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I was so excited. Out of all the work-related shows and events I get to go to around the place, for once I had one in my own backyard – and that meant public transport was on offer. Giddy up! BusNSW was kind enough to invite me to their end-of-year Christmas drinks function of sorts, where they would also be announcing the 2018 Bus Driver of Year awards. The beauty of it was it was being held at the BusNSW headquarters in Parramatta, so that was merely a hop, skip and half a jump away for me. Why not drive? Safety first, of course, but for me my excuse was slightly more pragmatic yet equally as responsible – the old V8 Audi A6 was just out of rego and thus…
TRANSPORT MINISTERS have approved a gross mass limit increase for three-axle buses from 20 tonnes to 22 tonnes, according to the National Transport Commission (NTC). NTC’s acting chief executive Dr Geoff Allan announced that the increase in mass limit will bring Australia more in line with international counterparts. “In recent years, bus mass has increased due to regulatory requirements to provide specific mobility, safety and environmental improvements, and the increasing weight of adult Australians and their luggage,” Allan said. “Australia’s limit of 20 tonnes is on average more than four tonnes lower than similar countries,” he said. There are currently more than 2,200 three-axle buses registered in Australia, providing tourist services, long-distance services, metropolitan and regional scheduled services and school transport. The NTC commissioned Taverner Research to investigate the size…
SYDNEY METRO PROJECT’s distinctive ‘pink faced’ Station Link buses – used to replace train services between Chatswood and Epping during the current rail upgrade – have clocked up more than 1 million customer journeys since the service started, according to a Transport for NSW (TfNSW) spokesperson. TfNSW coordinator-general Marg Prendergast said the milestone earns “a big congratulations to Transport for NSW and our joint-venture partner [Transdev NSW and CDC Australia] staff who have helped ensure that Station Link operates smoothly and kept customers moving around the Macquarie Park precinct”. “We knew it was going to be a big challenge to temporarily close three busy train stations for Sydney Metro upgrades and it’s great to have the community working with us while we build this important project,” she said. “I can’t…
FOR THE SECOND consecutive year, Queensland’s Kangaroo Bus Lines (KBL) has won the top prize under the ‘Tourism: Tours and Transfers’ category, at a 2018 Sunshine Coast Business Awards gala event held in November. The Tourism Award recognises Kangaroo Bus Lines for its outstanding teamwork, business management, innovation and focus on future growth. Celebrating 40 years last year, Kangaroo Bus Lines has been, “delivering superior service and experiences to our clients for 35 years and counting,” it states. Established in 1978, it is a family owned and operated organisation that has experienced significant growth since its humble beginnings of nine buses, operated from a private residence servicing the Moreton Bay district. QUALITY DRIVEN The past 40 years has seen the organisation evolve to encompass a range of “transport solutions and…
VOLGREN HAS partnered with Volvo to deliver four new Endura-bodied buses to a remote site in Papua New Guinea (PNG) that poses some of the harshest road conditions mine charter vehicles can face. Located in the Western Province of tropical PNG, near the company-operated township of Tabubil, the Ok Tedi open-pit gold and copper mine is located 2,000 metres above sea level in a climate of extremely high rainfall. The four new buses, built on Volvo R6BKSS chassis, are replacements for an original order of eight vehicles delivered to the mine by Volgren and Volvo in 2010. Greg Reichelt, a long-time sales executive at Volgren, travelled to the mine to experience the conditions first-hand and the requirements of the build. “It is an extremely harsh tropical environment. Heat, humidity, high…
BUSVIC’s VOLVO-SPONSORED Women On Board seminar series was a “trailblazing event” that workshopped societal issues and how the bus industry contributes to remedying these situations, according to organisers. The annual event was again sponsored by Volvo and its partner in Victoria, the CMV Group, which has been supporting for 11 consecutive years. Held at the Crowne Promenade in Melbourne, recently, it focused on inclusion and diversity: how operators and suppliers can be more inclusive employers and community leaders. The event attracted more than 80 delegates to the morning seminar series, and almost double that amount for the luncheon. “With unemployment so low and the demand for bus services so strong, we have to be looking at ways to attract and keep more people. Being more inclusive of labour supply will…
