Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 405 i Australasian Bus & Coach

BUS OPERATOR TRANSIT SYSTEMS has purchased the first hydrogen fuel-cell buses to service public transport contracts in Australia, the company has announced. Sealink Travel Group CEO Clint Feuerherdt says the two innovative buses – Foton hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles – would likely go into service by mid-year, with sources telling ABC magazine that their NSW, Victoria, SA or WA operation are to be confirmed. “We are proudly setting the global benchmark for exploring and trialling different technologies to find and develop solutions with our key industry partners that suit the dynamic and complex operating conditions within the Australian public transport landscape,” he said. Transit Systems, which is part of the Sealink Travel group, is dedicated to exploring innovative technologies, with a proud history of running the second-longest hydrogen bus trial in…

A WOMAN died after a car and bus collided in Parramatta, NSW on the morning of May 1. Officers from Parramatta Police Area Command were called to Argyle Street, near the intersection with O’Connell Street, shortly after 8.00am, after the BMW and bus collided. The front-seat passenger in the sedan, a 46-year-old woman, was unable to be freed from the wreckage and died at the scene, police confirm. The 54-year-old driver of the sedan and the 66-year-old bus driver were taken to nearby Westmead Hospital with minor injuries and for mandatory testing, police state. There were no passengers on the bus at the time, the police add. The area was closed while utility workers repaired damage to power lines caused by the crash. The BMW driver has now been charged…

IN WHAT COULD PROVE the crucible in which diesel bus fleet emissions and vehicle composition are determined in future worldwide, a radical Australasian-led trial of hydrogen injected into conventional fuel could prove an unexpected turning point in the commercial vehicle industry. In efforts to reduce its carbon footprint, Transdev Australasia – operator of Howick & Eastern Buses in Auckland and Mana Newlands Coach Services in Wellington – has committed to trial a new hydrogen fuel technology in its existing diesel bus fleet. Transdev New Zealand chief officer and managing director Greg Pollock says trials would soon commence using the new ‘HYDI hydrogen fuel system’, which has been designed to fit a standard diesel bus, adding hydrogen gas to a diesel engine. “A HYDI hydrogen unit will soon be fitted to…

A passenger coach was struck by a freight train after it stopped foul of a Geelong level crossing when the coach driver stopped on the crossing after boom gate warning lights activated, despite having adequate time to clear the crossing, a recent transport safety investigation notes. The coach, with a driver and single passenger on-board, was operating a rail-replacement service from Melbourne to Waurn Ponds in Geelong on the morning of April 2, 2020, and had just entered the Station Street level crossing when the crossing warning system activated in response to an approaching freight train. The driver of the coach immediately applied the brakes and the coach stopped within the crossing, foul of the first track, it explains. When the crew of the freight train observed the coach, the…

The safety innovations offered in the new generation of Rosa models were vital selling points. Melbourne’s Crown Coaches has a simple motto: “Our family transports your family.” That’s exactly what the family owned company has been doing since 1967, now guided by the third generation of the Haoust family. With depots in Nunawading and Dandenong South, the fleet is fast approaching 160 vehicles, primarily deployed on contract morning and afternoon school runs for specialist state schools and private schools, as well as servicing corporate charters, weddings and other events. The company has recently consolidated its fleet with the purchase of four new Mitsubishi Fuso Rosa Deluxe 24-seaters, two of which are fitted with wheelchair lifts for deployment in the aged-cared sector. Crown Coaches business development manager Ivan Furlanetto says the…

KEY PLAYERS McConnell Seats McConnell Seats’ large modern factory is located at Broadmeadows, Victoria, and provides the best in design and manufactured products and services, it says. Seats are completely manufactured in-house from the metal fabrication right through to the final trim. A high level of quality is assured through adherence to its quality management system modelled on AS/NZS ISO9001:2015, it explains. Products and components are certified to Australian Design Regulations and recognised standards, it confirms. CONTACT: Tel: (03) 9350 7277; Email: info@mcconnellseats.com.au Styleride Seating Systems Italian seat manufacturer Lazzerini fully acquired Brisbane’s Styleride Seating Systems on March 18, 2019. This acquisition results in the merger of high-quality, proven Australian-based manufacturing with Lazzerini’s leading international product innovation and design, Styleride states. In their research and development programme Styleride has registered…

A minor increase in monthly bus and coach deliveries takes the April figure back into the 90s and in line with the average so far in 2021. The final figure rises from 87 in March to 92 and keeps deliveries consistently knocking at triple figures, well above the latter stages of last year, but not quite yet back at pre-pandemic levels. Scania had a big month in the chassis sector, doubling its March numbers to take top spot in April. Volvo is second after dropping from 36 to 25 month-on-month. Yutong had a strong month with 15. Elsewhere, BYD joins the chassis data with four, while Challenger Bus and Coach discloses its first delivery for 2021. Volgren maintains the body-building lead with its highest monthly figure for the year at…

BUNBURY, Western Australia-based integrated transport provider Go West – established and run by venerable bus industry family the Haousts – has “agreed to a deal with potential consideration in excess of $100 million” in its sale to the Sealink Travel Group. Go West, with lead adviser BDO, negotiated the sale of the successful, home-grown Australian bus operator best known for bus and coach transport, particularly in the mining resources field. The operator began in 1981 with a single bus and grew to become one of Western Australia’s pre-eminent specialty providers of charter, rental and tour vehicles to the resources and public transit sectors, filling more than 500,000 seats monthly, BDO explains. Go West’s expansion is the result of its clever uptake of cutting-edge technology – including innovative fatigue management and…

NEW ZEALAND bus operator Howick & Eastern, part of Transdev Australasia since late 2019, has ordered two ADL-BYD 12.6-metre e-buses from Kiwi Bus Builders bodies, ADL announced recently. To be used on Auckland Transport (AT) services, the three-axle single-deck ADL-BYD Enviro200EV XLB buses are being built for the specific requirements of bus operation in New Zealand, allowing it to carry 78 passengers without requiring an overweight permit, ADL explains. It uses the latest BYD iron-phosphate battery and driveline technology, with dual AC and DC plug charging adding operational flexibility, it adds. New Zealand is preparing to fully transition its bus fleet to zero-emission vehicles by 2035 as part of a wider set of measures intended to help meet the country’s 2050 carbon neutral target. Howick & Eastern by Transdev general…

BUS OPERATOR Transit Systems has ensured timetable and crisis information, such as bushfire reports or health emergencies, is instantly disseminated across its national network – an Australian first for a bus operator, the company reports. Transit systems has ensured such information reaches its huge employee base via the ‘Blink’ system – a globally recognised platform, “…for secure, private and formal engagement with employees, but offers more than real-time access to policy and procedure documents.” To put this into context, particularly from a regional perspective, it’s remarkable because, considering it has more than 2,600 buses on the road across Australia, and 85 per cent of its workforce is ‘deskless’, employees may need to get an update, or receive important information based on location, shift or role [instantly], according to SeaLink Travel…

RURAL VICTORIA dairy farming town Tinamba is now a safer place to drive to and through for V/Line coach services following completion of a road overhaul via the Flexible Local Transport Solutions program, the state government reports. Minister for roads and road safety Ben Carroll says the $150,000 upgrade had delivered a number of benefits for the local community. The project will improve access to V/Line coach services (south-west) to Traralgon and (south-east) to Sale from Tinamba, providing stronger links to employment and education opportunities for locals, and connections to train services on the Gippsland line, according to the government. Works have also improved pedestrian and vehicle access to local businesses, improved kerbs, line-marking, drainage and bus stops – including a new stop on the western side of the road…

The largest Australian-owned bus manufacturer Bustech Group and iconic Tasmanian company Elphinstone celebrated the achievement at the Elphinstone Southern Prospect plant near Wynyard, Tasmania, on Monday, April 19. Tasmanian deputy premier, Jeremy Rockliff, congratulated all stakeholders involved in delivering the home-grown product and announced a further $10 million investment over four years to Tasmania’s advanced manufacturing and defence industries. “We have a skilled workforce and we want to support small-and medium-sized businesses [SMEs]. A great example of it is here today, where we celebrated the cutting of the cake of the 100th Metro bus, [from] a highly skilled workforce right here on the North-West Coast. And we want to build capability right across Tasmania,” affirmed Rockliff at the event. JOB CREATION The delivery of Bustech’s 100th bus created 30 direct…

With the metro and tram sections merged into a single rail network, recently, the deputy mayor of Moscow and head of the department of transport and road infrastructure, Maksim Liksutov, noted it has had “a positive impact on the situation of transport in the city”. “This experience proved that working together and sharing knowledge gives the best results, so we decided to create a common system of education for employees of the Transport Complex. “We use the latest techniques and technologies in the teaching. Unique transport simulators were produced specially for Moscow and educational programs are developed by teachers with many years of experience,” he said. SKILLS IMPROVEMENT Buses, electric buses, trams and metro drivers study at the new university. Employees can improve their skills and receive additional professional education,…

When applied to Camira’s wool moquette, this state-of-the art textile technology destroys viruses and kills bacteria – ensuring upholstery does not act as a potential source of transmission, Camira says. It’s formulated specifically for multi-occupancy seating in busy public transport settings – route buses, school buses, long-distance coaches and shuttle buses, Camira explains. Whilst the risk of transmission is thought to be greater from hard surfaces (i.e. handles, stop buttons) compared to fabric, for multi-passenger seats which demand increased defence, Camira StaySafe is an additional safeguard measure that can help prevent the person-to-person spread of both viruses and bacteria, it says. HOW IT WORKS Camira StaySafe works in three simultaneous ways to attract, attack and ultimately destroy the virus, Camira says. A high-powered combination of both silver and liposome technologies…

SKYBUS’ PARENT company Kinetic, with a focus on the Apple Isle, has acquired long-standing family run bus operator Tasmanian Redline. Tasmanian Redline Coaches (Tasmanian Redline), the largest government-contracted private bus operator in Tasmania, will join Kinetic’s growing bus mass transit network as it boosts its commitment to investing in the island state, the company states. Tasmanian Redline is one of the state’s largest busing operators, providing government-contracted route and school services across Burnie, Devonport, Hobart, Launceston and Smithton, as well as charter services for major tour operators, Kinetic confirms. The company is one of the state’s most established bus brands, having proudly operated for more than 90 years. Last year, Tasmanian Redline launched a new premium coach transfer service, the Redline Express, connecting travellers from Hobart and Launceston directly with…

TRANDEV MELBOURNE has unveiled a Pride-themed rainbow bus to demonstrate its commitment to connecting and supporting Melbourne’s diverse communities. Victoria’s first fully electric bus featured the special Pride-themed livery throughout May and appeared at the Midsumma Festival Pride March on Sunday, May 23, together with Transdev Melbourne employees, the company confirms. Transdev Melbourne managing director Ian Craig said: “We are committed to delivering an inclusive, welcoming and safe bus service for all. “At Transdev, inclusion is more than just a word, it is about respecting and appreciating people for who they are. “We hope this bus sends a clear message to our customers, the community and our people about the value we place on diversity,” he added. RAINBOW SIX The special livery encourages members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender,…

IN A CAREER spanning 20 years, a Volgren Perth employee went from bus spray painter to production manager while managing to moonlight as a musician in a range of coverbands – including a John Farnham tribute band. After John Pettit left school he undertook an apprenticeship as a painter decorator, but spent little time during the next decade plying that trade. Instead, he pursued a musical career that started in his home state of Western Australia and brought him to New South Wales playing piano and keyboard for coverbands and other groups throughout Sydney, he says. “It was a good life,” Pettit recalled. “There were plenty of gigs and Sydney was a great place to be a musician – but there was limited job security.” That lack of guaranteed work,…

EUROPEAN global technology powerhouse Siemens has partnered with YHI Energy in New Zealand to support the country’s growing electric-charging market and launch its latest EV charging-infrastructure portfolio, the companies announced recently. The partnership will see YHI Energy – one of New Zealand’s leading suppliers of energy products, especially in electric vehicle charging infrastructure – distribute Siemens’ state-of-the-art charging infrastructure portfolio, they confirm. This agreement complements Siemens’ partnership with Cuthbert Stewart Limited (CSL), which distributes Siemens factory automation, process industry, electrical and drives products in New Zealand, Siemens clarifies. The YHI announcement also follows recent customer wins, such as the agreement to supply e-bus charging infrastructure to Go Bus, one of New Zealand’s largest bus operators. Siemens New Zealand CEO Paul Ravlich welcomed the partnership stating: “Electrification of our transportation fleet…

Affectionately dubbed ‘The Retreads’, Garth Taylor, Jon Rickard and Robert Hurren were officially farewelled from the Katoomba-based tourism transport company in December 2020. FAT operates the Blue Mountains Explorer Bus fleet of double-decker red buses around Katoomba and Leura and conducts sightseeing tours and charters around Australia. Hurren, now 78, had been retrenched as an electrical engineer for Phillips Electrical when he joined the company in 2004. FAT director of operations Darrell Booth said: “I think he is the only bloke we’ve ever given a bus driver’s job to that didn’t have a bus driver’s licence. But attitude is everything and we taught him how to drive a bus – and he went on to drive basically everything in our yard.” Taylor, of Leura, always knew 2020 would be his…

One could imagine the stress and disappointment of the little kid – presumably – on some ‘far, far away’ farm who dropped that first basket of eggs one morning when racing from the chicken pen out in the cold back into the warmth of home, one winter’s morning, aeons ago. If it were any consolation to them, mankind got one of its iconically famous adages out of it that has probably steered the decision-making process of billions of people the world over in myriad situations and circumstances: “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket!” When it comes to electro-mobility transition and the public transport sector in particular, operators across the globe are assessing, testing and pondering a range of technologies in the quest for low-to-zero emissions. Such is the…

Making its debut on the Australian market at the 2013 Australian Bus and Coach Show, the Marcopolo Audace isn’t a new name to our industry, but today we test drive the 1050 – the first redesign of the product since its local launch. Powered by the Volvo B8R, this model has had key updates and changes implemented to broaden its appeal and create new opportunities in new markets. Volgren’s national sales manager Yuri Tessari says the changes range from major design and wholesale seating modifications to bodywork modifications. “The Audace 1050 has been designed for Australia and it’s been launched as exclusive to our market at this stage,” said Tessari. “The Marcopolo Audace is a proven performer, with more than 450 units sold globally each year. It’s a high-quality, flexible…