International Bus Review 2017 by Passenger Transport Publishing Ltd

brought to you by

in association with

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www.busworldeurope.org

EUROPE KORTRIJK 20-25 OCT 2017

The other Busworld exhibitions: LATIN AMERICA MEDELLÍN 05-07.12.2017 TURKEY IZMIR 19-21.04.2018 INDIA BENGALURU 28-30.08.2018

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RUSSIA MOSCOW 23-25.10.2018 EUROPE BRUSSELS 18-23.10.2019 www.busworld.org

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INT E R NAT I O N A L BUS REV IEW 20 17 CO N T E N TS

WELCOME Welcome to the International Bus Review 2017, a new publication devoted to this vital sector. This publication from Passenger Transport, based in London, has been produced to co-incide with in the Busworld Europe show in Kortrijk, Belgium, on October 20-25 and the accompanying UITP-Busworld International Bus Conference. It features contributions from a variety of organisations involved in buses around the world, highlighting some of the latest innovations and achievements

UITP-BUSWORLD

VAN HOOL

Two world class events will take place simultaneously in Kortrijk, Belgium, in October 2017

Van Hool’s Exqui.City aims to improve public transport, offering an exquisite way of travelling

LEON DANIELS

FOCUS ON EUROPE

We interview Transport for London’s managing director of surface transport, Leon Daniels

Key statistics on buses in Europe, courtesy of Transport Resources International

brought to you by:

ALEXANDER DENNIS

OTOKAR

Bus manufacturer ADL continues to lead the British bus market while growing a global presence

Bus manufacturer Otokar has worked closely with the operator of Malta’s bus network

Editor: Robert Jack / Deputy Editor: Andrew Garnett / Designer: Keith Simpson Passenger Transport Publishing Limited, Adelaide Wharf, 21 Whiston Road, London E2 8EX, UNITED KINGDOM T: +44 (0)20 7749 6909 / E: editorial@passengertransport.co.uk / W: www.passengertransport.co.uk / twitter: @passtrans

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INTEGRATE + CONNECT! Two world class events are joining forces and will take place simultaneously in Kortrijk, Belgium, in October 2017. This will provide an unrivalled opportunity to look at the latest developments in the bus sector or the first time ever, UITP’s biennial International Bus Conference will be organised in conjunction with Busworld Europe, the world’s leading bus and coach exhibition. The two-day event will be held in Kortrijk, Belgium, and offers delegates the chance to discover fresh ideas, best practice and advice for implementing the latest in bus technology. Under the theme Integrate + Connect! the programme features a comprehensive selection of topics, exploring major trends and developments impacting the bus industry, including: Q How to connect buses with their surroundings effectively; Q Autonomous buses; Q Roll out of large electric bus fleets; Q Cost efficiency; Q Staying competitive in times of digitalisation; Q Modular and high capacity vehicles; Q How new mobility services can be integrated with traditional public transport. For more information and an up-to-date programme visit uitpxbusworld.uitp.org/programme

Busworld Europe Busworld Kortrijk was founded in 1971 and is the world’s leading bus and coach exhibition. Only buses and coaches are exhibited, no other commercial vehicles are present. The event is organised by a bus and coach operator’s association, B.A.A.V., instead of an exhibition organiser.

New technologies and innovation Bus systems account for some 80% of all public transport passengers worldwide but the humble bus has suffered from a certain image deficit in the past. It has often been perceived as noisy, slow, unreliable and polluting; however, thanks to the gradual introduction of new technologies and innovations, they are starting to mould a new image. Q Vehicles: Even though 95% of all buses today run on fossil fuels, in the last decade customer demand has driven a genuine ‘propulsion supermarket’ of alternative fuels and drive-trains, offering a wide variety of clean fuel options to improve air quality, fight noise pollution and meet policy targets. The hybrid bus and e-bus (electric bus) are part of the range of options available, with e-buses offering the prospect of the electrification of diesel bus lines (see below for more about UITP’s Zero Emission Urban Bus Systems project). From a passenger perspective, low-floor technology has made buses easily accessible and thus more appealing as a mode of transport. The bus can also cater for larger capacities than ever before, with double articulated buses able to transport up to 210 passengers per vehicle. However, the bus should not be considered as a vehicular system alone. Just as essential as the vehicular component are infrastructure (such as bus stops) and passenger information (through apps and other new technologies).The ‘Bus System Approach,’ first developed in the EBSF project (2008-2012), has been continued in the 3iBS Project. As part of 3iBS, UITP recently conducted a survey amongst 44 of its European members (operators, authorities and municipalities) in 20 countries with public transport networks together serving a population of over 95 million

ABOVE: The Volvo 7900 Electric Hybrid now runs in Värnamo, Sweden Survey reponses from 44 UITP members on their future plans for bus fuels: Stay with diesel More biodiesel

25.0% 22.2% 27.8%

More CNG More biogas

13.9% 41.7%

More electric Other

16.7%

Source: EU DG Move – 3iBS project

inhabitants, regarding their future plans for bus fuels. The results show a clear intention to move towards alternative fuels/drivetrains, particularly electric. Main arguments in favour of the bus Since fairly recently the bus sector has been able to boast new assets that can claim more attention from the authorities and more widely from organising authorities and the general public. Today the bus can claim to be a clean and attractive mode of transport and offers many different advantages: Q They are very flexible in terms of network design and in response to demand needs as well as fast in terms of implementation; Q They are relatively cheap in terms of investment; Q Buses use 20 times less space (which is at a premium in urban environments) to transport the

same number of people as private cars. BRT lines can carry between 17,000 and 45,000 people per hour per direction; Q Buses can carry bigger capacities than ever before (double articulated buses and BHNS-BRT); Q Buses also perform much better than cars as far as greenhouse gas emissions are concerned and the energy consumption of the bus per passenger/km is one third that of a car. This last point is of course of the essence. In the inter-modal competition with rail and due to the environmental protection concerns of the last decade, the bus has long been perceived as a polluting mode, consuming fossil fuel energy and contributing negatively to CO2 emissions. But from the bus’s point of view, with all the work done during the last few years in terms of hybrid and electric propulsion, the bus industry is claiming that it can now compete on equal or even better terms with rail and that it is now time to receive equal treatment. Excellence in bus operations and management The European Bus System of the Future 2 (EBSF_2) project is led by UITP and co-funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme.

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AT A GLANC E

by UITP bus benchmarking working group. It breaks down operations into five direct activities and nine support activities. The model is now ready for roll-out, following a “proof of concept” phase and is under deployment with a number of bus operators. Q Fuel & Traction System Observatory: The Fuel & Traction System Observatory of the Bus Committee aims at providing overviews of experiences with operating clean and alternatively fuelled buses. It currently maintains an overview of hydrogen bus development every three years and of CNG every two years.

The project (May 2015-April 2018) capitalises on the results of the previous EBSF project (September 2008 - April 2013). EBSF_2 is aimed at developing a new generation of urban bus systems by means of new vehicle technologies and infrastructures in combination with operational best practices, and testing them in several European bus networks. EBSF_2 has the ambition to improve the image of the bus through increased efficiency in terms of energy consumption and operational costs. The project brings together the main European bus manufacturers with leading suppliers and large operators with worldwide experience. Demonstration sites include: Helsinki, Gothenburg, Dresden, Stuttgart, London, Paris, Lyon, Ravenna, San Sebastian, Madrid and Barcelona. Business intelligence Benchmarking Q Financial benchmarking - activity based cost model for bus operations: Within the Bus Committee of UITP, a working group has developed a standard business model based on the Activity-Based Costing methodology to split down OPEX and compare in a fair way the performance of various bus operations. The methodology was developed

Transport corridor capacity (per hour, per direction)

100,000 80,000 45,000 22,000 19,000 17,000 14,000 9,000 2,000 Sub-urban rail e.g. Mumbai

Heavy rail e.g. Hong Kong

BRT double lane

Light rail

Pedestrians

BRT single lane

What’s new with BRT? BRT, or ‘Bus Rapid Transit,’ is a bus system running on fully or partially segregated infrastructure that offers: Q Higher frequency (e.g. down to every 90 seconds); Q Higher operating speeds (e.g. 22km/h); Q High capacity (2,000-6,000 people per hour per direction); Q Fully or partly segregated infrastructure; Q Attractive design (vehicles and stations). The efficiency, speed and performance of buses depends heavily on the provision of dedicated lanes and stops. An increase of just 5km/h in ‘commercial speed’ on a busy line leads to 20% less fuel consumption, thus of greenhouse gas emissions. Increasing the average speed of buses can also go a long way to improving their attractiveness as a mode of transport. Various forms of traffic segregation are possible for bus lines ranging from a simple mark on the road, to road ‘treatments’ (movable barriers, queue jumpers, contra-flow lanes etc.) to the most advanced systems such as BRT. Eco-driving also has a role to play and has been proven to improve passenger comfort and reduce energy consumption and emissions by 5-10%. In 2012, UITP published its BRT Guide, a leading source of information about myriad aspects

Cyclists

Regular bus

Mixed traffic

Source: GIZ and TU Delft

CO2 emissions for buses and cars in g/passenger 100km:

200

150

100

Q PT Bus/Hybrid (Rush hour) Q PT Bus (Rush hour) Q PT Bus (Fleet average) Q Car (8L/100km; 1,2 passengers) Q Car (10L/100km; 1,2 passengers) Source: VDV

of BRT systems including BHLS (Bus with High Level of Service) materials for Europe. UITP concentrates efforts on BRT in facilitating regional platforms for the sharing of local operational solutions and feedback. UITP recently organised a

workshop on developing BRT in Egypt (November 2015). A seminar and study tour are in the pipeline for the near future in India and Saudi Arabia. BRT is also one of the main topics of the training module on bus planning and operations which is being offered in Qatar, Singapore and Abu Dhabi. Q Find out more about BRT operations with the focus session, ‘What’s new with BRT?’ - 24 October, 14.00-15.30 Buses in the era of digitalisation

Q ITxPT - open systems for onboard

equipment: The ITxPT (Information Technology for Public Transport) Initiative aims to further drive forward in the implementation of standards for plug-and-play ITsystems applied to public transport. An integrated test bench offers services to specify, test, qualify and showcase IT solutions. The mission of the ITxPT Initiative is to support the deployment of standards and practices for onboard plug-and-play of IT systems for public transport and the relevant back-office features. The IT architecture developed in the European Bus System of the Future (EBSF) project has paved the way for cost effective deployment of digital systems on board public transport vehicles and for back office applications, securing an open environment and constant competition. This standard IT architecture for public transport specifies communication protocols and hardware interfaces to offer a full interoperability of IT systems in PT applications. Based on open technology, it offers the possibility for operators and organising authorities to use public transport data anywhere in Europe through common mechanisms, standard rules and protocols. As from now, parts of these IT architecture specifications are included in European standards. This IT architecture is suitable for buses, coaches and tramways. The ITxPT Initiative leads a joint effort to feed, support, promote and further contribute to the evolution of the relevant standards ➢ by providing returns of

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experiences from technical implementations on the platform. ITxPT members have access to the ITxPT platform to test their devices and applications in real operational conditions, supporting the uptake of this plug-and-play solution. By limiting the risks during the integration stage, these tests will facilitate the deployment process in operation. Q Towards autonomous vehicles: challenges and opportunities for the bus industry : A number of initiatives at UITP address the opportunities and challenges related to the advent of autonomous vehicles. The Bus Committee, as well as some other relevant working bodies, is expected to work on the impact of autonomous vehicles on public transport. They will in particular consider the impact on traditional bus services, bus operations and the definition of bus networks. The opportunities for greater complementarities between regular bus lines and demand responsive transport will be considered. The deployment of connected and autonomous vehicle technologies, for all types of road vehicles, including buses, will be addressed in projects and within the Bus Committee. Q Find out more about autonomous vehicles with the plenary session, ‘Connected & autonomous vehicles’ - 24 October, 9.00-11.00 Vehicle Procurement

Q SORT: In 2004 UITP published

the first SORT brochure on STANDARDISED ON-ROAD TEST CYCLES. It is a method developed by UITP for measuring fuel consumption and is used to compare different bus products presented in a call for tender. SORT is a collaborative program from operators and bus manufacturers with the aim of settling and developing a standard for the bus public transport sector to reduce the variety of different kinds of local, national and customised test cycles and to reduce costs. The SORT product refers to a referential which entails standardised SORT 1, 2, 3 cycles, a standardised test method

ABOVE: The TransMilenio bus rapid transit (BRT) system in Bogotá, Colombia

determine the energy consumption needed; a significant amount of input is required to take all of this into consideration. The current eSORT proposal does not take into account the ‘thermal cycle’, which means that further work on the total energy need is still required for this to be considered properly. Q Find out more about electric bus operations with the focus session, ‘Rollout of large fleet e-bus operations’ - 23 October, 14.00-15.30

including a test protocol which describes how a SORT test should be conducted. The goal of SORT is to provide operators with a sound comparison base. Following the release of the first SORT brochure in 2004, initially for 12-metre single chassis buses, mounted with diesel engines, an updated version of the brochure was released in 2009 providing SORT formula for different sizes of single deck buses. Subsequently, UITP has released SORT documentation for hybrid/diesel (2014); diesel double deck (2015), and CNG (2016). SORT is the only efficient tool that designs reproducible test cycles for on-road tests of buses in order to measure their fuel consumption. For many UITP members, the SORT cycle is the most reliable rule that exists to compare the consumption of fuel of several bus manufactures’ products in the frame of a call for tender. It is a real-life test, e.g. not an engine test but a test with a full-size bus on a test track (hence, ‘on-the-road’). Q eSORT Procedure: Recent discussions have raised questions regarding Electric Hybrid (Diesel/ Electric Plug-In bus) and Full Electric buses. There is a proposal (called eSORT) on how to measure energy for those buses. In the UITP SORT working group there is still a request for a range for electric buses. A range to be presented for electric buses is not obvious - in each business opportunity a detailed analysis must be done to analyse and

Electric Bus Systems

Q ZeEUS - Zero Emission Urban

Bus System: Through its Zero Emission Urban Bus System project, UITP is currently coordinating a consortium of 40 partners with the aim to demonstrate the fully-electric solution to a wider part of the urban bus network. ZeEUS is the flagship electric bus project that also closely follows the development of electric bus systems all around the world through the ZeEUS Observatory. This initiative is co-funded by the DG Mobility and Transport of the European Commission with a budget of €22.5m (€13.5m EU funded); it is a 42-month project that began in November 2013. ZeEUS extends the fully-electric solution to the core part of the urban bus network. It follows recommendations from fellow UITP European bus system projects (EBSF and 3iBS) to apply

the electric solution to urban bus systems. ZeEUS tests a wide range of different innovative electric bus technologies and charging infrastructure solutions in 10 demonstration sites across nine European countries with varying operational conditions to validate their economic, environmental and social viability. Its three main goals are to: Q Extend the fully electric solution to the core part of the urban bus network composed of buses of 12 metres or more; Q Evaluate the economic, social and environmental feasibility of electric urban bus systems; Q Facilitate the market uptake of electric buses in Europe. Why ZeEUS? UITP, together with European public transport businesses and manufacturers, have jointly produced an approach to the ‘decarbonisation of transport’ and greenhouse gas emission reductions. Clearly, the best carbon reduction strategy is a shift from private to public transport. Not only would this reduce global transport emissions, it would also help tackle congestion, one of the other major issues facing cities today.

RIGHT: The launch of Europe’s largest zero emission hydrogen bus project, JIVE

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In pursuit of an emission reducing strategy, low emission vehicles play a decisive role, particularly those with electric propulsion systems. Electrified public transport is not a new phenomenon. It is estimated that the proportion of public transport already powered by electricity ranges between 40-50%. This reflects the fields of well-established commuter railways, metro, light rail, trams and trolleybuses operated in the EU, carrying some 90 million passengers every single day. Thus public transport is already a major provider of clean electric vehicles and the ZeEUS project intends to be the beginning of a new and important chapter in the development of the fully-electric solution for transport by extending this technology to urban bus systems. At the European level, technical specifications applicable to recharging points for electric buses still have to be defined. The complexity and variety of charging mechanisms makes a standardisation scenario more complex than for cars. European projects such as ZeEUS will

contribute to identifying which interfaces would be worth standardising and at which level (energy protocols, plugs, etc.), leading to more stable findings in the next years. Developing electric vehicles of large capacity and creating infrastructure able to provide the required charging energy will facilitate the market up-take of electric buses in Europe. The project will also identify strategies to optimise the bus-to-grid interaction both at the depot and during service. Q For more information visit: http://zeeus.eu/

with battery buses or trolley hybrids (diesel bus substitution) Q Upgrading and/or regenerating electric public transport systems (flywheel, reversible substations),including the analyses of smart energy management concepts for (existing) electric public transport networks; Q Multi-purpose use of electric public transport infrastructure: safe (re)charging of non-public transport vehicles (pedelecs, electric cars/taxis, utility trucks) including the analysis of the potential of existing electric public transport infrastructure to become a backbone for smart electro-mobility. Q For more information visit: http://www.eliptic-project.eu/

Q ELIPTIC - Electrification of

Public Transport in Cities: ELIPTIC is an EU-funded project in which UITP is a partner, that focuses on the integration of electric public transport in its urban environment and in particular with the electric and urban transport system. It covers three thematic technology pillars: Q Safe integration of ebuses into existing electric PT infrastructure, including en route charging and the upgrading of trolleybus networks

Q JIVE - European Fuel Cell and

Hydrogen Bus Platform: JIVE is an EU deployment project of over 100 fuel cell buses, of which UITP is a partner and which is part of the European Joint Technology Initiative fuel cell. It aims at helping to overcome barriers and accelerate the deployment of fuel cell buses in Europe. JIVE will enable the deployment

WHAT IS UITP? s a passionate champion of sustainable urban mobility, UITP is internationally recognised for its work in advancing the development of this critical policy agenda. UITP has a long history to its name, and is the only worldwide network to bring together all public transport stakeholders and all sustainable transport modes. Its aim is to make cities around the world vibrant and pleasant places to live and work.

UITP MEMBERS UITP has 1,400 member companies giving access to over 18,000 contacts from 96 countries. The members are public transport authorities and operators, policy decision-makers, research institutes and the public transport supply and service industry. UITP GLOBAL PRESENCE UITP's main office is located in Brussels and it has 14 liaison and regional offices, as well as two Centres for Transport Excellence. The offices are in Istanbul, Moscow,

of 142 fuel cell buses across nine locations, more than doubling the number of fuel cell buses operating in Europe. The project will use coordinated procurement activities to unlock the economies of scale which are required to reduce the cost of the buses. They will operate in large fleets of 10-30 buses, reducing the overhead costs per bus, as well as allowing more efficient supply chains and maintenance operations. By working at this scale and with bus OEMs with proven vehicles, JIVE will ensure reliability at the level required for commercialisation. JIVE will also test new hydrogen refuelling stations with the required capacity to serve fleets in excess of 20 hydrogen buses. Q For more information visit: http://www.fch.europa.eu/project/ joint-initiative-hydrogen-vehiclesacross-europe Q UITP R&I Day (25 October):

ZeEUS and other Bus Projects: The main results of ZeEUS, the most important EU funded project about electric bus systems, running since 2013, will be the core topic of the day. Q Astana, SĂŁo Paulo, Bangalore/New Delhi, Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Abidjan, Johannesburg, Melbourne, New York, Casablanca, Dubai and Tehran. The Centres for Transport Excellence are in Singapore and Dubai. UITP BUS DIVISION The UITP Bus Committee, created in 1960 as the international committee for the study of buses, has been acquiring and sharing day-today operational and technical experience in the field of city bus operations and maintenance ever since. UITPâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s office in Sao Paulo plays a pivotal role in the exchange of knowledge on BRT systems. This is in addition to the information exchanged via the Bus Committee itself as well as through successive International Bus Conferences (Brisbane 2004, Bogota 2007, Lyon 2010, Istanbul 2012, and Rio de Janeiro 2014), various regional workshops and seminars, and regular knowledge products and services.

Q Contact: Arno Kerkhof, Head of Bus Division: arno.kerkhof@uitp.org

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Advancing Electric Solutions

Battery Electric

Fuel Cell

Extended Range Hybrid

Hybrid Electric

Parallel Hybrid

Electric Accessories

With 8,000 systems operating around the globe, BAE Systems is providing electric solutions for transit buses, paratransit buses, and motor coaches. Contact us to learn about the many ways weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re helping to make buses more efficient while becoming more electric, or visit www.hybridrive.com.

CS-17-G68

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Leon Daniels has been Transport for London's managing director of surface transport since 2011

LEADING LONDON London’s buses are a success story, but after a couple of decades of consistent growth in ridership in the capital, that growth has tailed off. Meanwhile, disruptive technology and the pressing issue of cleaning up air quality are all on the radar of Leon Daniels, Transport for London’s managing director of surface transport. he office of Leon Daniels, Transport for London’s managing director for surface transport is perched high above London’s world famous South Bank. His responsibilities include the efficient running of

London’s roads, bus services, taxis, cycle hire, river services, London Overground, DLR, Emirates Air Line and Trams, so he’s well placed to keep an eye on the city’s streets. In September Daniels announced his plans to step down from his role by the end of 2017. He joined TfL in April 2011 after a varied career that has taken in roles in government, shipping, tourism and public transport. Twenty seven years were spent in the private sector and he was in business both on his own account as managing director of London bus operator Capital Citybus and subsequently as a director of FirstGroup, where he was for 13 years before joining TfL ahead of

the London 2012 Olympic Games. He reveals that he had intended to retire in 2015, but agreed to stay on after the appointment of Mike Brown as London’s transport commissioner. Whoever fills Daniels’ role will have some big decisions to make for the future. “The population growth out there shows no sign of abating,” he says pointing to the window. For Daniels that challenge of a growing population is perhaps best demonstrated by the myriad cranes and construction sites that are laid out below us. “Look out there,” he says, pointing to the window again. “You can see nothing but cranes. Every crane is a proxy for a strain on my network.

“At the base of each crane there’s already a building site with materials being brought in and waste out. When it’s finished it’ll be full of people who need moving about and they’ll all want their photocopier paper delivered or their rubbish taken away. So every crane represents further strain on the network.” Daniels goes on to explain that TfL will need all the tricks it can muster to deal with that growing demand. He continues: “Why are people moving here? Well, because there’s jobs. That economic activity means more demand on the network.” However, despite that ➢ population growth, London

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has been facing something of a conundrum. For the past few decades the city’s bus network has seen inexorable growth at a time when patronage in the rest of the UK has been in the doldrums. That has changed over the last couple of years. London’s bus patronage fell 4% to 2.1 billion journeys in 2015/16, with the fall particularly acute in the central area. Meanwhile, as congestion increases, bus speeds have fallen. The average speed of the famous cross-city number 11 bus is now almost walking pace. However, Daniels is optimistic. He notes that the bus network in the suburbs is still experiencing growth, but what is behind the stagnation in the centre? “Our evidence for that is that the routes with the highest patronage fall are the ones with the worst journey time decay due to congestion,” he explains. “It’s also partly due to this,” he says, holding up his smartphone. Real-time bus information has been available through smartphones to commuters in London for several years now. Daniels says that this has changed passenger behavior. Whereas they would previously have patiently waited for their bus, they can now quickly check the next arrival either at the stop or beforehand. In effect it allows them to make an informed choice. “People are staying in the pub for another pint or they’re staying in their office for another two minutes, but if the bus is every 10 minutes and you’ve just missed it, you’re more likely to walk,” he adds. “My station is an eight minute walk from home, so anything seven minutes or higher until my next bus causes me to walk to the station. Before I had that information at my fingertips, I would wait as I never knew when the next bus would come along. It’s changing my behavior and it’s changing other people’s behaviour too.” Daniels believes that some of the ridership has moved to ‘active travel’, in other words cycling and walking. Again that is part of bus passengers making an informed

choice, but he also admits that slower speeds also have a bearing on the journey stagnation. “One of the reasons that the fall has leveled off this year is that the journey times have actually got better, so the patronage has leveled off too,” he says. But isn’t this fall in patronage bad news for the capital? Well, apparently not. “This is not a retail business,” Daniels responds. “So for all sorts of reasons, including health and air quality, people moving to walking and cycling is actually quite a good thing.”

Daniels spent many years with private bus operators before moving to Transport for London in 2011. Outside London, in the commercial market, it’s a sector where “profit and loss is king”. He continues: “But there’s quite a few things in my world that are upside down.” “One of my income lines is the congestion charge, which is rapidly declining, so the bad news is that my income is coming down, but the good news is that few people are paying the congestion charge which is good,” Daniels says. “In the case of the bus network, if there were no passengers there’d be no subsidy, but that’s not the world we’re in. We’re in the world of an intensive bus service with a cost attached to it.”

“If there were no passengers there’d be no subsidy, but that’s not the world we’re in. We’re in the world of an intensive bus service with a cost attached to it”

Disruptive technology London’s bus network has also faced issues from a plethora of

Transport for London has trialled route branding on routes in Barkingside, east London

The Legible London wayfinding programme and Cycle Superhighways are all designed to encourage residents and visitors to the capital to consider walking and cycling

disruptive technologies, something that Daniels says “has come at us very fast”. There has been a very significant growth in London’s Private Hire Vehicle (PHV) market, driven by a plethora of ride-hailing apps like Uber. Daniels reveals that when he joined TfL in 2011 there were 61,000 PHV drivers. Today it’s over 116,000. “The PHV thing has its minuses and pluses,” he says. “The minuses are it’s increasing congestion and the effect of that increased congestion on traffic generally is not only slower speeds but worse emissions. So you’ve got all that lot and on balance there are all sorts of people using them who would never have travelled in PHVs or taxis before. It’s being offered at a price you’d never thought of before if you’re prepared to share.” Meanwhile, more recently there has been dockless cycle hire with Singapore’s oBike launching in the capital in July. It placed this digital disrupter into direct competition with TfL’s own cycle hire scheme, which was launched back in 2010. “I saw it in Shanghai in April this year and said, ‘My God, this is going to come at us’, and it came without warning and it’s anarchy,” says Daniels. “They just leave them all over the streets and people hire them, take them where they want, leave them where they want. They’re so cheap it doesn’t matter, it knocks a hole in our cycle hire scheme, because we couldn’t possibly ever cope with those costs, so it’s disruptive and it has all sorts of other effects; blind people and old people are tripping over these dumped bikes.” TfL’s solution to this particular problem was simple – it began picking the bikes up off the streets. “We’ve put them in a warehouse,” he says. “A number of would-be providers have been talking to us and they’ve been talking to the boroughs, because the place for that sort of scheme is outside central London. “We’re broadly saying that if you talk to us and you’re doing something that’s broadly complementary, you’re very welcome. If you’re just going to

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Daniels and Val Shawcross, London's deputy mayor for transport, launch Europe's largest electric bus fleet with colleagues from manufacturer BYD and operator Go-Ahead London

come and cherry pick, then we don’t really want you in the mix.” And it is in the same way that TfL is keen to work with the disrupters, says Daniels. Earlier this year journey planning app Citymapper ran a ‘pop-up’ bus service in central London with three minibuses. TfL’s view was that this route didn’t add anything to the transport mix - it largely replicated existing services. “Now they’re introducing a night bus service that really does plug a hole in the network,” he says. “That’s a good thing as it’s adding something. It’s complementary to our network. We welcome that sort of thing and we’ll fully support it.” While that obviously will not include financial support, Daniels believes that support in the future could involve access to TfL’s payment platforms. “We have one big piece of influence and that’s Oyster,” he notes. “If you really want to be part of the transport mix in London, then you really need to be inside the payment platform that we have. So actually the possibility of people being inside our payment platform whilst running it themselves is a

real possibility. “Just imagine, a sort of ‘powered by Oyster’ sub brand where you are going to run a cycle scheme or you’re going to run a demand responsive bus on the outskirts of London, actually being inside our payment platform is important. “You could try doing it on your own, but you’re talking to an audience that’s used to just going ‘beep’. So we think our payment platform will be a big incentive for people inventing new things to want to play by some rules. They capitalise on the integration while doing something themselves.”

“We’re going to be having a big push on zero emission vehicles. So I think we’re gearing ourselves up for a long period of big change, which I think is good” so when we get to 2020 and we’ve got the bus fleet on Euro 6, that’s not the end of it,” he says. “We’re going to be having a big push on zero emission vehicles. So I think we’re gearing ourselves up for a long period of big change, which I think is good. “There will probably be a little bit of a rebalance between walking and cycling as part of the healthy streets agenda, constraints on carriageway space, trying to make sure the buses have freedom of movement. We’ve got some other issues too, in particular taxis and private hire and with freight too, so the transport strategy is trying to box its way around all of those things because some of it is conflicting, you know. “As you take carriageway space away and give it over to cycling and walking, you take it away from

Air quality Aside from the disrupters London also has one very significant issue and that’s air quality. TfL is currently consulting on a new draft transport strategy that aims to give some ‘belts and braces’ in that area. Daniels says that air quality has been rising up the political agenda for some years now and it is an issue that needs to be tackled as a priority. The Mayor’s Transport Strategy aims to do just that. “Some of those things [in the MTS] will take longer to introduce,

private cars, but you also take it away from deliveries, so it’s just about trying to deal with that.” Daniels says that TfL is forever looking at the trade-offs, but it is uniquely placed to do so. In particular, those that involve managing carriageway space and prioritising and constraining activities. “Another thing to say about this MTS is that you could in the past have said it was a worthy document that then went on the bookshelf,” he notes. “This one shows a much bigger sign of being a working document when compared to any previous one. It feels more relevant and it feels more practically do-able than some of the ones we’ve had in the past, which were perhaps a little more abstract. This one feels more like it’s got real targets to hit and to deliver against.” He admits that the pledge to ensure London’s entire fleet of 9,000 buses meets at least Euro 6 emission standards by 2020 is particularly challenging, but that will not be the end of it. Beyond 2020, London will be aiming to increasingly move its buses to ➢

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INT E R NAT I O N A L BUS REV IEW 20 17 INT E RV I EW : L EO N DAN IELS

zero emission operation. “There’s pure electric and there’s hydrogen,” Daniels says. “Both products are existing in the market place, so we will be, by the end of next year, starting to see double deck electric. Contracts for about 60 buses’ worth of work will go out later this year. There’s loads of hurdles to that, but 2020 to Euro 6 is not the end of the story by any stretch of the imagination. “From then on it’s the big drive for zero emission, so by the time we get to 2020, all of the single decks in central London will be electric, all the rest of the fleet will be Euro 6 and we’ll be letting more and more electric. The market is already developing, all of the major manufacturers have a programme and this is the point where we give it some substance. “It’s very interesting as the rest of the country is not following as fast. In provincial UK, orders for hybrids and electric tend to get converted down to diesel, but we’ve got the biggest air quality problem. There isn’t quite as much pressure for pure electric in other cities. They have their issues, sure, but we have the worst.” Innovation Tackling some of those issues means getting more people onto the bus network. Daniels says there’s “loads to do on marketing” and that one side effect of having such strong ridership growth for so many years is that TfL didn’t really have to market the bus network – it just grew by itself. This has led to an experiment in the Barkingside area of east London where the local bus network was branded, with buses colour-coded to the particular route they serve. “It helped us to learn,” he says, “I don’t buy the ‘all you need to do is marketing’ thing; there has to be inherent demand too. Outside London there are people flogging themselves to death on marketing and getting growth of half a percent. “Of course, there were lessons to be learned from Barkingside and we’ve looked at best practice

took a ‘clean sheet’ look at bus design, it’s highly likely that TfL will be keeping a close eye on these developments in a bid to spark future growth. Meanwhile, there’s also the question of bigger vehicles. With ridership growth still continuing in London’s suburbs, questions remain about the use of larger vehicles. While the London Assembly’s transport committee has recently questioned whether articulated vehicles could be introduced on some routes where capacity is an issue, the political implications of reintroducing such a vehicle are obvious. It means that some sort of alternative may have to be investigated in the future.

“If every vehicle is autonomous, when you leave here will you press the button to cross the road or will you just cross because you know all of the vehicles will stop to move around you?” outside London too. It’s the whole thing, it’s not just the marketing, it’s about the quality of the product.” Outside London, bus operators have made great strides in moving away from utilitarian interiors to something more sumptuous and inviting. Many operators are now specifying buses that feature things like free 4G Wi-Fi access, high back seats, LED mood lighting and USB charging. After the experience of the New Routemaster, which

Autonomous vehicles Speaking of technology, what of the future? Where will London’s buses be in 10 years’ time? Daniels firmly believes that autonomous

Leon Daniels inspects the engine bay of a classic Routemaster bus with a colleague

More and more of London's buses will switch to zero emission in the coming years

vehicle technologies will be making their presence felt. He has already been to Paris to see what RATP is doing in the field. There the Parisian transport operator is currently looking at bringing the technology in at its bus depots. While buses will continue to have a driver on the streets, once in the confines of the depot they will park themselves. “So the driver will park it on the fuelling line, it will be filled up and then it will drive itself off and park itself in its parking place,” he says enthusiastically. “I’ve been on the RATP test and it means the buses are parking in the right order and closer together and there’s no need for anyone to be in the depot in the dark, walking around and potentially being run over. “Then there’s an interesting dichotomy. Our theory, along with some other cities, was that the first place we’d see autonomous vehicles is in the outer suburbs with PHVs. Singapore see it quite differently; their first autonomous vehicles will be buses and that’s because they go on fixed routes, so the route learning is narrow. Singapore also has no jay-walking, so there’s no stray pedestrians. That means you could easily programme a bus there to follow the line of route. That will allow public transport to remain exceptionally cost-effective at moving people.” However, Daniels admits that there are all sorts of societal problems surrounding the introduction of driverless vehicles on the streets of a world city. “If every vehicle is autonomous, when you leave here will you press the button to cross the road or will you just cross because you know all of the vehicles will stop to move around you?” he wonders. “Also, the worst thing we want is autonomous vehicles to stimulate the number of cars, so although they’ll go through junctions quicker, do you want to really encourage more cars even if zero emission? Do autonomous vehicles make that worse? Ultimately, a city full of zero emission vehicles going nowhere is still a city that’s gridlocked.” Q

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INT E R NAT I O N A L BUS REV IEW 20 17 P RO F I L E : A LE X A N DER DEN N IS

DESTINATION EUROPE Bus manufacturer Alexander Dennis Limited (ADL) continues to lead the British bus market, while building on a growing global presence ranging from Canada to New Zealand, Mexico to Hong Kong. ADL is attending Busworld Europe exhibition in Kortrijk for the first time this year to mark its recent entry into the continental European market. DL continues to break into new territories as part of its international growth agenda and Europe is just the latest in a list of conquests. While the manufacturer’s

continental activities are at an early stage, the company is serious about its ambition and committed to deliver added value for bus operators, passengers and other stakeholders such as city dwellers and the environment there, as it has done in other parts of the world. “We are not a me-too business. What we offer is unrivalled experience in the design and production of vehicle concepts that deliver value through unique attributes as well as total cost of ownership,” explains ADL CEO Colin Robertson. The Enviro500 is ADL’s first product to be launched in continental Europe and the

first vehicles have now been delivered to PostAuto of Switzerland. Double deck buses may occupy something of a niche in the European market, but ADL believes there is strong potential to grow this segment. “Ridership is increasing across Europe and in order to attract people out of their cars, the journey experience matters more than ever,” says Martin Gruber, ADL’s business development director for Europe. “The Enviro500 offers more seats than other high-capacity city or intercity buses, and unlike in articulated buses, almost all

of them face forward and offer great views, making the journey a comfortable one for passengers.” Gruber points to another advantage of ADL’s offering: “The Enviro500 has been purposedesigned with modularity and customisation in mind, and it is by design a bus rather than a coach that’s trying to fulfil a role for which it was never intended.” Enviro500 vehicles have already been built in specifications to meet vehicle height allowances and varying operating conditions in places as diverse as the United States - where ADL’s double deckers are often employed on suburban commuter routes -

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TOP: The Enviro500 double decker. ABOVE: 90 Enviro500 buses are being delivered to Metrobús in Mexico City

and Hong Kong, representing some of the heaviest duties for urban buses anywhere in the world. Currently, 90 Enviro500 are being delivered to Mexico City where they will launch Line 7 of

the Metrobús BRT system along the landmark Paseo de la Reforma boulevard. Highly successful features of bus rapid transit such as frequency and high levels of service will for the first time be combined with the chance to offer most passengers a comfortable seat for their trip. Key to the efficiency of the Enviro500 is its aluminium body construction on a steel chassis, a combination that keeps weight and fuel consumption low. It is a principle that is also at the heart of ADL’s single deck product, the Enviro200. The Enviro200 was developed from its trendsetting predecessor the Dart, which first hit the streets of Britain in the late 1980s as a modern midibus and has been continuously refined since. This gives ADL unrivalled experience in lightweight single deck buses with over 18,000 built to date. The Enviro200 is lighter than most of its competitors, but remains fully customisable with a choice of door widths and arrangements, air-conditioning options and a comprehensive array of interior specifications. At Busworld, ADL will show an Enviro200 built to the requirements of Transport for London. ADL aims to highlight the model’s benefits to operators and discuss how a left-hand drive version would offer added value to bus companies before finalising the specification for the continental European variant. This phased market entry is entirely deliberate, explains Martin Gruber: “While we are obviously keen to offer the benefits of our single deck buses in Europe as soon as possible to complement our double deckers, we are mindful that operators rightly expect more than just a great bus. Our excellent aftermarket support has made us market leader in the UK, and we want to make sure this is in place in continental Europe so that bus companies know they can rely on us.” Q

PostAuto is taking 19 Enviro500 vehicles, with three doors and two staircases

THE ENVIRO500: SERVING SWITZERLAND he iconic yellow livery of Swiss national operator PostAuto, ADL’s first customer in continental Europe, is shown on the ADL stand at Busworld Europe in Kortrijk. PostAuto is taking 19 Enviro500 vehicles for routes in Eastern Switzerland. The first entered service earlier this year and all will be in place by 2019. The 12.9-metre long buses remain within the 4.0-metre height limit that applies in most of Europe. Built to PostAuto’s demanding specification, these Enviro500 have three doors and two staircases to

ensure easy and rapid boarding and alighting. 78 fixed and two tip-up seats are provided and passengers enjoy pleasant interior temperatures all year round thanks to air-conditioning and auxiliary heating. Power is supplied by an 8.9-litre Cummins ISL six-cylinder engine with emissions below the stringent Euro 6 limits, and transmitted by a ZF EcoLife automatic gearbox. ZF also supplies all three axles. Rear axle steering helps to maintain a tight 22.3-metre turning circle for excellent manoeuvrability even on tight mountain roads.

ADL currently supplies 80% of new single deck buses bought by London operators

THE ENVIRO200: CHOSEN BY LONDON he Enviro200 is the world’s best-selling lightweight single deck bus and it is represented at Busworld Europe in Kortrijk by a vehicle set to enter service with Abellio in London. It has been built to the standards of transport authority Transport for London and carries the red colour that makes buses in the UK capital instantly identifiable. The 10.4-metre long vehicle represents just one of several length options for the Enviro200 which range from just under nine to 12 metres. 31 seats are provided and a further 41

Q ADL’s stand at Busworld Europe

in Kortrijk is in hall 1, stand 113.

standing passengers may be carried. A wheelchair space is provided opposite the centre doors, with access provided by an electric ramp as per TfL specification. Passenger information includes highly legible exterior power blinds and audio-visual next stop announcements delivered by London’s iBus ITS system. Fitted with efficient Euro 6 diesel engines, the latest generation of the Enviro200 is highly popular in the UK capital. 80% of new single deck buses bought by London operators for TfL services in the last couple of years have been built by ADL showing just how excellently suited the Enviro200 is to demanding urban bus operations.

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URBAN TRANSPORT

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INT E R NAT I O N A L BUS REV IEW 20 17 P RO F I L E : OTO K A R

Malta Public Transport operates 143 Otokar Vectio C vehicles

A MALTESE PARTNERSHIP Bus manufacturer Otokar has worked closely with the operator of Malta’s bus network to create vehicles that meet the demanding requirements of the island. urkish bus manufacturer Otokar has recently completed delivery of 28 city buses for use by Malta Public Transport. It means that the Mediterranean island now boasts a bus fleet of 204 Otokar vehicles, comprising 143 Vectio C vehicles and 61 Kent C buses, all of which have been delivered over the last two years. The order for the buses came about thanks to Otokar’s existing relationship with Group ALESAALSA, the operator of Malta’s bus network, through its Spanish distributor Somauto S.L.. ALESAALSA is privately owned by the Cosmen family, which in 2005

merged ALSA in Spain with the UK listed National Express Group. Group ALESA-ALSA continues to operate independently of National Express Group and has a number of transport interests around the world. Although ALESA-ALSA was awarded the contract to operate

the bus network by the Maltese Government for a 10-year period in January 2015, Otokar and the operator had been talking for some time about the development of a bus that was tailored to the specific needs of the highly demanding Maltese bus network. In particular there was a

Seven Otokar Kent C buses are used on services to Malta's international airport

requirement for a vehicle adapted to the narrow streets of the island and the operator was also particularly keen for a highly maneuverable bus. Meanwhile, there are also wide variations in climate, depending on the time of year, and both the Maltese Government and ALESA-ALSA felt it vitally important that the vehicle had to meet the demanding requirements of Euro 6 emissions legislation. The operator was also keen for a vehicle that could offer flexible accommodation and cater for the high passenger numbers that Malta Public Transport experiences in the peak summer tourist season. A specific solution for Malta After extensive discussions, it led Otokar to propose an adapted version of its Vectio C model. This was tailored to the very specific ➢ requirements of Malta Public

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Transport, in particular a double width front door in place of the narrower entrance traditionally found on the Vectio C that has been sold successfully elsewhere. This led Otokar to extend the front overhang, increasing the length of the bus from 9.2-metres to 9.6-metres. ALESA-ALSA’s experience with Cummins engines saw the operator specify 250hp six-cylinder 6.7-litre engines and they have Allison T280R automatic transmissions. Otokar’s ability to offer flexibility, plus the capacity to build a large amount of buses meant that delivery of the new fleet was rapid – despite the Maltese Government awarding the contract to ALESAALSA only in January 2015, the first 40 buses were delivered in July 2015 with deliveries continuing until the start of October. In total, 143 Vectio Cs were delivered to the operator over that three-month

PRO FI LE

period – an incredible feat that demonstrates the flexibility Otokar can offer its customers. Malta Public Transport’s fleet of Vectio Cs in service have now covered a combined 220,000-kilometres in passenger service. Both driver and customer feedback about the Otokar product has been good and it is notable that Malta Public Transport has experienced fewer accidents with the vehicle type while availability remains high.

Otokar was founded in 1963 and aims to offer special solutions that meet the needs of its customers in the commercial vehicle and defence industry markets. Since its foundation the company has constantly expanded its technological know-how, production capacity, research and design competence and product range. Today it builds vehicles spanning 7.1-metre midibuses to 18.75-metre articulated city buses. The company has over 2,000 employees at its 552,000sqmetre plant in Sakarya, Turkey. From there the company exports to customers not only in Turkey, but to 60 countries on more than five continents. The company has developed a range of low carbon buses in recent years, including hybrid, CNG and electric buses.

Introducting the Kent C The success of the 143 Vectio Cs for Malta Public Transport was such that it has led to further close working between ALESA-ALSA and Otokar. These discussions centered around the need for a smaller number of much bigger buses. While the 9.6-metre Vectio Cs provided flexibility to manoeuvre through those narrow

Otokar will present the environmentally-friendly Kent C CNG-powered citybus at the Busworld show in Kortrijk, Belgium

OTOKAR AT BUSWORLD Otokar will be presenting a number of vehicles for the first time at Busworld, including the Kent C CNG. This 12-metre long bus is powered by Compressed Natural Gas and is equipped with a MAN E0836 LOH04 Intercooler Turbo CNG and Voith Diwa 854.6 transmission. Fully

compliant with Euro 6 emission standards, the CNG engine develops 206kW (280HP)/2200 d.d. and a torque of 1,000 Nm/900-1900 d.d. The alternative to the Kent C diesel is even more economical, environmentally friendly and reliable. A concept bus will also be presented on Otokar’s stand. It is a midibus of 8.4 metres in length

with a fully low floor. The engine is positioned at the front with doors in the middle and rear, meaning there is ease of access for disabled passengers and those with prams or pushchairs. Otokar says that the concept bus has been created to test the internal layout and design features as well as seeking feedback to establish potential demand for the concept.

Maltese roads, it was clear that larger, full size 12-metre citybuses were needed for use on some of the island’s busiest bus routes. This led to an order for 33 Otokar Kent C buses, the first of which were delivered in June 2016. These buses have again been tailored for use in Malta and feature a 280hp six-cylinder 6.7-litre engine, coupled to Voith Diwa transmissions. Further orders Again Malta Public Transport was pleased with the result and a further order followed. That saw 28 additional Kent Cs delivered at the end of July 2017, with seven of these buses destined for use on services to the island’s airport. These vehicles feature an interior that has been tailored to the requirements of this particular route with additional luggage space and USB charging facilities in order to provide a comfortable travelling environment for those heading to and from the airport. Otokar has also paid particular attention to providing adequate support for the fleet. After all, some may wonder how a manufacturer could cater to the needs of a fleet of over 200 buses on an island in the middle of the Mediterranean. However, in reality this has not proved to be a significant issue at all. Otokar has put in place a supply chain that ensures a regular supply of parts to Malta Public Transport. This means that vehicles are available for service and any potential problems are minimised. The manufacturer has also worked closely with Malta Public Transport to put in place a preventative maintenance programme that aims to eliminate problems before they occur, increasing vehicle availability and reducing overall cost. Meanwhile, Otokar’s technical team visits Malta every two weeks in order to continue that close working with ALESA-ALSA through Malta Public Transport. These visits also allow any problems or issues to be quickly identified and resolved. Q

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Electric bus orders* are rising rapidly in Europe** 2013

104 118

2014

170

2015

302

2016

* including plug-in hybrids ** Europe excluding United Kingdom and Ireland Source : UITP VEI Industry Committee

Where are we now? Learn about the roll-out of large fleet e-bus operations at the

UITP-BUSWORLD INTERNATIONAL BUS CONFERENCE 23-24 OCTOBER 2017 KORTRIJK, BELGIUM www.uitpxbusworld.org

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INT E R NAT I O N A L BUS REV IEW 20 17 P RO F I L E : VA N H O OL

27 Exqui.City bi-articulated, diesel-electric hybrid buses operate in the French city of Metz

THE EXQUI.CITY SOLUTION Van Hoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Exqui.City aims to improve public transport, offering an exquisite way of travelling he world of public transport is becoming more challenging, both economically and ecologically. With the Exqui.City, Van Hool offers a realistic solution to the demand for safer, greener, more efficient and economic urban transport,

combining the flexibility of a bus with the punctuality of a light railway. The heart of the Exqui.City is the Multi Propulsion Platform, designed to accommodate the latest and greenest alternative propulsion technologies: conductive - inductive power, trolley, battery, fuel cell, diesel-hybrid and CNG-hybrid. The Exqui.Cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s timeless and elegant design clearly distinguishes

itself from traditional buses. It emphasises smooth and safe travel through the modern urban environment. Fluid lines, diffused lighting, and an advanced ergonomic interior are all crucial to making the trip a relaxing experience for the passengers. Spacious entrances and exits, a low floor, and wide corridors throughout the vehicle secure the optimal passenger flow.

Q At Busworld 2017, Van Hool exhibits, in Hall 6, an18-metre diesel hybrid Exqui.City for Belfast (Northern Ireland) will be displayed in the presence of government representatives and the operator. Belfast has ordered 30 units. Also on show is one of 20 24-metre trolley Exqui.City for Linz (Austria). This vehicle features an independent battery that allows the vehicle to be disconnected from the net and can drive further autonomously!

BATTERY

TROLLEY CONDUCTIVE POWER

DIESEL-HYBRID

FUEL CELL INDUCTIVE POWER

CNG-HYBRID

The heart of the Exqui.City is the Multi Propulsion Platform

A fleet of 33 Exqui.City vehicles have been operated by TPG in Geneva since 2014

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INT E R NAT I O N A L BUS REV IEW 20 17 STATISTICS

FOCUS ON EUROPE Key statistics on buses in Europe. Courtesy of Transport Resources International, authors of The European Bus and Coach Industry Guide and The World Bus and Coach Manufacturing Industry Report (www.dougjack.co.uk).

AT A GLANCE

Electric buses are energy efficient (Energy requirement in Kwh/km)

4.48 3.55 2.52 Diesel

Hybrid (22% cost saving) Latest estimate is that 50% of new city buses in Western Europe will be all-electric by 2030

Paris wants 80% of its 4,500 buses to be all electric by 2025

Electric bus (difficult conditions) (42% cost saving)

1.28

Electric bus (ideal conditions) (71% cost saving) Data for 12-metre standard bus, according to SORT 2 (without heating), own measurements. Calculation courtesy of Solaris 2016

European bus registrations in 2016: Over 8.0 tonnes gross

NOTE: Russia Just over 12,000 buses above 8 tonnes gross were built in 2016.

Sweden

532 Norway

193 UK

2,717

Finland

Denmark

92 Ireland

116 Netherlands

365

Germany

2,604

France

1,508 Poland

Belgium

704

168 Austria

254 Switzerland

Greece

295

Portugal

Spain

Luxembourg

Italy

784

434

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20/09/2017 16:35