SAN FRANCISCO The Van Hool intercity double-decker coach has been on the road in the United States for less than six months but already is becoming a big hit in the motorcoach industry.

ABC Companies, which distributes the TD925 touring coach in North America, said orders have been coming in at a steady pace since September when megabus.com introduced them on some of its Midwest express runs out of Chicago.

The company has new orders for upwards of 50 of the 81-seat buses and interest continues to rise, according to John Oakman, who spearheads the TD925 program for ABC Companies and who has been driving a demonstrator model around the country. He made a stop here for last month's UMA Motorcoach Expo where the bus was a feature at the ABC convention-floor booth.

New buyers include a Las Vegas operator who ordered 15 for tourist runs to the Grand Canyon, operators in the northeastern U.S. who picked up 8 and two others, in Virginia and Miami, who purchased two each.

In addition, megabus.com, which started the run with 18 buses, has ordered another 18.

Oakman said the coach draws so much attention on the road that he has given up stopping for coffee on his visits around the country because so many people come out to look at it and what to clamor on board.

Dale Moser of Coach USA and megabus.com said his customers have had nothing but nice things to say about the bus, testimony that helped the company decide to double the number for its fleet.

In fact, he said, on at least one occasion customers who rode one of the double-deck buses on a trip were upset when a traditional coach was used for their return trip. "They didn't want to get on the other coach," he said.

The TD925 has front and rear staircases, ADA access, seatbelts in every seat, TV monitors, backup cameras and upper-deck cameras. It has a Cummins engine and a ZF AS-tronic 12-speed automatic.

ABC Companies announced at Expo that it has partnered with Saucon Technologies to offer its fleet tracking and communication system, the Saucon TDS.

The system uses Web, wireless and telemetry technologies to help operators manage and monitor many critical activities associated with their fleet operations, including insurance costs, maintenance expenses, down time, driver log accuracy, tire air pressures and overtime.

ABC also unveiled a new book, From Small Business to Industry Leader the Cornell Family Business Story, which traces the history of ABC and its founding family. The company was started by Chairman Clancy Cornell, who was at Expo to autograph copies of the book.

The book uses vintage photos and interviews with industry friends, family and ABC staff to shape a generational story of how a young boys fascination with buses led to the creation of the company.