Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 402 i Australasian Bus & Coach

FOR BRAND fans the long-awaited Custom-Denning electric Element e-bus has officially attained Australian Design Rules (ADR) approval. The Custom-Denning Element was successfully registered on the national register as a compliant model as part of the Motor Vehicle Standards Act, Custom-Denning confirms. As a result of testing for this compliance the bus has given a (conservative) range of 500km, the company explains. The announcement comes 11 months after Custom-Denning first revealed exclusive concept images of its Element e-bus to a widely welcoming reception given the perceived need for innovative Australian bus manufacturing, and at a time the bus industry was starting to feel the effects of coronavirus. Custom-Denning spokesperson Mick Neskes said: “We always knew our bus would be lighter thanks to our forward-thinking engineers in developing this lightweight chassis, but…

QUEENSLAND operator Clarks Logan City Bus Service launched its first Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) to explore local employment and development opportunities with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and organisations, it announced recently. The launch event was attended by the Attorney-General, Minister for Justice and Minister for the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence Shannon Fentiman and the Mayor of Logan City Council Darren Power. Clarks ‘Reflect’ RAP 2020–21 is endorsed by Reconciliation Australia, acknowledging that Clarks is starting its reconciliation journey by scoping and developing relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander stakeholders and exploring its sphere of influence, it explains. Clarks general manager Martin Hall and RAP champion says it was an important milestone for the company, which had the full support of its stakeholders both internally and…

Despite two notable omissions – Daimler Buses and Volvo Buses – Busworld Europe will take place in Brussels Expo on October 9–14. The Busworld team says its normal preparations are going “full speed ahead”.and media campaigns are being booked and will start in April. The Busworld Awards organisation had its first meeting and will send the invitation to all bus manufacturers and also the sales department is adding new exhibitors every day, it confirms. As indicated in the.online exhibitor list, on the renewed Busworld Europe website, two important names are missing: Daimler Buses and Volvo Buses, Busworld confirms. Both companies have decided not to participate in the Busworld 2021 edition, organisers state. Conversely, other major brands will be present, it seems, such as: Van Hool, MAN, VDL,. Scania, Irizar, Iveco,…

With visits to showrooms and customers off the cards for significant parts of the past year, the 2021 Brisbane Truck Show presents the best opportunity to come together and reconnect with customers, peers and the entire industry. It also allows for these new products, models or innovations to be seen up close. That applies across the full range of trucks, trailers, components, technology, equipment, accessories and even merchandise. On the opening morning of the show, highly anticipated new models will be unveiled to an eager audience. Before the doors open the halls are busy with sales teams putting a final polish on every item and every counter. It is a beautiful thing to see the lights come on, screens light up and the doors open. But first is the media…

The new year brings with it a renewed sense of hope as the bus and coach deliveries tally reaches its highest point in six months at 99. While still short of some of the highs of the past couple of years, which reached more than 150, it’s still the highest number since June of last year. In the chassis sector, Volvo returned to the top with 23 deliveries (10 more than in December), with Scania one behind on 22. These numbers are, however, still short of the 35-plus the Swedes reached in peak times. Elsewhere, a big month for Yutong provides 17 deliveries, with BCI (12) and MAN (11) also in double figures. The latter is a strong achievement for MAN as the last time it reached more than 10…

MINING BUS giant Greyhound Resources has been sold to Kinetic (née, Skybus) following the execution of a contract to acquire the Mackay, Queensland, operator’s 170-vehicle fleet, Kinetic confirmed recently. The move – which does not include the Greyhound Australia business operating separate passenger coach services across Australia – sees Kinetic acquiring the largest resources (mining) bus operator in Queensland, delivering 179 contracted ‘busing routes’ across 29 sites, with services including airport to resources project transfers, dry hire and charter services. “Governments, airports, schools and communities across Australia count on us every day to run bus networks that exceed performance and safety standards.” It should be noted Greyhound Resources operates in the Bowen Basic, Hunter Valley, Olympic Dam and Darwin with key clients including BHP, Anglo American and Conoco Phillips. The…

Transit Systems NSW has been ‘recertified’ to ‘Integration Level’ on the International Customer Service Standard (ICSS), it confirms recently. With the assessment evaluating the service, financial/governance, operational, and learning and growth perspectives of the organisation, the ICSS rates progress in terms of ‘intention’, ‘implementation’ and ‘integration’. The ICSS applies a balanced scorecard methodology to assess the efficiency and effectiveness of an organisation’s strategy and is the world’s leading customer service management-system measuring tool, it explains. The process of certification takes a whole-of-organisation view and challenges an organisation to consider if it adopts an authentic customer focus in all decision making, it adds. Transit Systems NSW is part of the SeaLink Travel Group, Australia’s largest integrated land and marine, tourism and public transport service provider, the organisation states. SeaLink Travel Group…

VOLGREN has promoted Brenton McCallum to the role of engineering manager after Joaquim Gomes returned to Brazil to take up such a role at the Australian bus manufacturer’s parent company, Marcopolo, the company reports. The change is part of a restructure of the engineering team that began at the start of the year with the appointment of Gomes, and involved the alignment of Volgren’s engineering and design processes with those of Marcopolo’s, Volgren explains. The structure instituted in March 2020, will remain the same. Two ‘engineering leaders’ will report to the engineering manager as part of a team divided into two divisions: product and manufacturing. McCallum says the new structure has improved the team and is looking forward to working with both divisions. “The relatively recent addition of engineering leaders…

Available in either 57 fixed or 53 reclining seat models – and available to order in Australia from February 2021 – both buses feature high levels of customisation and flexibility with options for toilets and wheel-chair lifts installed, explains Marcopolo. Available to order exclusively by Australian operators from February 2021, the updated model continues the momentum for the popular vehicles since first launching in Australia in 2013, it states. As a point of note for local bus fans, Marcopolo has brought a total of 200 Audaces into the country through its Australian operation, Volgren. The changes range from major design to bodywork adjustments to wholesale seating modifications, says Volgren’s national sales manager Yuri Tessari. “The Marcopolo Audace is a proven performer with more than 450 units sold globally each year.…

If you’ve been around the traps long enough and have the appropriately thinning grey hairs to prove it then you might recall a series of mid-’80s automotive lubricant television commercials with the catchy catchcry “Oils ain’t oils”. The cheeky Capone-vibe message delivery not only ensured it remains deeply rooted in the nostalgic memory banks of the kid viewers of the day, but underscored the simple and logical warning that not everything is as it seems, or that not all products and services – in that case car oil – performed equally as many might foolishly hope for. ‘You get what you pay for’? Well, kind of something like that. Applicable in all kinds of realms, the highlighting of such difference is equally at play in the rapidly emerging world of…

The Fuso Rosa might be a familiar face when you see it on the road; it’s been an enduring and popular model in the Australian light-duty bus market for more than 15 years. This new-model Rosa might look really familiar, but it has some pretty advanced features and changes behind the scenes that are pretty impressive. Some test drives and vehicles are all about the looks and luxuries and we certainly love to drive these vehicles. The Rosa, though, isn’t a vehicle built just to impress. The thought process behind the updates have been made with a huge focus on the importance of safety features and it would be hard not to agree when these buses are a very popular choice for schools and nursing homes. The new Rosa comes…

NEW ZEALAND government funding of NZD$50 million has been committed to Kiwi councils to help fully ‘decarbonise’ their public transport bus fleets by 2035, it was announced recently. The move has been welcomed by global bus-making giant Alexander Dennis Limited (ADL) and local bus-body builder Kiwi Bus Builders, the companies confirm. ADL – a subsidiary of North American’s NFIGroup Inc. – is to build zero-emission buses in NZ in cooperation with Kiwi Bus Builders, creating jobs and adding value to the local economy, it states. The funding to councils for the procurement of zero-emission buses is part of a series of measures intended to help meet New Zealand’s 2050 carbonneutral target, announced by NZ Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Transport Minister Michael Wood. By decarbonising the bus fleet, the country…

A ‘LIGHTER, more efficient and more robust’ ZF Ecolife bus and coach transmission is due to be released here in the Australasian/Oceania region. Said to be offering, “improved fuel savings of up to three per cent compared to the first generation transmission”, the compact weight-saving design Ecolife 2 is set to feature increased torque allowance of up to 2,000Nm for city bus use, ZF states. With a focus on lowering operating costs and emissions the “more highly developed” second-generation Ecolife will have an option for coaches that will cover an engine torque range between 1,700Nm–2,800Nm, says ZF. “It’s exciting that the Ecolife 2 bus and coach transmission is coming to Oceania,” said Shane Trenbath, ZF Services Australia technical services manager. FUEL SAVINGS As stated, via Ecolife 2 further fuel savings…

THE QUEENSLAND-BASED Australian distributor for Chinese-made BLK-Bonluck buses has ‘passed over the baton’ to new operators, it’s announced, with BLK factory operations commencing locally in February. The new company called BLK Auto will be headed by Jason Pecotic – also GM of Optare and Higer bus distributor Bus Corp Oceania and CEO of Hyzon fuel-cell bus distributor HDrive. PAYING TRIBUTE The move by BLK to establish its own operation in Australia has been made to enable the company to pivot to an electric and hydrogen fuel-cell bus operation and to give it the resources and backing to put it on a footing for a zero emission future, the company states. BLK director Ken Lee congratulated BCSA on the work it has done during the past 14 years. “Under the Bonluck…

With Transit Systems also currently having electric bus trials underway in New South Wales, Australia’s largest order of electric buses on track, and a partnership in the world’s first hydrogen bus consortium, the company – celebrating 25 years in business recently – “is driving real change in the way sustainable public transport is delivered”, it states. On Thursday, January 21, the two new Scania hybrids entered service for the Adelaide Metro, giving bus customers a “greener, cleaner commute”, according to Clint Feuerherdt, CEO of SeaLink Travel Group, which in turn owns Transit Systems. The buses join Transit Systems’ suite of sustainable vehicles as many governments make the move to more sustainable operations, the company explains. “We are leading the charge with sustainable transport solutions, and we’re proud to be the…

Whether it is passenger cars, light commercial vehicles, trucks, or buses and coaches, ZF technology has been central to the safety, performance and efficiency of these vehicles for generations. And in the e-Mobility space, ZF’s years of research and development continues to place it ahead of the competition. “For over 100 years, ZF has globally developed a reputation as a leader in automotive systems, and has subsequently been at the forefront of the move towards electrification in the commercial vehicle segment,” said Shane Trenbath, technical services manager, ZF Services Australia. “What makes ZF unique is that the expertise for all of the different components of the EV system are available from a single source, which truly sets us apart.” THE NEXT STEP The AxTrax AVE portal axle has already been…