Kondor Bus Industries Poindexter (Bus)

The KBI Poindexter  is a line of low-floor transit buses available in 40' rigid, 45' rigid, and 60' articulated nominal lengths manufactured by Kondor Bus Industries (KBI) between 1991 and 2017. In addition to the different lengths, the buses were sold with a variety of prime movers, including conventional diesel and CNG combustion engines and hybrid diesel-electric power.

History
On Dec 20, 1986, KBI announced a standard floor articulated bus with a unique design which carried two steering wheels and steering axles, having the first set in the front section and the second set in the rear. This design feature was heavily reminiscent of the similar dual steering configuration in a tractor-drawn aerial fire vehicle. This bus model was also apparently designed not only to have superior maneuverability, but also to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Montgomery bus boycotts. The unveiling was therefore met with criticism by people who found the idea of the bus to be disrespectful since Montgomery buses had since been racially integrated following the boycotts. The announcement also incurred mixed feelings since KBI had allegedly stated their intention of the design was to allow both white and black people to drive it simultaneously.

In fact, the announcement almost ended up turning off all North American transit operators, which ultimately led to changes to the design by the time production would begin in 1991. This involved replacing the steering axle and dedicated steering wheel with a rigid axle and a decrease in door width. KBI later apologized for any offense it may have caused and later unveiled a new bus called the Poindexter. This ended up being a heavily overhauled version of the prior bus, complete with the removal of the rear steering alongside entirely new styling and a low floor design.