Australasian Bus & Coach 404 April 2021 by Prime Group

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AUSTRALASIAN BUS & COACH

TRANSIT SYSTEMS KEY SYDNEY KPIs MET VOLVO BZL E-BUS DUE 2022 TRUE GREEN EURO E-BUS EXPERT JOINS NEXPORT

ISSUE 404 April 2021 $5.95 inc GST

VANTAGE POINT QUEENSL AND OPERATOR’S CHALLENGER BUS SUCCESS

event: qbic 2021 operator: mahu city express, nz guide: parts-accessories

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AUSTRALIA WIDE

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dedicated to the road ahead In 2021, we are proud to reflect on our 5 decades supporting the Bus & Coach Industry. This year, we also celebrate 11 consecutive years of market leadership, which has been facilitated by our solid product and service offering, enabling us to foster strong relationships with customers, dealers and partners across the country - establishing Volvo Bus Australia as a well-respected and trusted industry partner. We look forward to seeing these relationships continue with our electromobility efforts. Our S-Charge chassis has demonstrated great success and we are working hard on the development of the awaited BZL electric chassis, due for release in 2022. We are grateful to have been a part of the Bus & Coach Industry these past 50 years, and we look forward to remaining your trusted business partner into 2021 and beyond. www.volvobuses.com.au

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contents ISSUE 404 APRIL 2021

08 in the know

6. editorial | ignition With the first big bus event on the Australasian calendar now ticked off (just – thanks to hotspot issues), the industry looks forward to others to come, and is maybe just better prepared for hurdles. We hope... Maybe. Possibly. Editor Cotter writes. 8. news | the front line We’ve gathered up all the key, hardhitting Australasian and international bus and coach news for you, to keep you in the loop. 20. bic column

additional four units to operator Transdev Australasia’s fleet have been added.

and New Zealand markets. Exciting times.

24. In focus | zemtec e-city e-bus

AIRLINE RESCUE ‘UNFAIR’ TO STALLED COACHES

26. In focus | blue mountains

NEW ZEALAND ZEMTEC E-BUS FOR AUSTRALASIAN MARKET A new electric-bus player emanating from New Zealand has started initial testing of its recently completed Zemtec E-City e-bus, with intent for the solar panelroofed bus’s use in both the Australian

One of the longest established coach tour companies in NSW has pleaded with the federal government to extend its airline rescue package to other sectors, or risk permanent damage to Australia’s fourth largest export industry.

INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS BILL Some useful context around the Industrial Relations Bill and what it means for our Aussie bus industry. Some important points to note from the BIC.

In focus

22. In focus | transdev volgren e-bus

TRANSDEV INCREASES VOLGREN E-BUS FLEET Following a successful trial of its first Volgren-bodied BYD electric bus around the downtown streets of Melbourne, an

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EDITORIAL Editor: Fabian Cotter ph: 0451 194 600 e-mail: Fabian.Cotter@aremedia.com.au Technical Writer: Paul Aldridge

PRODUCTION

Production Co-Ordinator: Cat Fitzpatrick Art Director: Bea Barthelson

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ADVERTISING Group Sales Manager – Industry: Adrian Christian ph: 0423 761 784 e-mail: Adrian.Christian@aremedia.com.au

Group Sales Manager – Transport: Peter Gatti ph: 0437 895 600 e-mail: Peter.Gatti@aremedia.com.au VIC Sales: Matt Alexander ph: 00413 599 669 e-mail: Matt.Alexander@aremedia.com.au QLD Sales: Hollie Tinker ph: 0466 466 945 e-mail: Hollie.Tinker@aremedia.com.au SA/WA Sales: Nick Lenthall mobile: 0439 485 835 e-mail: Nick.Lenthall@aremedia.com.au

NSW Sales: Con Zarocostas mobile: 04357 594 238 e-mail: Con.Zarocostas@aremedia.com.au

SUBSCRIPTIONS

28. In focus | transdev driver celebration

PASSENGER ‘THANK YOU’ HIGHLIGHTS BUS DRIVER VALUE

Two Transdev bus drivers collectively celebrating 105 years working in the Victorian public transport industry have helped underline the often unappreciated impact the transport career path has on its many grateful customers.

magazine regarding where the brand stands and what is planned for the future. Fabian Cotter writes. 50. event news | qbic 2021

MOVING FORWARD TOGETHER

32. coverstory | challenger v12

It looked touch-and-go and the stress levels were intense, but the postponed QBIC annual conference finally took place on the beautiful sunny Gold Coast. Fabian Cotter reports.

Challenger Bus and Coach managing director Greg Sloan has built a bus for the industry from the point of view of an operator within the industry. The result? The Challenger V12, with a focus on simplicity and safety. Paul Aldridge reports.

56. supply lines | parts and accessories With the pandemic downtime giving many a chance to fix and update their bus fleets, check out our guide to some of the best parts and accessories suppliers in the market that could be of use.

38. operator | mahu city express

departments

IT TAKES ONE TO KNOW ONE

HERALD OF THE FUTURE

Ten years ago Julian Ostling moved to New Zealand from the UK starting a car pool to Auckland’s CBD from a neighbouring town. The experience was such a success he expanded on the idea with a luxury daily commuter service and, six years later, his business is continuously expanding, recently taking delivery of a new luxury JW Group electric coach. Anjali Behl reports. 44. interview | Julian Gurney, Scania More than two years into his role as sales director of Buses and Engines at Scania, Julian Gurney spoke exclusively to ABC

64. bus marketplace | classifieds

FOR SALE!

There’s hundreds of great vehicles and services listed here from some of the leading bus and coach companies on the planet. Have a look around and see what you might find in there! 70. factory facts | bus deliveries

MONTHLY RESULTS

We know you love them and so we have the latest bus and coach supplier sales data collected and recorded for you to sink your teeth into. To know who is who and who’s done what simply check it out!

www.magshop.com.au e-mail: magshop@magshop.com.au ph: 1300 461 528 between 8am – 6pm (EST) Mon – Fri mail: Magshop, GPO Box 5252, Sydney, NSW, 2001 Annual subscription rates (12 issues): Australia: $89* NZ: $A100.05 Overseas: $A122.50 (Australian air-mail only) *price includes GST

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ISSN 1324-8634 Member: Circulations Audit Board

Circulation 3,315

CIRCULATIONS AUDIT BOARD

(CAB Audit, September 2020)

Largest circulating bus and coach magazine in Australasia CIRCULATIONS AUDIT BOARD

DISTRIBUTION Distribution within Australia and New Zealand and beyond by paid subscription to the owners and managers of: • route buses • government bus operations • school buses • extended and day tour operations • express coaches • country and charter operations • bus and coach manufacturers • equipment suppliers • tourism attractions • railways management Notice: All material published in this magazine is published in good faith and every care is taken to accurately relay information provided to us. Readers are advised by the publishers to ensure that all necessary devices and precautions are installed and safe working procedures adopted before the use of any equipment found or purchased through the information we provide. Further all performance criteria was provided by the representative company concerned and any dispute should be referred to them. No material may be reproduced in part or in whole without written consent from the copyright holder.

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IGNITION

FABIAN COTTER

Stayin’ Alive The unpredictable nature of life these days isn’t just affecting bus travel, but potentially even bus shows. The struggle continues…

ags packed? Check. Shoes polished? Yep. Dental floss and trusty toothbrush – like that obscure ’90s television show ‘Don’t Forget Your Toothbrush’ said? Tick! Sex appeal? Still working on it… Living the work-travel dream of ‘living out of a suitcase’ looked set to resume this year as the 2021 Queensland Bus Industry Council’s annual conference and AGM lined up to take place on the Gold Coast in April. With the event postponed last year, for reasons none of us need to explain, the Australian bus industry was gearing up for a big one to kick things off in 2021 and enjoy the social bonding and networking at such occasions we had known and loved too well. Or at least try to. The week prior, though, right before the holy Easter holiday break, whooshka! Covid cases and hotspots announced for Brisbane, Northern NSW and – with fingers, nostril hairs, yoga legs crossed and incense and candles lit hoping the Gold Coast wouldn’t be named – bam! The GC was named, too. ‘Dagnabbit!’ Ultimately, even the Byron Bay Blues Fest was cancelled, so it wasn’t looking good for QBIC 2021, I would have thought. But, to the organisers’ credit, they pushed through the stress and logistical nightmare while complying with all requirements to ensure QBIC 2021 took place. Well done, QBIC team!

DAY BY DAY Arguably, the QBIC experience was a greater symbol of the struggles and unpredictability facing much of our industry, namely – and by the very nature of the sheer number of long-standing familyrun businesses in it – the coach-tourism side of it. Sorry, but it always seems to be ‘someone connected to a quarantine hotel’, or someone who ‘hung out with someone who is connected to one’. If this thing is as lethal as presumed, I reckon we need to be paying these people four-fold for say, six-month contact work, and just let them live on premises so no interaction with the community at all. Go hardcore! Such is the sentiments I hear from 6

rational business and community people all the time. That is, sincerely, in this role I get to hear from and speak to a range of people in confidence about their views on a lot of things, and over the past 18 months or so, trust me I’ve heard some doozies. ‘Notice how cases are always at a holiday break’; ‘It’s about a depopulation agenda’; ‘The virus will kill us all’; ‘The vaccines will kill us all’; ‘Human trafficking is the real story’; ‘People bid on our birth certificates for their profit, not ours – and we don’t even know’. Whatever the issues, you can find evidence and innuendo seemingly validating either sides of them to draw your conclusions on, but let’s just say the really crazy stuff had better not be right!

FLIP AND SCOLL Inside here we are honoured to present to you a gamut of bus-related goodness, kicking off with a test drive of Challenger Bus and Coach’s amazing V12 coach. It’s been nearly three years since we broke the story on this new bus supplier into the Australian market, after spotting the tidy-looking V12 parked up outside of the 2018 QBIC annual members conference on the Sunshine Coast. It had driven ‘fresh off the wharf’ and was making a cheekily impromptu appearance at the event. After a tip-off from an old bus connection at the show, who gave away a tad too much that his ‘rival’ company was concerned this new player was entering into this local market, I figured this bus needed a bit more serious attention. Perhaps the most interesting part was the operator behind the idea and project – Greg Sloan. Experience behind the wheel of buses for years in Far North Queensland were enough to draw him into the ‘challenge’ of designing, building and orchestrating the type of bus that reliably enabled him to conduct his coach driving business while offering the same standard of performance to his peers. And so here we are in 2021, at a time in Challenger Bus and Coach’s journey where many would not have fathomed it would make it thus far. I hope you enjoy the read on pages 32–37 and check out the vision online at www.busnews.com.au soon.

Further in we ‘visit’ a very cool NZ operator in Auckland, who is running the country’s first luxury electric coach. It’s a great story of an ex-pat Brit whose fledgling car pool gig successfully morphed into a full-on bus operation, which is now getting in early on the whole electromobility scene, taking advantage of some Kiwi government subsidies and initiatives. Check that one out on pages 38–42. Speaking of NZ, news of what seems like a genuine Australasian cooperation from new entity Emtec, whose forthcoming solar-roofed E-city e-bus – a project backed by well-known Auckland operator Bayes – is another cool EV city bus option coming into both markets. Interesting times… Industry champions? Well, we’ve got one for you. Scania Australia’s sales director for Buses and Engines, Julian Gurney, is an amiable bloke who’s happy to chat about all things bus, so we were grateful for his time recently to chew the post-2020 fat. Turn to his interview on pages 44–49 for that one.

BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE It’s a bumper issue for sure! On pages 56–63 there’s our 2021 Parts and Accessories Guide showing the latest goodies from a few key suppliers, while in terms of events there’s our coverage of the ‘it nearly didn’t happen but we are so glad it did’ 2021 QBIC annual conference and AGM at Sea World earlier this month. Ultimately, going forward (I love and equally loathe that modern cliché), 2021 is unfolding as another disturbingly weird year with slightly different but equally unpredictable twists and turns. Perhaps the only thing to do that feels even remotely normal these days is chuck on some ’70s demin flares, grow the head and chest hairs (hey, we’ve had lockdown and iso – trust me, I’ve done both), then channel the Bee Gees’ retro classic ‘Stayin’ Alive’ while finding the nearest disco ball for a boogie. Or even just local pub karaoke some night dressed like that. You laugh… Life is short… “Got the wings of Heaven on my shoes, I’m a dancin’ man and I just can’t lose.” Until the next thrilling instalment...

ABC April 2021 busnews.com.au

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YUTONG BUS

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NORTH NSW/SOUTH QLD Barry Henderson 0427 750 885

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NEWS

TRANSIT SYSTEMS TOPS ON-TIME DATA WITH FEW COMMUTERS wanting a bus service that annoyingly runs late or one that runs disturbingly early, the latest February 2021 Transport for NSW (TFNSW) on-time running key performance indicator (KPI) data has highlighted Transit Systems’ improvement – the operator placing first and equal second in Regions 3 and 6, respectfully. Scoring 97.5 per cent in Sydney Metropolitan Bus Service Contracts Region 3 and 97.2 per cent in Region 6 – the latter equalled only by Punchbowl Bus Company in Region 5 – the results mark solid betterment of Transit Systems’ bus service, particularly after receiving prior criticism for its efforts in its then relatively recently acquired Region 6 contract area. With Transit Systems achieving “its vision of operating a more reliable service in the Transport for NSW network”, securing both first and second places in its regions for ontime running in February, 2021, it places the operator well above the KPI of 95 per cent. SeaLink Travel Group CEO Clint Feuerherdt says it was always the company’s vision to bring world-class practices to the local network and 8

deliver a more reliable and convenient service. “February marked 12 consecutive months that we have consistently achieved above the KPI set out by Transport for NSW, and we’re absolutely committed to continuing to improve the service for our customers,” Feuerherdt stated. “It wasn’t something we could fix overnight; we have undertaken reviews, assessments, consultations

and integrations to ensure a seamless improvement from where we started, to where we are now. “We are incredibly proud of our team for working through the logistics of all the complex realities involved, and over the course of improvements we have experienced a reduction in customer complaints, a decrease in cancelled services and a huge increase in on-time running,” he said.

COMPLAINTS FALLEN Transit Systems’ (which SeaLink Travel Group now owns) internally collected data shows that complaints have significantly reduced by nearly 45 per cent in the first two years of operation (18/19 versus 19/20), the company confirms. Feuerherdt says TfNSW had been very accommodating of improvement suggestions and recommendations, from timetable changes to network planning.

Above: “We are incredibly satisfied to know that the people of Sydney are the winners, with a more reliable and convenient public transport solution now in operation,” said Sealink CEO Clint Feuerherdt. Right: February marked 12 consecutive months that Transit Systems consistently achieved above the KPI set out by Transport for NSW.

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QLD BUS SUPPLIER STARTS ‘GOING GREEN’ INITIATIVE

“We have had our global team of experts working on these networks, drawing on international experience from some of the most sophisticated public transport solutions across the world, including experiences in the highly regarded Transport for London (TFL) network and Singapore,” he said. “We are proud to reach this milestone, showcasing what we knew to be possible, but more than that we are incredibly satisfied to know that the people of Sydney are the winners, with a more reliable and convenient public transport solution now in operation,” he explained.

MOVING FORWARD Feuerherdt also commended the NSW state government on its commitment to providing a more efficient and reliable service to customers, while addressing more sustainable transport solutions. “As we move forward, we are looking at new ways to improve the customer experience with our government partners, and we’re excited about the Zero Emission Bus (ZEB) network solutions on the horizon with Transport for NSW. “It’s an exciting time to catch a bus!” he said.

LEADING QUEENSLAND bus supplier Bus Stop Sales and Service has kicked off its ‘Going Green’ commitment prior to new electric bus products launching later this year, installing more than 400 roof-mounted solar panels on its massive Brisbane-based headquarters, it announced recently. In its move to solar power generation, as Australia’s biggest bus sales facility (by size), the company turned on its significant rooftop 100kW solar PV system (in excess of 400 individual panels) this month. ‘Going Green’ also involved replacing power-guzzling metal halide high bay lights and fluorescent office ‘tubes’ with efficient LED solutions, which use only a fraction of the original wattage for the same lumen output, the company explains. Other energy-reduction initiatives, such as the installation of movement sensor lighting in low traffic areas and the commissioning of on-site water tanks for non-potable water needs – like the two on-site wash bays – have also been completed, it confirms. With such a large site, there is also a need for on-site transport; a Varley electricsite vehicle has also replaced the diesel site-work utility, Bus Stop adds.

ENCOURANGING OTHERS Bus Stop Sales engaged leading renewable and energy management consultancy firm QGE to design and manage the grid connection of the program, it states. The 100kW solar-panel system was the largest allowable before moving to a large-scale generator model – and a system of this size allows the site to export more

electricity to the grid each year that it consumes, the company explains. Bus Stop Sales director Pete White said: “The entire program was an opportunity to offer team members and partners a working demonstration of renewable energy initiative in reality and will hopefully encourage others to have a greater interest in sustainability more broadly. “This commitment to sustainability means an immediate reduction in carbon emissions across the site and highlights that we fully support carbon neutrality objectives.”

NEW E-RANGE COMING “Strategically, this also supports our push to introduce leading electric bus products later this year,” White explained. “More and more, our industry is focused on moving to electric bus solutions and, in conjunction with our new range of leading e-bus products, we wanted to demonstrate that we both fully support and encourage our community to also support carbonsaving initiatives. “It just makes sense; each LED high bay light installed uses under 20 per cent of the energy used by the older style lights that they replace and will last about five times longer. “This is only the beginning, and we continue to seek ways to reduce our corporate environmental footprint each day. “We would love to share any knowledge that we have learnt on this journey with industry for others to review and hopefully follow,” White said.

STANDOUT OUTER RESULT In terms of Outer Metropolitan Sydney Bus Service Contracts, NSW North Coast operator Port Stephens Coaches (Nelson Bay) Pty Ltd put in a stellar effort to place top, attaining a 99.1 per cent result in February, 2021. Full results and operator data is available at: www.transport.nsw. gov.au. busnews.com.au April 2021 ABC

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NEWS

VOLVO ‘BZL’ E-BUS CHASSIS ON TRACK FOR 2022 RELEASE VOLVO’s forthcoming BZL electric bus chassis – due for release locally in 2022 – is eagerly anticipated to “revolutionise our product offering and electro-mobility efforts”, according to Volvo Bus Australia (VBA). The BZL project has been a thorough and rigorous undertaking, and is still currently under development for local conditions, at a time VBA celebrates 50 years of operating in Australia this year.

In marking its 50th anniversary, the Volvo Bus Australia team says it looks forward to the next 50 years as it continues to provide “ dedicated service and support to facilitate cleaner more efficient transport solutions”. “As we look to our next 50 years in Australia, we are excited to further embark on our journey towards electro-mobility,” said Mitch Peden, general manager Volvo Bus Australia. “Our S-Charge [hybrid] product has

“We are excited to further embark on our journey towards electro-mobility.”

already demonstrated great success and we are eager to see our awaited BZL revolutionise our product offering and electro-mobility efforts.” “Our BZL project has been a thorough and rigorous undertaking, but we are confident that with nearly a decade of electro-mobility experience that this process is one that is worth waiting for and seeing through properly. “Volvo has established itself as the electro-mobility expert across Europe and, with our consistent and steady BZL development efforts locally, the sentiment is the same in Australia,” he stated. “Investing in a BZL will be more than just buying an electric bus; it will mean investing in a quality, safe and reliable product that brings with it an unwavering partnership with the dedicated and passionate VBA team. “As this technology continues to unfold, our team will remain committed to facilitating and supporting our customers

Left: “Volvo has established itself as the electromobility expert across Europe and, with our consistent and steady BZL development efforts locally, the sentiment is the same in Australia,” stated Mitch Peden, general manager Volvo Bus Australia. 10

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with the help of our suppliers and largest dealer network in Australia,” he added.

SOLID SUPPORT According to the company, having the only dedicated bus team in Australia, with more than 300 years of combined industry experience, is something it is very proud of – and that has helped propel the company to where it is today in celebrating five decades in the Australian market, with 11 consecutive years as the market leader in 2021. Notable dedicated bus team staff include Ray Andrich and David Woodward who have been with VBA since 1992 and 1995, joining the business at the time as regional zone sales manager and area service manager, respectively. To date, regional sales manager Andrich and national competency manager Woodward have remained dedicated to their area of expertise and have become recognised as industry stalwarts – keeping the spirit and passion for the bus and coach industry alive and well, VBA states. It is the warm and willing nature of Andrich, Woodward and other dedicated members of the VBA team alike that has fostered strong relationships with customers, dealers, and partners across the country, establishing VBA as a well-respected OEM, offering exceptional service and products, it explains.

HYBRID SUCCESS Arguably one of the most notable products to date has been the Volvo B5L S-Charge. First released in 2013, this hybrid vehicle revolutionised the product direction of VBA in being the first in its electro-mobility range and delivering the first hybrid technology of its kind in South Australia, it states. By combining a diesel engine and an electric battery, with energy that is captured through braking regeneration (and the engine), the readily available B5L S-Charge delivers significant fuel savings as well as the ability to run in electric-only mode at bus stops, in depots and in defined zero-emission zones, VBA confirms. This model also has the capacity to operate on up to 100 per cent biofuel, all whilst producing a lower carbon footprint than many grid-charged electric vehicles, VBA explains. This hybrid technology has received a hugely positive reception amongst customers and marks just the beginning of VBA’s journey towards electromobility – with the much anticipated BZL electric chassis currently in development, the company states.

VOLVO APPOINTS NEW QLD/NT BUS ACCOUNT MANAGER BACKED BY 20 years of sales experience in the motor industry, Volvo Bus Australia (VBA) has appointed Leonie Conyers as its key account and retail manager for QLD/NT, effective April 1, 2021, the company has announced. Conyers has spent the past nine years with Volvo Group Australia, most recently with Volvo Penta, VBA confirms. After commencing her time with Volvo Group Purchasing in 2011, Conyers has since held a number of roles within the Volvo group, including seven years as a national fleet account manager with Volvo Trucks, and 18 months with Volvo Penta Oceania as a business development representative – industrial engine sales. Throughout her time with Volvo Group, Conyers has developed exceptional insights into various areas of the Volvo Group business and has maintained vital long-term relationships with key industry figures and stakeholders, VBA states.

BRAND PASSION With a hunger for embarking on new challenges and learning new skills, Conyers combines her extensive experience with her passion for the Volvo brand and delivering customer success to drive business performance, Volvo explains. “In what is an extremely exciting

Above: “Leonie is a very skilled salesperson that is able to foster strong and enduring business partnerships,” said Mitch Peden, general manager Volvo Bus Australia.

evolutionary period within the bus industry, I am very pleased that Leonie has decided to join the team at Volvo Bus,” said Mitch Peden, general manager Volvo Bus Australia. “Leonie is a very skilled salesperson that is able to foster strong and enduring business partnerships. “She will be an asset to our team as we build further on the Volvo Bus success that we have enjoyed within our markets across the last 50 years,” he added. In her new role, Conyers will be committed to supporting new and existing customer relationships and will continue to drive customer success and solutions across the states of QLD and NT, VBA confirms. Based in Brisbane, Conyers will report directly to Peden.

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NEWS

Michel Van Maanen has joined Nexport as its CEO.

officer, he was director of performance management (EXCOM) of Transdev France HQ; and perhaps most pertinent he was director of performance and interim CEO at Transdev Australasia for over two years between September, 2014 to December, 2016. He has also been CEO/director – supply chain and business improvement at Transdev Portugal, plus Improvement Benelux and director – supply chain at Transdev Nederland, and improvement manager Benelux at Veolia Transport (currently Transdev), to name a few.

PERFECT FIT

EBUSCO EUROPE E-BUS ‘LINCHPIN’ JOINS NEXPORT AUSTRALIAN EV manufacturing entity Nexport/True Green has acquired the services of electric bus and e-mobility transition expert Michel Van Maanen, Ebusco Europe’s joint chief commercial officer and chief operations officer (CCO/ COO), the Nexport / True Green Group has announced. “We are bolstering our management ranks as part of our commitment to building a robust management team and one that’s capable of leading the Australian transition to zero-emission buses and depot upgrades,” said Luke Todd, CEO of True Green Group Mobility. “We’ve secured the employment of Michel Van Maanen, who is currently the COO of Ebusco Europe, and who’s been the driving force behind the Ebusco success in there,” Todd explained. “Michel has departed Ebusco and is joining Nexport as our chief executive officer,” he explained. Van Maanen’s Linkedin profile describes himself as “ a goal-focused and results-oriented leader with a progressive career of leading end-to-end international business operations, while achieving set targets in large-scale logistics, automotive and transportation organisations, thus ensuring successful long-term growth.” Such skillset is underwritten via the philosophy: “An organisation’s ability to learn, and translate that learning 12

ability into action rapidly, is the ultimate competitive advantage,” he states.

PROVEN PATH Of Ebusco’s success, Todd explained: “Ebusco has been selling significant numbers of buses in Europe and undertook major depot upgrades throughout all parts of Europe. Michel’s going to join us as of the first of April, 2021, as the new CEO of Nexport.” Currently, Van Maanen is based in The Netherlands, but will be and moving to Australia soon, Todd confirmed. “He’s part of our investment to the transition to electric buses in NSW and more broadly in Australia. “We are bringing the key talent from around the globe; Michel is regarded as one of the top electric bus experts in Europe and his coming to Australia we see as a huge bolster to our ability to deliver, not only best quality products but also, the depth of experience needed for large-scale depot rollouts,” Todd stated.

“Michel has good experience and knowledge of the Australian market, so for us we are highly excited that we can bring in somebody that has that [background] in leading the e-bus charge in Europe over the past three years back to Australia. It’s a really strong boost to our team – and it’s only the beginning,” Todd explained. “We have a few other key strategic announcements in regards to people that will be joining our team over the coming months,” he added. “Nexport has been very active to make sure we not only develop and deploy the best-quality vehicles and services, but have actively been out looking for the best people to lead our team now and into the future. “We are growing rapidly and the Australian market is growing rapidly, so we actively went out and sought out the best talent from Europe and identified Michel as the leader that we wanted to speak to. After a series of lengthy conversations and discussions he’s extremely excited to be coming back to Australia to deploy the knowledge that he’s learnt over the past few years. “So it’s a great mix; we are getting someone who knows the Australian landscape, but is also from the forefront of Europe.”

SOLID EXPERIENCE Prior to Van Maanen being Ebusco’s chief commercial officer and chief operations Right: Van Maanen’s appointment is part of Nexport/ True Green’s investment to the transition to electric buses in NSW and more broadly in Australia.

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STRONGMAN PULLS TWO TRANSDEV NSW COACHES FORGET ZERO-EMISSION buses, it was all about ‘people-powered’ buses at Transdev NSW’s Bankstown depot recently. Last year, local strongman Troy Conley-Magnusson [or maybe we should just call him Thor? – Ed] approached Transdev NSW with a challenge to pull two of its coaches as part of his ongoing fundraising efforts, Transdev explains. Once the logistics were sorted, Troy and the Transdev team set up the event on Monday, March 29, with Channel 9’s The Today Show on site all morning to capture the attempt on live TV. This is not Troy’s first strongman event with a long list of garbage trucks, ice-cream trucks and light aircraft on his resume, but it was the first time he

had attempted to pull not one, but two, coaches, weighing a hefty 11,200kg each. When the time came, cheered on by students from the local school, Georges River Grammar, Conley-Magnusson successfully pulled the two vehicles over the line, Transdev confirms.

FOR THE KIDS His motivating force is the Hyundai Help for Kids Foundation, which supports three children’s charities including Ronald McDonald House, Sydney Children’s Hospital and Little Wings, which are located at Bankstown Airport and support the movement of sick children from rural

Above: “We will be ready if Troy wants to attempt another challenge –perhaps pulling three buses next time,” said Transdev NSW managing director Robert Macey.

NSW to the city for medical treatment. Transdev NSW was more than happy to contribute to the cause with a $5,000 donation; managing director Robert Macey said: “It’s not every day that we receive a request like this, but having received it we were most happy to support Troy and, in turn, three wonderful children’s charities. “We will be ready if Troy wants to attempt another challenge – perhaps pulling three buses next time.”

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busnews.com.au April 2021 ABC

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NEWS

IBCA RESUMES VIC PT CORRUPTION ALLEGATIONS INVESTIGATION FROM MARCH 29, 2021, the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC) is to resume its public hearings into allegations of serious corrupt conduct in Victoria’s public transport sector, the organisation announced recently. The Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC) is Victoria’s agency responsible for preventing and exposing public sector corruption and police misconduct, it states. Its jurisdiction covers state and local government, police, parliament and the judiciary, it adds. The hearings are part of IBAC’s investigation – Operation Esperance – into allegations of serious corrupt conduct during the tendering, procurement and subsequent management of major contracts within V/Line and Metro. “The first round of public hearings for IBAC’s Operation Esperance investigation exposed a range of integrity issues, including around the processes and management of certain major contracts between V/Line, Metro and suppliers,” IBAC commissioner The Honourable Robert Redlich AM, QC said. “The investigation has also raised concerns around the effectiveness of controls associated with the proper delivery of essential cleaning services in the state’s public transport system during the Covid-19 pandemic,” Commissioner 14

Redlich said. IBAC will call additional witnesses to further examine the issues raised in the first round of hearings and their impact across Victoria’s public transport sector.

PROTECTING INTEGRITY “As part of IBAC’s focus on preventing corruption, the public hearings will consider whether the current systems and controls are sufficient to protect the integrity of the tendering and procurement process, and examine potential systemic issues, including how culture and practices may have contributed,” Commissioner Redlich said. The publicly streamed hearings will run for four days, IBAC confirms. In response to Covid-19, the hearings cannot be attended in person by members of the public, but can be freely accessed via video stream on IBAC’s website. “Public hearings as part of IBAC’s investigations are an important way we work to expose and prevent

Above: IBAC will call additional witnesses to further examine the issues raised in the first round of hearings and their impact across Victoria’s public transport sector.

public sector corruption and misconduct,” he said. “They help to educate the community and public sector about the adverse impact of corruption and misconduct and how to prevent such wrongdoing,” Commissioner Redlich explained. IBAC Commissioner The Honourable Robert Redlich AM, QC will preside over the hearings. Counsel Assisting comprises Paul Lawrie of the Victorian Bar together with Joseph Amin, an IBAC principal lawyer. For further details, including a summary of the scope and purpose of the hearings, visit the Operation Esperance page on IBAC’s website.

“The investigation has also raised concerns around the effectiveness of controls.” Operation Esperance is an ongoing investigation. Anyone with credible information relevant to the investigation is encouraged to report it at www.ibac.vic.gov.au/ report or phone 1300 735 135. The first round of the public hearings ran for six days from October 26 to November 6, 2020.

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GERMAN BUS OPERATOR ORDERS EXTRA ADL DOUBLE-DECKERS BERLIN-BASED bus operator BVG has confirmed an order to add 198 ADL Enviro500 double-deckers to its fleet, to be delivered by the end of 2022, Alexander Dennis Limited announced recently. In ‘exercising options’, the order will take Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG)’s total fleet number of ADL Enviro500 double-decker to 200, the companies confirm. ADL will build these buses in its factories in the United Kingdom, it explains. ADL – a subsidiary of the North American New Flyer Industries Group Inc. (NFI) – delivered the first two Enviro500 double deckers to BVG in October, 2020, as part of a multi-year framework contract signed in 2018, it states. Following the successful completion of a testing programme with this initial pair of vehicles, BVG’s supervisory board “approved the conversion of options for another 198 buses into firm orders, taking the fleet to 200”. Options for a further 230 Enviro500 double-deckers remain in the contract, ADL adds. Berlin’s new generation of iconic yellow double-deck buses is the first to have been designed in the UK by ADL, the world’s leading supplier of double-deck buses, ADL says. Production of all 198 units will take place in the manufacturer’s facilities in the UK, with the Scarborough site in Yorkshire to lead final assembly, ADL confirms. Once delivered, they will be supported locally by an experienced team operating out of ADL’s recently opened Berlin office, service workshop and parts warehouse, it adds. ADL will increase its investment in Berlin to underpin the fleet roll-out and support its European expansion, and recruitment is underway for additional team members, it states.

THE BUSES Berlin’s Enviro500 are 13.8 metres long and 4.06 metres tall. With three doors and two staircases, they facilitate rapid boarding and

alighting on busy urban services for up to 112 passengers, 80 of them seated, while minimising road footprint, ADL explains. ADL president and managing director Paul Davies said: “This fantastic news is testament to the incredible efforts of the hugely talented team that we have here at ADL, who have yet again demonstrated that they can innovate and execute on highly complex product development projects. “The successful results of BVG’s testing programme and the award of this milestone contract are yet another ringing endorsement of our global double deck expertise and customer focus. “We are delighted to confirm that we will build these buses in Britain to help underpin our skilled jobs and apprenticeships.”

ABOUT NFI Leveraging 450 years of combined experience, NFI is leading the electrification of mass mobility around the world, it states. With 8,000 team members in ten countries, NFI is a leading global bus manufacturer of mass mobility solutions under the brands New

Flyer (heavy-duty transit buses), MCI (motor coaches), Alexander Dennis Limited (single and double-deck buses), Plaxton (motor coaches), ARBOC (low-floor cutaway and medium-duty buses), and NFI Parts, it states.

Above: Berlin’s new generation of iconic yellow double-deck buses is the first to have been designed in the UK by ADL, the company states.

ABOUT ADL Alexander Dennis Limited is a global leader in the design and manufacture of double-deck buses and is also the UK’s largest bus and coach manufacturer, it explains. ADL offers single and double-deck vehicles under the brands of Alexander Dennis and Plaxton, and has more than 31,000 vehicles in service in the UK, Europe, Hong Kong, Singapore, New Zealand, Mexico, Canada and the US. busnews.com.au April 2021 ABC

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NEWS

THE WOT!?!

SUNNY SPOT

FIRST RUSSIAN-MADE ARTICULATED E-BUS FOR MOSCOW TRIAL RUSSIAN CAPTIAL city Moscow is to trial the first Russian-made electric articulated ‘bendy’ bus, offering even more spacious public transport for locals, according to the city’s Department of Transport and Road Infrastructure Development (DTRID). Kamaz, a Russian manufacturer of vehicles, trucks and engines, presented the Kamaz-6292, which was prepared for test operation at the Nefaz factory, a subsidiary of Kamaz. The bus accommodates 135 passengers and has 48 seats, the DTRID confirms. In future such vehicles will enter the busiest routes, it explains. The electric bendy bus is expected to go into serial production by the end of this year, it adds. “We are very proud to be pioneers in the development of electric buses,” Sergey Kogogin, Kamaz general director stated. “We have created the first electric bendy bus and very soon we are

planning to transfer a new vehicle to Moscow for testing,” he said.

Australia’s first solar powered full-size electric bus hit the streets in Queensland in March, operating in the Redlands, east of Brisbane. Owned and operated by mobility company Transdev, the 39-seat e-bus is powered from solar energy sourced locally at the company’s Capalaba Depot. Queensland Minister for Transport and Main Roads, Mark Bailey, welcomed the new electric bus, which is among the first zero-emissions buses to hit the streets of Queensland. “The Queensland government is committed to transitioning public transport to cleaner, low-emission technologies,” Bailey said. “Under our plan, every new bus that is added to the state’s fleet of urban buses in South-East Queensland from 2025 will be a zero-emissions bus.”

VIABLE TRANSPORT Deputy Mayor of Moscow for Transport Maksim Liksutov said: “The innovative articulated electric bus, like its predecessors, has a high performance and recharges energy with ultra-fast charging stations.” “This helps to reduce the amount of harmful emissions in the atmosphere. “For Moscow, the availability of modern, spacious and economically viable transport is the most important condition for improving the environmental situation,” he explained.

Above: Deputy Mayor of Moscow for Transport Maksim Liksutov said: “The innovative articulated electric bus, like its predecessors, has a high performance and recharges energy with ultra-fast charging stations.” Below: The bus accommodates 135 passengers and has 48 seats.

OLD SCHOOL

At the opposite end of the scale, the London Bus Museum put historical buses back on the road for a day in April, with its ‘Route 65 Running Day’ event, operating from Ealing to Leatherhead. Twenty buses aged over 40 years old hit the tarmac once more to run along route 65, providing free rides for passengers. London Bus Museum Treasurer, Peter Osborn, told Twickenham Nub News: “Londoners use their buses more than other people around the country and many of us grew up with buses like the ones that will be used in our event. Museums are important, but nothing beats taking our transport heritage out on the streets for which it was designed.”

HOLA E-BUSES

Back to electric buses and Lightning eMotors has announced a partnership with Soderholm Bus & Mobility to sell electric vans and shuttle buses in Hawaii. Lightning is shipping the first vehicle to Soderholm next month, and demonstration vehicles will be available in Hawaii soon for fleets to test drive. “Lightning eMotors’ new and re-powered products give us the flexibility we need to provide sustainable transportation systems to the Pacific Islands,” said Erik Soderholm, co-owner and vice president of Soderholm Bus & Mobility. “Hawaii is making big investments in sustainable energy, and zero-emission transportation is the next step the islands have to take to meet their targets.”

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ai161414600127_21079_BusNSW_Bus_Show_Advertisement 2021 V2 PR.pdf

24/2/21

4:53 pm

CMY

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NEWS

‘DON’T DISMANTLE BUSES TO HIDE TRAM MISMANAGEMENT’: UNION THE RAIL, TRAM AND BUS UNION (RTBU) NSW has called on the NSW government to tell the public whether the Sydney Eastern Suburbs buses will be dismantled [to] prop up the struggling light rail, as extremely low patronage figures released recently again called the project’s business case into question. “Commuters should not have their direct bus routes into the city cut short at their local tram stop just to inflate patronage figures and cover up the government’s own incompetence,” said RTBU NSW tram and bus division president Daniel Jaggers. “The government has already made a complete hatchet job of our bus network in the last year, blowing out journey times by axing direct bus routes into the city and forcing commuters to change services multiple times just to get around. “I’d like to ask the Transport Minister: how does forcing commuters to get off and on different modes of public transport improve the customer experience, as he and Transport for NSW keep banging on about? “The Our Transport community survey, which is the only public consultation conducted with commuters about privatisation and changes to the bus network, found overwhelmingly that commuters don’t want to be forced to change services every day just to get by. 18

“From day one, the sheer incompetence on show with the light rail project has been astounding. The acceptance of a ridiculously optimistic business case, a $3 billion cost blowout, and the public is footing the bill. “The light rail is a great way to get across the CBD and over to Randwick, but it only works alongside an expanded bus network that still takes commuters from across the eastern suburbs all the way into the city. “Any extra capacity gained in the bus network because of light rail should be used to build more bus services in the eastern suburbs instead of cutting them back. “Forcing all those people onto trams would be an absolute disaster for journey times.” ABC magazine contacted Transport

for NSW (TfNSW) for comment. “Transport for NSW is developing an integrated transport network in Sydney’s South East, designed to improve how customers move around the local area and travel between major hubs such as Sydney CBD, Central station, Randwick, Kingsford, and Taylor Square,” TfNSW replied. “The plan will adjust bus services in the South East to reflect changed customer travel patterns, while retaining express bus services to the city in order to complement the light rail network. “Planning for these changes is underway and will be informed by Opal data, changed customer travel patterns and feedback. “The community will be consulted on these plans once they are finalised.”

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BUSWORLD EUROPE 2021 CANCELLED: 2023 NEXT EVENT IT IS WITH DEEP REGRET the Busworld event organising team has announced that the 2021 Busworld Europe show – which was to be held October 9–14 – has been cancelled for this year. According to an official statement issued Friday, March 19, at 11.19PM AEST, organisers state: “With pain in their heart Busworld decided to cancel Busworld Europe 2021. “For the Busworld Team, the event is more than just business, it’s a passion. When the customers are happy, Busworld is happy. Literally everything was done to avoid having to take this decision. “But reality cannot be changed. And reality at this moment is that Busworld cannot fully guarantee its exhibitors that the visitors will join the show in October in the usual numbers. “Because there is no way of predicting travel restrictions and there is no way to measure the willingness to travel of the visitors with the negative impact of Covid-19 on their business results for more than a year now, there is too much uncertainty. “Although the prospects were positive in the beginning of the year, the promised speed of the vaccination campaigns, especially in Europe, were not met at all. And since the

preparations to participate to a trade show start at least six months before the actual show takes place, there are too many question marks for our exhibitors. “So, even though it would have been perfectly possible from a practical side to organise a trade show with the utmost respect for everyone’s safety, the bullet was bitten today and a sensible but tough decision was made: Busworld cancels its 2021 edition. “And this in the year of its 50th birthday,

Mieke Glorieux concluded: “Our thoughts go out to the whole industry, who has suffered severely for over a year now. We said it before and we keep saying that we are all in this together! “Today, we bring you bad news, tomorrow is another day. We are agile. And we’ll be back!” she explained. The next edition of Busworld Europe will take place in Brussels from October 7–12, 2023.

“Some smaller, alternative events might take place in the ‘Busworld period’ of October 2021.” a very black page in its history, no doubt. “The decision was made with full support of Busworld’s main exhibitors. They respected and agreed with the decision and all assured that they will be present at the next edition in 2023. “Some smaller, alternative events might take place in the ‘Busworld period’ of October 2021. So keep an eye on all Busworld communication.”

WE’LL BE BACK Busworld exhibitions managing director

ABOUT BUSWORLD Busworld started its in 1971 and “has completed 50 years of success”. It’s the most recognised international exhibition in the world exclusively for the bus and coach industry, it states. The ‘mother’ exhibition is Busworld Europe, with worldwide coverage, while other current satellite exhibitions in 2021 are Central Asia and Southeast Asia, it adds. In 2022, North America, Turkey, India and Russia are still on the agenda, it confirms.

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BIC

Industrial Relations Bill

There has been a lot of muddy ground in recent months (since Dec, 2020) relating to the government’s ‘ominous’ Industrial Relations (IR) Omnibus Bill. No less emphasised than by the CFMEU campaign aimed squarely at prime minister Scott Morrison, depicted as a bus driver speeding towards a crowd of workers.

e think it is fair to say that many Australians, and an even greater number of bus enthusiasts, would have found the advertisement offensive. And yet the ad continued to run on paid-commercial outlets as late as end-March, during a robust week in federal parliament when the Bill was undergoing scrutiny in both houses. We thought it might be helpful to put some context around this Bill and why it all started in the first place. It started with Covid-19 (in recent times – what hasn’t?). In May 2020, the prime minister announced his JobKeeper Plan to restart the economy post-Covid. Part of this plan was to explore reforms to the industrial relations system to regrow jobs lost in the pandemic. And so – the attorney-general set about assembling five working groups made up of employees, employers and industry representatives. The groups were tasked with the reform of five key areas that: a) were known to be insufficient under current IR laws; and b) had the greatest potential for job creation. In essence, the outcome was particularly focused on simplifying awards, measures to encourage enterprise agreements and fixing the vague definition of a ‘casual worker’ – all good reform elements that would ultimately create and sustain jobs. APTIA (BIC’s industrial relations arm) presented at one of the IR

“The most important thing for employers to consider right now is that all new casual employees should be employed under the umbrella of this amendment.” Reform Roundtables (August) considering casual and fixed-term employment. So far so good. Well – not quite. By the end of October, the unions and businesses in these working groups, whilst agreeing that change was needed, failed to reach a consensus. Ok, so what was the Morrison government going to do now? No problems. How about putting the IR overhaul into one omnibus bill and negotiate amendment with the opposition bench and crossbench? On December 10, the government introduced its Fair Work Amendment (Supporting Australia’s Jobs and Economic Recovery) Bill 2020, representing the most 20

significant change in industrial relations law since the Fair Work Act was introduced in 2009. APTIA at this point revved its lobbying engine and started bothering members of parliament, senators, ministers and the attorney-general to ensure that the most important component of the Bill did not fall off the ‘truck’ i.e., to provide a definition of casual employment and to allow those many school bus drivers of older age to remain casual as is their want. A particular component of our agenda was to advocate our support for a definition of casual employment to end uncertainty within our industry, especially for school bus drivers and school bus operators. We also supported the need to ensure double dipping did not occur and that casual conversion would not be compulsory for those who chose to remain casual employees and enjoy the higher rates of pay. Regrettably, the opposition and the trade union movement decided not to negotiate for a better Bill, but to oppose the Bill in its entirety. This strategy was hard to understand given the common ground achieved during the height of the pandemic and the fact the Union movement had campaigned so hard for a definition of casual employment and for stronger penalties for underpayment of wages. It was left to the crossbench, who APTIA was able to meet with and impress that this Omnibus Bill was an opportunity that should not pass by. On March 18, the Bill underwent a chaotic debate between government and the crossbench in the Senate house. After a 10-month negotiation, the Bill, now watered-down with one of the five components still intact, was sent back to the lower house for approval. On March 23, both houses finally reached a majority vote for the Bill and sent it onto the governor-general for royal assent (law), which was completed on March 27. The most important thing for employers to consider right now is that all new casual employees should be employed under the umbrella of this amendment and it is important to ensure that the casual definition and the rights to casual conversion are clearly identified in any new letter or contract of employment. APTIA will be reviewing how the legislation changes the way casuals are employed in public transport and what terms and conditions are now applicable when a casual is employed as such. Readers can keep up to date with industrial relations news by subscribing to our national bulletin by email to: communications@bic.asn.au or by visiting www.aptia. com.au.

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IN FOCUS

TRANSDEV VOLGREN E-BUS

TRANSDEV INCREASES VOLGREN E-BUS FLEET

Manufacturing Workers Union, and AiGroup representatives celebrating the delivery of new Australian-made electric buses.

Following a successful trial of its first Volgrenbodied BYD electric bus around the downtown streets of Melbourne, an additional four units to operator Transdev Australasia’s fleet have been added. 22

ith up to 87 per cent of content in Volgren e-buses being local, according to Australia’s largest bus manufacturer, the four zero-emission e-buses are rolled off the production line at Volgren in Dandenong, Victoria – which is “another milestone towards the development of a sustainable, long-term zero-emissions bus manufacturing industry in Australia”, the companies state. Transdev Australasia CEO Luke Agati

says the decision to manufacture the buses locally was an acknowledgement of the skill and expertise of Australia’s local bus manufacturing sector. “Australia is on the cusp of an e-mobility revolution in public transport,” Agati said. “For Transdev, it is our global experience paired with local ingenuity that is driving our charge towards the introduction of new zero-emissions fleets across our networks. “We want to see more Australians travelling on zero-emissions electric and hydrogen-powered buses, and we want Australian bus manufacturers to lead the

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journey with us, so communities like Dandenong benefit through more investment in local businesses and more local jobs.”

FAITH SHOWN Partnering with Volgren and local transport authorities, Transdev has to date delivered five new electric buses to Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane – retaining direct ownership of three vehicles. Volgren’s chief executive officer Thiago Deiro says the company’s internal zero-emission transition owes much to Transdev and the faith it’s shown in Volgren. “The first e-bus delivered to Transdev gave us the knowledge and know-how to adjust not only our product, but also our production facilities. All that learning resulted in a much more efficient design and building process,” Deiro said. “Transdev is one of our key partners in Australia. We are extremely grateful for their trust, and we look forward to continued commercial and technical exchange between the two companies.”

LOCAL JOBS Agati says supporting local jobs was a major factor in Transdev choosing to partner with Volgren, with the company employing 172 Victorians, both direct and indirectly, with more than 70 jobs also supported in NSW and Queensland. Chair of the Industry Capability Network and Australian Industry Group’s Victorian head Tim Piper is optimistic about the outlook for zero-emissions bus manufacturing in Australia. “We have an established bus manufacturing industry in Australia, with companies like Volgren which are internationally competitive and forward looking,” Piper said. “The wave of investment in zero-emissions buses ahead can drive innovation and strengthen the local industry, creating much needed jobs and a range of opportunities to upskill the existing workforce.” Deiro adds that each bus built from Volgren contains extremely high levels of local content. “Most of the zero-emission players

active in the market are importing complete solutions from overseas. Volgren is a strong advocate of local content and local jobs; we build electric buses in Victoria using about 80 Victorian suppliers and are incredibly proud to retain 87 per cent proportion of local production,” he said. “When you, as a government or private operator, buy Volgren you’re investing in Australia. You’re saying yes to local jobs.” Agati adds that the local production of zero-emissions buses in Australia would create new opportunities as part of the manufacture process. “Manufacturing future fleet[s] in industry provides greater employment in our cities and regions, particularly for those with a disability, or who are in priority Job Seeker groups, which is so important as we rebuild our economy post Covid,” he said. In November, 2019, Transdev purchased and delivered Victoria’s first electric bus, which is now in route service within its Melbourne bus operations, operating on the PTV network, the operator confirms.

KEY FACTS

Zero-emissions fleet • Transport industry accounts for 24 per cent of global CO2 • In Australia, transport accounts for 17 per cent of emissions • Most local jurisdictions are looking to introduce lower emissions bus fleet such as electric buses various government announcements (published in ABC News) • Average e-bus retails for approx. AUD$1M per vehicle, meaning this is an emerging market in Australia worth billions (Transdev insight and market intelligence) • Life-cycle of a standard bus is approximately 20 years (Transdev insight and market intelligence). Manufacture of electric buses According to Volgren (unless indicated): • Zero-emissions buses are complex and labour intensive to build • Procuring through Australian manufacturers creates jobs • Up to 172 employed in production at Volgren in Dandenong, with production supporting 70 jobs in QLD and NSW • Approx. 80 local suppliers are used by Volgren • Up to 87 per cent of content in Volgren buses is local (Industry Capability Network).

Above: Supporting local jobs was a major factor in Transdev choosing to partner with Volgren. Right: Transdev has to date delivered five new electric buses to Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. busnews.com.au April 2021 ABC

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IN FOCUS

ZEMTEC E-CITY E-BUS

peaking exclusively to ABC magazine, Zemtec CEO Frank Reardon confirmed the new electric bus will soon be in the NZ and Australian markets, that initial testing should begin next month and that ‘in service’ trials begin in June, 2021. “We believe we have selected the best suppliers to partner with [for] quality, support, and safety,” Reardon stated. According to the company, the ZF e-mobility-based bus – featuring a range of European, American and top-quality ancillary components – is able to “deliver high-quality, sustainable manufacturing efficiency” and that “Zemtec is leading the change to logical, efficient and environmentally sensitive commercial EV operation”.

QUICK OVERVIEW With Zemtec based in Albany, New Zealand, the E-City e-bus is locally designed and built to excel in Australasian conditions, the company explains. “Most electric buses currently available are adaptations of manufacturers’ conventional diesel vehicles, basically existing designs re-powered with electric motors,” Reardon said. 24

“That approach misses the opportunity for a radical rethink of bus design and also fails to maximise the benefit that modern EV technology is able to offer. “Every element of the design has been analysed in detail to ensure that modern construction methods can be employed whilst real-world operating requirements can be fulfilled safely and efficiently. “The E-City is considerably lighter than a conventional diesel bus of the same size and in fact, in New Zealand, can carry the same passenger load on two axles as opposed to the three axles required by a diesel. “The E-City is around 30 per cent lighter in mass than other electric buses,” Reardon stated. “This weight reduction is a significant factor, allowing for reduced battery storage. “An added benefit is that the E-City

can be driven with a Class 2 NZ driving licence and it has been designed to ensure it is not just the best environmental option, but is also the logical choice for bus operators,” he explained.

CURRENT STATUS Asked where this E-City trial will be held and via whom, Reardon answered: “Initial trials will be with Bayes Coachlines, which operate services for Auckland Transport. We are in discussions with Auckland Transport for trials to extend to other operators; this will happen but with who is the question at this stage.” In terms of great operator interest, Reardon stated: “Generally, this will be the first announcement, but we have had ongoing conversations with a few Australian operators keen to come and have a look at

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Opposite: The E-City can be driven with a Class 2 NZ driving licence and it has been designed to ensure it is not just the best environmental option, but is also the logical choice for bus operators.. Left: The E-City has been completely developed as a single 3D assembly.

panels. The saloon is uncluttered, it confirms. Air conditioning ducts are incorporated into the roof, meaning the saloon ceiling is streamlined. “A simple, uncluttered dashboard means drivers can concentrate on the road. Blinds to windscreen and side window can be deployed without affecting rear vision. “It’s a comfortable, spacious cab with dedicated personal locker. There’s no switch gear mounted above the driver’s head and there’s a top-quality multi-adjustable driver’s seat, plus optional cab A/C if required,” Reardon said.

BODY DESIGN

The E-City is around 30 per cent lighter in mass than other electric buses. the vehicle, which hopefully will happen when the Trans-Tasman bubble is in place.”

ABOUT THE BUILD The two major safety elements are in the areas of construction and operation, states Zemtec. The E-City frame is built from tier 1 stainless steel, for initial strength and to eliminate any concerns of possible corrosion and subsequent weakening after long-term use, the company explains. The interior is lined with bonded composite for added strength and fitted out with fire-retarding materials, it confirms. Safety considerations in the field of operating have led to a completely flat, unobstructed non-slip floor from front to rear, it adds. There’s also reliable, diffused LED lighting for maximum, and low-glare lighting activated by an automatic sensor plus trap free, out-sliding plug doors that have minimal internal intrusion.

The driver works in a spacious, ergonomically designed work area surrounded by significant frame structure, it states. Additional assistance consists of rear-view cameras, automatic interior/ exterior lighting activation plus automatic wipers fitted with rain sensors, it adds.

INSIDE FITOUT According to Zemtec, the E-City provides a modern and fresh interior aimed at maximizing passenger comfort and experience. A key feature is the step-less aisle from the entry to the rear five-passenger seat. Minimum headroom in aisle is 2,100mm. The steps to access seats over wheel-arches are 250mm or less and the headroom from these is a minimum of 1,800mm. Seat spacings are generous with a minimum of 300mm knee room measured from the front face of the bench type seats, Zemtec states. Seats facing each other in the rear saloon are separated by modesty

The E-City has been completely developed as a single 3D assembly, meaning its parts fit, says Zemtec. A unique feature of the design is that exterior panelling from the waist rail down can be removed and the vehicle remains weatherproof. This allows for true bolt off/on panels, it explains. Evidence to the accuracy of the vehicle is that the E-City does not go into a paint booth during production. Parts are painted prior to being fitted to the vehicle; an obvious benefit of this is panel repairs are extraordinarily easy, it adds. Spares for the ZF and Wabco systems are available through a number of suppliers and will not require any on-site programming, Zemtec confirms. The lower energy consumption in conjunction with solar charging will greatly reduce energy costs, it adds. Australia’s Gold Coast-based ATL Composites supplies the E-City with its innovative composite ‘tub’. This tub is bonded inside the frame-work, providing the floor and interior side walls. The tub weatherproofs the saloon, provides insulation and adds considerable strength to the monocoque structure, says Zemtec. As tubs are internal of the frame-work they are protected in the event of any possible accident damage, it states. The complete monocoque structure is manufactured in NZ’s Wakefield Metals 304 grade stainless steel, selected for its high corrosion resistance while maintaining low fatigue properties. busnews.com.au April 2021 ABC

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IN FOCUS

BLUE MOUNTAINS

AIRLINE RESCUE ‘UNFAIR’ TO STALLED COACHES

Jason Cronshaw says that passenger numbers have decreased from 65,000 people a year on the red buses to half a dozen on a Saturday.

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lue Mountains NSW-based tour company Fantastic Aussie Tours (FAT) managing director Jason Cronshaw has questioned why airlines received a wage subsidy beyond JobKeeper, but other transport tour operators such as coach and dive companies did not. “Why is the government pulling the rug from under the fourth largest export earner for Australia [tourism] at this stage?” Coach companies like Fantastic Aussie Tours are now unable to run vehicles because they have haemorrhaged staff and lost value and expertise from their teams, he says. FAT had operated the Blue Mountains Explorer Bus fleet of double-decker red buses around Katoomba and Leura since 1986 and conducted sightseeing tours and charters around Australia for two generations since 1974. It was forced to close its Blue Mountains Explorer Bus sightseeing run for 27 days between December 2019 – January 2020 because of the bushfires and reported a 60 per cent drop in passengers between that December and February 2020, it reports. During the weekend of March 14-15, 2020, numbers plummeted another 50 per cent almost overnight because of coronavirus, it adds. Four days later (March 19), Explorer Bus services were slashed from 15 per day to seven, with 2.5 drivers per day to one. Today, the distinctive double-decker fleet runs only on Saturdays and holidays, and Cronshaw is considering parking it permanently if business does not improve after Easter. “We’ve gone from 65,000 people a year on the red buses to half a dozen on a Saturday. We’re only running it to keep a presence.”

DELUGE OF DAMAGE Meanwhile, parent company FAT suffered an

85 per cent drop in charter work and forward cancellations from schools and corporates and other group travel until October, it confirms. The average weekly driver roster of 350 hours had dropped to 78, it adds. Cronshaw says the ‘deluge of damage’ to the coach industry had already been felt; he knew of one company which pre-Covid carried thousands of passengers to the Blue Mountains and was now in liquidation and trying to sell 23 coaches, he says. Cronshaw and operations director Darrell Booth had already sold one of the company’s retro Ansett Clipper tour buses and two other vehicles, and had also put two double-decker Explorer Buses on the market, he confirms. Booth is worried that, like the dive boat

industry, “…it’s not only the millions of dollars’ worth of assets in vehicles, there’s the loss of people, skills and qualifications that, once gone, takes enormous time and cost to rebuild in a business”. “This talent won’t be available at the drop of a hat.” Numerous bus and coach drivers had already left the tourism industry for more reliable work, he said. “They’d have rocks in their heads to come back to an industry at the whim of a political decision,” Booth said. FAT, which prided itself on its long-term experienced employees, was already seeing staff looking for options now JobKeeper was coming to an end.

“Why is the government pulling the rug from under the fourth largest export earner for Australia [tourism] at this stage?” The liquidation of coach fleets would see vehicle values plummet and devastating flow-on to other sectors such as manufacturing. “These companies about to go broke will put unsustainable prices to the market and further affect sustainable business,” he said.

Above: The distinctive double-decker fleet runs only on Saturdays and holidays and may be parked permanently if business doesn’t improve. Left: With experienced staff leaving for other industries, there is a serious skills drain in the industry. busnews.com.au April 2021 ABC

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IN FOCUS

TRANSDEV DRIVER CELEBRATION

PASSENGER ‘THANK YOU’ HIGHLIGHTS BUS DRIVER VALUE Two Transdev bus drivers collectively celebrating 105 years working in the Victorian public transport industry have helped underline the often unappreciated impact the transport-career path has with its many grateful customers.

he drivers – John Dussi (50 years of service) and David Reeve (55 years of service) – based at Transdev’s Sunshine West depot, both began their careers on Victoria’s tram network before becoming bus drivers, Transdev confirms. Last year, they clocked up their respective milestones. However, Covid-19 restrictions delayed plans to celebrate the significant career achievements. According to the company, Dussi says that no matter where he goes in Melbourne he is recognised by former passengers.

Transdev Melbourne managing director Ian Craig said: “Both John and David bring an incredible wealth of experience to our team and a strong commitment to serving the Victorian community. “For more than half a century, both men have helped thousands of Victorians get to where they need to go. “We are proud to have drivers whose knowledge and experience is highly valued by everyone at Transdev.”

PASSING TRIBUTE Over the years, both drivers have witnessed significant changes and growth to the city and advancements

in the technology and comfort and safety of buses, but the customers and their experiences remain some of the most memorable moments on the job, they say. Dussi says he has had many memorable customers over the years and adds some passengers can become like family. “I used to drive four older ladies from Abbotsford to St Francis church in the city to clean the pews and arrange the flowers. I formed a good friendship with one of the women, Teresa,” he explained. “She was friendly with all the bus drivers and was one of the nicest people you could ever meet.

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“When she passed away she arranged for a box of chocolates to be delivered to the depot to say thank you to the drivers with a copy of the order of service from her funeral so we’d know who it was from,” he fondly recalled. Transdev marked the milestones of Dussi and Reeve with a celebration at its Sunshine West depot and special messages on destination banners on buses driven by the drivers.

ABOUT TRANSDEV Transdev believes public transport plays an important part in how a city comes to life, it says. Its day-to-day work influences families, friends and future generations where they live, work and play, it explains. In Australasia, Transdev has 6,170 people passionate about operating its 2,010 vehicles and vessels, which deliver more than 160 million customer journeys each year, it states.

Transdev marked the milestones of Dussi and Reeve with a celebration at its Sunshine West depot. Opposite: : Celebrations may have been delayed from last year, but both drivers are now getting the recognition they deserve. Top: Transdev marked the milestones of Dussi and Reeve with a celebration at its Sunshine West depot and special messages on destination banners on buses driven by the drivers. Right: “For more than half a century, both men have helped thousands of Victorians get to where they need to go,” said Transdev. busnews.com.au April 2021 ABC

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BRISBANE TRUCK SHOW

TRUCK FESTIVAL IN THE PARKLANDS Of all the places to hold a truck show! How could you ever hope to beat the surroundings of Brisbane’s amazing South Bank Parklands?

outh Bank is Brisbane’s premier dining, lifestyle and cultural destination and the streets will be closed for this year’s South Bank Truck Festival in May. The locals are rolling out the red carpet in preparation for your arrival. And it is up to all of us to show the Brisbane community how much we appreciate their hospitality. So, the Heavy Vehicle Industry Australia (HVIA) truck display will honour our connection with the community and tell stories of the different roles we play. HVIA will explain to them how proud it is of the industry’s innovation, skilful engineering and world-class local manufacturing. HVIA will be putting on some entertainment and hopes you will mix amongst the locals and let them experience the generous heart and soul that underpins every one of you. HVIA will invite the locals and visitors from far and wide to come and share the experience with us. And we will leave an indelible mark on them that will further elevate their perception of us, and our role in the community. Meanwhile, the locals will be catering for you too. They are opening their doors and their arms to welcome you to their wonderful establishments. They’ll be rolling out the proverbial red carpet for you and your guests to create a festival atmosphere, including free live entertainment; many will be offering special deals for truck show visitors. Come and join the fun at the South Bank Truck Festival. It’s a major heavy vehicle display and entertainment and networking hub. Little Stanley Street and Stanley Street Plaza will be closed to traffic for a major display of trucks and trailers. The Heavy Industry Week will see 30–40,000 people enjoying this exciting initiative, a place for our industry to gather with customers, mates – both old and new – and the broader community. Come and share in the spirit of this fabulous week of events.

STRONGMAN TRUCK PUSH AIMS FOR GUINNESS WORLD RECORD Over the past couple of years, Troy ConleyMagnusson has had a lot of attention due to his many amazing exploits. He has had more than a fair go at a number of phenomenal records. A Guinness World Record is inevitably going to feature his name very soon, and it could very well be as a result of his next challenge, during the South Bank Truck Festival. “What’s important for me is the fundraising,” Conley-Magnusson said. “That’s absolutely number one. If we can drive that past $30,000 that would be incredible. “The record is then a nice bonus.” He says that while the challenges are great fun, they are for a serious reason. “It’s all about helping kids that have been seriously injured or diagnosed with critical illnesses like cancer and leukaemia,” he said. “Unfortunately, that is what happened with young Ava. At just two-years-old, she was diagnosed with a rare form of leukaemia and subsequently lost over 98 per cent of her bone marrow. “Thankfully, now five years on, she’s ok and in remission, largely thanks to the support Little Wings, Ronald McDonald House and Sydney Children’s Hospital offer.” Last November, Conley-Magnusson was attempting to break the Guinness World Record for Most Cars pulled by an Individual with 16 Hyundais, weighing over 25 tonnes. Unfortunately, he came up short of the record by five metres due to a misplaced foot on one of the car’s brakes! To keep momentum going and keep driving the fundraising, Conley-Magnusson was looking for another challenge. “I’ll be looking to set a new Guinness

World Record for the heaviest truck pushed by an individual for 100ft (30m). Currently this is 11 tonnes,” he explained. Daimler Truck and Bus Australia is supplying a 12-tonne Freightliner Cascadia for the attempt. “After the failed world record attempt last year I received a message from Ava’s mum,” Conley-Magnusson added. “For all the things I’ve done in my life, nothing has moved me in the way that did. “So, now I’m a man possessed, and a man on a mission, to ensure we reach our $30,000 target.” Here is a small excerpt from Ava’s mum Kathy’s letter: “Ava and I were chatting about you and she realised you lived at Ronald McDonald house as well for a long time when you were little, then the penny dropped. “You could see her eyes begin to sparkle. She asked ‘so I could do that?’ “I think it would be amazing if you could go and tell all the kids who stay at Ronald McDonald house your story.” Conley-Magnusson explained: “Going the extra mile like I am at the moment to help the community, to allow kids like Ava to be able to follow their dreams, and support families like hers when they need it the most; that’s all I need.” Make sure you are there to support Troy on Friday morning, May 14. Go to www.truckfestival.com.au to donate.

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COVERSTORY

CHALLENGER V12

IT TAKES ONE

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TO KNOW ONE Challenger Bus and Coach has built a bus for the Aussie industry from having been an operator within the Aussie industry. The result? The Challenger V12 - with a focus on simplicity and safety. WORDS AND IMAGES PAUL ALDRIDGE

“A

n opportunity arose to build something I thought would make my life easier long-term and other bus operators’ lives easier long-term,” said Challenger Bus and Coach managing director Greg Sloan. “Rather than build a bus from the point of view of somebody that just wants to sell one, the Challenger is built from a point of view of somebody who uses one and works on one, and wants to make your life a lot less complicated with repairs. The whole process has been built around the point of view of a bus driver, a bus owner and a bus mechanic.” Today’s test drive of the V12 is encapsulated in these words from Sloan – a passionate bus man who will tell you “all he knows is buses”. This is a build that’s come from a bus man, and in his own words ‘built for bus people’. It’s a huge leap from being a fleet operator to a bus builder and one that Sloan explains came about in part by a life of experience in the industry and part by a chance meeting that set the wheels in motion, resulting in the Challenger V12. “We’ve had bus fleets all our lives,” explained Sloan, as to how it all got started. “I’ve been operating up in Far North Queensland and the structure up there for buses was basically for replacement and was based on the Chinese-style build bus. We didn’t find them unreliable, but there were definite quality issues that were prominent. “I met an engineer from China that had worked in the Australian building and design of buses. He had a project

going and I took the project over from him, putting our stamp [on it] of what we thought would work with the buses and that’s how we ended up with the Challenger. “Initially, we got three buses that were in the build process when we took over, so they were at a factory at Ay, China. The Ay factory was government-owned and had issues with operation, so then we sought to change and make the new models. We sourced a builder in Guangdong Provence, GT Bus Company. They build buses for ADL, companies in Israel, Hong Kong and the New Zealand market for ADL, which includes electric buses and contract builds. They’re basically a contract builder rather than build their own products and they only build for the export market.”

FROM CONCEPTION TO BUILD The road from conception to having a vehicle viable for the market is a complicated process. “We went with the basic design of what we wanted and then worked with our engineers and their engineers to come up with exactly what we needed with all the equipment that we wanted,” said Sloan. “Number one: figuring out what the vehicle is going to be used for and what its place is in the market. ”The 12-metre [bus] was basically built from the needs of my company, that’s the type bus we use – a 12.5m, 57-seat school bus – and we made it simple. I tried to make it well built, simple to work on, reliable and built for long life.” It took about 12 months from start of concept to starting to build, he says. “We have our engineer there overseeing the process as it goes along. busnews.com.au April 2021 ABC

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COVERSTORY

CHALLENGER V12

If they need you and they ring, you deal with them straight away and that’s why I believe our focus to support the people who buy buses from us is a real point of difference.”

DRIVE TRAIN

Above: Seats come from Spanish company Fansia that are made and fitted in China. Below (L - R): Dual-filling tanks means greater ease when refuelling; A Cummins engine is coupled with an Allison six-speed transmission and ZF suspension. Opposite, Top: The driver gets a Grammer air-ride seat with dual arm rests.

When I was able to travel, I was there usually about a week every month, just to go and make sure that any issues I could help resolve and see first-hand what needed to be done.” The Challenger ideology is simplicity achieved by standardising componentry between the different vehicles, Sloan explains. “The concept of the 10-metre Challenger was to develop a bus that’s basically the same as the 12-metre, just smaller. We’ve used a different front end and a different rear end as a price point because it’s slightly lighter and basically the windscreens and a lot of the parts between the two buses are identical, so if you have both of them in your fleet you don’t really need to change too much. They’re both Allison, both Cummins, different size motors, but again pretty much most components go between the two buses,” making an operator’s life easier, said Sloan.

OPPORTUNITY CALLS Sloan’s years in fleet operations has given him the ideal knowledge to understand what operators need and, if he sees a gap in the market, the Challenger family will continue to expand, he says. “At the moment, we’re developing an 8-metre bus with about 25 to 30 seats that could be used as a school bus [or] a day coach and, basically, I want the same features and the 34

same reliable running gear with great parts accessibility with OEM back-up. I certainly have a need for that size bus in my fleet and I know other people do. “I know that the market’s a bit slim on choice in this category and I believe there’s an opportunity there to build something into that, that’s how we do it. “I believe, just through our experience of operating, that we can come up with a vehicle that would fit the gap. I listen to other people in the industry, speak to other people, read industry magazines and whatever, just to get the feel for what they’re looking for. It’s going to take a while to develop and there will be of course trial and error before we strike on something.” On the Challenger website, there is a huge focus on what the company can promise operators after they’ve purchased a Challenger Bus. Asked what Challenger does that sets them apart, Sloan says, first of all, when a customer calls the business, “they actually speak to me”. “Anything we need to do, we do instantly and our biggest concern is having an operator’s vehicle on the road again because I understand the importance of this,” he continued. “I offer them reasonably priced parts basically to ensure they’re not left feeling forgotten once they have actually purchased a bus from us.

With most aspects of the Challenger, Sloan’s own experience played a huge role in componentry choice. The drive train, for example, was based on what he knows and trusts, explaining he has run this style of drive trains on his own vehicles for many years. “My own fleet’s mainly Cummins,” he added. “The independent suspension chosen is ZF because it’s worldwide, it’s well known and well supported. Thermo King air conditioner is a proven product and well supported in Australia. All the running gear we’ve put in it is selected on the basis that it’s proven to be reliable and well accepted in the industry. The Wabco braking system was chosen by the engineers; it’s pretty complicated how the compliance and technical side works in that part of the vehicle, so that was left to the experts.” Mobileye is one of the safety systems that comes as standard with the Challenger, which Sloan explained is claimed to reduce accidents by up to 40 per cent. “I actually got to go for a drive on a vehicle in a government-run factory in China and if you’ve ever been to China it’s so busy and the

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At the moment, we’re developing an 8-metre bus with about 25 to 30 seats that could be used as a school bus [or] a day coach.

roads are crazy. I was impressed by how the system worked. It’s well supported and there’s an Australian company doing it; it’s a worldwide accepted safety system,” added Sloan. “It shows your speed, your proximity to vehicles, lane departure, it has warnings that beep and then puts the warning up in a screen on the dash, and it just basically keeps the driver alert of what’s going on around them. With time using the system

it’s been shown to make drivers become more attentive because you are prompted so much that you gain recognition in your actions, and you don’t want the beeps and the warnings to go off. So, you learn how to work within the system. It’s another way of driver training.” The Challenger also has a CANBUS wiring telematics system, which Sloan explains works on signals rather than currents, which results in less wiring and greater ease of operation. “If something goes wrong, I can go back to our engineers and they can pretty much do it over the phone. If a customer’s got an issue we can usually deal with it in a phone call, or just with photos and we can chat, show them what to do and how to fix things. Every wire is marked by number and it’s also tagged in English to ensure ease of repair. It just makes life for electricians, auto-electricians and bus mechanics easier for them to find out where everything is,” he said. “It also reduces all your circuits and fusing, and it just makes life simple. They have redundancies in the system, so if you leave a circuit you can grab another circuit. As long as the engineer tells you what to do you’re all good to go. I just believe, the way the industry is going, compliance is everything. And if you have all these busnews.com.au April 2021 ABC

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COVERSTORY

CHALLENGER V12

Anything we need to do, we do instantly and our biggest concern is having an operator’s vehicle on the road again because I understand the importance of this.

Above: Cummins ISL 8.9-litre 360hp (268kW) Euro 5 engine with 1,550Nm. Below: The alloy bullbar and stone guard are standard inclusions. Opposite: The Challenger comes with a maintenance kit for the air tanks, located in the luggage areas and handy for remote maintenance if needed.

features now then you don’t have to retrofit them later on.” We like to ask builders what they are most proud of with their end product as, for most, the process has usually had a huge personal input – often based on industry knowledge, customer feedback and sometimes a history of industry experience. Sloan’s reply summed up his approach: “What am I proud of? I think it’s [the] simplistic concept of the vehicle, to reduce maintenance costs. We’ve tried to keep it as simple as we can, but include features that make it desirable.”

That might sound far from a big sales pitch, but in an industry where it’s often the bells and whistles that make us sit up and take notice, yes, this is a vehicle with a long list of attractive inclusions, but it is refreshing to hear it is the basics and what will be offered that really has made this bus builder proud of his Challenger V12. “I don’t want to be the biggest bus builder in the world, that’s not what this is about,” added Sloan. “It’s a good, reliable, serviceable unit that can be a workhorse.”

TEST DRIVE The Challenger V12 externally is a good-looking coach, but behind the façade there are a lot of value-added features that impressively come as standard. Upon approach the alloy bullbar and stone guard are the first of standard inclusions that traditionally are added extras. The remote door opener too is standard. The engine is a Cummins ISL 8.9-litre with 360hp (268kW) and 36

1,550Nm (Euro 5). In our opinion, a bus or coach that has way more power than needed is always a huge positive for driver fatigue as the power does the work and it also has the added benefit of better fuel efficiency, as you don’t need to be pushing to get the bus to do what’s needed. As soon as you take off, the power is there and it’s the sort of eat-hills power that is great to drive out on the open roads. The engine is coupled with an Allison six-speed transmission and ZF suspension. Sloan made the drive train choices based on his experience as both driver and operator – and it would be hard for anyone to fault this combination. Instantly, it’s a pleasure underfoot. We didn’t have an opportunity to take it onto any country roads, but it loved the highway. The seating choice is from a Spanish company called Fansia, though they are made, assembled and fitted in China. Fansia was chosen because it operates in China and can be fitted there so a complete vehicle can arrive in Australia ready to go. Operators can also choose the seating brand they want so, although the Challenger can come ready to roll, operators can still customise. In this test vehicle it has 57 fixed velour-covered seats, which are certainly comfortable. The driver’s seat is a Grammer air-ride seat and also certainly comfortable. As soon as you hit that seat you know you’re in a luxury coach. It comes with dual armrests another good driver comfort. There are also windscreen blinds made wider to ensure a big reduction in glare and drivers have their own ducted air conditioning. Safety features galore are included with the Challenger V12, future proofing the vehicle for changing standards and taking the responsibility of “carrying precious cargo” very seriously. The Mobileye collision warning system has 360-degree cameras with proximity sensors, blind spot monitoring and data recording. The warning system ensures the driver is aware at all times. Until you drive a fully loaded vehicle it is hard to appreciate the responsibility drivers

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Specs MAKE: Challenger Bus MODEL: Challenger V12 ENGINE: Cummins ISL 360 (Euro 5); Power - 360hp, Torque - 1,550Nm/1,1001,500 rpm FUEL CAPACITY: 400L TRANSMISSION: Allison T390R six-speed BRAKES: Disc BODY DIMENSIONS: Length - 12.36m, Width - 2.5m SEATING: Up to 83 AIR CONDITIONING: Thermo King SUSPENSION: Front - 2x independent air suspension; Rear - 4x air spring controlled electronic

have, so tools that make us better and safer drivers are a win-win for everyone – drivers, operators and passengers. The system shows your speed, your proximity to vehicles, tailgating, your lane departure; it has warnings that beep and then puts the warning up in a screen on the dash, and it just basically keeps the driver alert of what’s going on around them. All vision from inside the bus is great and the mirrors are remote controlled and heated. Large, flat expanses of glass really make it feel spacious inside for passengers; the window tint is built into the glass at the factory and, although it was an overcast day, there was lots of glare, but inside was really comfortable. Another notable feature are the dual filling tanks, with one on each side of the bus, so there’s no ‘pulling into the incorrect side of a service station’; just fill at the first available bowser. It also has a big 400-litre capacity tank. One handy feature rarely seen as standard is that each Challenger bus comes supplied with an airline, an air jack, three quarter impact wrench, basic tool kit and a socket kit. So, if you need it, there are air fittings in the side luggage bins where the air tanks are. You just put the fitting straight into the air tanks, plug your line in, put the jack underneath and then bang with the gun.

Sloan explains that he added these components because it’s something, as an operator, that he has in all his own buses. This is a perfect addition for small operators with limited manpower, remote and regional drivers, and any bus that’s a long way from home, in order to perform simple tasks to keep the bus on the road. Yes, all drivers won’t be able to complete simple bus maintenance but, when drivers are going on long hauls in remote areas, having the tools to complete maintenance as a driver would give good peace of mind.

Overall, you can’t help be impressed by the standard safety features and inclusions on this bus, but standouts in terms of driving it would have to be the power and the turning circle letting you move this bus around like you wouldn’t expect to. Clearly, this vehicle handles impeccably. The excellent manoeuvrability would make this a great city bus as well as a regional driver, for sure. As soon as you get behind the wheel you can feel this is a ‘drivers bus’ – so well done, Challenger! busnews.com.au April 2021 ABC

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OPERATOR

MAHU CITY EXPRESS

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HERALD OF THE FUTURE Ten years ago Julian Ostling moved to New Zealand from the UK and started a car pool to Auckland’s CBD from a neighbouring town. The experience was such a success he expanded the idea with a luxury daily commuter service and, six years later, his business is continuously expanding, recently taking delivery of a new luxury JW Group electric coach.

WORDS ANJALI BEHL IMAGES TANJA DOVE (LITTLE DOVES PHOTOGRAPHY)

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OPERATOR

MAHU CITY EXPRESS

Commuters are finding our services a much more appealing option than public transport.

etween the hazes of coronavirus restrictions and nationwide lockdowns since early last year, a New Zealand-based small coach operator managed to pull off a pretty cool feat: the launch of NZ’s first electric coach. Mahu City Express showcased its first Yutong Tce12 coach at a special event at the Matakana Sculptureum, some 60km north of Auckland.

Top: The latest addition is a Yutong Tce12 electric coach from JW Group. Above: Mahu City Express founder and director Julian Ostling. Opposite, Top + Below: Passengers can book a seat online or through an app, with a free trial included; Mahu City Express showcased its first Yutong Tce12 coach at a special event at the Matakana Sculptureum.

The event was attended by a small gathering including NZ transport minister Michael Wood, members of local iwi (tribe) Ngati Manuhiri, Mahu City Express founder and director Julian Ostling, and the team from JW Group – the company behind the import of the new coach. Warkworth-based Mahu City Express is a luxury express commuter bus service. Its core commuter service runs from both Warkworth and Snells Beach to Auckland CBD every working day. Meanwhile, its charter service pans a little wider – from Auckland to Warkworth, Sandspit, Matakana and Leigh/Goat Island allowing passengers, as Ostling puts it, to “sample all that this wonderful region has to offer”. The company’s philosophy is to turn commuting time into quality time – whether that’s relaxing, getting some work done, listening to a podcast with headphones

on or chatting with fellow commuters. Ostling, who continues to have a day job at the bank Westpac, has a background in project management and business analysis. The bus and coach industry was a completely novel idea for him when he started. “After moving here from London in 2011, I realised that, unlike in the UK, there were not many options for people living outside Auckland to get to the city other than drive. There was a clear need for a decent commuter service to Auckland from surrounding towns. “I thought I could make the daily commute a much better experience, and much cheaper, so I started this little commuter bus service in October, 2015, and it’s been growing ever since, with the exception of the last 12 months. In between the commute we try to find day-tour work for the coaches, such as weddings and concerts.”

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ELECTRIC COACH With Auckland planning on creating a Zero-Emissions Area (ZEA) in the CBD by 2030, which would prohibit diesel heavy vehicles from entering the city centre, Ostling decided to explore other options for his coaches. “The government has rolled out funding programs to help businesses become early adopters and I wanted to get ahead of the pack and go electric. Recently, an opportunity presented itself and I finally bought my first electric coach,” he said.

The coach is co-funded with NZ$352,500 from the Energy Efficiency & Conservation Authority (EECA). The EECA funding will also go towards a 120kW heavy EV charger to service the coach. The DC charger can make full charge possible in less than two hours. The coach features a 281kW battery with a range of around 300km. On Mahu’s daily commuter route, the coach will do a round trip of around 150km every day and can seat up to 40 passengers. Other features include: full ECAS air suspension with twin front air bags and four rear air bags; Sachs shock absorbers and kneeling function; a Yutong steering axle with ZF 8098 electro-hydraulic energy saving power-assisted steering; and a Meritor drive axle. The rear axle, including all suspension and braking, is the same as a conventional diesel

vehicle for ease of maintenance. It also features an air brake system with front and rear disc brakes.

OPERATIONS In addition to the new electric coach, Mahu City Express owns a 37-seater Isuzu coach, a 37-seater Volvo B7 coach and the 16-seater coach that it first started out with. The aim is to retire the diesel coaches and replace them with electric coaches, but because of the state of the tour coach industry and the secondary market for coaches in NZ, Ostling plans to keep the diesel coaches a little longer. Mahu offers commuters a free trial of the service so they can see if it works for them. Bookings are done in advance through its website or a dedicated smartphone app. “The Snells Beach Baptist Church

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OPERATOR

MAHU CITY EXPRESS

The government has rolled out funding programs to help businesses become early adopters and I wanted to get ahead of the pack and go electric. allows us to use their carpark for parking our fleet overnight and the Snells Beach Primary School have allowed us to use their carpark for our electric coach. The charger has been installed at the school carpark and the new coach is all set to hit the roads,” Ostling explained. Mahu has around 10 drivers working on a roster, with Ostling himself taking the seat behind the wheel once a week. “Because we’re a small operator, we don’t have a workshop facility of our own and so it’s very important to us to have a trusted workshop. We’ve always had very high standard for service and JW Group look after us in that department. They also helped us find the right luxury coach for our business,” Ostling added. Based in Auckland, JW Group is New

Zealand’s sole distributor for Yutong full electric and diesel buses. The business started by providing service and maintenance of diesel buses and coaches and currently it has workshops in Auckland and Christchurch. “When we started looking into the electric vehicle domain last year, the bus and coach market in NZ was very weak.

Then to have a customer like Julian, who has a very unique operation – a luxury commuter service – go in for this, is just great,” said JW Group general manager Jo Cricket. “While researching for an electric coach for Mahu City Express, Julian and I went over to London to get some feedback from an operator. We found that it was an absolute premium product – the quality is fantastic, there is plenty of power, they are popular among drivers worldwide, there are no gear shifts and the steering is smooth. We’re waiting for tourism to come back on, with people having a new attitude towards travel. While we are behind some other countries in terms of implementation of heavy electric vehicles, the concept of EV fits right where the world is going. “JW Group is at the forefront of zero-emission technology within New Zealand. Our Yutong brand of buses are going to disrupt the NZ industry, with trial results proving over 400km from a charge on city roads here. We have a great customer in Julian and we’re proud to have helped him find the right fit for his business.”

FUTURE Ostling believes the ongoing disruptions stemming from the Covid-19 crisis have presented an opportunity for businesses like Mahu City Express to grow. “Commuters are finding our services a much more appealing option than public transport. I’ve actually noticed a lot of services like ours popping up around the world, especially in the US and UK. It shows us that the model is good and we should be able to roll it out a bit more.”

Above: With Auckland planning on creating a ZeroEmissions Area in the CBD by 2030, this new electric coach is leading the pack. Right: Attendees of the unveiling of the new electric bus included NZ transport minister Michael Wood and members of local iwi (tribe) Ngati Manuhiri. 42

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INTERVIEW

JULIAN GURNEY, SCANIA

A GOOD LISTENER

Previously Scania Australia’s national sales manager for buses and coaches, and now more than two years into his role as sales director for buses and engines, Julian Gurney was gracious enough to have a quick, exclusive chat with ABC magazine regarding where the brand stands now in this region since the Covid pandemic broke. We asked him about how its products and bus business strategy – like a forthcoming new additional Sydney premises and new product at the 2021 Sydney Bus Show – will further facilitate low to zeroemissions transition for operators on various tailored levels, and just how Scania’s emerging technological advancement is better shaping and ‘benchmark pushing’ the overall local and global bus product portfolio. Plus much, much more… WORDS FABIAN COTTER IMAGES COURTESY SCANIA AUSTRALIA

ABC: Hello, Julian. Firstly, well done for making a success for your current role thus far. Has it gone according to plan? How have you best adjusted to any changed dynamics over the past few years and why?

aftersales – many of whom have three or

we can.

more decades of experience in the bus

For me personally, the addition of the

industry. In fact, there’s well in excess of

engine sales portfolio has meant that I

200 years of local bus industry experience

have had the opportunity to learn about

in this group alone!

a whole new area of the business and,

Even more beneficial, this experience is

disappointingly, still waiting to go on a sea

spread across our nine company-owned

JG: Thanks Fabian, very much appreciate

trial on some of the new Maritimo luxury

branches Australia-wide. We believe in

your kind words. It certainly is great to

pleasure boats that we are fitting our

supporting our customers all the way from

finally catch up with you again as last

Scania engines to – but I am sure I’ll get a

the factory to their door, using Scania

year was a little ‘tricky’ to plan any travel

chance some stage this year!

Australia staff. With our very flat lines of

outside of your home state, so I appreciate the opportunity to update you on what has been happening with the Scania Bus and Coach department these past few years. In terms of going ‘according to plan’, I’d say that’s a resounding ‘yes’. If I look back at the changing dynamics over the

ABC: What is the current Scania Australia executive hierarchy and how does that best meet the needs of the corporation from a global perspective to the benefit of its local bus customers, and why?

past 12 months or so, the team has done

JG: Scania Australia is very lucky to have

a brilliant job of transitioning to the ‘new

Mikael Jansson at the helm. Mikael is

way of working’. As we all know, we have

extremely invested in the bus business and

had to be respectful of the customers’

has attended every BIC conference since

needs for CovidSafe interaction with

his arrival in 2017, further demonstrating

suppliers and therefore virtual meetings

his commitment and that of Scania

have been a good way to say G’day to the

Australia to the local bus industry. He is

bus operators.

extremely passionate about driving our

Of course, nothing beats personal interaction; it’s one of the main reasons we do what we do as all the team enjoys

we continue to support them the best

industry towards a greener and more sustainable future. As the sales director, I report in directly

communication, we’re able to deliver exceptional levels of uptime and customer satisfaction. In a few months, we’ll open a second company-owned sales and service location in Sydney at Eastern Creek – further demonstration of our financial commitment to the continued expansion of our service network.

ABC: What have you uniquely brought to this role that seems to be a natural mix for you to achieve any personal objectives and goals that you’d set? How has this role helped you evolve as a person? What have you learned about yourself that you may not have acknowledged or focused on previously?

getting out and about chatting with their

to Mikael, and, under me, I have the

customers to see how the businesses are

benefit of a team of bus industry stalwarts

JG: I am focused on achieving the results

going and what we can do to make sure

across product development, sales and

we set each year as agreed to by the

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team and I have also set my own personal challenges for this role. The 2019 sales volume was a highlight not only for me, but also my whole team. Having the team interact closely with each other, as well as the other stakeholders within the business, is very satisfying and a goal we strive for each year. I’m also focused on empowering the members of my team, to give them confidence around their decision making and to back them when they have to make the hard calls. These positive attitudes forge resilience, confidence and delivers success from both a business and personal perspective. Personally, I’m keen to further enhance the way the Scania Brand and the Scania Bus and Coach Team are perceived within the industry and, critically, how much our account managers enjoy doing what they do. By supporting the account managers who are out on the road – often for quite a long time away from their families – to be successful in their efforts is a great reward both personally and professionally for me. Transitioning from an account manager eight years ago to a sales director working with senior management in a Scandinavian company has taught me a lot when it comes to interpersonal interaction within the company across all levels. Being respectful to the people you work with, following the Scania core values as a way of working, and ‘listening’ rather than ‘telling’ when it comes to solving various issues with internal stakeholders, has been the biggest evolution for me as a manager. It’s still a work in progress, and you never stop learning, but I hope that I am heading in the right direction.

ABC: So, let’s talk about preand post-pandemic. End of 2019 Scania had eclipsed its previous high of 403 units, reaching a record 427 bus and coach deliveries (new vehicles commissioned). Few busnews.com.au April 2021 ABC

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INTERVIEW

JULIAN GURNEY, SCANIA

companies would have been looking to duplicate such results during the nightmare of 2020, but as we hit the first quarter of 2021, how are things looking for a solid to positive end of year result? And if so, what adjustment of strategy or changed forward thinking has Scania Australia to implement to ensure such a result?

JG: Talk about the highs and lows! We are very grateful to our customers who supported us to achieve the record volume of deliveries for Scania in 2019. You are 100 per cent spot-on when it comes to having to do a ‘re-adjustment’ of the previous numbers that were forecast at

ABC: The last time we really had a good chat with you, the fully integrated Scania Touring coach had been launched and, since then, we’ve reported on operators like Victoria’s Ventura having picked up eight units for its fleet – and these with a luggage space-saving slide-out wheelchair lift. How has the Touring roll-out gone thus far and to what extent did the impact to Australia’s coach tourism sector play in the overall result? Not just in terms of expected and actual units delivered, but any supply issues that needed to be overcome from China? JG: The Scania Touring has really hit its

to achieve volume-wise for 2021.

stride since the launch, and its acceptance

to review our ‘sales ambition’ for 2021, and our revised strategy.

to them this year and the Dineen Group

4. A FAVOURITE DRINK... If we are talking alcoholic then you can’t beat a pot of Carlton Draught straight from the beer tap! 5. IF YOU COULD CHANGE THE WORLD YOU WOULD... Have fossil-free electricity tomorrow.

(among others) are also big advocates of

still running at a fairly good pace in terms

the Scania Touring. Nothing like having

of overall volume; the opportunity sales

a 9.3-litre, 360hp (268kW) engine with 9

for charter coaches (two- and three-axle)

cubic metres of luggage space!

6. SOMETHING THAT YOU LEARNED ABOUT YOURSELF TODAY... …Is that there is always something new to learn every day, you should never stop being curious!

We are fortunate that the supply of the

of activity when it comes to local and

Scania Touring wasn’t impacted by Covid.

international tourism and travel.

Our team of Scania and Higer personnel

If we look at the level of customer

3. A FAVOURITE DISH... All Thai or Vietnamese food!

Off the back of the initial order from Ventura we are delivering another 13 units

have definitely been affected by the lack

2. LAST GREAT PLACE YOU VISITED... Fraser Island – more amazing than all the photos and 4WD videos portray it to be.

amongst the operators has been fantastic.

the factory understands and fully supports The city and school bus markets are

1. SONG STUCK IN YOUR HEAD RIGHT NOW... Zombie (sorry, bad dad joke!).

the start of 2020, as to what we are looking Market conditions have meant we’ve had

TRIVIAL PURSUIT

7. THE ONE THING YOU CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT IS... Family!

at the factory in Suzhou, China, kept us

support in this segment, Scania

up to speed with how the vehicles were

implemented a series of initiatives to

progressing and, as mentioned, we are

support our customers who have been

rolling out deliveries of these as we speak.

affected by the downturn. We took these

The addition of the wheelchair option has

decisive steps to release some of our

been welcomed by the operators who

operators from their commitments on

are looking to make sure they meet DDA

coaches that were built, but which they

compliance or use them for the contracts

couldn’t afford to take delivery of.

where the wheel chair-lifters are required.

8. YOUR MOST EMBARRASING MOMENT IS... Breaking my ankle gardening and having to get my wife to drag me, half crawling on one knee, out of our back yard and to take me to hospital. Going to be a while before I live that one down.

We created a series of innovative, flexible arrangements for customers in good standing who found themselves in difficulties not of their own making, when it came to their repair & maintenance contract and finance contract payments. Just like the federal government, we

We wanted to ensure these (largely family) businesses would have the best chance to survive and become active customers again.

appreciated the unprecedented nature of the Covid emergency, and we wanted to ensure these (largely family) businesses would have the best chance to survive and become active customers again after the crisis was resolved. Our goal for 2021 is to maintain the best level of support we can for our clients and, for me as a manager, I want to make sure the team understands that the numbers will be lower than 2019 – and as a company we have set a realistic expectation that reflects the change in the dynamics of the market. 46

ABC: Good news recently about some key operators picking up the new Euro 6 Scania hybrids, such as Adelaide metro in South Australia spec’ing one up with Precision/ Bustech bodies for O-Bahn busway use and Melbourne-based Ventura Bus Lines taking delivery of its first two Scania hybrid route buses, fitted with locally-built Volgren bodies . Is the take-up of hybrid tech in general still matching expectations

or has it been better or worse than anticipated to whatever timeframes had been factored in for this region? Or is it finding unexpected favour amongst operators given a cautious low-emissions transition outlook here? What has been the feedback thus far they’ve given to Scania’s product researchers?

JG: If we take a quick look around the country, there are different requirements

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from all the state governments when

program has been based. The more

it comes to their policies around the

we know about the demands on the

transition to low or zero-emission buses.

battery (capacity, state of charge, charging

The take-up of hybrid tech as a transition

cycles, beginning-of-life/end-of-life final

had to explain it in layman’s terms to potential users of it – why should they be looking into it at all?

to zero-emission bus technology (either

charge status, etc.) the better the product

JG: Geo-fencing and the functions and

battery or hydrogen-based technology) is

will be once we introduce it into the

features are a part of the Scania Zone

a solution that most European OEMs can

Australian market.

package that is available in the New

provide ‘here and now’. The operators’ interest in hybrid technology definitely still remains high, as hybrid technology is the perfect option for operators (both metro and regional city buses) looking for a product that reduces their carbon footprint, but without the necessary infrastructure and other costs involved with moving to full battery electric vehicles (BEVs). The learnings from the Scania hybrid buses that are in operation in Australia and around the globe have been a great source of information, and one on which the BEV

Bus Generation (NBG) that we will be

ABC: We keep hearing about telematics ‘geo-fencing’ technology in Europe, which is in its infancy if at all here in this region. What is Scania doing to tap into the market here with that and what are the implications for the wider bus community if and when it gains more acceptance and implementation? What is it about Scania’s delivery of such tech that uniquely benefits both Scania’s and operators’ common objective as a whole? That is, if you

launching at the Sydney Bus Show. It offers the ability to remotely and automatically regulate the vehicle speed (for diesel vehicles) and with our Next Gen plug-in hybrids we can also use it to trigger the silent mode and zero tailpipe emission modes as the vehicle passes through a predetermined area, delivering less noise and emissions in the more densely populated zones, such as the CBD. As we know, hybrids have the capacity to offer a solution ‘here and now’ when it comes to transitioning to low-emission vehicles. busnews.com.au April 2021 ABC

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INTERVIEW

JULIAN GURNEY, SCANIA

The Scania Zone concept is not backwards compatible to our current product range in Australia, so we will look at its introduction with the new generation of products due very soon. We know there are operators who would like to have these features, and so we will look to offer them as soon as we can. Unlike Europe, however, Australia has no lowemission or zero-emission zones as yet.

ABC: Scania fully electric buses for Oz – talk to me. What kind of timeframe are we looking at – the next three months, the next four years, or have changed global markets dictated that for here the focus should still be on hybrid new products for longer? What boxes still need to be ticked before Australian Scania fans get to slip their backsides into seats attached to a bus body that’s connected to a Scania e-chassis?

JG: As a sales director, I look at what products are available from the factory and, of these, what will work best for our market. Here and now, our offer is hybrid technology, mixing diesel or biodiesel with an electric motor. It’s an option that makes commercial sense and delivers a tangible environmental bonus. Just like us, our customers are focused on a commercially sustainable transport solution. At present, hybrid is the most logical way to reduce CO2 emissions. We’ll be meeting our science based targets using hybrids, reducing our CO2 footprint, and from a well-to-wheel standpoint, our hybrids score better than battery electric only power when the electricity is generated by coal-fired power, which is something we tend to forget in our race to put BEVs into our public

to compromise one objective to achieve

has been very consistent over the years as

transport system.

the other.

we know there is no ‘silver bullet’ when it

“That’s not to say we are not asking our product planners in Sweden for BEV chassis. We have and they are working on it. But it will not be an overnight solution. We will look to test and drive a BEV product in Australia soon as a precursor to a product roll-out over the next few years, but in addition to ensuring the product is right for our market, we need to ensure this makes commercial sense for Scania and for our customers – not only in the up-front costing, but whole-of-life and disposal costings as well. Our approach

comes to reducing our carbon footprint

ABC: What are your views on alternative fuels for buses? How have any changes in fuels and bus propulsion methods affected bus building, in terms of design and materials, if at all? Is hydrogen stored in bus roofs an issue in terms of materials to prevent or contain potential fires? And if not fuel-cell in coaches, any application of the Scania Europe LNG gas tech making it here ever?

across the globe.

JG: Our message on alternative fuel buses

alternative fuel rebates or incentives from

ensures environmental and commercial sustainability. We don’t believe you need 48

Scania has another 100-plus CNG buses being built for a European client with Castrosua bodies and, as you mentioned, LNG buses operating in Europe and ethanol buses operating in India. All of our Euro 6 buses that come into Australia are factory prepared to be able to run on bio-diesel, should our clients ever wish to take up this option. Bio-diesel can make a significant contribution to the reduction in operational CO2 emissions. Our challenge locally is the lack of any

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our federal government. We are working

this is a highly complex area that involves

current demands for reliable diesel buses

with DTMR/Translink in QLD to put two

incredible technology, solid and reliable

on the one hand, while working out what

bio-ethanol buses into operation in

communications systems, as well as

will be the best product to meet the future

Mackay. Fuel will be sourced from the

the questions around the legislation

needs of low/zero-emission technology. It

Wilmar bio-ethanol plant in Sarina. The

requirements for the operation of these

certainly keeps the juices flowing.

project is supported by the Department

types of vehicles.

of State Development, Tourism and

The Scania Best Bus Driver Competition

Many people may not know that my background is in environmental science

is something we all miss, and once we

(yep – a science graduate nerd!), so

can safely run these types of competitions

anything to do with reduction in CO2

hydrogen storage today versus the

again I am sure the applications will come

footprint is close to my heart. Scania as an

CNG tanks of the early 2000s, it is a

flooding in!

organisation has embraced ‘sustainable

Innovation’s Queensland Biofutures. If we look at the technology around

transport solutions’ as its mantra, which is

vastly different type of tech. The use of hydrogen for zero-emission buses is currently limited, as three times as much renewable electricity is needed to power a hydrogen bus compared to a battery electric bus. A great deal of energy is lost in the production, distribution, and conversion back to electricity. However, hydrogen is a promising

ABC: Does Scania have any regionfriendly double-decker or articulated product that we should know about, particularly from an e-bus perspective? If so, what are the chances that Scania would bring such tech and product here?

now hard-wired into our DNA. Providing ‘a better bus product’ that will see a reduction in overall emissions produced by our industry remains a key driver for me, and is one about which I am very passionate.

ABC: Jules, thanks so much for your time. Any final words or thoughts for Scania bus fans in Australia?

energy carrier and a good way of storing

JG: The double-deckers seen in operation

energy over long cycles. It will also play

overseas are based on our two-axle Scania

an important role in decarbonisation

KUD chassis that is operating in Europe,

if we are able to produce it in an

and restricted to markets that allow in

JG: It’s been great to give you and the

environmentally friendly way (i.e. not with

excess of 18 tonne GVM for a two-axle

industry an insight into what is happening

electricity generated from fossil fuel).

chassis. We cannot operate these here

in ‘Scania Land’. I know the Scania

legally. For articulated buses, the area

bus business is very excited about the

of focus is on the high volume rigid

opportunities we have with the Scania

4X2 chassis platform, with articulated

hybrids as we transition to zero-emission

e-buses slated for 2024 production.

buses. The launch of the New Bus

Watch this space.

Generation at the Sydney Bus Show with

ABC: Are there any major Scania news for this region coming up we should know about – early? Anything even you could to allude to so Scania fans get their bus fix? :)

JG: On top of the launch of the New Bus

A big shout out goes to all the operators and their staff for doing such a fantastic job keeping the schools and public transport routes operating.

Generation that we will have on display at the Sydney Bus Show, one exciting piece of news is that we are working very closely with one of our international body building partners on a hybrid school/ charter bus. The lack of infrastructure in our smaller regional towns to support BEVs for regional school/charter operators has meant that there is a gap when it comes to reducing the overall CO2 footprint for bus operators in this sector. We are still in development phase, but our aim is to

ABC: Personally, do you ever find your passion and drive for buses waning, or is it only getting more intensified for some reason? What is it that drives you each day to provide better bus product – and why?

have this product ready for 2022 sales

JG: Definitely the latter! The changes in

opportunities.

technology in the bus industry has brought

ABC: Any developments in terms of Scania driverless bus tech? And if so, and it gets here someday, what is planned to replace the legendary Scania Best Bus Driver competition that you guys used to run? Just sayin’… ;)

the new-look dash and electrical platform is going to be a fantastic addition to our product line-up, especially for those clients who wish to take on board the new safety system features such as ADAS (advanced driver assistance system) with integrated vulnerable road-user detection systems. But more about that later in the year. Finally, on behalf of myself and all the

about a whole new set of challenges for all

team at Scania, a big shout out goes to

OEMs, especially the European-based ones,

all the operators and their staff for doing

as it is fair to say the competition from

such a fantastic job keeping the schools

China is leading the charge when it comes

and public transport routes operating

to global sales volumes of BEVs.

throughout the past 12 months or so. We

While the traditional model of supplying

know you have stared down immense

a diesel-fuelled bus to our customers is

challenges. It’s been a mighty effort and

still a large part of our business, the various

one we need to recognise as an industry

state governments’ focus on the transition

just how well and how safe the movement

JG: That’s an easy one! Yes, we are still

to zero-emission buses has meant that we

of millions of passengers has been during

working on autonomous vehicles for

are now running almost two businesses

the Covid crisis. It’s something about which

both truck and bus, but as we know

side-by-side: Keeping on top of our clients’

we as an industry can be very proud.

busnews.com.au April 2021 ABC

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19/04/2021 5:00:55 PM

EVENT

QBIC 2021

Postponed due to 2020’s nightmare, the Aussie bus industry’s anticipation for QBIC 2021 – the longoverdue gathering we all needed – reached fever pitch days before it. So would random Covid cases announced just prior stop it? No chance!

MOVING FORWARD TOGETHER – QBIC 2021

WORDS FABIAN COTTER IMAGES ROB PARSONS (THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS STUDIO)

ABC April 2021 busnews.com.au

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he decision whether to attend the 2021 Queensland Bus Industry Council’s annual conference and AGM – themed ‘Moving Forward Together ’ and held April 9–10 at Sea World Resort, Gold Coast – immeasurably was tempered with a far greater chance it would be a resounding ‘no’ in the intense days, hours and minutes leading into the Easter holiday break, but thankfully for a battered and bruised local bus industry in parts, event organisers held it together to put on a fine show. Stress levels for the many involved all around would have been astronomical – and any collective chewed fingernails on the QBIC office’s floor was perhaps only a smidgeon of the evidence thus so. However, nerves of steel from organisers and probably the financial implications for all parties involved – venues, bus attendees, airlines, the association and the greater state of sunny Queensland itself – would see the event push on through, thankfully. With parts of Brisbane, the Gold Coast and then in latter parts Northern NSW – where even the annual Byron Bay Blues Fest was cancelled – with zero deaths recorded but becoming hotspots

with Covid restrictions in place for two weeks, the event could still take place. According to QBIC organisers, there was a total of 243 registered attendees made up of 200 delegates, 32 significant others and 11 children. The Irizar/Volvo Bus Australia golf day had a solid crew of 43 players, at the Volvo welcome reception there was 198 people, at the QBIC Conference itself 183 participated and the Custom Bus Group-sponsored gala dinner had 206 people. In describing the event and the lead-up to it, QBIC executive director/association secretary David Tape said: “To have our event cancelled due to Covid-19 in 2020 was extremely disappointing. Re-engaging with the venue, suppliers, members and industry for

Opposite: With a lot of work going on in the background to align the event with Covid regulations, QBIC 2021 went off without a hitch. Top: The golf day at Royal Pines was another cracker, we hear. Fore! Above: After the 2020 event was cancelled, it was time to celebrate the best of the industry.

busnews.com.au April 2021 ABC

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EVENT

QBIC 2021

It was great to finally have an industry event again, bringing together our bus and coach industry family once more.

Above (L-R): ‘Surfs up!’ Another great Volvo welcome drinks; QBIC president Frank Oliveri welcomes attendees.;

2021 was met with a significant amount of apprehension. “We constantly received questions: ‘Is it going ahead?’, ‘What if there is a lockdown?’, ‘How will my state respond to a hot spot or lockdown in Queensland?’, ‘Do we have to wear masks?’, ‘Can I sit with my friends?’, ‘Will I have to quarantine after the event?’

“Stress levels were high – and when the three-day lockdown of greater Brisbane was announced, followed by two weeks of mandatory mask wearing, they nearly popped. “My team and I basically had to bunker down and deal with now an explosion of questions, concerns and what-ifs. “Working with the venue to

Below: Custom Denning GM Scott Dunn discusses his Element e-bus at the gala dinner; Attendees watching dolphins flip around at Sea World. Hope they got good fish to eat and get a decent pension plan - the dolphins, that is! Opposite: Winners are grinners.

ensure Covid compliance was at times extremely difficult; we dealt with multiple changes on a daily basis and endeavoured to negotiate common-sense and acceptance of some flexibility in delegate attendance and event delivery,” he explained.

THE REGULATIONS “The compliance regime, which we were to comply with, was very restricting. Masks were mandatory for indoor events; no standing to eat or drink inside; delegates were to sit in the same seat and not change; we had to incorporate a minimum 15-minute bus ride prior to the dinner, so that we could have more than four people sit at a table [What the…? – Ed]; and at outdoor events masks

COMPANY

YEAR COMMENCED

TO YEAR

# OF YEARS SERVICE

Wide Bay Transit

1961

2021

Bardside Pty Ltd T/as Campbells Coaches

1981

2021

Cross Country Tours Pty Ltd

1981

2021

Emerald Coaches Pty Ltd

1981

2021

Mackay Transit Coaches Pty Ltd

1991

2021

All-About Charter Service

2001

2021

Cavbus Pty Ltd T/as Logan Coaches

2001

2021

Leisa Jones

2001

2021

ABC April 2021 busnews.com.au

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AWARDS WINNERS ACHIEVER OF THE YEAR Transdev Queensland ENVIRONMENTAL INNOVATION AWARD CDC Queensland OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION Anthony Hopkins SUPPLIER OF THE YEAR Parts Supply Solutions – Hanover THE MANMEET SHARMA PERPETUAL PROFESSIONAL DRIVER OF THE YEAR AWARD David Patrick Barker OUTSTANDING EMPLOYER AWARD Clark’s Logan City Bus Service (QLD) Pty Ltd

were to be carried and worn if 1.5m social distancing could not be achieved, though people could stand to eat and drink,” Tape recounted. So what are the lessons other state bus associations can benefit from? Tape replied: “If confronted with mandatory wearing of masks at indoor events, which can only be removed when eating or drinking, consider incorporating a range of ‘nibblies’ on the tables. This enabled our delegates to graze on the nibblies and not have to wear a mask – a good initiative and well received.”

ORDER OF PROCEEDINGS The event kicked off on the Friday with the Irizar/Volvo Bus Australia golf day, followed by the Volvo Bus Australia Welcome Reception held at Dolphin Beach and Plaza at Sea World. The conference theme highlighted

not only QBIC’s new branding, but also its commitment as an association to move forward together with its members, state government and TransLink, as it works to, “…deliver a sustainable recovery path to rebuild our businesses and the economy,” QBIC explains. “2020 is probably a year to forget. However, as an association, it signified our 20th year as the peak industry body in Queensland representing bus and coach operators,” explained Tape. “Again, we endeavoured to deliver a program that is relevant and will add value or contribute to your business operation,” he added. The QBIC 2021 program included discussion topics such as: how flexible fatigue management can benefit your future business; how we can deal with increasing daily pressures whilst maintaining a resilient and productive

workplace; future changes to the Award system; and the modernisation of the school payment model.

DEEP DISCUSSION On the Saturday morning of the event, after a conference welcome address from QBIC president Frank Oliveri, the Hon. Mark Bailey, Queensland minister for Transport and Main Roads, gave an opening address to those assembled, followed by an address from Steve Minnikin, shadow minister for Transport and Main Roads. After morning tea, Daniel Moore, program director at the School Transport Program Management Unit TransLink, gave a school sector update before Dr Toby Ford, CEO and founder of Ford Health, talked about if your own health was an asset or a corroding liability to your business. Attendees, after lunch, then got a busnews.com.au April 2021 ABC

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EVENT

QBIC 2021

about flexible fatigue management before the members-only AGM.

As an association, it signified our 20th year as the peak industry body in Queensland.

NIGHT VIBES

national industrial relations update from Ian MacDonald, national IR manager BIC/APTIA before Martin Bradshaw, general manager – passenger transport strategy and technology branch, presented on smart ticketing and the ticketing and tracking solution for school transport. BIC chairman Wayne Patch followed, providing a national update and the future of the BIC, and the NHVR’s principal safety assurance advisor Andreas Blahous chatted 54

After a lengthy and insightful day of discussions on a range of key topics affecting the Queensland bus industry right now in particular, attendees gathered for the Scania pre-gala dinner event at the Fountain of Fame, which led in well to the highly anticipated Custom Bus Group-sponsored gala dinner event and industry awards night held at the Star Pavilion Movie World.

A BIG THANKS Overall, for those who attended and from what ABC magazine has heard from many of them, given the crazy Covid circumstances it was an amazingly put-together and run event that speaks volumes about QBIC and the

Top (L-R): Julian Gurney chats at the Scania Australia pre-dinner drinks; Austin and crew welcome in a ‘shagadelic’ night for all. Above (L-R): BIC chairman Wayne Patch speaks as the late Michael Apps looks on; Conference breaks still a good time to chinwag; QBIC legend.

Queensland bus fraternity. Asked about next year’s event – if we dare so look that far – Tape replied: “We are looking at conferencing in Brisbane. Why? Ease of travel for delegates and reducing time and cost associated with attending the event, given the financial impact of Covid-19. “I would like to thank members, event sponsors, supply partners and industry colleagues for their attendance and support of our event. “It was great to finally have an industry event again, bringing together our bus and coach industry family once more. “The QBIC secretariat consists of a small team of three, a team that punches well above their weight, a great event, great job. Well done to all!” he said.

ABC April 2021 busnews.com.au

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20/04/2021 1:00:26 PM

YOU'VE TRIED THE REST

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www.segeseats.com.au 19/4/21 11:20 am

SUPPLY LINES

PARTS AND ACCESSORIES

SPRING CLEAN

They may be hidden away inside, but high-quality parts and accessories are vital to the longevity and high performance required from our buses and coaches. Here, we take a look at some of the latest developments in our market. Cat Fitzpatrick reports.

ith the bus and coach industry still recovering from the coronavirus pandemic, and its impact on public transport and tourism, it has been an opportunity for some to refresh their fleet and look at how vehicle efficiency and passenger service could be improved once these areas pick up again. Indeed, there are loads of parts and accessories suppliers everywhere, but reliability of supply and technical support is what sets the best of them apart from the rest. Seats, tyres, wiring, switches, doors, flooring, replacement panels and air-con makers all play a role in either supplying product new to OEMs or as crucial bits when things need to be fixed or replaced. Quality is paramount, as is turnaround time, and back-up service and an insightful understanding of what part is needed and why is crucial to successfully servicing the many bus and coach operators throughout Australasia these days. One company looking to improve the usability of buses from a passenger point of view is Hanover Displays, with a new range

of smart Thin Film Transistor (TFT) products. These screens can be split to show a range of information for passengers, from the next stop and travel disruption alerts to weather forecasts and Twitter feeds. Ways to keep both staff and passengers safe have been at the forefront of adapting to changed times, with Camira’s StaySafe advanced fabric treatment for bacteria and virus control an example of how pathogen control can be integrated into vehicles.

National Parts and Products (NPP) is also a major player in the OEM and aftermarket spare parts business, specialising in Carrier and Eberspaecher–Sutrak parts, as well as offering an extensive range of parts for other manufacturers. Representing Mobile Climate Control, NPP offers support and parts supply on the full range of MCC products for buses and coaches. Finally, Airbags Australia’s products are well recognised in the aftermarket air bags/

It has been an opportunity for some to refresh their fleet and look at how vehicle efficiency and passenger service could be improved. Read on inside for more information on how this treatment system works. For a range of bus parts across Australia, check out Multispares’ aftermarket products sourced from around the world and delivered to customers country-wide, including via a new location opening up in Sydney to service Milperra and its surrounding areas.

suspension parts industry, producing a range of BUSCAT air bags to be used as replacement parts in buses and trucks. There is no better time to take the time to assess your fleet and check what needs an upgrade or a fix. So check overleaf for some of the best products and suppliers in the market to see what they can do for you.

ABC April 2021 busnews.com.au

ABC_404_056_Parts & access. guide INTRO FC.indd 56

20/04/2021 12:07:15 PM

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ABC_404_057_Parts & access. guide Multispares.indd 57

20/04/2021 10:48:57 AM

SUPPLY LINES

PARTS AND ACCESSORIES

TFT DISPLAYS:

SMARTER PASSENGER DISPLAY SYSTEMS Clear passenger information is essential to ensure the smooth running of transport networks, for both the customers and the operating company.

ABC April 2021 busnews.com.au

ABC_404_058-59_Parts & access. guide_Hanover Displays_APPROVED FC.indd 58

20/04/2021 11:59:35 AM

anover Displays has been designing and manufacturing passenger information systems for the public transport industry since 1985. Hanover has launched new smart Thin Film Transistor (TFT) products to meet the needs of an increasingly digitised public transport sector looking to offer passengers the best on-board experience possible, it says. With features including multiple displays, display sizes and resolutions, the new TFTs offer greater flexibility, attractive aesthetics and the reassurance of a two-year warranty as standard. Used in conjunction with Hanover’s passenger information system software, the new displays can use templates to split display areas up for different content types – such as passenger information, next stop and transfer updates and stop accessibility details – in both static and video format. They can also show real-time information, such as rail, airport, weather and Twitter feeds, and include different content on different displays simultaneously to deliver a complete range of information from various sources.

Developed to operate under a seamless process, the templates and media content can be updated wirelessly and the TFTs are capable of integrating IP based displays through on-board architecture, Hanover explains. “The new smart TFTs maximise opportunities for operating companies to communicate with passengers in a highly engaging format,” said a spokesperson from Hanover’s technical sales team. “Offering a compact design and installation solution, the new smart models are slimmer and lighter than our previous TFTs, and can be specified in different sizes, aspect ratios and mounting options to make the most of space available. “Utilising LED backlighting makes these brighter for clearer messaging, and they can be operated through a choice of interfaces including Ethernet-based, VGA, DVI, HDMI and Display Port.”

Hanover’s latest range of TFT displays provides crystal-clear information to the travelling passengers. The TFTs are automatically updated along the route, through a number of different inputs such as GPS, door switch and odometer. In addition to next stop, timetable and transfer information, the system can also be easily set up to show location-based advertising and real-time web feeds ensuring your passengers always have all the latest news, it says. Hanover’s advanced TFT displays are capable of showing customised graphics, static and scrolling images, as well as full-screen dynamic video content, providing an enhanced passenger experience, it adds. With its TFT template editor software, next-stop data and playlists can be quickly and easily created for entire route networks. SPONSORED: , Visit: www. hanoverdisplays.com

The new smart TFTs maximise opportunities for operating companies to communicate with passengers.

Opposite, Top: Hanover’s new TFT range includes multiple displays, display sizes and resolutions. Above: TFT screens can display real-time information, such as rail, airport, weather and Twitter feeds. busnews.com.au April 2021 ABC

ABC_404_058-59_Parts & access. guide_Hanover Displays_APPROVED FC.indd 59

20/04/2021 12:00:10 PM

GLOBALLY RECOGNISED PROUDLY INDEPENDENT

G4 DESTINATION DISPLAYS

TFT PASSENGER INFORMATION DISPLAYS

Hanover’s new range of G4 LED displays are fully surface mounted and fully backwards compatible with existing products. We continue to offer an extensive range of sign sizes and colour options to suit different vehicle models.

Our latest range of Thin Film Transistor (TFT) displays provides crystal clear information to the travelling passengers ensuring the smooth running of transport networks.

Hanover’s G4 destination displays again set the global standard by offering an efficient, reliable and cost effective solution that is slimmer and lighter than our previous range of LED signs. G4 combines the very latest power efficient SMD technology with our patented power saving LORA software.

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34102 - Hanover Displays - Australian A4 Advert_02.indd 1 ABC 404.als - Base Edition 60

The TFTs are automatically updated along the route, through a number of different inputs such as GPS, door switch and odometer. In addition to next stop, timetable and transfer information, the system can also be easily set up to show location-based advertising and real-time web and video feeds ensuring your passengers always have all the latest news.

13/04/2021 09:11 19/4/21 11:26 am

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ABC 404.als - Base Edition 61

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SUPPLY LINES

PARTS AND ACCESSORIES

High-quality air bag suspension ABC-QV-5164982-TS-400

Airbags Australia Pty Ltd is an Australian manufacturer and distributor of quality, internationally recognised air bags used in the suspension of buses.

SINCE 1994

OUR PERFORMANCE IS YOUR CONFIDENCE

Proven reduced maintenance costs, competitive prices, reliable and responsive client service. P: +61 8 8384 6433 F: +61 8 8326 6433 E: info@airbagsaustralia.com.au

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ocated in Adelaide, Airbags Australia’s products are well recognised in the aftermarket air bags/suspension parts industry, it states. The company says it is committed to its products, competitive prices and reliable and responsive client service, and as a result it is the preferred supplier of air bags to the majority of the public transport authorities in Australia. Airbags Australia’s wide range of clients extends from large transport authorities to smaller fleet operators, it confirms. A System ISO 9001 endorsed company, it says that its air bags can reduce maintenance costs and come with a two-year warranty. Airbags Australia produces a range of BUSCAT air bags to be used as replacement parts in buses and trucks. BUSCAT air bags are produced to the highest standards and are made of the best quality rubber and rubber substitutes to ensure long life under arduous bus and coach travel conditions. BUSCAT air bags significantly reduce ongoing maintenance costs of bus fleets, says Airbags Australia. The BUSCAT range of air bags is suitable for many bus models such as Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, Renault, MAN and Scania.

“More “More than than just just an an air air conditioning conditioning supply supply company.” company.”

If we haven’t got it, we’ll get it for you. People are at the heart of our business and maintaining strong If we haven’t got it, we’ll get it for you. People are at the heart of our business and maintaining strong business relationships and sharing growth with our partners is our goal. business relationships and sharing growth with our partners is our goal. We are a national service operator covering Australia & New Zealand. We are a national service operator covering Australia & New Zealand. NPP supply OEM parts from Europe and North & Central America, as well as aftermarket parts from China. NPP supply OEM parts from Europe and North & Central America, as well as aftermarket parts from China.

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ABC April 2021 busnews.com.au

ABC_404_062-63_Parts & access. guide Camira-APPROVED_Airbags Aust_ APPROVED FC.indd 62

20/04/2021 12:10:55 PM

Made for a safer journey Camira ‘StaySafe’ is an advanced fabric treatment, which reduces the potential for viral transmission from fabric surfaces in bus and coach interiors.

hen applied to Camira’s wool moquette, this state-of-the art textile technology destroys viruses and kills bacteria – ensuring upholstery does not act as a potential source of transmission, Camira says. It’s formulated specifically for multi-occupancy seating in busy public transport settings – route buses, school buses, long-distance coaches and shuttle buses, Camira explains. Whilst the risk of transmission is thought to be greater from hard surfaces (i.e. handles, stop buttons) compared to fabric, for multi-passenger seats which demand increased defence, Camira StaySafe is an additional safeguard measure that can help prevent the person-to-person spread of both viruses and bacteria, it says.

HOW IT WORKS Camira StaySafe works in three simultaneous ways to attract, attack and ultimately destroy the virus, Camira says. A high-powered combination of both silver and liposome technologies firstly attracts the virus, then attacks the virus membrane, depleting it of cholesterol and allowing the silver to kill the entire virus. This is particularly effective against enveloped virus strains, providing rapid virus deactivation and destruction, while the anti-microbial silver chemistry also inhibits the replication of bacteria, it says. Camira StaySafe is a permanent

chemical finish that is chemically bound to the fabric and has a high level durability. Camira guarantees its effectiveness for anti-viral and anti-bacterial performance for a period of five years provided the fabric is kept clean and in good condition, it says.

INDEPENDENTLY TESTED – HIGHLY EFFECTIVE Camira StaySafe has been independently tested on its wool moquette fabrics and, in accordance with ISO 18184, is shown to have highly effective anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties. It is safe, durable and there is no impact on colour or flammability performance (meets FMVSS302, FAR25 & R118.03), it states. SPONSORED: Contact Camira (t: 039 832 0935 or e: info@camiragroup.com.au) for any further information.

Soon turning 200 years old, but brilliantly keeping up with the industries shift to Electric, Hydrogen & Hybrid vehicles; adhering to flammability, safety and durability requirements for seating fabrics. T 03 9832 0624 | E info@camiragroup.com.au | www.camirafabrics.com busnews.com.au April 2021 ABC

ABC_404_062-63_Parts & access. guide Camira-APPROVED_Airbags Aust_ APPROVED FC.indd 63

20/04/2021 12:11:11 PM

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2016 BONLUCK “SENATOR 9”

2009 ROADMASTER AUTOBUS

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Cummins ISB 250hp Allison auto inc retarder,43 lap sash seat belted seats, A/C, underfloor bins,4 x sliding windows, bull bar, travelled approx. 145,000klm ,very clean

Cummins ISL320hp, Allison automatic inc retarder, 59 lap sash seat belted seats, Tracs A/C, large undefloor bins, very clean,travelled 351,000klm

ZF As Tronic trans, Coach Design 12.5m body, 57 McConnell Educator 3/2 combination, Thermo King A/C, underfloor bins, DVD, travelled approx. 217,000klm, very clean

bar, travelled approx. 220,000klm

Opticruise, 14.5m Irizar Century body, 60 lap sash seat belted recliners, DVD with 3 monitors, rear toilet, underfloor bins, travelled approx. 305,000klm

$90,0000.00+GST

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automatic, Irizar Century 12.5m body, 57 lap sash seat belted seats, A/C, DVD, travelled approx. 198,000.00klm

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automatic, 13.2m Irizar Century

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$115,000.00+GST or wheelchair lift equipped model $125,000.00+GST

4 X 2011/12 HIGER “T SERIES”

travelled approx. 775,00klm

Cummins ISB300, automatic, 57 lap sash seat belted seats, A/C, underfloor bins, travelled approx. 180-220,000klm

$165,0000.00+GST

$85,000+GST each

leather recliners, tachograph, 2 door, mid toilet, many extras,

PLUS MANY MORE, CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE AT www.roddhoodsbusandcoachsales.com Mobile: 0417 699 980 - Email: rodd.hood@bigpond.com.au LICENSED MOTOR DEALER 3341258

Over 35 years experience in the bus and coach industry

BUSES for SALE

BUSES ARE AVAILABLE FOR IMMEDIATE DELIVERY.

DUE TO COMPANY ACQUISITIONS AND FLEET REPLACEMENT, BUSLINES GROUP HAS A SELECTION OF BUSES & COACHES FOR SALE:

For Enquiries please contact Geoff Ferris 0418 214 135 or gferris@buslinesgroup.com.au

Mercedes Benz 0400

Mercedes Benz 0405

Hino RG197 & RG230

Mercedes Benz 1418

1995 – 1999 – Auto – 57 Seats Custom Coach Bodies 14 to choose from - $12,000

1998–1999 3 to choose from - $10,000

1995– Auto – 57 Seats Custom Coach Bodies 6 to choose from - $12,000

1999 – 57 seats 2 to choose from $10,000

ACCIDENT REPAIRS

We pride ourselves on understanding the important needs that arise from accidents, from transporting incapacitated vehicles and speedy quotations, to insurance company requirements and minimising the downtime of your vehicle during the repair process.

 Accident Damage: Body frame, panel and paint repairs.  Storm Damage: Hail dent and flood damage repairs.  Major Accident: Full body rebuilds and mechanical repairs.  Insurance Support: Quick quotations, prompt insurance repairs.  Vehicle Retrieval if and when required. P: (07) 3344 4544 E: coachworks@royans.com.au W: www.coachworks.com.au busnews.com.au APRIL 2021 ABC

ABC 404.als - Base Edition 66

19/4/21 12:39 pm

FOR SALE Gillies Buses • 4 x Bus Runs and Home • Great Tree Change consisting of • 4 x Qld Government Contract bus runs • 1 x Spare Bus • 1 x I 20 run around car

• Large Shed/Depo for Buses • Large Storage Shed • Wheel Lifts • Student number are increasing each year • Based 2hrs N/W of Brisbane

The property is on 5 acres and is close to the town centre, backing onto Brisbane Valley Rail Trail. 5 Bedroom home with fully set up office and fantastic entertainment area. We have an excellent reputation based on great service for the past 30 years of operation.

e: gilliesbuses@gmail.com m: 0427 630 435 p: 07 4163 0435

CONTACT Phil 03 5623 5377 admin@warragulbuslines.com.au

$115,000 + GST

2013 HIGER

2000 MERCEDES 0405

1999 VOLVO B7

2015 MERCEDES 1830

Volgren body, Lowfloor, 2-door, AC

Auto Bus Body, Auto, 53 Seatbelt seats, Air Conditioned.

Irizar Century body, 57 Seatbelts, A/C, Automatic, 200,000km

$32,000 + GST

$55,000 + GST

$175,000 + GST

$80,000 + GST

2008 HINO RN8J

2002 IVECO Custom CB50 body, 61 seats, Manual, Thermoking. 480,000km

2006 HINO RK260

2013 BONLUCK

T-Series, A/C, 57 Seatbelts, 115,000km

P&D body, 57 seats, Manual. 348,000 KMS

President, Cummins, Automatic, 57 Seatbelts, A/C

$98,000 + GST

$45,000 + GST

$58,000 + GST

$120,000 + GST

ABC 404.als - Base Edition 67

2006 MERCEDES 1830 P&D, A/C, 57 Seatbelts, Manual

A/C, 57 Seats, Manual

$65,000 + GST

ABC-HH-5171496-TS-403

2013 HIGER Road Boss, Cummins, Automatic, 53 Seatbelts, A/C

19/4/21 12:39 pm

WANT TO ADVERTISE? CALL 03 9567 4154

Bookings for next issue close on MAY 13th 2021

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(03) 9782 3207

NOW OPEN! YOUR ONE-STOP BUS SHOP. BUS SALES DATA

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busnews.com.au APRIL 2021 ABC

ABC 404.als - Base Edition 68

19/4/21 12:39 pm

Comfort, convenience and capacity The D12 series Yutong is the world’s largest bus manufacturer – combining technology, design and reliability to deliver consistent quality and longevity in mind – to provide a transport experience you can trust. As a multipurpose bus, the D12 brings comfort and style with its air suspension and fully adjustable high back luxury seats. The premium option for schools, mining or charter operations, it stands tall in delivering robust safety and reliability to its drivers, passengers and operators. A true crowd pleaser.

ABC 404.als - Base Edition 69

yuton g.com . au

drive comfort at every turn. Each vehicle is built with safety and

19/4/21 12:39 pm

DELIVERIES

MARCH 2021

Delivery numbers remain steady in March Fewer manufacturers carried the load last month, exclusive ABC data reveals.

us and coach delivery numbers ended at 87 in March, a slight dip on February’s 90, but enough to keep the 2021 monthly average in the 90s. While trending downwards, it’s worth reiterating the number is still well above the average of 78 seen in the past six months of 2020, in the aftermath of the height of Australia’s Covid waves. The pool of chassis makers this month is smaller than usual, but those involved did the heavy lifting, with five of six recording double digits. Volvo in particular had a strong month with 36 its highest tally since August, 2020. Mercedes-Benz and Scania followed on 14 each, while BCI and Yutong both recorded 10. Volgren led the way for the body builders, recording 26 deliveries, with a further nine from subsidiary Supportrans. BCI followed on a dozen. Bustech Group, comprising Bustech (5), Elphinstone (3) and Precision Buses (2), recorded 10 deliveries, as did Yutong.

Thermo King remains well ahead of the competition in the air-conditioning sector, recording 36 deliveries. Spheros, on 13, had its highest number since April last year, while the last time Coachair recorded 12 deliveries was November, 2019, according to our data. New South Wales was the busiest jurisdiction and accounted for nearly a third of the deliveries. Victoria and WA followed on 26 and 24 per cent, respectively. Queensland fell back to 12 per cent. Turn overleaf for comprehensive bus and coach delivery information for February. Please note all data is as supplied from manufacturers, at their discretion.

The number is still well above the average of 78 seen in the past six months of 2020.

ABC April 2021 busnews.com.au

ABC_404_070-71_Bus Deliveries column FC.indd 70

20/04/2021 10:58:56 AM

Volgren 26 BCI 12 Yutong 10 Bustech Group 10 Supportrans 9 Gemilang 5 Irizar 4 Coach Concepts 2 Express Coaches 2

SALES BY BODY

Scania Higer 2 TOST 2 Custom Bus 1 Marcopolo 1 N/A 1

% 4% 3TAS SA

31% NSW

12% QLD

Volgren led the way for the body builders, recording 26 deliveries, with a further nine from subsidiary Supportrans. BCI followed on a dozen. Bustech Group, comprising Bustech (5), Elphinstone (3) and Precision Buses (2) recorded 10 deliveries, as did Yutong.

SALES BY AIR-CONDITIONER

Percentage by

REGION

Thermo King 36 Spheros 13 Coachair 12 Cling-Yutong 7 MCC 7

24% WA

Hispacold Konvekta Styleride KT N/A

6 2 2 1 1

26% VIC

VOLVO 36

MERCEDES-BENZ 14

SCANIA 14

Sales by chassis

The pool of chassis makers this month is smaller than usual, but those involved did the heavy lifting, with five of six recording double digits. Volvo in particular had a strong month with 36 its highest tally since August, 2020. Mercedes-Benz and Scania followed on 14 each, while BCI and Yutong both recorded 10.

BCI 10

YUTONG 10

BUSTECH 3

busnews.com.au April 2021 ABC

ABC_404_070-71_Bus Deliveries column FC.indd 71

20/04/2021 10:59:29 AM

DELIVERIES

MARCH 2021

BCI

BUSTECH GROUP MERCEDES-BENZ

SCANIA

VOLVO

YUTONG

ENGINES

TRANSM

UNITS

MANUFACTURER, OPERATOR & LOCATION

CHASSIS

Swan Hill Bus Lines

VIC

Citirider Intercity

BCI

320

Euro 5

City of Joondalup

Proma Low Floor

BCI

220

Euro 6

Australian Transit Enterprises

Cruiser 10

BCI

285

Euro 5

PKKP Enterprises

Fleetmaster 55

BCI

320

Euro 5

Horizons West

Classmaster 57

BCI

320

Euro 5

Dysons Bus Service

VIC

Citirider 10

BCI

250

Euro 5

Metro Tas

TAS

BusTech XDI

Elphinstone

300

Euro 6

N/A

VIC

OC500RF E5 1936

Irizar

360

Euro 5

N/A

NSW

OC500RF E5 1936

Volgren

360

Euro 5

N/A

NSW

OC500RF/3 E5 2543

Irizar

360

Euro 5

N/A

NSW

OC500RF E6 1936

BCI

360

Euro 6

N/A

VIC

OC500RF E5 1936

N/A

360

Euro 5

N/A

NSW

OC500RF E5 1936

Volgren

360

Euro 5

N/A

NSW

O500R

Custom Bus

300

Euro 5

N/A

VIC

OC500LE E6

Volgren

360

Euro 6

N/A

QLD

O500R

Gemilang

300

Euro 5

N/A

VIC

OC500RF E5 1936

BCI

360

Euro 5

N/A

NSW

OC500LE E6

Gemilang

360

Euro 6

N/A

NSW

OC500LE E6

Gemilang

360

Euro 6

N/A

NSW

OC500LE E6

Gemilang

360

Euro 6

N/A

NSW

OC500LE E6

Gemilang

360

Euro 6

Allstarr Coaches

NSW

K 360 IB4X2

Scania Higer

360

Euro 6

(Model)

BODY BUILDER

HP*

Rear / Front

Emissions standard

CDC Sunshine

VIC

K 360 UA6X2/2

Volgren

360

Euro 6

Coles Coaches

VIC

K 310 IB4X2

Irizar

310

Euro 5

Cranbourne Transit

VIC

K 310 UB4X2

Volgren

310

Euro 5

Dept of Public Transport Infrastructure

K 320 UB4X2

Precision Buses

320

Euro 6

L C Dyson's Bus Services

VIC

K 310 IB4X2

Irizar

310

Euro 5

Little Yarra Steiner School

VIC

K 310 IB4X2

Supportrans

310

Euro 5

McHarry's Bus Lines

VIC

K 320 UB4X2

Express Coaches

320

Euro 6

Popes Consolidated Bus Lines

VIC

K 310 IB4X2

Coach Concepts

310

Euro 5

Tasmanian Tours & Travel (Fleet)

VIC

K 320 UB4X2

Express Coaches

320

Euro 6

WBL

VIC

K 360 IB4X2

Scania Higer Touring

360

Euro 6

Frotark

VIC

B8R

Coach Concepts

330

Euro 5

Seymour Passenger Service

VIC

B8RLE

Bustech

330

Euro 5

Broadmedows Bus Service

VIC

B8RLE

Bustech

330

Euro 5

Transit System Victoria

VIC

B8RLE

Bustech

330

Euro 5

South West Transit Group

B8R

TOST

330

Euro 5

CDC B&E Blanch

NSW

B8R

Supportrans

320

Euro 6

CDC QCity Transit

NSW

B8R

Supportrans

320

Euro 6

CDC Forest Coach Lines

NSW

B8R

Supportrans

320

Euro 6

Sapphire Coach Lines

NSW

B8R

Marcopolo

330

Euro 5

Transport for Brisbane

QLD

B8RLE

Volgren

320

Euro 6

Perth Transport Authorities

B8RLE

Volgren

320

Euro 6

Perth Transport Authorities

B8RLEA

Volgren

320

Euro 6

N/A

NSW

T12

Yutong

350

Euro 5

N/A

NSW

T12

Yutong

350

Euro 5

N/A

NSW

Yutong

140

Euro 5

N/A

NSW

E12

Yutong

422 kWh

Zero Emission

N/A

NSW

E12

Yutong

422 kWh

Zero Emission

N/A

NSW

D12

Yutong

360

Euro 5

N/A

NSW

Yutong

250

Euro 5

N/A

NSW

Yutong

250

Euro 5

N/A

D12

Yutong

360

Euro 5

N/A

T12

Yutong

350

Euro 5

TOTAL DELIVERIES 87 72

A: Auto M: Ma AS: Aut O: Opti

ABC April 2021 busnews.com.au

ABC_404_072-73_Bus Deliveries Table FC.indd 72

20/04/2021 11:03:56 AM

NUMBER OF SEATS

APPLICATION

AXLES

TRANSMISSION

BODY LENGTH

uro 5

12.5

MCC

–

Sege

uro 6

8.9

–

Sege

–

issions andard

A: Automatic M: Manual AS: Auto-Shift O: Opticruise

TRANS MAKE

(metres)

AIR-CON (Brand)

Fixed Coach

Recliners

Metro

Long Distance

Charter

City or Route

School

SEATING

SEAT BELTS

uro 5

10.6

Thermo King

Sege

uro 5

12.30

MCC

–

Sege

uro 5

12.3

MCC

–

Sege

uro 5

10.1

Thermo King

–

Sege

uro 6

10-12.9

Thermo King

–

Styleride

uro 5

13.5

Hispacold

–

McConnell

uro 5

13.5

Styleride

–

McConnell

uro 5

13.5

Hispacold

–

McConnell

uro 6

13.5

Thermo King

–

McConnell

uro 5

13.5

N/A

–

N/A

N/A Y

uro 5

13.5

Styleride

–

McConnell

uro 5

13.5

Thermo King

–

McConnell

uro 6

13.5

Coachair

–

McConnell

uro 5

13.5

Thermo King

–

McConnell

uro 5

13.5

Thermo King

–

McConnell

uro 6

13.5

Thermo King

–

McConnell

uro 6

13.5

Thermo King

–

McConnell

uro 6

13.5

Thermo King

–

McConnell

uro 6

13.5

Thermo King

–

McConnell

uro 6

Scania

12.3

Konvekta

–

Styleride

uro 6

Coachair

–

McConnell

uro 5

Scania

Hispacold

–

McConnell

uro 5

12.5

Thermo King

–

McConnell

uro 6

Hispacold

–

Precision Bus

uro 5

12.5

Hispacold

–

McConnell

uro 5

Thermo King

–

McConnell

uro 6

Scania

12.3

Coachair

–

McConnell

uro 5

Thermo King

–

Styleride

uro 6

12.5

Thermo King

–

Styleride

uro 6

12.3

Konvekta

–

Styleride

uro 5

10-12.9

Thermo King

–

McConnell

uro 5

10-12.9

Thermo King

–

McConnell

uro 5

10-12.9

Thermo King

–

McConnell

uro 5

10-12.9

Thermo King

–

McConnell

uro 5

10-12.9

Thermo King

–

McConnell

uro 6

10-12.9

Coachair

–

McConnell

uro 6

10-12.9

Coachair

–

McConnell

–

McConnell

–

Marcopolo

uro 6

10-12.9

Coachair

uro 5

10-12.9

Spheros

–

uro 6

10-12.9

Spheros

–

McConnell

uro 6

10-12.9

Thermo King

–

McConnell

uro 6

10-12.9

Thermo King

–

McConnell

uro 5

Spheros

–

Yutong

uro 5

Spheros

–

Yutong

uro 5

Allison

Cling-Yutong

–

Yutong

Emission

N/A

Cling-Yutong

–

Yutong

Emission

N/A

Cling-Yutong

–

Yutong

uro 5

Allison

Cling-Yutong

–

Yutong

uro 5

Allison

Cling-Yutong

–

Yutong

uro 5

Allison

Cling-Yutong

–

Yutong

uro 5

Allison

Cling-Yutong

–

Yutong

uro 5

Spheros

–

Yutong

*Bustech Group comprises Bustech, Elphinstone and Precision Buses. Volgren’s count includes any units from its partnership with Supportrans.

busnews.com.au April 2021 ABC

ABC_404_072-73_Bus Deliveries Table FC.indd 73

20/04/2021 11:04:18 AM

MAXIMISE your audience reach with

3,315

AUDITED CIRCULATION*

+28,366 WEBSITE VISITORS EVERY MONTH†

Australasian Bus & Coach (ABC) distributes 3,315 copies every month based on the auditing period April to September 2020. These figures are independently audited by the Circulations Audit Board (CAB). Are Media proudly publishes CAB audit figures for Australasian Transport News (ATN), Australasian Bus & Coach (ABC) and Owner Driver magazines.

Visit industry.aremedia.com.au for more information. *Average number of copies distributed per issue for the 6 months from April to September 2020. †Average Sessions per month, January to December 2020

ABC 404.als - Base Edition 74

19/4/21 11:13 am

TAKE THE CHALLENGE

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Appointments and demo’s available, call Dan on 0425 752 948 or e dan@challengerbusandcoach.com.au w www.challengerbusandcoach.com.au

ABC 404.als - Base Edition 75

19/4/21 11:12 am

Custom Denning, Australia’s oldest and Sydney’s only bus builder. Established in 1955, Custom have been producing quality buses supplied to meet the expectations of the Australian customer. Element, Australian designed, manufactured and assembled is truly Australia’s Electric bus. To learn more, please contact our helpful team. P: 02 9134 3510 W: custombus.com.au

ABC 404.als - Base Edition 76

Mick Neskes National Sales Manager 0422 224 117

Graeme Morgan QLD Sales Manager 0407 703 266

Grant Mascord National Contracts Manager 0413 036 651

Jeff Burton NSW Sales Manager 0478 768 387

19/4/21 11:10 am

Australasian Bus & Coach 404 April 2021

Articles inside

event news | qbic 2021

interview | Julian Gurney, Scania

In focus | zemtec e-city e-bus

In focus | transdev driver celebration

coverstory | challenger v12

In focus | transdev volgren e-bus

operator | mahu city express

bic column

In focus | blue mountains

editorial | ignition