Fleet Bus & Coach Winter 2022

PassengerSafe Membership

Be Compliant, Be Confident, Be Connected

What is the PassengerSafe standard?

PassengerSafe™ is an industry wide standard that facilitates a path to continuous operational compliance but also provides recognition for commercial coach and bus fleet sector that meet their minimum legal operational obligations and from that endeavour to achieve sustainable operations through efficient fuel management and continuous professional development.

PassengerSafe™ audits operational compliance in the areas of vehicle & Equipment Maintenance, Safe working environment, vehicle standards, driver licensing and competence, Road Passenger Transport Operator Licence, Customer Care, Sustainable operations, Contractor & agency management and Health and Safety. Members undertake an annual audit of their compliance in these areas. This process demonstrates members commitment to compliance and safety standards and also affords recognition for the company and team for the work being done to attain the highest possible compliance standards.

Who is the PassengerSafe standard for?

PassengerSafe™ is open to all coach and bus operations with vehicles in excess of 9 passenger seats in their operation regardless of type or size of operation. For the purposes of PassengerSafe™, a multi-passenger vehicle is defined as a commercial vehicle used for the carriage of passengers with a minimum of 9 passenger seats.

What does the audit cover?

The operator must provide the auditor with evidence that the PassengerSafeTM standards are being met and the auditor also looks for evidence of non-compliance. The standards are detailed below.

• Vehicle and equipment maintenance

• Safe working environment

• Vehicle standards

• Driver licensing and competence

• Road Passenger Transport Operator Licensing

• Professional competence

• Customer Care

• Environmental considerations

• Contractor and agency management

• Health and safety

What are the benefits to the operation of attaining the standard?

✓ Achievement of the PassengerSafeTM standard will demonstrate to enforcement authorities, customers, and the general public that you are compliant with minimum legal and operational standards.

✓ The company will also benefit from improved compliance levels and industry image, both within Ireland and abroad.

✓ The company has achieved an industry standard

✓ The company is demonstrating that it has active management systems in place to manage drivers’ hours, roadworthiness, and driver qualifications

This is a risk management programme

✓ Improved safety standards – less risk of accident.

✓ Recognises the good work drivers are doing on the company’s behalf.

✓ Improves reputation of the company.

✓ Ensures the company has a good Commercial Vehicle Operator Risk rating (CVORI) with the Road Safety Authority.

✓ Demonstrates a commitment to provide a good working environment and to protect all road users.

✓ The PassengerSafeTM Standard demonstrates the dedication and participation of drivers to the highest professional standards.

✓ The PassengerSafeTM standard can be used to show that the company has achieved a compliance standard when tendering for business.

Fleet Bus & Coach Magazine

D’Alton Street, Claremorris, Co. Mayo, Ireland.

Tel: +353 (0)94 9372819/ 9372826

Email: enquiries@fleet.ie

ISSN: 1649-9433

Managing Editor: Jarlath Sweeney

Editor: Sean Murtagh

Contributors: Cathal Doyle, Joe O’Brien

Photography: Jarlath Sweeney, Sean Murtagh, Conor McCabe, Michael Cowhey, Busworld

Administration: Orla Sweeney

Advertising: Mary Morrissey

Design: Crackerjack Design House

Printed in Ireland

Contents winter 2022

4 News

MAN honoured with IBOY 2023 award

Aircoach takes-over Airporter

Pelican invests in new parts centre and more

6 iNT erview

With Rudi Kuchta, SVP Product & Bus Sales at MAN

8 Group Tes T To elect the EU Mini-Bus of the Year!

Fleet Bus & Coach - the official Irish journal of the International Bus/Coach of the Year Awards.

Fleet Transport/ Fleet Car/ Green Fleet Management/ Fleet Van & Utility/ Fleet Bus & Coach/ Fleet Trailer & Body Builder/ Fleet Maritime & Caravan Cruise Ireland are published by JJDS Publications Ltd. Registered Office: D’Alton Street, Claremorris, Co. Mayo. Co. Reg.

368767

Directors: Jarlath Sweeney, Sean Murtagh.

12 p review

CTTC Coach & Bus Show 2022, RDS, Dublin, sponsored by Campion Insurance

Welcomes from John Halpenny, Chairman, CTTC & Jim Campion,

CEO, Campion Insurance.

17 l au NC h pad

Introducing the new VDL CITEA range

18 r eview

1 IAA Transportation, Hannover & InnoTrans 2022, Berlin

21 r eview 2

FIAA International Bus & Coach Trade Fair, Madrid

24 New flee T

Recent sales by ADL, Volvo & EVM

26 Co N du CTors’ sTa N d More challenges ahead

Tribute to David Slattery

Disclaimer: Fleet Bus & Coach Magazine management can accept no responsibility for the accuracy of contributed articles or statements appearing in this magazine and any views or opinions expressed are not necessarily those of Fleet Bus & Coach management, save where otherwise indicated. No responsibility for loss or distress occasioned to any person acting or refraining from acting as a result of the material in this publication can be accepted by the authors, contributors, Editors or publishers. The Editor reserves the right to make publishing decisions on any advertisements or editorial article submitted to the magazine and to refuse publication or to edit any editorial material as seems appropriate to him. Professional legal advice should always be sought in relation to any specific matter.

MAN Lion’s City E presented with the International Bus of the Year (IBOY) 2023 Award

The MAN Lion’s City E was announced and presented with the International Bus of the Year (IBOY) 2023 Award trophy at a special ‘Stars of the Year’ ceremony at the IAA Transportation 2022 exhibition at the Hannover Messe in Germany.

In deciding the overall winner, the IBOY Bus Euro Test which was hosted by Fleet Bus & Coach magazine took place in Limerick last May, with 23 journalists from all over Europe participating.

On this occasion,  it was the turn of city buses, and the criteria required was that they were all electrically driven. The five candidates were the Higer Azure, Karsan eATA, MAN Lion’s City E, Mercedes-Benz eCitaro and Volvo BZL Electric with body from MCV. After three days of intensive checks, test drives,

measurements, and expert discussion, the jury voted for the winner – the MAN Lion’s City E as International Bus of the Year 2023.

“It was a special experience for us as well as for the jury when we pulled up in Limerick with our MAN Lion’s City 12 E after ten days of driving,” said Rudi Kuchta, Head of Business Unit Bus at MAN Truck & Bus.

The Bavarian zero-emission city bus is still one the newer commuter vehicles on the market, which is evident both with its modern exterior and in the passenger compartment, which is considered one of the best. MAN has equipped the electric bus with six battery packs, all of which are mounted on the roof, and with 480 kWh, offers the highest capacity of all the buses tested.

As a result, it is possible to drive almost five hundred kilometres without charging, allowing it to provide the daily requirements of most operators. Noise measurements in the passenger area showed that the MAN was the quietest when driving, and the engineers managed to set up the suspension so

that the mass of the batteries, is not felt while out on the streets. The adjustment of the electric motor is also excellent, the acceleration is smooth and a comfortable ride for the passengers is assured. Regeneration levels can be adjusted by the driver using a lever on the steering wheel.

“The MAN Lion’s City E as International Bus of the Year 2023 is a bus that applies to bus passenger for today and tomorrow. It is a modern looking vehicle and with an environmentally friendly driveline. Inside the bright colours make you feel welcome. You get the feeling of space, and calm. Just sit down and enjoy the ride” said Tom Terjesen, President of the International Bus & Coach of the Year jury during the presentation. He continued: “The winner has also one of the best working buses on the market. To sit behind the steering wheel in this bus, the driver is in charge. It has a corner office with excellent view, and very few blind spots, with many safety features build in.”

The International Bus & Coach of the Year jury, an experienced group of trade journalists from 23 countries, awarded the all-electric MAN Lion’s City E as the “Bus of the Year 2023”. At the IAA Transportation 2022 in Hanover. Jury Chairman Tom Terjesen presented the coveted trophy to Rudi Kuchta, Head of Business Unit Bus at MAN Truck & Bus (from left to right).

Dublin headquartered private bus and coach operator Aircoach, has acquired the well-known North West based passenger transport company, Airporter. The deal will see Aircoach expand the subsidiary of First Group plc’s commercial operation and increase its daily routes to seven with the new all-island route connecting the North West to Belfast International Airport, Dublin Airport and Dublin City Centre. Aircoach will acquire the Airporter base at the Springtown Industrial Estate in Derry City, along with the transfer of all Airporter drivers and operational staff to Aircoach to service the new timetable and route.

The new service enhances Aircoach’s current 705X service between Dublin City/Dublin Airport and Belfast City and brings 12 new services to Derry along with a range of new benefits for customers including:

Aircoach secures deal to acquire Derry-based Airporter

n Routes running seven days a week with first service arriving into Derry at 06:05am.

n Stops at Glengal Street, Belfast, Belfast International Airport, Drumahoe Park and Ride and Foyleside Coach Park, Derry.

n Direct public transport connectivity between Ireland’s two largest airports for the first time.

Commenting on the acquisition

Dervla McKay, Managing Director of Aircoach said: “The announcement marks a significant milestone for Aircoach with the creation of an all-island service for the first time. This has been made possible with the acquisition of Airporter, a company which has served customers so well for over 25 years to and from the North West. The deal marks a great step forward for Aircoach and we look forward to launching the new route in due course. We’re privileged to be Ireland’s leading transport operator,

Pelican opens new Parts Distribution Centre with continued investment paying dividends

Pelican Bus & Coach is continuing to invest in expanding its facilities with the opening of a new national parts distribution centre, dedicated to its fast-growing bus and coach division. Located at Castleford, (near Leeds), adjacent to J31/M62,  close to Pelican’s existing facilities, the new 12,000sq ft building has been purchased and fitted with two-level racking, enabling it to carry sufficient parts to support all types of Yutong buses and coaches in service, especially its electric bus fleet customers. Pelican has also reported a 70% uplift in turnover and has seen fast growing interest in its range of zero-emission electric coaches and buses from all sections of the industry. The diesel coach business is also recovering well after the devastating effects of Covid-19 on the coach

industry.

Richard Crump, Managing Director of Pelican, commented on the developments: “After the disruption of the last two years, we are seeing all parts of the business recovering well and will be re-investing our increased revenues in plant, resources and people to better support our customers into the future. Despite being possibly the oldest commercial vehicle dealership in the country, we are at the forefront of introducing the very latest electric vehicle technology to the market. As well as the significant investment in our new showroom, we are also investing in our warehousing and parts distribution ahead of the 1,000th Yutong vehicle sale expected early next year.”

Head of Pelican Yutong Bus, Ian Downie added: “In addition to the

bringing people to work, students to university, reuniting families, and bringing new visitors to our cities from all around the world. This new route is a major addition for connectivity as it will enhance the public transport offering for both locals and visitors alike. The progress on the completion of the A6 is improving travel time and increasing the viability of this route like never before. Aircoach is fully committed to ensuring that the North West is connected to major travel and economic hubs to improve the attractiveness of the region as a place in which to invest. It’s a very exciting time for Aircoach as we expand our presence to the North-West and we look forward to working with our new colleagues and customers for many years to come.”

The new 705X Derry service joins Aircoach’s existing routes between Cork, Galway, Belfast, Dublin City, Dublin Airport and its suburbs.

growth of our DAF and MAN truck dealerships, we’ve also seen sales of our zero-emission vehicle division gaining momentum as we partner with coach and bus operators and local authorities nationwide. Since 2020, when we delivered our first Yutong zero-emission vehicles, we have grown our share for all-electric passenger vehicles and become one of the largest suppliers nationally. By the end of 2022, we will have increased our supply of zero emission single deck buses further and will have a total of 240 vehicles in service, and we’re also focused on growing our range and services to coach operators who have shown that they are keen to adopt the latest technology, adding greener and more efficient alternatives to their fleets.”

One-to-one with Rudi

Kuchta,

Senior Vice President Product & Bus Sales - MAN Truck & Bus

Meeting with Rudi Kuchta at the IAA Transportation in Hannover, he had just received the international Bus of the Year (IBOY) 2023 award for the MAN Lion’s City E. The selection of the winner was made following driving tests earlier this year in Limerick at the Bus Euro Test event, hosted by Fleet Bus & Coach. For the occasion, the Lion’s City E made the trip to Limerick from Munich by road, a journey of 2,500km on electric power. Rudi is a quietly spoken man, but the excitement of leading a team to winning the award was very obvious.

sM. MaN has just been awarded iBoY 2023 award, how significant is this accolade to the company?

RK. Very significant. The bus made an impressive appearance in Limerick in May and did so from the start. After all, the all-electric city bus had completed the 2,500 km journey from Germany to Ireland on its own power. The award is a testament to the outstanding work done by the entire MAN Truck & Bus team

Bottom line, will this boost sales for MaN?

Yes of course, we are very confident that our (electric) e-bus sales will improve dramatically in the coming years. Currently we have orders for over 1,000 e-buses. Last year just over 6% of our city bus sales were electric, and we expect that figure to increase 50% by 2025. We are very confident about the increase in public transport in terms of extra services and a switch to electric have the supply chain issues experienced during Covid abated somewhat?

Pretty much yes, like all manufacturers we had some downtime and production issues. Turkey effectively closed for six weeks; this had a big knock on effect. From now on we will try to have multiple suppliers for each product and so eliminate any future shortages that could arise, but the main thing is that we do not see any supply issues at the moment

how is the coach side of the industry looking?

Well this is a different story. Coach sales are down and a lot slower to recover. While they have come back somewhat, the sector is still on shaky ground. It is difficult to predict what may happen here. With people becoming

more conscious of their carbon footprint there could be a move from flying, back to travel by road where it is practical, who knows? Coach sales is still is an important segment for us and we will always help our customers with support in terms of product and service.

how soon will there be a viable alternative to diesel for coaches?

Very difficult to say. There will be some uncertainty until a decision is made around the introduction of Euro 7. For what may be a short term solution, it will put considerable expense on manufactures and operators. We may come with an electric coach in the future, but the industry needs some security in terms of regulation before too much development takes place.

do you think a time will come when charging a bus will be as simple as filling it with diesel?

I hope so, but from when the first battery buses were launched, there have been significant improvements in both range and charging efficiencies. If these efficiencies continue to develop I have no doubt we will see it in the future.

finally the MaN Truck & Bus brands are well established

in ireland, will you try to expand the range on offer?

Yes, we are proud of our record in Ireland and will always look at opportunities to expand in any market. Some of our bus models are not built in RHD (Right Hand Drive) but we always respond to the demands of a market and try to extend our reach there. Our newly designed e-bus gives us a chance to explore the possibility of RHD and possibly even look at using a chassis option, but nothing is certain.

Text: Sean Murtagh - sean@fleet.ie

Winner of Mini Bus of the Year 2023 announced

At a special ceremony during the FIAA International Bus & Coach Show in Madrid, Spanish manufacturer car-bus was presented with the coveted Mini-Bus of the Year 2023 Award. The car-bus Shaula, a 24 seater luxury bus which is built on a Mercedes-Benz chassis, impressed the International Bus of the Year (IBOY) jury with its original design and attention to detail. Jury chairman Tom Terjesen said that car-bus had

presented a very impressive vehicle that would be popular with passengers, drivers and operators. Accepting the trophy, the Commercial Director of car-bus, Jordi Monferrer Munoz said he was delighted to accept the award on behalf of all his team. ”This bus came out of Covid-19, we used the time to finish the design and get it ready for the market,” he said.

On the weekend before the show the IBOY Jury organised a group test session and hosted presentations by the three nominated manufacturers before selecting an overall winner. A driving route on the outskirts of the city, around a hilly area near the town of Paracueiios del Jarama overlooking Madrid Airport was part of the test. The event was organised by Spanish Bus Magazine Autobises & Autocares, in association with FIAA (show organiser) and IFEMA (venue owner).

ISUZU has redesigned this bus giving it a futuristic look. Presented with 35 seats, it is more coach like, with two entry doors while it is also designed to have a wheelchair lift, a feature which was fitted on this vehicle. The lift carries a penalty of three seats and some luggage space in the back.

Driving the bus is a pleasant experience, and the new dash cluster is easy to see and read. Although there is an adjustable steering, the movement is limited enough. Mirrors on the passenger side are well positioned, however they are not as good on the driver’s side. Switches are close at hand and there is

The Co NT e N ders: isu Z u - Gra N d Toro

plenty of storage space for the driver. The Grand Toro is powered by a Cummins diesel (206hp) and uses an Allison gearbox, with an option to have a ZF 6-speed gearbox. Air suspension is not standard, but available. Passengers will like the wide entrance up front and in the middle, allowing for speedy ingress and egress. Priced in the region of €140,000, the Grand Toro is ideal for urban or tourist transfers.

A product of the pandemic is the way car-bus introduced this bus. Impressively there are already 110 of these newly designed units in service already. Although built on a MercedesBenz chassis and platform, it is marketed and sold as a car-bus product. car-bus offers a 2-year warranty on the driveline and 10 years on the bodywork.

The Shaula is available in six variants, and this test vehicle

C ar- B us – s haula

had 24 seats and was built with a facility to add a wheelchair lift. The entrance areas is wide and uncluttered, and the driving area is also spacious with all controls close at hand. However, there was some criticism of the size of the A-pillar and the blind spot it creates. It requires extra vigilance from the driver, not least that because of the design, it is difficult to improve the mirror frame position. When designing the bus, car-bus engineers tried to make the vehicle look slick and slim, and while adding some extra width, they managed largely to achieve this. Fitted with the Sprinter 519 diesel engine and automatic transmission, it’s a unit that is possibly a little underpowered for the vehicle’s size. Priced at €130,000, there are over 2,000 similar buses on the road throughout Europe.

to everybody’s tastes, but these can be tailor-made for any customer. A good example of the type of innovative changes made is the moving of the spare wheel from the rear to the side, giving extra luggage space. Clever designing of the rear seats allows them to fold down and be used as a luggage area if required.

Romanian company Aveuro International started in business as an operator. By bringing the experience of its transport company to mini-bus operations, the Aveuro was created. Using the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 517, the body has been extended behind the rear wheel arch by 40cm. In general this space provides some extra leg room, however, in some applications it allows for extra seating to be added. Working with MercedesBenz approval, Aveuro offers up to 100 different variants. Warranty is covered by the Mercedes-Benz dealer network on the driveline and the coachbuilder provides warranty cover for the other parts.

This bus has some nice internal touches and the test vehicle featured some original internal designs, maybe not

One of the disappointing aspects from a driving point of view was the manual gear change. Thankfully it is available with automatic option. At the front the regular door is electrified, allowing the driver to open and close the door. Most impressive however, is the overall cost, €65,000 to €70,000, depending on spec, and it is sure to be a popular seller. RHD versions will be on sale in the near future.

Text: Sean Murtagh – sean@fleet.ie

Since 2015, Tranzaura, the Limerick-headquartered SaaS company, has successfully worked with London bus market operators to enable them to maximise efficiencies in the daily running of their fleets. Seven years on, 55 percent of the London Red Bus market uses the Tranzaura App instead of paper for unplanned maintenance.

Around 3.4 million individual items are now inspected every 30 days in London (113,000 everyday) by bus drivers using an intuitive App from Tranzaura. This ensures a thorough safety check to pre-determined standards is done by walking around the vehicle, while recording items on a smart phone with a digital audit trail. Benefits include improved vehicle reliability, real time defect reporting, and improved communications between drivers and engineers.

The obvious starting point on the digital transformation journey for the bus sector was to digitize the pre-use inspection process and get in control of unplanned maintenance, in a way that engages the end users and reduces defect reporting times. However, with that having now been largely achieved, Tranzaura is not stopping there. The fast moving company has moved on to solving the next challenge for the industry – centrally managing planned and unplanned maintenance on one integrated digital platform.

Tranzaura, with its extensive experience and understanding of how

Tranzaura - Driving digital transformation for London

Red Bus operators with 55% market share

a bus operation runs, has now fully developed all the end user (management, drivers, engineers, administrators) decision support tools in one central system. Bus operations anywhere in the world can now manage driver defect reporting and planned and unplanned maintenance in a connected and efficient way while benefiting from enhanced security due to the system being built on Microsoft Azure.

This new enhanced product will improve visibility of maintenance schedules, communications between drivers and engineers and lower cost of repairs. Other benefits include live defect reporting, photo audit trails, parts and inventory management, and full asset lifetime cost management. Owner operated workshops in the bus industry can now quickly and easily integrate the Tranzaura App into their operation with no on-premise install, enabling them to achieve increased efficiency, better vehicle reliability, high quality reporting and more informed decision making.

“We are so proud to be a crucial part of digital transformation in the London Red Bus market and also across the UK. One thing I want to highlight to the industry is the significant financial savings of a digitised system, which comes from the reduction in the number of spare buses fleets have to keep on hand. We talk about operational gains, taking paper out of the system, communications etc. They’re all amazing, they all contribute, they all have incremental gains. But there’s nothing as mind-blowing as actually being able to remove a bus from the spare bus fleet,” commented Shane Mann, CEO at Tranzaura.

He continued: “We were first introduced to the London bus market in 2013 by Metroline as part of an initial feasibility project initiated by them. From there, many versions were tried and teste. Development progressed with GoAhead London, who were the first

to deploy the platform in 2019. It’s the collaboration and joined up innovative thinking from these pioneering operators that has made this industry proven solution a success. GoAhead London, Metroline and RATP Dev Transit London are current users of this solution in London. It is also being used outside of London by award winning operators such as Nottingham City Transport, Transdev Blazefield Ltd and Newport Buses.”

“In 2017, we embarked with Tranzaura on a strategy designed to achieve workplace digitisation and the elimination of unnecessary paper use,” explained Chris McKeown, Chief Engineer at GoAhead London. “We focused in two areas - the all-important daily pre-service vehicle check and any potential vehicle defects during the remainder of the working day. Previously recorded manually via a pen and paper, Tranzaura worked with Go-Ahead London to create an intuitive app that, via a smart device, guides our 6,000 drivers around all of the key vehicle checkpoints. The subsequent record is digitally uploaded onto a bespoke database and is accessible to the engineering teams at all 17 Go-Ahead London garages. Crucially, the database analyses trends and identifies repeat faults. The digitisation process was quickly adopted by colleagues and it enables the company to demonstrate, and measure, compliance. One of its many benefits is that it allows Go-Ahead London to engage with suppliers from a greater position of accuracy and knowledge.”“The Tranzaura App doesn’t just bring us day to day operational benefits. We have strategic long-term benefits from using this system as well,” added RATP Dev Transit London Technical Manager Seb Harrington. “The planning and engineering are much tighter, because we get all of the defects ahead of time,” he says. “We can also go back and interrogate the data to see any defects from any time, as opposed to the paper system where you have to go rifling through thousands – if not millions – of pieces just to find one thing.”

Welcome from John Halpenny, Chairperson of the CTTC

On behalf of the Coach Tourism & Transport Council of Ireland (CTTC), I am delighted to welcome you all to the 11th biennial CTTC Coach & Bus Show 2022, sponsored by Campion Insurance. The Coach & Bus Show is the association’s largest event, with the proceeds going to support the organisation’s crucial advocacy and engagement work on behalf of our members and the wider commercial bus and coach sector. With hundreds of attendees and operators present from across Ireland for this unique two-day event, as well as more than 60 cutting-edge exhibitors, I trust that you all will get the opportunity to network, do business and enjoy meeting old friends once again following a difficult number of years.

The Coach & Bus Show represents a significant opportunity to hear from leading brands and companies across the industry, which are showcasing their innovations in the ongoing transport evolution, such as alternatively-fuelled vehicles, connectivity, accessibility and much more. The theme for this year’s show is ‘Sustainable Transport for a Sustainable Ireland’ and our exhibitors are focused on bringing best-in-class solutions to the business representatives present. At the CTTC, our members possess some of the most environmentally compatible fleets on the market today, and it is in this spirit that we are keen to build on this collective progress, to play our part in creating a sustainable, reliable national transport system that we can all take pride in. In this vein, we are delighted to facilitate the national launch of the new SMART Eco Driving programme for coach and bus drivers at this weekend’s show. The CTTC has worked collaboratively with our colleagues in a number of ETBs, over the past year, to put together this important programme and we thank them for their attendance at the event.

As usual, the event is complemented by the much-coveted Coach & Bus Show Dinner sponsored by AIB, which is taking place at the national institution that is, Croke Park. The event presents an excellent opportunity for operators, their families and colleagues, to meet

and engage in an informal setting –while having the chance to hear directly from senior industry stakeholders, to include the CEO of the National Transport Authority, Anne Graham. This two-day exhibition is truly one of its kind in Ireland, and given the tumultuous times of the previous two years and the difficulties encountered by so many operators throughout the country, it is truly marvellous to be gathered together once again.

On behalf of all at the CTTC, I would like to sincerely thank our headline sponsor Campion Insurance, whose unwavering commitment to the organisation has been an incredible source of support, and one that we are thankful for. I also extend my gratitude to the exhibitors – many of whom have travelled from afar - and to the hundreds of attendees who have helped to ensure the 2022 Coach & Bus Show is a resounding success. Thank you.

John Halpenny

At Campion Insurance, we are delighted to once again be the title sponsor of the CTTC Coach & Bus Show 2022. Since we were last together Campion Insurance became part of PIB Group, which is a dynamic and diversified insurance intermediary. As Ireland has been identified as a key market for PIB’s continued investment and expansion, this is great news for Campion Insurance, as backed by the strength and scale of PIB, we have exciting plans to continue our growth in Ireland.

Campion Insurance - Proud sponsors of the CTTC Coach & Bus Show 2022

As you all well know, the transport industry faced significant challenges over the last two years. Having come through the pandemic, once again the industry and indeed the wider economy faces renewed challenges due to the costof-living increases, fuel prices, and the ongoing situation in Ukraine.

I have always admired the resilience of the transport industry, and I want you to know that the team and I at Campion Insurance are here to provide you with professional advice and cost-effective solutions across all your insurance and financial services requirements.

With over 35 years’ experience of working with the Bus & Coach industry,

we believe the team at Campion Insurance has developed marketing leading expertise to help you and your businesses to prosper into the future.

With offices nationwide our local presence means we are always close, and now that we are part of PIB Group we have access to more markets to deliver greater value for you, our customers.

The team and I look forward to meeting you all face to face for the first time in a long time at the CTTC Coach & Bus Show 2022.

Jim Campion, CEO, Campion Insurance

Netherlands based manufacturer, VDL, launched its new CITEA model line at InnoTrans in Berlin. CITEA has been around for a long time, however the new bus range is a total new design with improvements throughout the vehicle. Fleet Bus & Coach was present to witness the new bus entering the world stage.

VDL Launches new CITEA model range

design of a new front and back to the bus, reducing drag.

VDL is a family owned firm with 106 companies in the group, spread over twenty countries. To give an indication of the size of the business, its turnover for 2020 reached €4.6 billion, while it currently has 15,000 employees. Research & Development is a key forward thinking strategy of the group and last year over €160 million was committed to various projects.

At the launch of the CITEA, business manager for public transport at VDL, Alex de Jong said: “This bus has been developed from scratch. The first electric CITEA was launched in 2013 and since then more than 1,300 have been produced and are in operation.”

Overall VDL has 30 years’ experience in electric vehicle development. Feedback and knowledge garnered from the 200 million kilometres covered by electric vehicles - currently VDL electric vehicles cover 250,000 km per day - was critical in the development of the new CITEA.

The model line consists of four lengths in low floor and low entry form, all of which can be operated as a city bus or regional bus. VDL has always been proud of its low weight vehicles, and the new bus has a weight reduction of a further 15%. A big part of extending the range of any electric bus is the reduction of energy consumption. Apart from the weight reduction, double glazing is fitted and insulation has been improved, leading to reduced use of heating and air condition units, both of which are substantial users of power.

A key feature of the new bus is the relocation of various components. For instance, the battery pack has been taken down from the roof and is now part of the floor. This makes the bus more stable from a driving point of view and by removing weight from the roof, the overall weight could be reduced as the body structure does not now need to be so strong. In addition, there is an advantage here in that it allows more paying passengers to travel, up to 90 to 110 depending on the model. Further improvements have been achieved by the

At the front of the bus, the driver has not been left out. As we know, no two drivers are the same, they all have different requirements and tastes when it comes to seating position. Previous CITEA’s were already popular with drivers, but VDL spoke extensively both with drivers and PSV companies and took their comments and suggestions into account when designing the driver’s area. Separate heating controls, an option to have floor pedals hanging or standing and the adjustment range of the steering column and seat have been designed well beyond current requirements.

Safety is paramount, for passengers, drivers and those in the vicinity of the bus, and all passive and active systems been further enhanced. Indeed some systems that are legally required on trucks but not yet on buses now form part of the CITEA. Part of the new design at the front of the bus gives more room increasing the safety zone for the driver.

When the TCO (total cost of ownership) of an electric bus is similar to that of a diesel bus, the game will really be on. Calculating a comparison when comparing TCO is subject to interpretation, but one thing for sure is that the CITEA has bridged that gap further. When developing the new bus, VDL factored in the use of fuel cell or hydrogen use, future-proofing the CITEA. But critically for VDL, customers are impressed, and the proof is in the order book - already 500 CITEAs have been sold.

Text: Sean Murtagh - sean@fleet.ie

IAA Transportation 2022, Hannover Messe, Germany

I NNOT RANS 2022, Berlin, Germany

Organised by the VDA, the IAA Transportation trade exhibition show retuned to the Hannover Messe after a four year absence. On the same dates InnoTrans was being staged in Berlin. Most Irish operators will be familiar with IAA, but maybe not so many with the other German show. InnoTrans is primarily for parties involved in public transport, covering all modes from bus, tram, light and heavy rail and all the other services associated with it. Fleet Bus & Coach attended both events to discover what is new and what the future of passenger transport may bring.

The Bus Euro Test 2022 held in Limerick last May saw the International Bus of the Year (IBOY) jury assess five electric commuter buses over a four day period. Nominated were the Higer Azure, Karsan eATA, MAN Lion’s City E, Mercedes-Benz eCitaro, and Volvo BZL Electric with bodywork by MCV. After all the testing and presentations, the MAN Lion’s City E came out on top as the overall winner of the coveted prize. Presenting the trophy, Tom Terjesen, Jury Chairman said: “The MAN Lions’ City E is one of the best working spaces in the market, just sit in and enjoy the drive”.

Accepting the trophy, Rudi Kuchta, Senior Vice President, MAN added: “This is a proud moment for me and my team and we look forward to seeing this coach grow in the market”.

M a N l io N’s Ci TY e a NN ou NC ed as iNT er N aT io N al Bus of T he Year ( i B oY) 2023

Transportation, renamed from the show’s previous title of IAA Commercial Vehicles, is one of the biggest commercial vehicle shows in the world. Traditionally it was an exhibition for freight and passenger transport, this year, however, there were only a small number of bus and coach manufacturers exhibiting. Most brands seem to be holding off until the Busworld 2023 event in Brussels next autumn to showcase their latest products.

One of the highlights, as always, at the event is the presentation of International awards by various juries, such as Truck, Bus and Van of the Year. There was some Irish interest here, as Group Editor of Fleet Publications, Jarlath Sweeney, is the Chairman of the International Van jury. Also the event announced the winner of the International Bus of the Year 2023 (IBOY), which was decided from the IBOY Bus Euro Tests, hosted by Fleet Bus & Coach in Limerick earlier this year (see above).

One of the most interesting aspects of attending any trade show is that one can get a wider perspective on what is going on in the industry. A big - and possibly the main - talking point at the IAA was climate change and how it will effect transport by road. Often when a group of operators get together they end up talking about electric vehicles and the futilities and impracticalities of their operation. While forecasters predict that the transport network will become electrified in the next twenty years, this may seem unlikely. Nonetheless the reality is a growing trend towards becoming carbon neutral. Most of the people heard speaking were focussing on that as distinct from electric vehicles. For example, an exhibiting company which manufactures bus washes has an electric wash system that does not use strong or harmful chemicals and only uses 50 litres of water to wash the vehicle.

Many Germans, as those traveling from central Europe, came to the show by train and it was noticed that there was a lot less printed press material on the stands than normal, with the requested information only available on the brand’s website.

But back to the manufacturers, they all had a similar message to the collective political system - “We have the product now, you need to build the infrastructure”. In other words ‘the ball is in your court’. Another area of tension is the possibility of the introduction of Euro 7 Diesel engine exhaust regulations, with manufacturers saying off the record: “it’s either Euro 7 or electric for long distance transport, we cannot afford to develop both in the timescale set out”. Interesting times ahead.

40 years, so the market is big business - and growing. Buses did not make up a significant part of the event, nonetheless there were some interesting innovations to be seen.

InnoTrans is by far one of the biggest passenger transport exhibitions in the globe. Its centre piece was a twin track railway, housing the most up to date rolling stock. Public transport is expected to double in terms of equipment required in the next

Turkish manufacturer Temsa launched an electric coach at the IAA. While stating that the future is a little uncertain at the moment, it expects that one out of every two buses manufactured by 2030 will be electric, and that by 2040 it will be zero emission vehicles only.

This Turkish bus manufacturer exhibited at both IAA and InnoTrans. The key product demonstrated was its hydrogen bus, a new addition to the electric and autonomous range. Karsan is in a unique position of never having manufactured a diesel bus, therefore allowing it to proceed without any smokey baggage.

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In Hannover, Iveco Bus demonstrated the all-electric Streetway city bus. This low floor commuter bus is also available with natural gas power, which the Italian brand specialises in. As the public transport sector is in constant evolution, Iveco’s focus is to be part of its future.

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German manufacturer K-BUS mainly develops low-entry, low-floor midi-buses from its factory in Slovenia. At InnoTrans, there was a display of smaller buses with solar panels installed. While admitting these only made a small contribution to the overall charging, it claims that a regional bus parked for a few hours in the sun could reduce the need for a daily top up charge.

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In a bold claim, Dutch company EBUSCO stated that the total cost of ownership of one of its electric buses is lower than a diesel equivalent. Its latest model, the EBUSCO 3.0, which was demonstrated at InnoTrans, will soon be available in a right hand drive version.

Cummins has been developing a hydrogen fuel cell system and sees this emission free technology as playing a major role in its initiative to activate a ‘Destination Zero”strategy. Cummins is focusing on three areas: production of green hydrogen, the management and transport of hydrogen and the use of hydrogen in engines and fuel cells.

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Text: Sean Murtagh - sean@fleet.ie

FIAA International Bus & Coach Trade Fair, Madrid

For years the organisers of the International Bus & Coach Trade Fair, FIAA 2022, the IFEMA MADRID has been trying to make it a truly international show is succeeding, as each event, more and more of the big manufacturers are supporting their local agents by exhibiting. As the event was cancelled in 2020 because of Covid-19 restrictions, naturally there was a little nervousness about it this time around. While some brands choose not to exhibit there was a significant number that did and the large attendance helped make the show a success. Like the IAA Transportation in Hannover a few weeks before, the main emphasis was on reducing carbon emissions in the atmosphere. The move towards sustainability is now unstoppable. Two manufacturers mentioned in their presentations said they were auditing their suppliers to see how sustainable their activities were. In addition, they would consider changing suppliers if they felt the company was not making real efforts to reduce their carbon footprint. There is no doubt that measuring and reducing every companies’ sustainability will be a significant part of their activities.

Some readers may remember a test trial undertaken on a CAETANO Hydrogen powered bus around Dublin for evaluation purposes. Over a three month period, it was driven on a few routes by Dublin Bus on a few routes and around the Airport, with more than 3,000 kms were covered in total. CAETANO has since launched an updated version of this bus, the H2 CityGold, which is lighter, with an increased range and extra passenger capacity.

Daimler Bus launched the new eCitaro which has an updated chassis and a battery type which will give extra range. By 2030 Daimler will offer electric vehicles in all segments. Part of this development will see the introduction of Hydrogen fuel cell power, with plans to have the first Inter-City coach available for customers in 2025.

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Although discontinued in RHD, the SETRA name in coach building is still well regarded. It has never been ruled out that RHD versions would be re-introduced into the marketplace. A new generation Comfort Class and Top Class models have been introduced and were on display at the show. ive Co Bus

IVECO Bus launched the new Crossway low entry hybrid here. It is available in diesel, natural gas and electric and can run on renewable fuels also. Crossway has been a very successful bus for IVECO, and since its inception over 150,000 units have been manufactured. The company took the opportunity to mark the 75th anniversary of the local council in Madrid operating buses, which currently operates 1,400 buses of which the biggest percentage are sporting the Italian brand’s logo. oTo K ar

VDL opened its own operation in Spain in 2018, to cater for the Iberian market. At the show it announced details of a pilot scheme in renting out buses to operators. It is proving successful so far. Operators can hire for a week or a few years to meet their needs. Traded as RentalBus, operators only need to provide a driver and fuel.

Turkish manufacturer put a toe in the RHD (right hand drive) with a 12m city bus some years ago. Now it is considering a further entry with the e-CENTRO, which is a low floor 7m electric bus, that comes with a range of 200km and can carry 32 passengers seated and standing. An ideal vehicle for some of our Rural Link routes.

Having just completed a complete upgrade to its product range, Isuzu is confident it can stabilise and increase sales after the pandemic. Supply chain disruption is not now a problem and while the Russian-Ukraine conflict and inflation continues to present challenges, buyers are returning to the market. Spain is also a region of growth, and so far Isuzu has supplied over 100 buses into this marketplace.

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Turkish Operator Karsan is a regular exhibitor and has been at every event this year across Europe. At the FIAA, it announced details of a new partnership with a Spanish distributor. To date, there 20 of its buses in service in Spain but in general Karsan now operates 450 units in 19 countries. Having launched a Hydrogen powered model earlier this year, which it claimed will be a big part of the future. At the moment, 2% of European buses are hydrogen powered, this is expected to rise to 15% by the end of the decade.

German company ZF is a major component manufacturers when it comes to electric buses and autonomous vehicles. This concept vehicle will provoke some thought and give people an insight into how we may travel in the years to come.

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This Polish manufacturer continues to gain market share in Spain. Last year overall it produced almost 1,500 new buses of which half were electric. It’s hydrogen versions are also improving sales wise. In 2017 it sold 4, last year that figure was 75. Details of 30 new Urbino’s 9 LE for the city of Madrid, were announced, with deliveries due to commence in the New Year.

Dutch manufacturer announced details of the new EBUSCO 3.0, due to be launched next Spring. It is available in 12m & 18m and with a range distance of up to 575km. From an Irish point of view, good news, as it will be available in right hand drive.

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ADL - Alexander Dennis Limited has supplied a new Volvo based Plaxton Panther coach to Ballynacraig, County Donegal based Mangan Tours.

The new coach, built on a Volvo B8R chassis, has 53 seats and is fitted with an executive-class interior that includes air-conditioning as well as a servery and a toilet mounted at the continental

Alexander Dennis delivers new Plaxton Panther to Mangan Tours

offside emergency exit.

It has gone into service as part of the Mangan Tours luxury touring fleet. The family business delivers scheduled services across Ireland as well as providing coach transport for holidays across Ireland, the UK and Europe.

Commenting on the purchase, Mangan Tours owner Joseph Mangan said: “This new coach is great for our

Wexford Bus specifies first new Volvo B11R 9700 for airport run

Wexford Bus has taken delivery of its first new Volvo B11R 9700 which is being used to transport passengers twice daily to Dublin Airport and the city centre. The new addition to the predominantly Volvo fleet is very distinctive in its orange, blue and white livery, which helps customers recognise the Wexford Bus vehicle when looking for their pick-up spot, including at the airport.

Brendan Crowley, owner and managing director at Wexford Bus, commented on the purchase said: “Customers like the look of the B11R 9700 and it is very easy to recognise in its eye-catching paintwork. Wexford Bus has many other Volvo’s on our fleet and their reliability ensures that our

customers, in turn, enjoy a reliable and enjoyable service. Importantly, this latest addition is PSVAR compliant and we are making progress in ensuring that all our vehicles will offer the same standards of accessibility for our customers in Ireland, especially at a time when we are growing the business.”

Feedback from the drivers has also been very positive, some of whom have built up many miles behind the Volvo wheel in such coaches as the Volvo 9700 Prestige and now in the B11R 9700 which is clocking up the miles by travelling twice daily with two 330km round trips.

Diarmaid Thompson, Retail Sale

customers and will be an excellent addition to our fleet. We’re continuing to invest in the future of our business and I’m delighted to take delivery of this high-quality, high-spec vehicle.”

ADL Regional Sales Manager for Ireland, Lee Gibson, added: “It’s been a pleasure working with Joseph and the team at Mangan Tours for the first time and look forward to a long-lasting relationship into the future.”

Borderline Coaches, which operates from Lisnaskea, Enniskillen recently purchased this new Iveco Daily Ferqui Sunrise 33 Seater from EVM.

Based on the Iveco Daily 70C18 chassis with a Euro 6 diesel engine, the Ferqui Sunrise 33 Seater is mated to an

Manager Ireland for Volvo Bus and Coach, said: “Wexford Bus is a long-established Volvo customer and it’s great to hear that their latest model, which has 53 seats and is 13.1 metres in length, is living up to the high standards that it expects. It’s also encouraging to see that Wexford Bus is looking to expand its fleet as passengers return to coach travel, with destinations like Dublin Airport proving popular with international travel back on the agenda.”

New model Iveco Daily Ferqui Sunrise 33 Seater Borderline Coaches from EVM

8-speed ZF Hi-Matic automated gear box, with the exterior finished in Arctic White paintwork.

Passenger access is via a new Masats plug type entry door with a manual emergency release and a key lock facility. The entrance features an EVM integrated three stage entry step with LED strip lights. This model also features EVM panoramic glazed saloon windows in privacy dark tint grey. The

Sunrise has a large type panoramic windscreen with manual sun blinds. The access to the boot is through an elevating boot door with access to a large luggage area. The Sunrise is fitted with Webasto saloon air conditioning ducted through luggage racks, exciting through passenger service units and convector heating, as well as Iveco In dash air conditioning.

At the Euro Bus & Coach Show 2022 at the NEC, Birmingham  a new Volvo 9700 was officially handed over to John Halpenny, along with his sons, Cillian and Donnacha at Halpenny Travel (Dundalk).

New Volvo 9700 for Halpenny Travel

This new luxury, fully integral coach will be on display at the Coach Tourism & Transport Council (CTTC) Coach & Bus show to be held at the RDS Simmonscourt Pavilion later this month. Speaking at the handover John commented: “This Volvo 9700 is a very versatile machine, comes with 53 seats, and we plan to use it on tours and private hire”.

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Most people will be reading this while at the Coach Tourism & Transport Council (CTTC) Coach & Bus Show 2022 at the RDS. It’s great to be back together and be able to exchange the different experiences everybody has had to endure over the past few years. It’s hard to believe that a broadcast from the White House in Washington USA by the then Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar T.D., could bring a country to a complete slowdown and for some sectors to an immediate stop. That’s what happened to the bus and coach sector, with a total and instant cessation of all activities. Schools closed within hours, non-essential workers were sent home straight away. Nobody could have predicted it, the word unprecedented, while sounding original at first, became a cliché. The truth is that we have had many such unprecedented situations in the past few years - and by the looks of it there are more to come.

OBITUARY: David Slattery

As the passenger transport and tourism industry started to come out of its slumber, trying to get back to some level of normality, it became clear to most operators that things had changed. Bit by bit, schools returned to the classrooms, soon afterwards they started to travel a little. Sporting clubs and other groups were on the go again. More importantly tourists returned, in small numbers to begin with, but by 2022 the numbers were getting back to normal. However with this return to trading, some new problems arose. With so many drivers having been effectively idle for almost two years, many had found employment in other sectors and some had decided that retirement was an option worth considering. As one operator put it very well recently: “Lads got used to doing nothing, then it was just schools, it is hard to go back to unsocial hours after a period where they enjoyed a new quality of life with their families. To be honest I was a bit caught up in it myself”.

David Slattery, a travel agent from Tralee saw an opportunity and started a daily service from Kerry, via Limerick and Cork to London. At its peak up to 10 coaches per day were on the route. With the success of this venture David started a service to northern Spain for sun seekers. These packages were in addition to a successful travel agency business and an option to have a horse drawn holiday around County Kerry. David was an

As Russia invaded Ukraine a new threat has arrived. Fuel prices have rocketed and general inflation increased at a rate not seen for decades. So the reality is that there continues to be many challenges ahead.

But there are also other issues. Taking carbon out of the atmosphere has gone to the top of the Government’s agenda. It will become a very big issue for everybody in the coming years. Many people are focussed on the introduction of electric buses and the cost associated with them. In reality the focus will likely be much wider. Suppliers may expect to demonstrate what else firms are doing to help save the environment, such as harvesting rainwater, and accounting for vehicles making unnecessary journeys. Dublin and Cork cities both aspire to be carbon neutral by the end of the decade, what does that mean for diesel buses? Will there be an allowance for inter-city and tour coaches to travel in and out?

These are big issues for the industry. The CTTC will play a big part in any negotiation and agreement concluded on these matters. Operators need to give the CTTC a strong mandate and their full support, and Government agencies must recognise the CTTC as an honest broker with a legitimate vested interest if any kind of reasonable and working solution can be arrived at. The future maybe uncertain, but the way forward needs to be planned.

innovator and used a pre-internet system that linked travel agents to sell seats on his services, similar to what the airlines were using at the time. As Ryanair appeared on the horizon offering a daily service from Waterford to London, he saw a threat to his business and took the opportunity to sell his thriving business. David continued on in the trade with his wife Betty to accompany tour groups all over the world. RIP

One of the most innovative coach operators, David Slattery, passed away in early October. Back in the 1980s, travelling to Britain was expensive and cumbersome, with limited competition.

Many challenges still to be faced on the road ahead