COMPANY PROFILE
2014
BUSCOR
Safety comes first for Buscor
company profile
Safety comes first for Buscor Editorial: Joe Forshaw Production: Chris Bolderstone
Buscor’s operations affect the lives of thousands of commuters every day. The company is continually investing in new technology and ensuring its fleet is safe, reliable and accessible for everyone. IndustrySA looks at the latest developments within this, one of Mpumalanga’s The transport industry in South Africa has seen significant changes over the past few years. There have been major technological advancements, increased competition entering the market place and of course, challenges with labour issues. Buscor, leading passenger bus company operating mainly in the Lowveld region of Mpumalanga Province, has witnessed it all. We discovered this back in May 2013 when we explored Buscor’s investment into bi-articulated buses and innovative ticketing technology following a change of ownership back in 2012. This month IndustrySA takes a second look at the Buscor business to find out how the company is continuing its important investments into technological advancement and how it has managed to navigate difficult times that have crippled other transport organisations. In November last year, following the company’s investment into 40 new bi-articulated buses, or ‘bus
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trains’ back in 2011, Buscor announced that it would also begin using a number of buses designed for easy access so that users with disabilities could easily access transport. The buses capabilities were demonstrated at Buscor’s headquarters in Nelspruit. The event was attended by MEC Dikeledi Mahlangu; South Africa’s first lady, Nompumelelo Zuma; the Deputy Minister of Transport, Sindisiwe Chikunga; a representative from the Office for the Status of Disabled People, Robert Masambo; Buscor Executive Chairperson, Nora Fakude- Nkuna; and Councillors from the Mbombela Local Municipality and Ehlanzeni District Municipality. What makes the buses different is the technology that has been installed to offer easy access to passengers who use wheel chairs or who are less able to board. The buses are equipped with hydraulically-operated wheelchair lifts and dedicated wheelchair docking stations and are able to drop down next to the curb so
BUSCOR
that elderly or pregnant people do not have to climb aboard. MAN Truck and Bus SA is the company that has supplied the MAN HB4 Lion’s Explorer bus-trains and the company is understandably proud of the safety and comfort that was bought to Mpumalanga travellers.
INTERVENING Nora Fakude-Nkuna, Buscor Executive Chairperson, who has been vocal of the company’s urgent need for wheelchair friendly buses said: “I have to single out MAN for responding immediately to our call for buses suitably equipped for today’s event which marks the beginning of the road to inclusion for Mpumalanga’s disabled community. “People with disabilities in South Africa have been sidelined for too long but Buscor has taken a stand to break this cycle of exclusion. No longer will bus commuters with disabilities be handled like bags of
mielie meel. We are intervening as of today.” Bruce Dickson, CEO, MAN Truck and Bus South Africa said: “The wheelchair lifts on the buses are fitted to a dedicated entrance situated at the rear side of the bus-train prime-mover, which allows wheelchair occupants to board the bus with ease to make their way to a convenient, safe and comfortable bay inside the bus. “MAN’s bus and coach division is South Africa’s only one-stop bus chassis and body shop where bus operators can get vehicles designed to meet their needs with absolute efficiency and cost effectiveness. Our ability to satisfy our customers is mirrored by our passenger transit partners like Buscor who likewise is totally committed to satisfying its customers with safe, reliable and affordable commuter bus services.”
A PASSION FOR SAFETY Buscor’s strapline, ‘passenger safety is our passion’ is at the core of its investment into the new vehicles. Last time
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company profile we discussed the business of Buscor we discovered how MAN Truck and Bus SA had developed the bi-articulated bus-trains in South African environments to ensure their suitability. Systems were tested in Olifantsfontein and the cooling system was developed in Pinetown to ensure it could cope with South African conditions, especially in the Lowveld’s sub-tropical climate. Tiago Dias, Key Accounts Manager at MAN Bus and Coach South Africa said: “The HB4 Lion’s Explorer is the ideal prime-mover for bus-train applications, particularly in semi-rural areas where gravel roads predominate. Equipped with air suspension, the HB4 gives passengers a comfortable ride. The Euro 3 MAN common-rail diesel engine is both fuel-efficient and quiet. Padded passenger seats, all with seatbelts add to the comfort and safety levels in the bus.”
“Other safety features include roll over protection, emergency exit compliance and seat anchorage, ensuring that our buses not only comply with SABS safety requirements but also surpass them.” Safety forms part of Buscor’s vision, a vision which is shared by the Department of Transport, to have a world class transport system for Mpumalanga Province, planned with the community, industry and labour which is integrated, reliable, affordable and safe. Clearly, with over 136,000 passengers transported every day, this focus on safety is held in the highest regard. The relationship between Buscor and MAN stretches back to the early 1980s and today, the fleet is made up entirely of MAN articulated, bi-articulated and rigid commuter buses.
Sibusiso Magakula gets a lift into the new Buscor wheelchair friendly MAN HB4 Lions Explorer
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Hatch Goba
INDUSTRIAL ACTION In the second quarter of 2013, bus drivers nationwide went on strike with the view of not coming back to work until at least a double digit pay increase had been thrashed out by the unions and company managers. Of course, this had a detrimental effect on commuters but after three weeks the strike ended with unions agreeing a 9.5% pay increase in the initial six months following the strike and a further 0.5% in the six months thereafter. “We are happy to inform the South African public that an agreement has been reached between the union and the employer organisations after much negotiation,” Gary Wilson, General Secretary of the South African Roads Bargaining Council said at the time. The strike had an impact on Buscor but the company managed to ease the frustration of some of its clients by offering free transport in the days following the strike. “We felt that it was Buscor’s responsibility to provide this to our commuters, to apologise for the great inconvenience they were put through during the strike action,” said Fakude-Nkuna. With now realising the high-level service Port customers of Ngqura
that they are used to it seems that Buscor is perfectly positioned to expand and grow into the future. Fortunately for clients, the ownership is more than happy to invest in innovative technology and this will keep the company at the forefront of the market. Taking advantage of its relationship with MAN, Buscor will look to continue to grow its fleet and transport more and more people around Mpumalanga whilst always remaining loyal to its target of providing safe, reliable and affordable transportation to the community.
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“Other safety features include roll over protection, emergency exit compliance and seat anchorage, ensuring that our buses not only comply with SABS safety requirements but also surpass them” MAR 14 PAGE 5
013 753 2371 www.buscor.co.za
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