Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 399 i Australasian Bus & Coach

NORTHERN TERRITORY WorkSafe has accepted a $660K ‘enforceable undertaking’ from Buslink NT Pty Ltd over the tragic death of a bus driver, who was fatally injured as a result of a bus rollaway incident in 2017. NT WorkSafe alleged that despite numerous safety reports in the Australian bus industry highlighting the dangers of bus rollaway incidents and a Buslink bus being involved in a similar near miss days earlier, Buslink NT failed to implement adequate control measures. NT WorkSafe further alleges this failure not only exposed the worker to the risk of death or serious illness, but also had the potential of placing the health and safety of their passengers and nearby pedestrians at risk, it states. Buslink NT was charged with six offences under Section 32 of the Work…

AUCKLAND TRANSPORT (AT) and ferry operator Fullers360 now has six new electric buses for use on Waiheke Island, New Zealand, thanks to a delivery from Alexander Dennis Limited (ADL), which also has renewed its partnership with New Zealand manufacturer Kiwi Bus Builders. According to ADL – owned by North America’s New Flyer Industries – it will supply an additional two electric buses to Fullers360 subsidiary Waiheke Bus Company before Christmas, allowing half of all buses on the island to be converted to zero-emission operation. At the launch event, attended by the Mayor of Auckland and the British Consul General in Auckland, ADL announced its renewed partnership with local manufacturer Kiwi Bus Builders, it adds. This will now include the assembly of electric buses, which for the New Zealand market had…

SUPPORT GRANTS of up to $10 million under a new NSW government program designed to create more jobs across the state is open to businesses in the transport and tourism sector, a government spokesperson for Deputy Premier John Barilaro confirms. Existing regional businesses can apply for funding, as can businesses located in metropolitan areas, interstate or overseas that want to establish operations in regional NSW. For the purposes of this fund, regional NSW is defined as any area in NSW that is outside of Greater Metropolitan Sydney, Newcastle or Wollongong, the government clarifies. The idea behind the plan is regional businesses that can increase employment by expanding production lines or relocate operations to regional NSW from interstate or overseas will have access to the grants. Deputy Premier John Barilaro says…

As the major supplier of paint and coatings to the bus industry, Axalta has striven to provide products and solutions, resulting in increased productivity, durability and longer lifespan of vehicles, it says. With the recent announcement that Axalta has been appointed the exclusive paint and coatings supplier to Bustech, Axalta now supplies to more than 75 per cent of all Australian manufactured buses, the company confirms. Axalta puts its rapid growth within the bus industry down to taking time to truly understand the challenges faced by Australian manufacturers. “At Axalta we consider ourselves a partner to manufacturers, not just a supplier. Every bus carrying the manufacturer’s logo also carries our global reputation for industry leading product and support,” Axalta Australia OEM product manager Michael Busch said. “The predominantly coastal, high-corrosion…

To highlight their plight, the 15 ‘desperate’ small bus-company owners in their buses joined a convoy that circled the lawn in front of the Parliament building in a display of solidarity – organised by Australian Family Owned Bus Companies. The buses joined the convoy after meeting with shadow tourism minister Senator Don Farrell and Labor MPs Susan Templeman (Macquarie) and Mike Freelander (Macarthur) to plead their case, organisers state. They also spoke with shadow infrastructure, transport and regional development minister Senator Catherine King in a phone conference. Opposition leader in the Senate Penny Wong and deputy Leader Kristina Keneally have agreed to meet in the future, organisers add. According to rally spokespeople, as the “bus industry faces extinction” due to a range of issues such as “bankruptcy, bank foreclosures, dangerous…

Time ‘waits for no man’, as the saying goes – and nor should it. Yet its passing brings equal amounts of pleasure or pain when we reminisce the emotional sights and sounds of our youthful yesteryears as we spearhead into each new day. Or perhaps some of us sleep-deprived writers should just merely start reading more Hemingway… That aside, there will be some things of the past that seem to transcend time and consistently find a beautifully congruous place in the modern day. And when it comes to buses, the strikingly retro-cool colour scheme of Victoria’s Turnbull’s Bus Service – in use since the company’s origins some 70 years ago – still looks stunning and ‘factory fresh’ now. Well … technically it really is factory fresh because the delectable tan,…

Amonth after bus and coach deliveries seemed to be heading in the right direction, the numbers have eased back to the 70s in October. While 71 is not the lowest figure yet this year (70 in August), it’s down from the more optimistic 85 in September and highlights the ongoing challenges caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. For the chassis sector, in a sign of the times, usual leaders Volvo and Scania recorded 22 and 17 deliveries, respectively. This number remains well down on tallies that often exceeded 40 in the previous year. Mercedes-Benz was next best, but didn’t break into double figures. For the body builders, Volgren can lay claim to an improved month, with its recorded deliveries increasing from 23 in September to 31 in October. Next best was…

NSW-BASED bus operator Busways has successfully transitioned its new Adelaide Metro workforce, using a ‘digital employee engagement’ app strategy to help overcome the challenges of the current pandemic, it explains. By using a clever ‘social media’ technology, Busways adapted its interstate approach to move smoothly into its new Adelaide Metro contract’s two depots and welcome 215 new employees to the existing Busways 1,500+ workforce. The company was selected by the South Australian government on March 11, 2020 to begin operating services for the Adelaide Outer South contract on July 5; the only new market entrant appointed in two tranches of bus contract tenders, it explains. After 77 years of service in New South Wales it was the company’s first interstate expansion and made Busways’ Australia’s largest privately owned bus operator,…

A PROPOSED $700 million e-bus and e-vehicle manufacturing hub in the NSW Southern Highlands – backed by Chinese manufacturer BYD – is a step closer after ‘cleantech’ company TruGreen’s subsidiary Nexport secured a 51-hectare Moss Vale site. As the Australian Financial Review (AFR) reported, the site south-west of Sydney aims to be at the forefront of a revival of local manufacturing, with as many as 2,000 new skilled jobs envisaged for the entity. According to the AFR, Nexport chief executive Luke Todd confirms the 51-hectare site at an industrial estate at Moss Vale in the Southern Highlands had been acquired for the manufacturing operation as it aims to become a big player in making electric buses and vehicles. Nexport is the largest supplier of electric buses in Australia, it states,…

EAST AUCKLANDERS will soon be able to enjoy a quiet, zero-emissions bus experience thanks to Auckland Transport (AT) and local Transdev subsidiary Howick and Eastern, the companies have announced. Purchased by AT, the new state-of-the-art Yutong E13 three-axle electric bus will be operated by Howick and Eastern on routes throughout the Eastern suburbs and to and from the City, catering for up to 78 passengers per trip, Transdev confirms. General manager of Howick and Eastern Sheryll Otway says the new three-axle vehicle would provide a superior experience for both customers and drivers. “The new vehicle is designed for passenger comfort, offering a smoother, quieter and more sustainable journey for customers,” Otway said. “The bus is the first extra-large electric vehicle on the road in Auckland, and our drivers are very…

FATHER AND SON duo David and Stuart Woodward are collectively celebrating 40 years with Volvo Bus Australia this year, with the ‘veterans’ reaching 25- and 15-year milestones, respectively. The 2020 career milestones for the stalwart Woodward pair highlights the integral support to the Volvo Bus Australia team they’ve provided and their nurturing of vital relationships with customers and industry stakeholders, the company confirms. Commencing his time with Volvo Bus Australia in April, 1995, David Woodward joined the team as Zone Service manager NSW, servicing NSW and NT customers. He later assumed the role of Regional Service manager for the Sydney metro area, where he serviced a large number of customers across city, school, charter and coach operations, before moving into the newly created role of National Competency manager in March…

The last show to feature heavy equipment and machinery was also the last show at the RNA – Brisbane Showgrounds – in 2009. The show’s hand was forced by the redevelopment of the Showgrounds; however, the move to Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre has been well rewarded. Exhibitors have been able to really step it up with the quality of their displays in one of the world’s great venues. The Brisbane Truck Show is the only event that takes over the whole centre, with fantastic displays filling all three floors. The proximity to South Bank and the CBD has opened up new opportunities for truck displays, networking, dining and entertainment. If there were one, the only downside was that there was nowhere for the big yellow construction gear. Well, in…

Touted as a first for Australia, global e-mobility leader Transdev will operate the new 39-seat e-bus on TransLink routes throughout Brisbane and the Redlands from early 2021 under a two-year partnership with the Queensland state government, it confirms. Transdev CEO Luke Agati says the bus would be 100 per cent powered by ‘harvested’ sustainable solar energy, with the company installing a new Green Mobility Megawall, comprising 10 Tesla Power Walls and solar network at its Capalaba depot. “Averaging more than 280 days of sunshine per year, Queensland well and truly lives up to its reputation as the Sunshine State, and we are excited to be bringing this clean, green, modern vehicle to Brisbane and the Redlands,” Agati said. “Globally,.Transdev is a leader in zero-emissions mobility, and work is underway to…

Rod Williams is clearly passionate about his business and feels positive about serving the local community. A former school teacher, Rod starting driving school excursions and local scout trips while still pursuing his teaching career in the mid-1990s. When he decided to move on from teaching he knew he could fall back on his driving skills, as he had driven with a lot of other companies in the previous 20 years. In 2017, he and his wife, Justine, set up Near or Far Bus and Coach, and they remain steadfast in their commitment to provide a reliable and safe bus service in country New South Wales, they say. The company operates bus charter in the Blue Mountains and Western Sydney regions, including Penrith, Emu Plains, Kingswood, Windsor, Richmond, St Marys,…

Ahead of the recent Queensland state elections, the Labor government announced a $23 billion investment to “supercharge roads, public transport and jobs”, with electric buses a key feature of the plan. The announcement would see the Gold Coast and Logan areas set to become “the home of electric buses with a re-elected Palaszczuk government to supercharge the industry by building and trialling the technology in the growing region”, it stated. Transport and main roads minister Mark Bailey says Gold Coast and Logan commuters would enjoy “a first-hand glimpse of the future” with the government to partner with local companies Bustech, Kinetic (Surfside Buslines) and Clarks (Clarks Logan City Bus Service), it confirms. “We’ve built light rail, we’re rolling out the longest electric vehicle superhighway in the world, and from next…

CLEAN DIESEL-technology buses will slowly replace Brisbane City Council’s aging ‘eco-friendly’ natural-gas run fleet, with reported explosions resulting in gas tanks only being half filled for safety, affecting efficiency, an ABC Radio Brisbane broadcast highlights recently. As the basis for a printed story on www.abc.net.au called ‘Brisbane City Council swaps “exploding” gas-powered buses for diesel following gas cylinder explosions’, it states that the, “…new diesel buses are a stopgap, with Brisbane City Council’s long-term plans to use a mix of greener technologies, like electricity and hydrogen, still years off.” It added: “Explosions in 2008 and 2012 led to policies that restricted gas buses operating with half-filled tanks, which meant they needed to be refuelled more often. “The council is withdrawing the gas buses, which make up about a third of…

MORE THAN 18 months after Transit Systems acquired Melbourne-based Sita Buslines – marking the company’s first foray into the state – the rebranded Victorian bus entity is now officially known as Transit Systems Victoria, it was announced recently. The company says it is extremely pleased to launch the new-look Sita Buslines following the acquisition of the group into the Transit Systems portfolio in April 2019. Transit Systems has successfully transitioned more public transport contracts than any other provider in Australia, and is renowned for innovation with leading on-demand services, including ‘turn up and go’ services, and zero-emission transport outcomes already in operation, the company states. Clint Feuerherdt, CEO SeaLink Travel Group, which wholly owns the Transit Systems subsidiary, says the group is pleased to see the Transit Systems network presence…

IN A MOVE to help stimulate Australia’s pandemic-stymied economy, a World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Australia campaign video promoting a $2 billion recovery focusing on green technology has crucially thrust electric buses further into the mainstream spotlight, recently. Renewable heavy vehicles specialist Electromotiv is fronting the WWF Australia campaign, which evolved after a WWF-commissioned report by EY suggested a clean stimulus package could create more than 100,000 jobs in a post-Covid-19-led recovery. And a central element to the initiative is a $240 million investment in electric buses. In the video released by WWF this week, Electromotiv’s managing director and co-founder Toby Roxburgh explains that Australia is well-placed to take advantage of renewable energy and to manufacture the buses that will replace their fossil-fuel precursors. “Australia has a fantastic renewable energy resource;…

Firestorm Fire Protection’s heritage has been in vehicle fire suppression, with a dedicated team of specialists servicing the transportation sector since 2010. With now more than 10,000 Fogmakers installed on buses throughout Australia and New Zealand, the company has been instrumental in the industry in producing a notable downward trend in bus fires year on year as uptake increases in both public and private fleets, it states. To continue with the company’s core philosophy toward safety, it has introduced new products that sit outside of the fire mitigation, but still remain close to its core values. “This became the necessary catalyst to change our name to United Safety and Survivability Corporation (USSC),” national product and innovation manager Kieran McHatton shared. Since 2004, the company has grown steadily from a small…

Established in 1923, Dion’s Bus Service – based in the Wollongong suburb of Fairy Meadow – is the oldest bus operator in the Illawarra. The concept behind the term ‘Panel 3’ refers to TfNSW’s new procurement arrangement where all new buses travelling in New South Wales must meet passenger safety improvement measures, including stringent new fire-mitigation specifications. The two low-floor route buses,. incorporating Volgren Optimus bodies on Volvo BR8 chassis, will replace vehicles coming to the end of their life, and Dion’s managing director Les Dion says that will make a significant difference to passengers. “The two new buses will go into service in late November, replacing two older buses approaching their maximum contract bus age of 25 years,” Dion said. “Being low-floor accessible buses we will be able to…

Laurie Pincini of Rockleigh Tours drove his protest bus around Melbourne metro precinct recently, covered in anti-Victoria premier Dan Andrews slogans. Pincini says his business is “going backwards” and that “it’s screwed”, after having to put 12 of his 22 buses up for auction. Speaking exclusively to ABC, he said that he has had to diversify his workload to include hay bailing and silage trucking to keep money flowing and help reduce a $3.8 million (and growing) debt – Pincini recounted a harrowing financial predicament being felt by charter bus operators Australia-wide. “We are driving silage trucks, we are doing hay contracting, we’re doing anything to try to make a dollar, mate – we’ve been closed since March 16,”. Pincini said. “I’ve had one bus a day, or you know…