A-Z Bus Sales, Inc. and BusWest LLC announced today the completion of the acquisition of the cutaway Bus Assets from Carson, California based BusWest LLC. Under this agreement A-Z Bus Sales Inc. has purchased from BusWest LLC all of the cutaway bus, commercial and transit assets.

“BusWest LLC as a Division of Velocity Vehicle Group will continue to market and sell the Thomas Built School Buses in California and Hawaii, along with the Caio Coach Products. BusWest LLC will also continue to offer complete warranty services, parts and technical support for school buses, tour coaches and other specialty vehicles.” said Jim Bernacchi President of BusWest LLC.

Director of Sales and Marketing Ed King stated that this asset acquisition from BusWest LLC of their commercial and transit bus business which represents a major provider of cutaway buses to the state of California, Arizona and Hawaii. “Under this agreement we will pick up the additional territories outside of California.”

President and CEO of A-Z Bus Sales, Inc. Jim Reynolds stated, “A-Z Bus Sales Inc. is extremely proud to announce this asset acquisition. We welcome the new products along with the Commercial and Transit Sales organization of BusWest, LLC into the A-Z Bus Sales Family”.

About A-Z Bus Sales, Inc.:
A-Z Bus Sales, Inc. is an employee owned company specializing in transportation solutions for the government, public sector, and education market, commercial and private fleets. A-Z Bus Sales offers products from 8 of the largest school bus and commercial bus manufactures. A-Z Bus Sales provides sales and service for new and used buses, financing of all buses through a large nationwide network and offer parts and services including emissions testing, diesel engine retrofits and warranty repairs. A-Z Bus Sales has two locations in California, in Colton and Sacramento.

About BusWest LLC:
BusWest, LLC (www.buswest.com) is a full spectrum passenger transportation equipment solution provider headquartered in Carson, California. BusWest has five bus service facilities in California, Nevada and Hawaii offering complete warranty services, parts and technical support for school buses, tour coaches and other specialty vehicles. BusWest carries the following bus brands: Thomas Built Buses and Caio North America.

We are happy to announce the addition of Velocity Truck Rental & Leasing to Velocity Vehicle Groups family. Velocity Truck Rental & Leasing is the newest expansion of Velocity Vehicle Group, aiming to bring our expertise of the trucking industry to the commercial truck rental and leasing markets of CA.

  • Full Service Truck Leasing
  • Commercial Truck RentalS
  • Emergency Road Service
  • Contract Maintenance
  • BUSINESS TO BUSINESS

We are committed to providing the best service in the full service leasing industry. This occurs by consistently making our management team accessible to our customers and responding with a sense of urgency.

Headquartered in Southern California, we are your regional expert with national coverage, thanks to our special relationship with VVG & being a partner in the NationaLease program!

Visit www.velocitytruckrentalandleasing.com to learn more >

We're happy to announce that our San Diego store, San Diego Freightliner - Western Star, is relocating to a new, larger facility. Offering more parts, larger and more service bays & bodyshop, to make it even more convenient for our customers, truck, bus or RV in the San Diego area.

We will officially have moved in starting business January 1st, 2011 at our new address:

6006 Miramar Road, San Diego, CA 92121

All our phone numbers, email addresses & contact information shall stay the same. If you've got any questions or concerns, please feel free to call us, Toll Free 877-454-5456. We'll be happy to help you.

The City of Culver City is pleased to announce the second cycle of dedicated Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) powered front loading refuse trucks to its fleet.  These new trucks were purchased from James K. Blakely at Carmenita Truck Center and will compliment the City’s growing fleet of Autocar refuse chassis equipped with Amrep bodies and AFV fuel systems.  James and his vendor team worked closely with City Staff to ensure the needs of Culver City were being met. 

These new trucks are replacing eight (8) year-old CNG front loaders, making Culver City one of the first municipalities to replace CNG refuse trucks with new CNG vehicles.  They use the Cummins ISL-G, CNG engine at 320hp.  Los Angeles Freightliner will be providing the after sales service and support.

Culver City is a very progressive City in the use and application of CNG and alternatively powered vehicles, especially in the heavy-duty applications.  Culver City was awarded the prestigious #1 Best Green Fleet Award in North America in 2009 for its leadership in alternative fuels, sustainability efforts and paving the way for new green synergies.

Headquartered in Hagerstown, Indiana, Autocar, LLC and Autocar Industries are leading manufacturers of LCF Class 8 trucks and yard tractors in North America and are leading engineering and manufacturing innovators.  Autocar, LLC and Autocar Industries are affiliated with Illinois-based GVW Group, LLC.
Telephone: 877-973-3486
Website: www.autocartruck.com

Los Angeles Freightliner (LAF) is located in Whittier California, LAF sells and services Freightliner. Autocar and Western Star truck chassis. As part of the Velocity Vehicle Group they are the largest truck and bus dealer organization based in California.

Telephone: 562-447-1326
www.lafreightliner.com
 

We are pleased to announce a new website design for SouthBayTruckCenter.com and the new brand we are excited to offer from the Carson facility. Proudly bringing you the Freightliner truck brand, now available at South Bay Truck Center Carson.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CALIFORNIA FLEET SOLUTIONS ANNOUNCES THE “2010 FLEET SOLUTIONS WORKSHOP SERIES”
“Created to help truck operators and owners successfully navigate the complicated worlds of regulatory compliance, grant funding, and vehicle financing.”

RANCHO CUCAMONGA, CA—June 29, 2010—California Fleet Solutions (CFS), a division of Whittier, California-based Velocity Vehicle Group (VVG), today announced a “Summer Roadshow” event series with six educational workshops taking place between July and September in locations throughout California. This series consists of half-day events in key locations along goods movement corridors, each providing regulatory updates, information on funding programs, financing resources, and equipment updates.  In addition to short presentations and guest speakers, workshop attendees will also be able to ask questions in both group and one-on-one settings, enjoy a Ride & Drive opportunity, and will receive lunch and all conference materials, including a take-away funding application kit.  There is no fee to attend the workshop, but pre-registration is required.

CFS is a true “one-stop” resource and information center for California’s truck and bus fleet operators.  “CFS is backed by the exceptional brands and expertise behind Velocity Vehicle Group,” said Jeff Macartney, President of Crossroads Lease & Finance and one of the key organizers behind the CFS endeavor.  “We are a local, California-based business here to serve the needs of California truck operators in need of solid information and solutions to run their businesses.  The workshop series is our way of bringing expertise directly to the fleets and making the compliance choices clear and the funding application process as simple as possible,” Macartney added.

The workshop series was created as a means to educate fleet operators about the more than $500 million in funding that is available to purchase new clean trucks.  On June 24, 2010, the California Air Resources Board (ARB) announced the release of an additional $200 million in Proposition 1B funds to cut harmful emissions from heavy-duty trucks and other sources in the state’s four busiest trade corridors.  Well over half of this funding will be made available to truck and fleet operators for the purchase of new clean trucks and retrofits.  ARB also has available a $28 million Voucher Incentive Program to assist small fleet operators to purchase new trucks and after-treatment devices. 

“With more than $500 million in ARB grant funds available over the next two years, and millions more in other local, state and federal incentives, California truck and buses owners have never had such an opportunity to secure new clean vehicles in order to comply with California’s Truck & Bus Rule,” noted Macartney. “We are excited to assist our customers to make the most of this opportunity via our planned California Fleet Solutions Summer Roadshow event series.” 

The first CFS workshop will be held in the Avalon Room at the Pomona Fairplex in Pomona on Tuesday, July 20, 2010 from 8:30am to 12 Noon.  The program agenda to designed to provide a concise look at ARB fleet rules, compliance deadlines and enforcement, the Prop 1B and Voucher Incentive Program application processes, and financing programs.  The workshop will create opportunities for question and answer exchanges, both in group and one-on-one formats, and will showcase the latest in equipment options from partners under the Velocity Vehicle Group umbrella.

Additional workshops are scheduled for August and September in Stockton, Hayward, Fresno, Riverside, and San Diego/Imperial Counties with dates and specific locations to be announced shortly.  For more information or to register, please visit www.cafleetsolutions.com or contact the event hotline at 888.993.0302.

About Velocity Vehicle Group
Velocity Vehicle Group, through its subsidiaries, operates as a commercial vehicle and bus dealer providing new or used trucks, motor homes, alternative fuel trucks, engines, and buses. It also provides accessories, air conditioning equipment, air lines, bearings and seals, brakes, bus parts, electrical parts, engines, fan drives, hoses and fittings, lighting products, mirrors, radio products, safety, seating, snow chain systems, starters and alternators, steering and suspension products, tools, trailer parts, trailers, and wheels and drums. In addition, the company offers truck rental and leasing, maintenance and repair, roadside assistance services, transportation consulting, and financing. Velocity Vehicle Group is based in Whittier, California with locations in Long Beach, Fontana, Ontario, Carson, Hesperia, San Diego, Caruthers, Woodland, and Rancho Cucamonga, California; and Las Vegas, Nevada, as well as warehouses in Sacramento and San Diego, California; and Las Vegas, Nevada.  www.velocityvehiclegroup.com.

About California Fleet Solutions
As part of Velocity Vehicle Group, California Fleet Solutions (CFS) is backed by the resources of California’s strongest network of manufacturers, dealers, and parts suppliers.  Representing the best brands and the most competitive products in all classes, CFS’ goal is to provide California fleets with equipment and financing options that work within budget and to maximum advantage.  CFS supports vehicle leases or purchases with competitive service and maintenance options and provides a comprehensive suite of strategic consulting services, with most of these at no cost to the client.  www.cafleetsolutions.com.
 

The California trucking association held a technician skills competition last weekend at the Santa Anita race track parking lot. The Velocity Group entered 5 technicians and all 5 finished in the top 20. I am extremely proud of our guys and it shows how skilled they are.

Please join me in congratulating Roy Quintana from the High Desert for finishing in first place!! and Ed Sanchez for finish in 3rd..

Roy will represent California and the Velocity group in North Carolina this September for the TMC National Skill Competition.

Good luck Roy and Great job guys..

Roy Quintana

Ed Sanchez

Devon Beck

Ben Pangan

Cody Smith

Scott Zeppenfeldt

Vice President of Service Operations

www.velocityvehiclegroup.com

Excerpt below is from California Trucking Association

Thank you goes out to everyone that sponsored, volunteered and competed at our First 2010 CTA Super Tech Competition June 5 and 6. These are the results from our Northern, Southern and Final Competition. Pictures are from Southern only.

Northern California Winners

1st Gadihel Flores with Swift Transportation 2nd Larry Parker with Walmart 3rd Jose Flores with Swift Transportation 4th Alex Johnson with Gordon Trucking

Southern California Winners

1st William Moran with Scully Transportation 2nd Ed Sanchez with High Desert Truck/LA Freightliner 3rd Roy Quintana with High Desert Truck/LA Freightliner 4th Martin Reed with Johnson Power Systems

2010 CTA Super Tech Finals

1st Place Roy Quintana with High Desert Truck/LA Freightliner 2nd Place Larry Parker with Walmart 3rd Place Ed Sanchez with High Desert Truck/LA Freightliner