Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 414 i Australasian Bus & Coach

LAUNCESTON-based family bus operator Sainty’s is now officially part of operator Kinetic, joining its already established Skybus Hobart and Tasmanian Redline shuttle and bus operations, the company confirms. Sainty’s North East Bus Service owners Rob and Fruncine Sainty announced the sale of their family-run business after almost two decades. The much-loved bus company has supported communities in Launceston and the north-east for 18 years, holding two long-term contracts with the Department of State Growth to operate bus services, Kinetic explains. From Tuesday, 1 February, these services are now being delivered by Kinetic with the Sainty’s vehicles and drivers joining Kinetic’s Tasmanian Redline business, the operator confirms. Well known for its iconic Skybus airport express business – which launched in Hobart in 2018 – Kinetic is the largest bus network in…

GERMAN ‘clean’ vehicle provider Quantron AG has confirmed the name of its new 12-metre electric city bus as the ‘Cizaris’, which debuted globally to the public on 16 February, 2022. Said to use proven and safe technology, Quantron’s Cizaris bus is a “…cost-efficient zero-emission alternative,” it says and “…the price will be below the market price for comparable BEV buses,” the e-mobility specialist claims. In this way, Quantron seeks to enable environmentally friendly passenger transport and offer a cost-effective alternative to conventional diesel buses, it says. The fuel-cell electric version (FCEV) of the 12m vehicle, with cells from Ballard Power Systems, is already under development, it confirms. The 12m bus relies on proven and safe technology and LiFePo4 batteries from manufacturer CATL, it explains. The charging power is up to…

TRANSDEV NSW has beaten its bus industry golf day event record and raised $11,600 for Father Chris Riley’s Youth Off The Streets charity, the operator announced recently. More than 80 bus representatives and staff participated in a round at Sydney’s Liverpool Golf Course last December, and – with the generous help of sponsors and a silent auction – Transdev NSW and the broader industry were successful in raising the incredible amount, organisers confirm. Youth Off The Streets is a not-for-profit organisation working with young people, their families, and communities to create safety, support and provide opportunities to build a positive future, it says. As an operator and global integrator of mobility, Transdev gives people the freedom to move whenever and however they choose, establishing long-term partnerships with communities, businesses, and…

IT HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED that Finland’s electric vehicle charging solutions company Kempower is now the official supplier of DC fast charging equipment to Scania worldwide. Scania and Kempower have signed a frame agreement where Kempower will be an official supplier of DC fast charging equipment to Scania and its affiliates around the globe. The agreement enables Scania to provide both its own network and its customers with Kempower’s DC fast charging technology and solutions. “We are happy to serve Scania’s and its affiliates’ electric bus and electric truck network worldwide,” said Kempower CEO Tomi Ristimäki. “The collaboration with Scania is significant for Kempower in the heavy vehicle industry. We are looking forward to drive the development further towards emission-free logistics and transportation.” One of the first collaborations of Scania and…

In an attempt to educate drivers and help prevent bus rollaways, Buslink NT’s video highlights the scale of the problem nationally. The video also outlines the common circumstances in which rollaways occur and demonstrates ways to effectively counter the problem, the operator explains. Buslink NT has shared the video with all employees to reinforce best practices for prevention. It is also sharing the video with all bus industry associations throughout Australia in the hope of better educating drivers and reducing the number of uncontrolled vehicle movements, which are occurring on average once a day across Australia, it confirms. Bus rollaways are now also a subject of an investigation by the NSW Office of Transport and Safety Investigations, as reported in ABC magazine, recently. A GREAT LOSS This video and its…

In reflecting on its past year and key business achievements across partnerships and training, product launches and electromobility milestones, general manager Mitch Peden outlines it was an eventful anniversary year for Volvo Bus Australia, indeed. “Whilst it wasn’t quite what we had planned, our 50th year in Australia meant a great deal to the team and it was wonderful to witness many achievements this year including welcoming new members to the team, creating new partnerships and launching two new products: the short Volvo B8R and, of course, the new Volvo BZL Electric,” Peden explained. “The global launch of the new Volvo BZL Electric was arguably our biggest highlight in 2021. It truly made our milestone year all the more special. “Having dedicated five years to extensive planning, development and testing,…

Australia gives an opportunity to be something and to make something of yourself, and that’s exactly what we did. Father and son duo Ziko Mijic (57) and Luka Nikolic (30) entered the bus-hire business with a bang in April, 2018. A look at their swanky Irizar three-axle coach on an Iveco chassis will tell you what we mean. The 57-seater features bespoke leather seats in striking red and blue, three TVs, dual-zone air conditioning, steerable rear axle, extra-large underfloor bins, rear toilet and alloy rims. Emigrating from Croatia in 1995 to escape the Yugoslav Wars, the Serbian-background family arrived in Australia in 1999. Luka’s parents didn’t speak English at the time and relied on him their nine-year-old son to translate for them as they navigated through a new life in…

TRANSIT SYSTEMS NSW has maintained its ‘integration level’ certification of International Customer Service Standard, it reports. The repeat ‘integration level’ on the 2021 International Customer Service Standard (ICSS) from the Customer Service Institute of Australia (CSIA) follows a “comprehensive health check”, Transit Systems confirms. This check examined the NSW operator’s financial/governance, operational and learning and growth perspectives – and then rated its progress in terms of “intention, implementation and integration”, it explains. The ICSS uses a ‘balanced scorecard methodology’ to assess the efficiency and effectiveness of an organisation’s strategy, with the standard being recognised and used by the world’s leading organisations, it adds. The process of certification takes a collective organisational approach and challenges an organisation to consider how it embraces and delivers a complete and thorough customer focus in…

IN EXCESS OF 1,200 nominations for the belated 2021 Queensland Translink Bus Driver of the Year Awards have been received, sparking high anticipation for the forthcoming finalists’ shortlist and then category winners’ announcement at QBIC’s 2022 Annual Conference, due to take place 8–9 April, organisers confirm. Nominators were actively encouraged to help their favourite bus driver receive recognition, as the awards recognise the important contribution of bus drivers across the state. The Awards will be split into the following three categories: Regional bus drivers (Qconnect and Translink drivers in regional centres outside of South East Queensland); South East Queensland urban bus drivers (covering Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Logan, Ipswich, Moreton and Redlands council areas); and school bus drivers (all school bus drivers in all cities and towns). Acting…

BELGIAN BUS builder Van Hool has secured an order to build 21 fully ‘zero-emission’ electric trambuses – aka a common-sense light-rail alternative – for Swedish operator Nobina, the largest passenger transport company in Scandinavia, it reports. Van Hool – an independent manufacturer of buses, coaches and industrial vehicles that has produced more than 1,200 electrically powered vehicles – is to deliver the 24-metre ‘Exqui.City’ model articulated trambuses for service mid-2022 in Malmö, Sweden, the company confirms. The use of buses versus light-rail has always been a contentious issue within global transport circles, with invariably the pros and cons siding with buses, sundry sources will site, in terms of costs – depending on a city’s commuter movement objectives. Locally, even the Public Transport Users Association of Victoria dispels the ‘urban myth’…

UK BUS manufacturer Alexander Dennis Limited (ADL) plans to create a ‘centre of excellence’ to focus on the development, testing and manufacture of zero-emission bus technology, the company announced recently. A subsidiary of North American NFI Group Inc. – one of the world’s leading independent global bus manufacturers – ADL welcomed UK government Minister for Scotland Iain Stewart on a visit to the planned Falkirk Investment Zone recently as the company is among the investment zone’s industry partners with a zero-emission bus technology centre of excellence as a project in mind. As part of the Falkirk Growth Deal, Heads of Terms for which were signed in December, 2021, a total of 11 projects from different partners can now use £80m (AUD$151.9m) investment from the UK and Scottish governments, £45m (AUD$85.4m)…

THE AWARDS are designed to recognise the most innovative, ambitious and solution-driven projects from the public transport sector. Transdev Australasia, part of the Transdev Group Australia, was acknowledged as a finalist in the tough Climate and Health category for its endeavours ‘driving lower emissions in Australasia’. Transdev – a global leader of zero emissions vehicles – during 2021, “…brought this leadership to the Australasia region, launching [a] new electric and hydrogen powered fleet, including Australia’s first 100 per cent solar-powered bus,” – more widely known as Project Aurora. In the Design category, the Department of Transport, Victoria, was a finalist for its FlexiRide on-demand bus service. FlexiRide has no fixed route and only operates when booked. Passengers can book a trip from their nearest physical or virtual bus stop and…

It was a pretty good-looking coach body to begin with, but in the modern age with a new range of drive types for operators to choose from, eventually at least – diesel, hydrogen and electric – the popular BLK President 2 2022 update has just been released onto the Australian bus market. BLK Auto confirms that it can supply the new President 2 as a completely built unit (CBU), or just as a body for application to the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) chassis of a bus operator’s choice. While overwhelmingly the best characteristics of the previous President 2 have been maintained, it’s the strikingly stylish and new modern front end treatment that first catches the eye to discerning fans and sets the tone for the rest of the new President…

According to society secretary Neil Robins, to whom ABC magazine spoke with exclusively, recently, restoring the Denning would be the group’s biggest challenge to date. Describing the scene prior to restoration, Robins explained: “On a desolate property north of Devonport on Tasmania’s north-west coast sat a coach for almost 20 years, deteriorating from the salt air blasting off Bass Strait across the road. “It had become an icon – a sight always seen by everyone as they traversed the Bass Highway between Devonport and Ulverstone. “It was this attraction that led the Tasmanian Bus and Coach Society to include a visit to the property on one of their annual enthusiast tours in 2011. “This led to a long relationship with the owner, as after the tour the vehicle was donated…

TO REDUCE commuting times and help ease congestion, the Tasmanian government – in collaboration with operator Metro Tasmania – is adding more than 40 new express bus services for the southern-Hobart Kingborough area, it’s been announced. The move gives more public transport options for growing number of commuters living in those southern areas with the extra 43 express bus services (not “nearly 90”, as reported elsewhere) between Kingborough and Hobart set to start from 30 January, 2022, the state government confirms. The new routes are part of the Hobart City Deal – Southern Projects initiative and will service the Blackmans Bay, Kingston and Channel areas, it states. The new Metro Tasmania services will run weekdays during the morning and afternoon peak periods, it adds. In total there will be 14…

NATIONAL bus operator ComfortDelGro Corporation Australia (CDC) has helped deliver to one of its community partners – sleepbus.org – a potentially life-saving ex-CDC bus for use in the local Maroochydore, Queensland, community, it’s been announced. The sleepbus.org charity – which is focused on providing “…safe, temporary, overnight accommodation to people sleeping rough,” through its volunteer-built, customised retired buses – launched its latest vehicle at an event held at the Maroochy Neighbourhood Centre, recently. The new sleepbus provides refuge for up to 17 guests per night in self-contained, lockable sleeping pods. It also offers clean sheets and pillows, TV, USB phone charging ports, climate control and each pod has its own toilet, CDC explains. The bus will join the Maroochy Neighbourhood Centre’s services for the homeless, which includes hot meals, laundry…

HYDROGEN-powered bus and truck options for the local heavy transport sector will soon have an enhanced sales and support structure via Australian-based BLK Auto and its established and new partners, given recent public announcements. Firstly, BLK Auto has signed a binding hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle (HFCEV) and hydrogen-supply ‘term sheet’ with fellow Australian-based company Pure Hydrogen, the companies report, while zeroemissions hydrogen powered commercial vehicle company Hyzon Motors Australia is to make Melbourne its new headquarters under a partnership agreement with the RACV, they confirm. Specialist vehicle importer and distributor BLK Auto’s term sheet with Australian Securities Exchange-listed clean energy company Pure Hydrogen Corporation is for the sale and purchase of HFCEVs and hydrogen as a fuel, they explain. Under the terms of the agreement, the two parties will…

DAIMLER BUSES in Europe has expanded its commercial 3D printing and is offering a new product and service portfolio in the field of additive manufacturing, it has announced. The aim is to support customers of other industries when procuring and providing parts, and to facilitate the digital transformation of their companies, Daimler says. Daimler’s Center of Competence 3D-Printing at Daimler Buses is now offering 3D printing as well as various consulting services, data preparation, digital warehousing and individual component production. “We at Daimler Buses have been working intensively on additive manufacturing since 2016,” said Daimler Buses head of customer services and parts Bernd Mack. “We have had many positive experiences with the 3D printing technology and we have built up a lot of knowledge – we would like to pass…

A GROUP OF long-distance and charter touring coach companies joined their truck industry peers in Canberra for an impromptu ‘freedom’ gathering on Saturday, 12 February. Busloads of people from a broad spectrum of Australian society were on five coaches heading to the nation’s capital, in a convoy of sorts, joined by other “frustrated” bus and coach operators from all directions who are, “…coming out from under the rock,” in what is described as, “…a snowball effect,” according to Calypso Coaches owner-operator, simply known as Ray, who has been in the industry for 23 years, he confirms. The long-term effects of lockdowns and mandates have impacted charter tour coach companies to varying degrees, with various results, but booking cancellations and evolving segregation of services to customers who are actually a prime…

According to OTSI, the investigation will: Identify the factors, both primary and contributory, which lead to bus rollaway events; determine the effectiveness of any controls that are in place to manage the related risks; and advise on any matters arising that would enhance the safety of bus operations. OTSI’s decision to initiate this systemic investigation follows a review of recent incidents and the findings of the abovementioned past investigations, it explains. In recent years, OTSI has investigated several bus rollaway incidents, including those resulting in either fatalities or serious injuries, it says. OTSI commenced an investigation in January, 2021, as the result of a serious bus rollaway accident that occurred at Cordeaux Heights, NSW, after the driver became medically incapacitated, it states. After reviewing evidence associated with this accident and…

THE 2021 UITP Awards winners were announced at the MENA World Congress, held in Dubai on 6-8 February. Taking Taking place every two years, the UITP Awards, “…showcase the most ambitious and innovative projects of the last two years in cities and regions around the globe,” it states – and cover eight categories from Diversity and Inclusion to Multimodal Integration and Public and Urban Transport Strategy. The 2021 Awards shone a spotlight on a key Australian project, the ‘Rowville Flexiride – Demand Responsive Public Transport System’ from the Department of Transport, Victoria, which won the Design Award, while Volvo Buses Europe also made a splash winning the Climate and Health Award for its project called ‘The Gothenburg Delivery’. Other winning projects included: a drive to reduce sexual harassment on public…

Time waits for no man, or so the saying goes, and when it comes to changing technology and the thought of being left behind in the bus game, certain operators have moved pretty fast to ensure they are ahead of the pack. Not that there’s all-out competition; that would be probably welcomed these days by bus companies like Sydney Region 2 operator Interline based at Macquarie Fields, NSW, because it would mean the focus of interaction would be with bus peers, whereas now it seems dominated by various state governments and red tape and bureaucracy, many operators will confess … secretly. Alas, it is the way modern busing is as the push for electrification rolls out, and those operators that choose to endeavour in the bus game – as opposed…

We are out of the gates for 2022 and after a dramatic past year – where deliveries saw a huge drop and then surged back for December – January’s total of 86 is a quieter start, but hopefully a sign of increasing stability. In the chassis sector, Volvo and Yutong were neck and neck In at the finish line with 20 each – Volvo showing a small drop from December, but Yutong going strength to strength with its highest number since January, 2020. In the middle of the pack Mercedes-Benz comes in at 14 and we welcome Custom Denning to the chassis deliveries with 11 units, matching Scania. BCI, meanwhile, gained a few on December with a total of seven, while BLK Auto, Challenger and Hino round off the total…