| Orion III | |
|---|---|
| |
| OBI Orion III | |
| Years of manufacture | 1984-1989 |
| Length | 60 feet |
| Width | 102 inches |
| Propulsion | Diesel |
The Orion III was an articulated transit bus built through a joint partnership between Ikarus Bus of Budapest, Hungary and Orion Bus Industries of Mississauga, Ontario. Ikarus was responsible for building the body shell of the bus (without doors, windows and seats), then shipping the bodies over to North America for final assembly by Orion. The Final assembly by Orion included the installation of windows, seats, doors, and various electrical and mechanical components. As the Orion III was designed with the engine located in the front portion of the bus, it was often regarded as a puller articulated bus, rather than a pusher articulated bus which would have the engine located in the rear of the bus.
Unfortunately, several defects were found in the design of these buses. The most persistent problem was the heavy corrosion on the bodies of the buses, which was pointed as sub-standard work by Ikarus while building the frames of the buses. As a result, many agencies ended up retiring these vehicles at a premature age, and this problem is the most likely reason as to why the Orion III was unsuccessful in it's marketplace. Orion discontinued production of this model in 1989.
Specs/Features
Engine
- Cummins NNHTC
- Detroit Diesel6L71TA
Transmission
- Allison HTB748
- ZF 5HP500
Operators
Canada 
- Toronto Transit Commission - Toronto, Ontario
- OC Transpo - Ottawa, Ontario
- St.Catharines Transit - St. Catharines, Ontario (Demo)
| Orion Bus Industries | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orion I | Orion II | Orion III | Orion IV | Orion V | Orion VI | Orion VII | Orion VII NG |