, 2005)