WE PURCHASED A FLEET OF 8 25-PASSENGER BUSES FROM NABI, WHO PURCHASED OPITMA BUS. THEY RECEIVED THE BID BECAUSE THEY COULD GUARANTEE DELIVERY BY THE FIRST PART OF JULY. ON AUG 30, THE FIRST BUSES STARTED TO ARRIVE AND CONTINUED COMING IN OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS. 2 OF THE BUSES NEEDED TO REPLACE THE ENGINES THAT BLEW UP ON THE WAY FROM THE FACTORY TO DELIVERY. MULTIPLE AND ONGOING PROBLEMS SIDELINED THE BUSES TO THE POINT WHERE WE COULD NEITHER ACCEPT THEM NOR OPERATE THEM. AFTER TECHNICIANS WORKED ON THE BUSES, WE ACCEPTED THEM BY THE END OF DEC. TO ENABLE NABI TO GET PAID. THROUGH THE MONTH OF JAN, WE CONTINUED TO FINE TUNE THE BUSES. FINALLY, WE STARTED ROAD TESTING THEM ON FEB. 19. ON MARCH 21, ONE OF THE BUSES CAUGHT FIRE AND NEARLY BURNED TO THE GROUND. AFTER DISABLING THE COMPONENT THOUGHT TO BE THE CULPRIT, WE CONTINUED TO ROAD TEST THE BUSES. IN APRIL, WE HAD ANOTHER BUS CATCH FIRE IN A DIFFERENT AREA OF THE BUS. AGAIN, ALL BUSES HAVE BEEN DEADLINED. IN ADDITION, THE NEW BUSES, ALL WITH LESS THAT 4,000 MILES HAVE BEEN TOWED FROM THE OPEN ROAD 4 TIMES WHEN THEY HAVE FAILED. NABI HAS SENT 3 TECHNICIANS OUT AND THE BUSES CONTINUE TO FAIL. *TR