Australasian Bus & Coach Issue 364

The 2017 Bus Industry Confederation Annual Conference in Hobart was well attended and saw a huge number of speakers give presentations mostly based around the concept of Mobility as a Service (MaaS). MaaS puts users at the core of transport services, offering them tailor-made mobility solutions based on their individual needs. This whole concept seems a world apart from what bus operators have traditionally done, which is to identify one set route that will be of use to the majority of people. Twenty years ago, bus operators would have struggled to identify where demand for services are without doing some serious homework, but with the availability of so much information online that’s no longer the case. Moreover, they would not have had the technology to respond to this demand, even…

“Adding Tasmania to the mix provides unique opportunities to further develop our strategic supply chain” Bustech presented its first XDi bus to Metro Tasmania recently. While the first Bustech bus was driven 1800km, all the way from Queensland, the remaining 99 that have been ordered will be built on the island over the next three years. The Elphinstone crew assembled the vehicle in Queensland in readiness for Tasmanian production of the remaining 99 buses. In the presence of Metro Tasmania personnel, the first bus successfully passed its initial quality control gate check back in August. The Tasmanian premier announced the 100-bus contract for Metro Tasmania back in April. Transit Australia Group’s manufacturing arm Bustech revealed the $45 million project is the single biggest investment in public transport in Tasmania’s history.…

“It’s a great example of what can be done when we reimagine waste as an untapped resource” While coffee has been driving society’s productivity for years, it will now also help power London’s iconic buses. British startup Bio-bean has partnered with Shell and Argent Energy to create a coffee-based biofuel that will be used in London’s diesel buses. It is estimated that Londoners drink more than 20 million cups of coffee a day, with 200,000 tonnes of grounds produced by the capital alone each year. Consumption on such a scale brings with it a lot of waste, but Bio-bean’s solution is to convert that waste into productive use. The company claims its factory can recycle 50,000 tonnes of waste coffee grounds each year, creating a coffee-derived B20 biofuel on a…

“It will provide faster, safer and easier transitions between transport options” A new interchange at Macquarie Park will make commuting to and from the second biggest business district in New South Wales easier for more than 20,000 public transport users. The New South Wales and federal governments agreed to build the major new interchange as part of a $100 million investment recently. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull says the joint project will streamline the commuting experience for transport customers and reduce congestion on local roads. “This interchange is a game-changer for peak-hour commuters who travel to and from Macquarie Park every day,” he says. “It will provide faster, safer and easier transitions between various transport options and John Alexander has campaigned tirelessly for better transport services for his community. “We are…

Bus Travel NZ has taken delivery of three Wrightbus StreetLite single-deck vehicles. The vehicles are the 11.5m ‘door forward’ variant including two- and three-tier independent luggage racks with seating for 39 passengers. All feature Daimler Euro 6 engines with Voith D824.6E gearboxes and also include Wrightbus Micro Hybrid technology, which maximises fuel efficiency and reduces emissions. Bus Travel NZ is part of the Leopard Coachlines group, which specialises in Auckland airport services and transfers, in addition to New Zealand-wide coach touring. The three new StreetLites will be deployed from Bus Travel NZ’s Manukau depot at Auckland International Airport and will be part of a 24-hour, seven-day-a-week service for airport customers and employees. Bus Travel NZ is the first Kiwi customer for Wrightbus, which is represented in New Zealand and Australia…

“Northern Beaches customers are finally getting major service improvements” Penske Commercial Vehicles delivered 38 MAN A95 double-deck buses to Transport for New South Wales recently. The MAN A95 ultra low floor bus chassis is based upon MAN’s existing urban bus chassis range and features a Euro 5 10.5-litre MAN D20 horizontal inline 6-cylinder engine with compound turbocharging and intercooling that delivers 320hp. “The extremely low levels of driveline noise and vibration, along with low exhaust emissions, benefit both the environment and passengers,” Penske Commercial Vehicles National Bus Sales and Service Manager Clint Stoermer says. “The A95 chassis is equipped with a ZF EcoLife six-speed automatic transmission with integrated hydraulic retarder, all of which maximise operating economy and improve service life. “The combination of stabilisers on all three axles with an…