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In this edition of Australasian Bus & Coach, it strikes me as rather remarkable to come across so many fantastic stories of people in the industry that are not trying to sell their higher purpose, but instead truly living it, and letting their actions speak for themselves. A common theme throughout this edition, that came up rather incidentally, is that so many companies, in doing their natural course of business, are also making the world a better place along the way. These altruistic intentions begin with our coverage of the Tasmanian government’s initiative to offer free bus travel for five weeks starting at the end of March. Its motivations were to give people a break on the back of rising fuel costs. But the campaign might lead to more than…
MAN’s RR8 chassis is now available in Australia with the new Marcopolo Audace 1050 body. Powered by MAN’s latest generation D15 Euro 6 engine, this new chassis and body combination delivers a high-quality product at a cost-effective price with great versatility, making it ideal for coach, school and intercity applications, it states. Customers will also benefit from Marcopolo’s ownership of local bodybuilder Volgren and its extensive national support network. Crinel Geaboc, head of MAN bus and coach at Penske Australia, is excited for the partnership to continue. “It’s fantastic to extend our existing partnership with Volgren to now include one of the world’s largest bus body manufacturers – Marcopolo,” Geaboc said. “MAN’s new 330hp [246kW] nine-litre D15 engine boasts the latest diesel technology and sits between the existing D08 and…
THE NEW SOUTH WALES, Victoria and Queensland state governments have announced a landmark tri-state collaboration on a renewable hydrogen refuelling network for heavy transport and logistics along Australia’s eastern seaboard. The refuelling will start with $20 million support from the NSW and Victorian governments to build at least four renewable hydrogen refuelling stations between Sydney and Melbourne. Australian Hydrogen Council (AHC) CEO Dr Fiona Simon said the announcement was an exciting moment for AHC. “The collaboration between these three states will facilitate the uptake and use of hydrogen as a fuel for heavy transport along the Eastern highways,” she said. “This delivers the next phase of the three governments’ hydrogen strategies and is a terrific example of the cross-jurisdictional efforts we need to see to grow the industry for Australia.…
A NEW Bus Breakdown Guide and accompanying video will provide valuable safety assistance to bus operators across Australia. BusNSW executive director Matt Threlkeld said that one of the most common hazards in the bus and coach industry arises from safety risks that result from a roadside bus breakdown. “While breakdowns can occur in all motor vehicles, the hazards associated with bus breakdowns – where the vehicle is usually carrying public passengers and often schoolchildren – can be significant,” Threlkeld said. “The aim of the guide is to address these risks by providing practical guidance for all parties involved with bus breakdowns, specifically operators, bus drivers, maintenance staff and emergency assistance providers.” The BusNSW project to improve road safety was selected as one of 26 projects aimed at saving lives and…
THE QUEENSLAND government has announced that all new urban buses will need to be fitted with safety barriers to better protect drivers. After a recent round table on how to better improve safety for bus drivers from aggressive passengers, barriers will now be installed on new buses in Queensland. Queensland’s Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey said that these barriers will help to protect drivers from impolite behaviour, personal abuse, verbal aggression and physical violence. “Safety of drivers is paramount, and mandatory driver barriers on new urban buses consolidates a best practice approach and supports improved safety standards across the fleet,” Bailey said. “It’s important that introducing this mandate still provides individual bus operators with the flexibility to implement a solution that is best suited to their network.” Bus…
THE QUEENSLAND government released its Queensland’s Zero Emission Vehicle Strategy 2022–2032 and the first Zero Emission Vehicle Action Plan 2022–2024 in March to transition bus fleets in the state to zero emission vehicles (ZEVs). This strategy is accelerating Queensland toward a cleaner, greener transport future while making sure its energy network can support ZEVs. The state government plans to shift to zero net emissions by 2050. The Queensland government has announced a range of targets including that every new TransLink-funded bus added to the fleet will be a zero-emission bus from 2025 in south east Queensland and from 2025–2030 across regional Queensland. The Zero Emission Vehicle Strategy is a whole of Queensland government strategy developed in partnership with the Department of Energy and Public Works. The strategy aligns with the…
