In focus | volvo-volgren brisbane

FINAL VOLVOVOLGREN BRISBANE COUNCIL CONTRACT BUS DELIVERED

The last bus of a Volvo-Volgren 12-year bus supply agreement with Brisbane City Council (BCC) was delivered recently.

With the occasion marked officially at Volgren’s Eagle Farm production facility, the now symbolic Bus 882 capped off a successful 12-year council supply run, which amassed almost 900 vehicles delivered from the collaborative bus duo, the companies confirm.

The handover event featured the last of the locally-built buses to leave the company’s Eagle Farm facility, as well as the very first bus – a Volvo B7RLE – built in 2009.

Volgren has been operating as prime contractor to BCC in partnership with leading chassis manufacturer Volvo.

Volgren CEO Thiago Deiro says the partnership has, and will always be, an integral part of the company’s history.

“We are grateful for the trust that Brisbane City Council has shown in us for 12 years as prime contractor, and for more than two decades in total.

“We are also incredibly proud to have been given the opportunity to manufacture in Brisbane.

“This bus, just like more than 800 before it, were made by Queenslanders for Queenslanders. And our partnership with [Brisbane] Council will endure.

“We believe that when you choose Volgren, you don’t purchase a product, you purchase a relationship. Product supply is just one element of that relationship; we have a multi-skilled fully functional aftersales team based at Eagle Farm. They are only a phone call away.”

VEHICLE EXCELLENCE

Deiro says Volgren was doubly appreciative of the BCC partnership, which not only helped to bring about a vibrant bus-building supply chain in Queensland, but helped Volgren improve its products.

“We believe we have helped Brisbane City

Council develop and maintain one of the country’s leading and modern fl eet of buses. In return, they have contributed valuably to the success and excellence of our vehicles,” he explained.

“Our Optimus is our fl agship bus and we aim to make our next Optimus better than our last. We are continually making improvements, and many of the standard features have come from recommendations that were originally modifi cations specifi c to Brisbane.”

Transport for Brisbane manager – engineering and assets – Karl Hain said: “Our collaborative partnership has seen several key product improvements for safety, customer and environmental outcomes.

“Fitting fi re suppression, setting industry best practice for emergency exits, USB charging points and the introduction of Euro 6 low-emission vehicles have been key improvements along the journey.”

Deiro adds he was hopeful that Volgren’s strong presence in, and outstanding knowledge of, the Queensland market would stand it in good stead when any future BCC bus tenders were announced.

“Volgren has a proud history of supplying high-quality buses to all of Queensland and we have built up a dedicated team of specialist bus body builders and more than 20 local suppliers.

“As Australia transitions to zero-emission buses, led by operators such as Brisbane City Council, we believe we’re well placed to supply the next generations of on-road public transport vehicles to operators in this state and across the country.”

TIME FOR REFLECTION

Volvo Bus Australia (VBA) refl ected on more than a decade of successful partnership with BCC and Volgren Australia.

With close to 80 million passenger movements annually, across more than 400 bus routes, BCC is a major provider of public transport services – with VBA at the forefront of supporting BCC through the supply of safe, reliable and environmentally friendly vehicles and servicing, it states.

Throughout the decades, BCC grew its small fl eet of 11 buses to one that now boasts more than 1,200 vehicles, it confi rms. VBA has proudly been a part of BCC’s journey throughout this time, after offi cial awarding in 2008 of the initial three-year contract to supply chassis to BCC, it states.

VBA would soon go on to have its supply contract extended for a further nine years and would continue to deliver buses with its long-time body-build partner, and BCC’s prime contractor, Volgren, Volvo explains.

We believe we’re well placed to supply the next generations of on-road public transport vehicles to operators in this state and across the country.

MODEL BREADTH

Since 2008, VBA and Volgren have together delivered 882 buses to BCC, of various bus models, including the B7RLE, B12BLE, B8RLE, B8RLEA and the Volvo B5L self-charging hybrid.

BCC was also one of Volvo’s fi rst customers to adopt Euro 5 and Euro 6 vehicles.

In addition to BCC’s support of local manufacturing its commitment to a clean, low-carbon public transport network has been boosted by the deployment of Volvo buses – particularly with BCC’s heavy investment in low-emission vehicles in advance of legislative regulations, Volvo says.

The deployment of these vehicles has not only mitigated environmental impacts through reduced CO2 emissions, but has provided unparalleled bus safety to the general public of Brisbane, Volvo states.

Opposite:

For 12 years, Volgren delivered nearly 900 buses to Brisbane City Council.

Above:

Volgren has been operating as prime contractor to Brisbane City Council in partnership with leading chassis manufacturer Volvo.

Left:

A celebration of the partnership was held at Volgren’s Eagle Farm production facility.