Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority 9471

Operating History: Flyer Industries’ predecessor, Western Auto & Truck Body, based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, began producing buses in 1937. The company was renamed Western Flyer Coach in 1945. Western Flyer switched from building inter-city buses to building transit buses in 1967. The Manitoba government acquired the company when it was failing financially in 1971 and renamed it Flyer Industries. Western Flyer, and, later Flyer Industries, produced over 3000 transit buses between 1967 and 1986. Flyer introduced its model D901 transit bus in 1980 which featured a slightly curved windshield. The province privatized the company in 1986 when it became New Flyer Industries. In 1982, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) acquired 170 model D901 buses from Flyer, numbered 9100-9183, 9185 and 9400-9483. When built, these buses had a “sunshine” yellow and white with black stripe paint scheme. The 9400 series buses were the first MBTA buses with wheelchair lifts and kneeling capability. Kneeling meant that, when stopped, the front right corner of the bus could move lower to the ground so that passengers had a smaller step to enter the bus. In 1986-87, the MBTA sent all the model D901 buses back to Flyer for rebuilding and repainting. In 1996, the MBTA’s Everett Shops converted No. 9471 to emergency support service and named it Public Safety Support Vehicle No. 1. For this service, the MBTA removed the wheelchair lift and equipped the bus to provide power and lighting at emergency scenes and to shelter responders and displaced dwellers. The MBTA added an on-board diesel generator to power roof mounted air conditioning units. The bus also received perimeter style seating. The bus was painted bright red and white and was known as the “Fire Flyer.” Seashore acquired No. 9471 in 2016. Seashore volunteers performed some maintenance work on the bus before driving it from the MBTA’s Everett Shops to Kennebunkport. The museum had previously acquired two other MBTA model D901 buses, Nos. 9138 and 9170. Seashore scrapped No. 9170 in 2022.