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It felt like only yesterday that companies like Tesla first broke into the news with plans to design electric vehicles. With new-fangled designs that looked like they came from sci-fi movies, it’s difficult to fathom how quickly the world has adjusted to the idea of vehicles being powered by electricity or hydrogen. Yet here we are. Just a few years later and events like this month’s Australasian Bus & Coach Expo are jam-packed with heavy vehicles that predominantly run on battery electric or hydrogen fuel cell technology. It’s remarkable to see the change. It’s only been three years since the last Expo was held, but for the industry it felt like a lifetime. It was wonderful to see the majority of members packing tightly into the Volvo Welcome function on…
Ebusco Australia has officially released its popular 2.2 bus in Australia Electric bus manufacturer Ebusco has launched its worldwide 2.2 bus model in Australia in a right-hand drive model. At Melbourne’s Park Hyatt Hotel, both Australian and international employees joined forces to officially release the bus, which has been tailored to Australian conditions. Ebusco Australia director Simon Pearce welcomed the attendees and said he was excited to release the model in Australia. “I’m really excited to be here today to launch Ebusco officially in Victoria,” Pearce says. “Ebusco’s journey in Australian started in 2019 down in St Kilda. A group of us discussed our future in Australia and what it would look like in the Asia-Pacific region – we believed there was a fantastic future. “Then COVID got in the…
Scania and the South Australian government have confirmed that the manufacturer will no longer supply diesel buses to the government Scania says it and the SA government’s Department for Infrastructure and Transport are playing a leading role in transitioning to cleaner and greener public buses. In September, DIT took delivery of its final diesel-powered rigid bus from Scania. From now on, all deliveries by Scania to DIT for rigid route bus application will be electric-hybrid or full electric powertrains. “By mid-October this year we will have 24 (Generation One) electric-hybrid buses in service with the DIT public transport system, the first of which has been in service for close to two years,” says government bus contracts manager for Scania in SA Steven Godbold. “Now we are preparing for the introduction…
Bus Stop Sales has announced another key appointment, this time of a respected industry veteran to its company leadership team Bus Stop Sales director Pete White has announced that the company has appointed Stephen Long to its company leadership team. A well-known figure in the Australian bus industry, Long joins the Bus Stop team in the newly created sales leader role of General Manager, National Fleets to further support the distributor’s Zero Emission Bus (ZEB) transformation and growth plans. Having spent more than a decade in bus specific management roles, White says Long was a perfect candidate for the newly created role. “Stephen deeply understands the bus industry and the needs of fleet operators over and above the supply of the bus itself,” White says. “In additional to a great…
Kinetic is continuing to grow in Tasmania after acquiring a north-east bus group. Kinetic is set to expand its presence in Tasmania’s north-east with the announcement of an agreement to acquire family-run business East Tamar Bus Lines. Established by Darrell and Glenda Lee in 2020, East Tamar operates three government contracted bus services primarily between Launceston and George Town. The Lee’s also operate a charter business, Lee’s Coaches, which won’t be included in the sale. East Tamar has six buses and 10 employees with all staff to be offered continued employment with Kinetic. Kinetic also operates SkyBus Hobart, Redline Coaches and MerseyLink with its network in Tasmania now including 209 buses and 244 people. It is the largest privately owned government contractor in the state. The investment will expand Kinetic’s…
The WA government has decided to start a new coach trial to compensate for cancelled services earlier this year The Western Australian government will introduce a 12-month road coach trial to service residents of Collie, Manjimup and surrounding areas, following the cancellation of privately-run services earlier this year. The trial, starting October 24, will introduce return trips between Collie and Bunbury five days a week, and between Manjimup and Bunbury (via Bridgetown) three days a week, to complement existing services in these areas. The announcement of the 12-month trial follows the decision by South West Coach Lines to cease return services between Collie and Bunbury, and Collie and Manjimup earlier this year. The new services will offer an early morning departure from Collie to Bunbury, returning in the late afternoon,…
