SANTA FE, N.M. - Success of a new park-and-ride service in northern New Mexico has prompted the contractor, Industrial Bus Lines, to beef up its fleet with the addition of nine new Van Hool coaches and six ABC-branded M1000 midsize buses.
Industrial Bus Lines, which operates under the name of All Aboard America! and is based in Mesa, Ariz., is using the new coaches to provide park-and-ride service between Santa Fe, Los Alamos, Espanola and Albuquerque, N.M.
More than 80 departures are operated weekdays between the cities, stretching from Espanola on the north to Albuquerque on the south, a distance of about 85 miles. Los Alamos is the site of a world-famous national laboratory and Espanola is a bedroom community for both Santa Fe and Los Alamos.
Industrial Bus Lines/All Aboard America! is a third-generation family-owned company that has operated since 1936. Prior to deregulation in the early 1980s, the majority of the company business was providing line-haul and shuttle service, notably in southwest Texas where it still maintains two divisions - El Paso and Midland/Odessa.
Since 1983, the company has diversified into charter and tour operations, plus offering sightseeing trips, casino route services, convention and special event transportation, and professional sports team movements. Prepackaged motorcoach and air tours are designed and marketed to groups and individuals through the Texas, New Mexico and Arizona divisions.
The company operates full-service maintenance facilities in Phoenix, Midland/Odessa, Santa Fe and El Paso, supporting a total fleet of 65 vehicles. All Aboard America! has won a number of safety awards and citations.
Company President Jack Wigley is a board member of the International Motorcoach Group.
The new Van Hools added to the Industrial Bus/All Aboard America! fleet are equipped with Allison B500 transmissions, REI audio/visual systems, and wheelchair lifts. Eight of the coaches have 400-horsepower Series 60 Detroit Diesel engines and Amaya Gaudi seats. The ninth coach has a 400-horsepower Cummins.
The M1000s are equipped with Cummins ISB engines, Allison 2400 transmissions, Amaya seats and enhanced noise abatement packages. They also have Ricon in-step wheelchair lifts and four-monitor A/V systems.