For Immediate Release

For more information contact:
Steve Kratzer
Marketing and Business Development Representative
steve.kratzer@optimabus.com
316-779-7700 ext. 344

Optima Celebrates More Than Twenty Years of Providing America's Most Popular and Dependable Streetcars

Wichita, KS – October 10, 2005 – Public transit veterans may find it difficult to imagine that it was only twenty-two years ago that the first Optima, formerly Chance Coach, nostalgic, turn-of-the-century streetcar replicas went into service for VIA Metropolitan Transit in San Antonio, Texas.

VIA spokesperson Priscilla Ingle says, "We are proud of the fact that the America's enthusiasm for Optima's turn-of-the-century streetcars began right here in San Antonio more than two decades ago. The first streetcars were delivered to the people of San Antonio, Texas, in 1983, and have been in continuous operation since that time. They have become a major part of the downtown landscape," she explains. "We only recently retired those first streetcars and upgraded our streetcar fleet with beautiful new propane-fueled American Heritage Streetcars."

VIA's original streetcars were the popular open-aired Alamo City Streetcar, which Optima manufactured until 1993. Due to changing ADA regulations, Optima replaced the Alamo City Streetcar with the totally-enclosed American Heritage Streetcar.

Given the vast number of public transit organizations that have followed San Antonio's lead and added streetcars manufactured by Optima to their own fleets, ushering in an explosive era of renovated old town and historical districts in cities and towns of all sizes, creating scores of success stories that are as unique as the number of communities that they have helped.

Optima Bus Corporation CEO Michael Monteferrante says, "Looking back, it's easy to see that as soon as the first streetcars began to increase ridership, enhance the image of San Antonio's public transit and helped cut operating costs, a national trend had been born. When something makes that big of an impact in the mass transit industry, word spreads quickly. As soon as other operations began to hear about the positive impact streetcars were making in San Antonio, demand for the streetcars skyrocketed and the rest, as they say, is history."

This trend continues unabated with scores of cities and towns of all sizes creating their own success stories about how their streetcars manufactured by Optima have reinvigorated public transportation, helped rejuvenate an old town district or cut down on traffic congestion and pollution. An example of the success stories that continue to reverberate across America is the experience of Providence, R.I. and its sister city across the bay, Newport, a.k.a. the City by the Sea.

Providence and Newport have rich histories, beautiful scenery and a long tradition of fine cuisine. They've been enormously popular as tourist destinations for generations," says Monteferrante. "As a result of the hit NBC series 'Providence,' both communities experienced a surge in tourism that put them on the verge of becoming victims of their own success. Their quality of life was about to disappear into a cloud of vehicle exhaust from the traffic congestion."

The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority solved its congestion problem by deploying a fleet of 20 state-of-the-art American Heritage Streetcars that offer a $1.50-a-ride circulator service called the Providence LINK. Passengers can travel on the LINK throughout the Providence core area and in Newport, RIPTA trolleys carry tourists to virtually every major attraction in that popular tourist Mecca across the bay.

Asked why RIPTA chose the American Heritage Streetcar, RIPTA director of procurement Roger Mencarini says, "Operationally, we wanted modern, heavy-duty mass transit vehicles that were environmentally friendly. We also wanted vehicles that would complement and enhance the rejuvenation taking place in our historic district," said Mencarini. "The American Heritage Streetcars fit all of our criteria and then some" he explained. "Not only are they comfortable, temperature-controlled, state-of-the-art vehicles, they are very attractive."

Austin, Texas, is another state capital and a popular tourist destination in its region. Similar to Providence, it too needed to alleviate congestion and pollution in its core area and found the ideal solution was a fleet of 20 American Heritage Streetcars called "Dillos" Ñ the nickname for the locally popular, armor-plated cousin of the anteater, the Armadillo.

Capitol Metropolitan Transit Authority spokesperson Libba Letton says the fleet of "'Dillos" helped the community alleviate much of the congestion in Austin's core area. "The 'Dillos provide a free circulator service that carries passengers from "park & ride" areas to the central business district," says Letton. "When at work downtown, people continue to ride the 'Dillos throughout the day to conduct business at the State Capitol and government offices, to go to lunch and to travel to private appointments.

Oklahoma City is a community with yet another streetcar success story. Rick Cain, Administrator of the Central Oklahoma Transportation & Parking Authority, says people in Oklahoma City have become so accustomed to identifying the city's personality with American Heritage Streetcars since they were introduced in 1999, most would probably have a hard time remembering when they weren't a convenient feature of his city's public transit equation. "From the moment we put the American Heritage Streetcars into the downtown area, they have been a hit," says Cain.

As their popularity grew more streetcars were added to the fleet. The downtown circulator service now includes service throughout the central business district and service to and from the hotel district near the airport and the city's rejuvenated warehouse district known as "Bricktown."

"The American Heritage Streetcars are impressive not just aesthetically Ñ which they are," says Cain. "They are also impressive from an operational perspective. They are quality buses that require very little downtime and maintenance. And they are proving that their reputation for longevity isn't a myth. They are real workhorses."

Brad Miller, Chief Operating Officer for the Charlotte Area Transportation System (CATS), agrees with Cain's assessments and adds his own praise for Optima's nostalgic streetcars. "People love our American Heritage Streetcars. The circulator service is called the Gold Rush and it is packed with riders in the morning, at noon and again in late afternoons. In the mornings and evenings, people ride the trolleys to and from their cars in outlying satellite parking areas. The streetcars are packed again at noon when people ride them to and from lunch. The streetcars have successfully helped us reverse downtown congestion."

For twenty-plus years, streetcars manufactured by Optima have helped eliminate traffic congestion and restored the charm and atmosphere, which first attracted tourists to San Antonio, Providence, New Port Beach, Virginia Beach and have solved problems in Austin, Charlotte, Oklahoma City and many other cities by attracting riders to public transportation and rewarding them for leaving their cars parked with a fun, convenient mode of transportation. Wherever American Heritage Streetcars are used, transit professionals agree Ñ the streetcars have established a reputation for solving problems and enhancing the image of public transportation Ñ which is an added value that isn't lost on transit organizations' marketing departments.

Though the American Heritage Streetcar is known as the most authentic of America's streetcar replicas, it is a state-of-the-art, totally enclosed bus that is equipped with high capacity heating and air-conditioning systems, several self-diagnostic panels for easy troubleshooting, a wheelchair lift, a heavy-duty transit-tough chassis and many other amenities. Comfortable, attractive and operationally friendly, it's easy to see why streetcars manufactured by Optima Ñ after twenty years in production Ñ continue to grow in popularity with mass transit organizations and the public.

Optima Bus Corporation "transit tough" products - the nostalgic American Heritage Streetcar and revolutionary-designed Opus low-floor bus - have lived-up to their reputations with more than 165 Optima customers across the United States. For more information about Optima Bus Corporation, the American Heritage Streetcar, or the Opus low-floor bus, contact Melissa Noftsger at (316) 779-7700 or visit www.optimabus.com.