Greensboro Transit Agency (GTA), operated by RATP Dev USA, is formally notifying you of an engine compartment fire involving one of our transit vehicles. Vehicle Information: •Fleet Number: 764 •Manufacturer: New Flyer •Vehicle Type: Heavy-Duty Transit Bus •Incident Date: [XXX] •Location: Greensboro, North Carolina Summary of Incident: While in revenue service, the operator reported hearing an abnormal noise and observed white smoke coming from the rear engine compartment area. The operator safely evacuated passengers and emergency responders arrived quickly to suppress the fire. No injuries or fatalities occurred. A third-party fire investigation was conducted by Halsey King & Associates. Based on the preliminary findings, the fire is believed to have originated from a catastrophic failure of the Thermo King A/C compressor clutch bearing assembly. The bearing reportedly overheated, seized, and caused the compressor belt to ignite while still being driven by the engine. The investigation identified evidence consistent with: •A seized A/C compressor clutch bearing •Extreme heat generation within the clutch assembly •Belt ignition and progression of fire through engine compartment components At this time, our maintenance records do not indicate any previously documented defects associated with this specific Thermo King assembly prior to the incident. Our fleet currently has inspection and preventive maintenance procedures in place related to belt alignment, pulley alignment, belt tension, clutch air gap measurement, and related A/C system inspections. We are providing this notification for awareness, documentation, and any further review deemed appropriate. Please let us know if additional information, photographs, maintenance records, or investigative documentation are required. Respectfully, [XXX] Assistant General Manager / Maintenance Director Greensboro Transit Agency RATP Dev USA [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The worst 2018 New Flyer Xcelsior problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
- Electrical1
- Engine1
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Electrical1
- Engine1
Recalls 1
Structure: emergency: escape/egress/exit
- What is wrong
- New Flyer of America, Inc. (New Flyer) is recalling certain 2012-2025 Xcelsior buses. The buses may have been built without enough emergency exits or the exits may be in an incorrect location. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 217, "Bus Emergency Exits and Window Retention and Release."
- Risk
- An insufficient number, or incorrectly located, of emergency exits can prevent or delay passengers from exiting during an emergency, increasing their risk of injury.
- Remedy
- New Flyer will mail instructions and necessary parts to add additional emergency egress windows, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 8, 2025. Owners may contact New Flyer's customer service at 1‑800‑241‑2947.
Recall number 25V542000 · Recall details
Technical service bulletins for the 2018 New Flyer Xcelsior 9
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
- This bulletin introduces new improved banjo bolts for buses equipped with a Haldex tandem air dryers
- Bulletin to follow when replacing LV batteries on buses equipped with certain Vanner battery equalizers.
- This Technical Service Information Bulletin (TSIB)
- This service manual bulletin is an update to the 6,000 mile Preventative Maintenance inspection and...
- Technical Service Information Bulletin revising the lubrication schedule for the scroll bearing on...
- Technical Services Information Bulletin describing how to inspect specifically equipped vehicles, for...
- This Service Manual Bulletin provides additional information regarding the 6,000 mile Preventative...
- Service Manual Bulletin
- This Maintenance Instruction Describes How to Retrofit Upgraded PEM Electric Drive Motor Mount Hardware...
What 2018 New Flyer Xcelsior owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
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Questions about the 2018 New Flyer Xcelsior
Is the 2018 New Flyer Xcelsior reliable?
Owners have filed 1 complaint about the 2018 New Flyer Xcelsior, close to a typical Xcelsior model year.
What is the most common problem with the 2018 New Flyer Xcelsior?
Electrical system, with 1 complaint. Next is engine (1).
How many recalls does the 2018 New Flyer Xcelsior have?
1 recall, covering structure.
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