Scania Transit Australia

ScaniaTransit The newsletter for bus and coach customers of Scania Australia

July 2017

DYSON’S EFFICIENCY DRIVE New luxury coach fleet ready to roll at South Australia’s Premier Stateliner.

Kangaroo Bus Lines hops to Scania for new Gold Coast student shuttles.

Ballarat blooms as CDC expands its Victorian regional services.

ScaniaTransit ScaniaTransit July 2017 1

WELCOME W

elcome to the latest edition of Scania Transit, our annual update for the Australian bus and coach market.

This year we’re busier than ever delivering more new chassis and readybuilt buses in Australia, and that’s after a solid result in 2016.

A significant upsurge in sales has been driven by the success of our school and charter bus offerings, as well as city bus orders from our longstanding metro bus contract operators. Our customers are telling us it’s the appealing combination of frugal, reliable and durable Scania chassis and the availability of sought-after school and charter bodies on our chassis within the Transport for New South Wales tender scheme that is drawing them in.

We have been successful in securing business from sectors of the industry that Scania could not previously service, from smaller one to three vehicle operators to small, medium and larger regional fleets.

As always, it’s really good to bring new bus industry people into the Scania family as one of the highlights of our job is delivering a business solution that makes their lives easier and assists in growing their business through the efficient and value for money products and services we provide.

Scania Driver Services is another area where we have innovated with customer benefit in mind. We have moved on from being the supplier of hardware to the supplier of business solutions to our customers, and Scania Optimise, the pinnacle offering in our Driver Services portfolio, is helping a number of high and low profile fleets derive efficiencies and bottom line benefits from the operation of their Scanias. Using the Scania Communicator and our connectivity software, our vehicle and driver monitoring-led analysis highlights clearly

where money can be saved.

Driver Services is also very much about the drivers, the life blood of the industry, and from the first few years of experience with our connected services, we have seen an overwhelmingly positive driver response.

Drivers enjoy competing against themselves and each other to set new efficiency benchmarks and prove their professionalism. The winners are customers who enjoy smoother riding, as much as operators who see reduced fuel burn and less wear and tear on their assets, plus, of course, enhanced driver job satisfaction.

As issues such as sustainability, carbon footprint reduction, congestion and vehicle-related emissions continue to dominate the debate around transportation, the bus industry has the tools at its disposal to present a positive, forward-looking case. As we have noted previously, diesel-powered Euro 6 compliant buses would be among the cleanest, most cost-effective, practical and reliable solutions to reducing urban emissions.

Scania continues to urge all the parties involved in setting the agenda for the switch to cleaner bus infrastructure to hasten towards driving some of the older dirtier buses off our city streets. Many European cities are taking a definitive lead in applying the alternative fuels concept to their city buses, and Australia is well off the pace. It’s time we as a nation lifted our game.

As always we’d love to hear your views so don’t be shy to get in touch and find out how the Scania family can help you deliver improved efficiency with a lower environmental impact.

Julian Gurney, National Bus Sales Manager

Scania Transit is produced by Scania Public Relations. e: pr@scania.com.au t: 9217 3300 2 ScaniaTransit July 2017

Changing of the Guard

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fter 35 successful years in the Bus Division of Scania Australia, Trevor O’Brien is moving to a more senior role across the entire Scania business, and Julian Gurney is expanding his role from retail sales to include government contracts.

Trevor’s new role is General Manager, Vehicle Sales Support, across the Scania Truck, Bus and Engines business divisions, while Julian’s new title is National Bus Sales Manager.

The amalgamation of the two former bus sales divisions (retail and government) under Julian Gurney recognises the growth in strength of the retail sales business within Scania Bus and Coach in Australia over recent years.

“After 35 years of experience across Scania’s bus sales business, I am excited to be taking on this wider role of General Manager, Vehicle Sales Support,” said Trevor O’Brien.

“In this new role I will be able to support the continued development of the bus and coach product lines for Australia, as we continue to reach out to new customers with our constantly evolving product portfolio,” he said.

“Over the past few years our market share and retail volumes have increased significantly, as we introduced new product to the market that was carefully calibrated to suit the needs of our customers,” Julian Gurney said.

“With Trevor’s departure from the day-to-day government contract relations work our experienced contract managers, Steven Godbold and Grant Mascord will now handle the bulk of this work, reporting to me.

“As for the overall management of the bus and coach division, I will use my more than 10 years of experience in the industry to continue to plot Scania’s bus and coach sales course,” Julian said.

Photos: Brian Thompson and Robert Lanteri

School bus sales ramp up S

cania is growing its footprint in the school and charter bus market in New South Wales following the inclusion of attractive Scania chassis and body builder solutions in the new contract programme issued by Transport for NSW. “We have been successful in meeting the requirements of a broad range of customers state-wide, many of whom we have not done business with before,” says Robert Lanteri, Scania Account Manager for Buses and Coaches in NSW. “Many of the new customers have found that they can now access a high quality Scania chassis and have a 57-seater school bus body of their choice fitted under the contract scheme’s CAT4 provisions.

“Several customers have also been able to buy the Scania A30 as a 49-seater in the CAT3 scheme, as well. Then they add a few more seats to give them a higher degree of productivity from their school/charter bus solution,” he says.

“We have also offered Australian-built bodies in the CAT3 segment with the operator co-contributing to the costs, which when teamed up with Scania Finance had a minimum impact on the monthly payments. Not many other suppliers can deliver an operator a true heavy-duty chassis for their CAT3 school bus operation,” Robert says.

“The attraction for our new customers has been the heavy-duty chassis that has an industry reputation of excellent reliability. Back-up support from Scania and the service that the Account Managers Jamie Atkinson, Brian Thompson, Warren Young and Dean Cash offer is very high.”

Robert says the contract process allows a large number of operators to up-date their buses, which provides significant improvements in fuel efficiency, and reductions in exhaust emissions from the Scania K 310 SCR Euro 5 powertrain, as well as putting safer, easier to drive buses on the road, a specific benefit to school children in regional areas.

“We have been driving demonstrator buses around NSW, visiting operators we have not done business with, either ever before or not for a long time,” Robert says.

“They see the quality of the Scania offer, the convenience of the Australian/ imported bodies, and that these combinations are available to them on the TfNSW scheme, and then we explain the benefits of the Scania Total Transport Solution in terms of whole-of-life running costs and vehicle and driver monitoring, then we find a lot of operators are very keen to place orders,” Robert says.

“We have done our homework researching what customers want, and now we have a very good array of solutions with which to meet the market,” he says.

“There are now no more excuses for not buying a Scania.”

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Photos: Paul Blake

The effects of driver training and follow-up coaching are clear to see in the graphic, above. Initial driver efficiency training (blue line) generates an immediate reduction in fuel use, but the benefits gradually fall away as drivers return to their old ways. With follow-up coaching (green line), drivers maintain their new, good habits, over the long-term, driving down vehicle running costs.

Positive impact

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yson’s Bus Service in Melbourne’s northern suburbs is in the process of running its second, larger Scania Optimise programme following the success of an earlier pilot programme last year. To-date the results have been remarkable.

The initial pilot group of 20 drivers has been followed up by a second group of 50 drivers. Benefits already achieved include reduced operating costs and increased driver awareness, improving the passenger experience.

The Scania Optimise programme sets a baseline for performance and economy and then uses one-on-one driver engagement and monthly followup coaching, over the phone, to ensure Scania’s Driver Services division is able to analyse fleet operation data drivers continue to utilise the fuelto identify areas of waste or where drivers can providetips a more efficient service, efficiency and techniques provided by which leads to reduced wear and tear, less driver fatigue a smoother, more the Scania Driverand Development Team. pleasant ride for passengers, leading to greater customer These tips aimsatisfaction. to reduce overall fuel

Dyson’s Bus Service now has its second group of drivers being monitored

by Scania Optimise, and the benefits in fuel cost reduction, passenger comfort improvement and driver morale are already becoming clear.

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consumption, reduce wasteful idling time and encourage drivers to increase the distance they can drive, allowing the vehicle’s momentum to carry them along.

“Another key benefit is to show drivers how smooth acceleration and smooth braking provides a more comfortable ride experience for passengers, and reduces the potential for falls, which every operator would be interested in,” says Richard Bain, Scania Australia Manager of Driver Services.

“We are also looking to discourage drivers from over-revving the Scania engine, focusing their attention on driving within the green band on the rev counter, where the engine operates at its most efficient.”

“Our target has been to reduce fuel consumption by around 10%,” says Mick Reynolds, Dyson’s Bus Service’s Technical Training Manager. “While this

The depot manager’s view

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ames Deacon is a fourth generation member of the Dyson family. He is the manager of the Reservoir depot in Melbourne’s northern suburbs that runs 150 drivers and 80 buses, of which 20 are Scania.

The Reservoir depot’s Scania drivers are part of the second group of Scania Optimise drivers.

“Scania Optimise is proof that we can influence drivers to be more efficient,” James says.

“The drivers have been speaking among themselves about their results and are focused on how to do better.

“The follow-up coaching gives the programme a structure and maintains awareness of the ideas and concepts the training provides.

“As a business we have added around 100 new drivers in the past year so there are a lot of drivers who are not yet set in their ways so we can assist them to become more efficient. Around half of the drivers were new to bus driving. Our selection criteria are focused on people with a good customer service mentality. It’s easy enough to teach someone to drive a bus, but harder to teach good customer service.

“There is a greater awareness of their driving style and what they can do easily to modify it.

“Our longer term aim is to get all 400 drivers issued with an electronic Scania identification key so that we can build a data base. In the short term we will run with the Scania Optimise programme and follow-up coaching for 12 months.

“Driver acceptance has been very

high,” James says. “There were lots of questions at the start and there is a desire by the drivers to increase their efficiency scores.

“Prior to Scania Optimise we did not have anything this sophisticated with which to be able to monitor how our buses were being driven or give us the opportunity to benefit in terms of reduced fuel consumption and emissions output,” James says.

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is an ambitious target the benefit will be a substantial reduction in our carbon footprint.

“The Scania Optimise programme and the efficiency training from Scania’s Driver Development Team has had a significant impact on the fuel consumption results we have seen through the data provided.

“We are seeing some very impressive results and some areas are being identified where we still need some work,” Mick says.

“Previously we had no transparency of individual driving performance. Now we can see not only who is driving and how they are driving, but we can also match this data with the time of day and routes they are on, to get a more complete picture of how the fleet is being used.

“There some times the year The oil barrels test is tricky, but it can be done if youare can judge the of width of your vehicle well. Main picture above, drivers take the slalom before heading whenonidling levels will be high, for for The Wall. example over the summer when we 6 ScaniaTransit July 2017

had buses on rail replacement, they were waiting at stations to meet train passengers, and they needed to keep the air conditioning running.

“We have also seen the effectiveness of the follow-up coaching Scania has provided to ensure the drivers remain focussed on achieving these benefits.

“However, it is fair to say the drivers generally have taken to the efficiency training well and they are competing against each other to see who can be the most efficient and register the best fuel result,” he says.

“We are sharing the results with the driving group on a regular basis, so they can monitor their own performance, and they are constantly discussing their results in the driver lounges,” Mick says.

“The harsh braking data is very useful as well, because we can see how many incidences there are per driver or per

Driver’s View

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100 km. Harsh acceleration can also be monitored and we can respond to it.

Our driver policy is not to drive harshly in order to keep up with the timetable, because there are so many parameters out of the driver’s control, which may make them late. We tell them not to feel pressured to drive hard to avoid running late, because the passenger experience is not as good.

“Furthermore, we have seen that smooth driving actually helps them make up time as well as improving their efficiency,” Mick says.

“The Scania Driver Coach, Alana Mountfield, has a very effective way of showing the drivers how harsh braking and acceleration can ruin the ride, by getting them to sit up the back of the bus and demonstrating to them just how unpleasant it is. She has been very effective in communicating with the

drivers especially with the follow-up calls,” Mick says.

“We can see that Scania Optimise is helping drivers to keep to the schedule, particularly the focus on Green Band driving.

“In our second group of 50 drivers we have 11 drivers already meeting our fuel consumption target, whereas at the start we had only two. One of our drivers has improved his fuel consumption by 15%,” Mick says.

oran Aleksoski has been driving buses for Dyson’s for three and a half years, having shifted from Ford Motor Company where he worked at the company’s You Yangs proving ground, as a new car test driver.

He was a member of the pilot group that has been monitored since February 2016.

He says he has been driving most of his life, having started on a farm. His driving skill has been further enhanced by the Scania Optimise programme that has honed his efficiency focus, dropping his fuel consumption by an impressive 20% since the commencement of the programme in February 2016.

“One of the tricks we learned is that when people press the next stop buzzer, when you are 50-60 metres from the stop, just lift off the throttle and coast into the bus stop. This is most beneficial in the middle part of the day when there is less traffic.

“Also, we have learned to keep an eye on our revs. Previously, we would look at the gauges to check the transmission and oil temperature and speed but very rarely look at revs.

“After the training we are more relaxed while driving and we feel fresher at the end of the day.

“We know that our driving style can save fuel, save the brakes and provide a smoother ride for passengers and therefore less accidents,” Zoran says.

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Photos: Mark bean

This new Scania boasts 490 hp and Euro 6 exhaust emissions making it one of the most powerful and cleanest coaches in the nation.

Power Ranger

AWC adds Scania’s most powerful coach engine to its fleet

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cania’s most powerful bus and coach engine has been installed under an IRIZAR i6 3-axle 50-seater just delivered to Sydney-based Australia Wide Coaches.

The company, led by Managing Director Richard Dawes, celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2017, and is updating its fleet with several new Scania-powered vehicles, including two K 310 and a K 400 IRIZAR i6, in addition to the new K 490 Euro 6.

“Richard is such a strong advocate

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for Scania, so we are delighted that he is the first to take delivery of the new 490 hp Euro 6 emission compliant engine, our most powerful, and in Euro 6 guise, our cleanest as well,” says Julian Gurney, National Bus Sales Manager.

“Considering these vehicles spend a lot of time in densely-populated areas it is good to see operators are now giving the Euro 6 emissions compliant engines the opportunity to show how good they are on fuel, as well as reducing emissions,” he said.

“The 490 hp 6-cylinder 13.0-litre engine has been very successful in our commercial vehicle applications where operators have reported outstanding performance, efficiency and all-round productivity. ”This will undoubtedly provide the same result for Australia Wide Coaches in the new IRIZAR i6 they have just put on the road for extended touring duties,” Julian said.

“We have undertaken some expansion of operations recently and we are building

The new coaches in detail

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he 12.5 m IRIZAR i6 is 3.7m high and is mounted on a K 400 IB chassis with 400 hp engine. It drives through an 8-speed Opticruise, and will be used on AWC’s Sydney-toOrange express service, and is fitted with 46 McConnell Voyager seats and a wheelchair lift. It is fitted with Xenon headlamps to provide enhanced illumination on country roads.

The 13.2 m IRIZAR i6 is also 3.7m high and is powered by Scania’s 310 hp engine driving through a ZF automatic gearbox. It has 57-seats and has been designed for the Sydney Sights Gray Line Day Tour, and has a second saloon door to speed loading and unloading at photo stops.

The 3-axle vehicle is powered by the Scania Euro 6 490 hp engine and is fitted with a 13.5m IRIZAR i6 3.9m high body. The K 490 EB chassis comes with a steerable tag axle and 12-speed Opticruise for luxury touring work. It also has automatic pantograph luggage bin doors on the nearside, and Xenon headlamps, again for superior night-time illumination. There is accommodation for 50 passengers seated in McConnell Executive Recliners fitted with seatbelts.

up our corporate charter work at present,” said Richard Dawes.

“The new 490 Euro 6 will help us continue to develop our reputation for service delivery and customer satisfaction.

“Our first impressions of the new 490 hp engine are very positive. A company representative drove the vehicle from Melbourne to Sydney along the winding and sometimes hilly coast road and was absolutely delighted with the fuel economy, even allowing for the engine being brand new and the seats being

unoccupied. It is already performing better than our Euro 5 engines.

“Euro 6 is the future and we wanted to be in early to see how it works. Scania has been at the forefront of Euro 6 development in Europe so the technology is bedded down already.

“The new vehicle is very quiet down the back, which is another benefit to our customers. They will love the comfort and the silence. We have configured it for 50 leather-covered seats so there is plenty of legroom. There is a downstairs toilet

and a second exit door, and we have USB charge points at every seat and WiFi. “A nice feature is the timber floor which looks impressive and will be easy to clean. And with such a quiet engine there is no NVH trade-off,” Richard said.

“No sooner had the new coach arrived into Sydney than it was turned around the next day to head out on extended tour.

We will mainly use it for these longer trips but day trips to the Blue Mountains will also figure in its work schedule,” Richard said.

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Two new Scania-powered IRIZAR i6 buses are servicing students on the Sunshine Coast.

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cania has secured a new customer in Queensland for its successful K 310/ Irizar i6 combination.

Two identical 4x2 chassis coaches were ordered by Queensland-based Kangaroo Bus Lines and will be used as an express shuttle service connecting the Moreton Bay region and the University of the Sunshine Coast, each running 6 circuits per day, 5 days a week.

These will be the first Scanias in the KBL fleet of 115 vehicles.

Darren Webster, General Manager of Kangaroo Bus Lines, says the Scania IRIZARs were the right solution available at the right time.

“We tendered for this contract, and when it was awarded to us we had to secure vehicles right away. Scania had vehicles available to us in the specification we needed,” he says.

“I had not bought Scania before, but a bit of research among my colleagues in the industry up here returned positive responses about the product and the support Scania offers, so we moved ahead.

“For quite some time Jamie Atkinson and Brian Thompson (Scania New Account Sales Managers) have been talking to us about taking Scanias into the fleet, so this opportunity came at a good time.

“Also, I have been an admirer of the looks of the IRIZAR for a while so this has been a good chance to see how it 10 ScaniaTransit July 2017

Scania’s sunshine shuttle performs for us. Running buses on these routes is very much an application-based process, and we are confident we have the right bus for the job,” he says.

“The coaches have seats for 55 with wheelchair access, and they also have WiFi which was one of the contract stipulations.

“I drove the first vehicle recently for a shift and I was very impressed with how smooth and quiet it was on the route,” Darren says.

“The performance was very good and it is a very driver-friendly vehicle. We will be having Scania Driver Trainers up to the depot to run a number of our drivers through the familiarisation programme to ensure they can get the best out of the vehicles and also to help reduce wear and tear.

“We will be maintaining the vehicles in our workshop in Burpengary along with the rest of the fleet, but will rely on Scania for support. We anticipate each of the vehicles will clock up around 70,000 km each year, and may supplement

the university route work with charter bookings.

“Certainly the team supplying the vehicles at Scania have been excellent, as have the IRIZAR team,” Darren says.

The ultramodern coaches set a benchmark in luxury for Kangaroo Bus Lines. The coaches feature adjustable climate control air-conditioning and heating, leather reclining seats, panoramic windows and the latest audio visual entertainment system featuring TV, DVD, Wi-Fi compatibility and iPod connectivity with USB points in every seat.

For added passenger safety these coaches come standard with lap-sash seatbelts.

“These low emission coaches provide better fuel efficiency, and are one of the most environmentally sound travel options available in Australia today,” Darren says.

Jamie Atkinson, Scania Sales Manager says he was delighted to be able to meet the needs of Kangaroo Bus Lines with the IRIZAR bodied Scania coaches.

“We have been having discussions

Scania’s Jamie Atkinson hands over the first of the IRIZAR i6 Scania powered shuttle buses to Darren Webster as IRIZAR’s Jason Eldred looks on. with Darren and Kangaroo Bus Lines for some time and this opportunity came and we were able to supply very quickly,” he says.

“The specification will give KBL the perfect vehicle for this shuttle service but also be able to double as a luxury charter bus on weekends or when not in use on university work.

“The K 310 SCR engine has proven to be successful in Australia providing excellent power and economy, and has been adopted by many bus operators for route and charter operations,” he says.

“Once our Scania Bus Driver Development Team has been able to provide the initial familiarisation training to the Kangaroo Bus Lines driving team for these vehicles, they will be fully equipped to ensure the most efficient operation for the buses.

“We look forward to building our relationship with Kangaroo Bus Lines into the future and being able to provide them with further vehicles as their needs arise,” Jamie says.

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Scania delivers 13 new buses to CDC Ballarat S

cania has handed over 13 new buses to CDC Ballarat, as part of a fleet renewal programme. The Scania K 310 4x2 SCR Euro 5 vehicles are fitted with aluminium Volgren Optimus bodies, and will be used as part of the city’s growth programme for public transport.

The new vehicles are similar in specification to a trio of Scania-powered buses acquired in 2015 as part of a programme to evaluate the performance of the SCR Euro 5 engine under typical Ballarat driving conditions.

High levels of driver acceptance, driveability and fuel efficiency delivered by these evaluation vehicles helped seal the deal to purchase 13 further buses.

Scania powers more than half of the 66 city route buses in Ballarat, operated

by CDC. The new buses are more powerful than previously supplied Scanias, with 310 hp compared with 230 hp engines that were standard fare in the past.

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At the start of 2017, Ballarat’s bus services were thoroughly revised to cope with the growth of the city, and while route numbers were reduced from 19 to 15, buses have been scheduled to run more frequently and reliably on the new routes.

Many of these new routes cover the same areas as two or more former routes, meaning better coverage, as well as adding bus connections to key locations where buses did not previously run, such as Federation University Mount Helen campus, developing areas of Alfredton and Delacombe, and north of the freeway at Brown Hill.

More services are being offered on weekends, and most routes converge at Ballarat Station, making it quicker and easier to connect with commuter trains to Melbourne at the start of the day, and for the return rush in the evening.

When the new vehicles were ready for delivery to Ballarat, they assembled at the CDC depot in Werribee just

outside Melbourne and were then driven in convoy up the Western Highway to Ballarat, which made for quite a spectacle.

On arrival at the CDC depot in Ballarat, bus company executives in the presence Geoff Howard, the sitting member of the Victorian Parliament in the seat of Buninyong, and local media and depot staff, met the buses.

“It was an extremely exciting day for us at CDC as our bus convoy involving 13 new Scania vehicles made its maiden journey from Werribee Depot to Ballarat Depot,” said Nick Yap, Chief Executive Officer of CDC Victoria.

“The convoy made an otherwise mundane journey into something worthwhile for our staff and it enabled many of our bus enthusiasts to capture the moment and be a part of the journey,” he said.

“CDC is proud to have worked with Passenger Transport Victoria (PTV) to deliver an additional 13 new buses

Photos: Charlie Suriano

specifically to service the Ballarat community in light of the network transformation that occurred in January 2017.

“A new driver in Ballarat said that the new Scanias were a dream to drive, that they sounded great and were very smooth.

“The buses are proving popular amongst passengers, staff and mechanics,” Mr Yap said.

“It is pretty rare that you get to see a convoy of buses this big,” said John Ludviksen, Fleet Manager for CDC Ballarat.

“We asked regular bus drivers as well as some technicians to drive the buses up from Werribee.

“The vehicles will operate in heavy cycle stop-start city traffic, and will cover around 60,000 km each per year.

“We have the vehicles on Scania Optimise fleet monitoring and management so we can keep across

vehicle performance, particularly fuel use,” John said.

“We have designed the interiors to be robust and presentable and have stainless steel seat backs to reduce the potential for vandalism,” John said.

Speaking on the arrival of the buses at the CDC Ballarat depot, the local state Member for Buninyong, Geoff Howard M.P., said: “More people will find that this new improved bus network is more attractive and more usable thanks to better connections and integration with train services.

“The new network is the product of extensive consultation with the community, where people told us they wanted better coordination with trains and more frequent, reliable and direct services to more places in and around Ballarat.”

“This will encourage people to consider leaving the car at home as the service will get people where they need to be more efficiently,” he said.

A beautiful day for a bus ride. A convoy of new buses heads from Melbourne to Ballarat, top, and the drivers stop for a quick photo in a truck stop on the Western HIghway, above, and at their new Ballarat home for the buses.

Glenn Mackenzie, CDC Ballarat’s Service Delivery Manager, below, gets comfortable behind the wheel of a new Scania powered Volgrenbodied route buse.

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Scania and IRIZAR have delivered a new i6 coach to high-profile NSW operator Sid Fogg’s to be used to transport the Newcastle Jets Hyundai A-league soccer team and management.

Jets take off with Sid Fogg’s new Scania iRIZAR i6

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he Newcastle Jets’ new coach is one of 3 Scania-powered IRIZAR i6s to be delivered to Sid Fogg’s in the first few months of 2017. Already delivered is a K 310 school, charter and corporate 13.5 m coach, with a unique 14.5 m steerable tag axle 64-seater to follow (see panel).

The Jets’ coach is built on a Scania K 400 IB 6x2*4 chassis meaning it has a steerable tag axle, shod with super single tyres, allowing greater manoeuvrability in tight city streets, and exceptional tyre wear for the rear-most axle.

The Euro 5 13-litre six-cylinder engine drives through a Scania Opticruise automated gearchange and performance can be reined in using the Scania Retarder, which provides efficient braking while preserving the service brakes.

The IRIZAR i6 body offers 54 belted and reclining seats and there is a bathroom at the rear along with a hot water service and an onboard refrigerator.

A rear camera aids safe reversing.

The new Jets coach is the first of its kind servicing the Hyundai A-League, although identical coaches are used by the top soccer teams in Europe and South America.

The Scania powertrain was built in Sweden and sent to Brazil where the Scania factory installed it into their locally assembled chassis. The rolling chassis was then delivered to IRIZAR for the i6 body to be fitted. The completed vehicle

was shipped to Australia and underwent pre-delivery inspection at Scania in Newcastle, before having its Jets and Sid Fogg’s livery applied by the Trick Group.

Sid Fogg’s Coaches has been providing transport services to the Hunter Valley, Newcastle and the Central Coast, for more than 60 years and half of its coach fleet are heavy-duty long-distance luxury Scania touring coaches.

Graham Habgood, who has owned Sid Fogg’s Coaches in partnership with his wife Kathy for almost 30 years, said his organisation was proud to support the region’s flagship football franchises.

“We have two professional football teams in the city and we support both of them,” he said.

“We’re proud to have had a Knights coach for many years, and now we have a Jets coach. When Wayne Bennett was coaching the Knights we took the Knights’ coach to Melbourne for a semi-final game so that when the players transferred from their Melbourne city hotel to the ground they were able to travel on their own vehicle with their branding on it. And they won the game!

“Now when the Jets head from Newcastle to Sydney venues we transfer them there, as well as to corporate and community engagements,” Graham said.

“We feel that this new coach for the Jets will also be a symbol of pride for the people of the city, that the Jets are a force to be reckoned with.

The new 60th Anniversary Scania IRIZAR 14.5 m coach has a steerable tag axle, seats for 64, and an unforgettable historical livery that recalls the company’s history and that of Newcastle over the past six decades. Below, Kathy and Graham Habgood collect the keys from Scania’s Warren Young.

“We know the Jets are over the moon with the new coach. They have wanted a suitable flagship transport for some while.

“We have long supported the area’s sporting and community groups, and we believe that Newcastle people shouldn’t be shy about their presence,” Graham said.

Newcastle Jets Chief Executive Officer Lawrie McKinna thanked Graham, Kathy, and the team at Sid Fogg’s Coaches for their commitment to the Club.

“This is a truly fantastic show of support for the Jets from a highly regarded local company,” Lawrie said.

“Sid Fogg’s Coaches are demonstrating confidence in the Club’s journey, as well as the efforts we have made to connect with the community.”

“We have had good support from Scania over the years and we have our newer coaches on the Scania Pinnacle Maintenance and Repair Contract,” Graham said. “The benefit is there are no surprises when the vehicles return from being serviced by Scania.

“Scania Assist has also been remarkable on the small number of occasions we have had to call the help number. You get to speak to some one who can help straight away and they call up the nearest service agent. It’s a great comfort for the long distance drivers who may be out in the middle of nowhere.

They know they have someone looking out for them 24 hours a day,” he said.

Sid Fogg’s celebrates 60th milestone with new coach

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ong-established coach operator Sid Fogg & Sons has been serving Newcastle, the lower Hunter Valley and beyond, for more than 60 years.

The late Sid Fogg established the company in 1957. His son, Philip Fogg and his wife Pam owned and operated the company from the early 1970s until 1989, when it was sold to Graham and Kathy Habgood, who operate the business to this day.

Sid Fogg’s has transported generations of Newcastle families on holidays, to shows and sporting events and now their distinctive signwriting and livery is widely recognised throughout NSW and beyond.

To mark the 60th anniversary milestone, Sid Fogg’s purchased a new 400 hp, 3-axle Scania 14.5 m coach fitted with an IRIZAR i6 body. This vehicle offers 64 Styleride seats, tour director seat and on-board toilet. It also features a super single on the steerable tag axle, which increases load capacity by 1.9 tons in addition to enhancing manoeuvrability in urban centres and reducing tyre wear and tear.

Newcastle-based Trick Group created the special 60th anniversary signage and distinctive livery for the new Scania, including a collage of company vehicles over the past 60 years, and historic images of Newcastle from the

1950s to today.

“Sid Fogg’s is a well-known and trusted name in Newcastle and we are delighted to be able to celebrate this milestone with a new vehicle,” says owner Graham Habgood.

“It is a tribute to our staff, both behind the wheel and behind the scenes that we have such a loyal clientele and an expanding number of customers.

We have a positive view of the future and look forward to many more years transporting the people of Newcastle and the wider Hunter region in comfort and safety,” he says.

According to Scania Bus and Coach Account Manager, Warren Young, the connection between Scania and Sid Fogg’s is one of the keystones of the company’s bus and coach business in the region.

“Scania has been dealing with Graham and Kathy Habgood for about 20 years and has supplied them with many vehicles. We are delighted to be able to join in the celebrations of the 60th anniversary with the arrival of their new K 400 EB 14.5 m 3-axle coach.

“Graham and Kathy are to be congratulated for the way their business runs. Their vehicles are always superbly presented and looked after. With their distinctive livery they have a high level of recognition in Newcastle,” he said.

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Premiership class Loyal Scania customer Premier Stateliner’s new Euro 6 coaches are built for the long run.

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delaide-based Premier Stateliner Coach Group has been operating passenger transport services in South Australia for more than 45 years.

It provides regular passenger and freight services to the Eyre, Flinders, South East and Riverland regions of South Australia.

The company has long been a Scania customer, and has more than 20 Scania vehicles on the fleet. It has been a while since it acquired a fleet of brand new heavy-duty vehicles, preferring in the recent past to snap up good quality preowned coaches.

However in 2016, Premier Stateliner ordered 8 new Coach Design bodied

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50-seater coaches from Scania, powered by the latest Euro 6 compliance 410 hp, 6-cylinder engines. The 3-axle chassis includes a steerable tag to prolong tyre life and enhance manoeuvrability.

Inside, there’s a flat floor, and big seats have leather covers for longevity and comfort.

The first batch has already been delivered and immediately pressed into service, with the remaining vehicles expected to be on the road by mid-year.

The business runs its vehicles long, with several Scania-powered coaches clocking up more than 2 million km in the course of their working lives.

Tailoring finance to suit

Photos: Tim Bowman

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“We have K 124s in the fleet that have more than 2.4 million km on the clock and they’re still working hard,” says Steve Aikman, Workshop co-ordinator at Premier Stateliner, (pictured above).

“Our Scania fleet is predominantly Coach Design high deck and we have Volgrens, and one Coach Concepts bodied coach as well. Their work consists of general route service work, touring and charter. They are 4-series chassis and they have been reliable over the journey,” he says.

“We run their servicing to our own regular schedule, which is based on Scania’s recommendation. We have found

that if we drop the sump and roll the bearings out at about a million km they’re right for another million, and we have been using the Scania Exchange Engine programme at 2 million to put fresh life into the vehicles.

“We have changed a couple of differentials, but you could count them on one hand,” Steve says.

“The GR801 Opticruise gearbox needs to be looked after carefully, as it has more moving parts than older simpler manual gearboxes we used to run back in the day.

“Several of the 2 million km coaches were bought brand new in 2000, while

cania Finance Australia offers onestop tailor-made financial solutions for all customers purchasing new Scania trucks and buses.

Using its global experience and in-house funding, Scania Finance Australia is able to provide competitive and appealing solutions to customers across the country. It has a team of experienced and highly motivated Business Development Managers based in key locations.

“Scania Finance Australia is part of the global Scania family, and our funding is internally sourced, so effectively we are the Scania Bank,” says Rhys Henderson, Country Manager at Scania Finance Australia.

“We pride ourselves on being easy to deal with and having a no fussapproach to crafting an individually tailored financial solution for each customer.

“We can offer a choice of financial instruments to help get customers on the road, and offer them a line of credit separate to that which they may have already set up for financing other aspects of their business, such as building or machinery assets. This can be especially useful for smaller businesses where their existing lines of credit may already be fully utilised,” he says.

“Although Scania Finance is relatively new to the Australian market, globally we operate in over 50 countries. Locally the team has in excess of 100 years of business finance experience, and we like to think laterally for our customers, to get them on the road and building their businesses.

“The bottom line is that we can offer our Scania customers an alternative financial avenue to consider that may open up new opportunities to expand their business or simply exchange their older vehicles for new ones that may drive operational efficiencies and other benefits across their enterprise,” Mr Henderson says.

ScaniaTransit July 2017 17

two others were bought pre-owned. And just as we have held onto the vehicles over the period we have a quality, stable driving team as well, and it’s the same in the workshop,” he says.

“When we decided to go to the market to look for new vehicles we had a checklist that read: reliability, performance and economy. We also took into account the existing good relations we had developed with Scania.

“The new Euro 6 emission engines should give us good fuel economy and reduce our footprint, and the steerable tag axle will enhance our tyre life.

“We decided on an Australian-built body as it is designed for, and has been proven in, our operating conditions,” Steve says.

“When Premier Stateliner approached us with the view to buying the new vehicles we were able to show them how beneficial the Scania Repair and Maintenance agreements would be to their uptime and the bottom line,’ says Jamie Atkinson, Bus and Coach Account Manager for Scania.

“The Scania agreement gives the business full transparency and predictability on maintenance costs and because Scania is undertaking the work, we only use Genuine Parts so the powertrain and chassis remains 100% Scania.

“The agreement will give Premier Stateliner plenty of time to assess the benefits of having Scania looking after this new fleet of coaches. The company already understands how reliable Scania chassis and powertrains are, which are pretty important factors for any business transporting people to, through and from the Outback,” Jamie says.

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Scania Finance gives peace-of-mind

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cania Finance Australia has tailored a bespoke solution for Premier Stateliner Coach Group’s purchase of this fleet of new Coach Design vehicles.

“We had many discussions with Premier Stateliner’s Chief Executive Officer, Derek Mayes, and addressed all his queries, and we even adjusted the terms of the agreement to suit him,” says Craig McFadyen, Business Development Manager for Scania Finance Australia.

“We offered a flexible approach and we did what we said we would do and that approach really resonated with the customer.

“As a result they are taking delivery of 8 new coaches, all of which will be run on a Scania Repair and Maintenance agreement, and both the Scania chassis and the body will be financed using our chattel mortgage product.

“One of the benefits is that the new vehicles do not have a significant impact on their cash flow, and that they have excellent visibility on their costs for the purchase and running of the new vehicles across the term of the agreement. The customer also knows size of the balloon at the end of the term,” Mr McFadyen says.

According to Derek Mayes, Chief Executive Officer at Premier Stateliner, price competitiveness of the financial offer was a key element in Scania gaining the business.

“A competitive interest rate plus Scania Finance Australia’s willingness to structure the agreement exactly to meet our needs convinced us to buy the Scania product and use Scania finance,” he says. “We liked the idea of the chassis manufacturer providing the finance and it was attractive to us that they offered finance on the body too, so we benefitted from a one-stop solution.

We also decided to go with the Scania Maintenance and Repair agreement for a total Scania solution,” he says.

“Our entire fleet of heavy buses and coaches has been Scania for a while, and we will use the new vehicles on intra-state running out of Adelaide as far as Port Lincoln, running scheduled passenger services seven days a week.

“We haven’t bought new vehicles for a while as we were buying good used ones, using a traditional bank finance option. But with interest rates at historic lows and running costs predictable through the maintenance and repair agreement, buying new vehicles made sense from a reliability perspective, as well as for enhanced driver and passenger comfort. Fuel efficiency, especially with Euro 6 will be superior to our older vehicles as well, adding another benefit,” Mr Mayes says.

“The Scania Maintenance and Repair agreement coupled with Scania financing gives us peace-of-mind,” he says.

Photos: Charlie Suriano

Cobb & Co freshens fleet T

here are very few businesses existing in Australia that can trace their roots back as far as Cobb & Co, but the establishment of this coach company in Melbourne in 1853 would take some beating.

The modern Cobb & Co business is owned by Dyson Group and is being revitalised with the addition of 4 new IRIZAR i6 coaches running on Scania K 400 EB 4x2 chassis. They use the familiar and powerful 400 hp, 13.0-litre, 6-cylinder engine, and drive through an 8-speed Scania Opticruise transmission, reined in by the Scania Retarder hydraulic auxiliary brake.

The fleet will be used for inbound tourism as well as corporate and private charter, with the accent on luxury and premium service, according to Neil Dyson, Joint Managing Director of Dyson Group.

“We see Cobb & Co as a 5-star brand, and we’re equipping it with new stock: the IRIZAR i6 on Scania chassis, and a couple of smaller mini-coaches, all based at our Bundoora depot.

“The new IRIZARs can run multi-day tours, and are well-equipped inside with wood floors, luxury leather Styleride seats with USB charging points, and one of the new vehicles will also be equipped with a wheelchair lift,” Neil says.

“We have owned Cobb & Co since 2003, as it was part of the Bell Street Bus Company we acquired then. It can trace its history back to the days of the horse-drawn stagecoach, and in fact we have one of them in our headquarters building,” Neil says.

“Cobb & Co is an iconic name in Australian transport,” says Jamie Atkinson, Sales Manager for Scania Bus and Coach.

“We are very pleased to be able to supply the company with 4 very attractive, well equipped and highly efficient vehicles with which to open the next chapter in the long history of this passenger transport brand.

“Dyson Group has been operating a large number of Scania powered IRIZAR i6 coaches since their arrival in Australia, and the positive experience they have had with them obviously led to this specification being selected for the new Cobb & Co services.

“With 400 hp in a 4x2 chassis, the drivers will enjoy plenty of Scania’s legendary low down torque and the passengers will enjoy a smooth ride even over routes that may well date back to the earliest days of the business - on the routes out of Melbourne north and from Sydney to Bathurst, among other popular routes,” Jamie says.

Smart and stylish inside and out, the long-lived Cobb & Co brand’s livery was refreshed recently and comes up a treat on the new vehicles. Very luxurious interior matches leather seats with a wood finish floor, while the ergonomic cockpit puts all controls at the driver’s fingertips.

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Photos: Charlie Suriano

All change in ACT Canberra’s public transport operator Transport Canberra has unveiled a new livery for the national capital’s buses, and the first new example is a Bustech on a Scania Euro 6 chassis.

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he first of 20 vehicles were delivered in late 2016 with the remainder due to be taken into service through 2017.

Most of the buses replace older units but some will provide transport for growth areas.

The new Transport Canberra livery for buses of blue and grey replaces the bright green that has been used to date.

The first of these new buses also marks Transport Canberra’s switch to source bodies from Queensland’s Bustech, with the new vehicles adding improved wheelchair access, as well as the traditional Canberra bike racks on the front, while there are fewer steps inside providing a safer environment for patrons.

There is also a sophisticated anti-trap device set into the door edges to protect patrons, full interior and exterior LED lighting, and easier service access.

20 ScaniaTransit July 2017

A key benefit of the Bustech body is the low noise interior design that enhances passenger comfort. A lower roof profile and revised air conditioning ducting means the cool flow now reaches the driver station more efficiently.

From a technical point of view the Scania K 320 UB 4x2 chassis provides the same low emission, low consumption powertrain as the previous 82 Euro 6 buses, which entered service as long ago as 2014, and which have clocked up more than 3 million trouble-free kms since.

“These new buses will improve disability access for passengers, and by the end of 2017, Transport Canberra’s bus fleet will have more than 80% of its buses disability compliant,” said Minister Meegan Fitzharris, MLA, as the first bus was handed over.

The capacity of 48 seats with 20 standing will be put to the test in the morning and evening rush hours.

The new Bustech body is powered by Scania’s now well-proven Euro 6 emission specification engine, driving through a 6-speed ZF automatic transmission.

With Scania rolling out its new generation Communicator package, Transport Canberra has fitted the

sophisticated black box to the 40 most recent introductions. The Communicator provides Transport Canberra with excellent visibility of how the buses are being driven, and should help to drive down wasteful and unnecessary idle times.

Transport Canberra currently has 83 Euro 6-specification Scania buses on its fleet with the 320 hp engine, 26 tag steer Euro 5 320 hp units, 54 gas buses, and 33 articulated Euro 5 360 hp units for a total of 196 Scanias.

Much of the regular service work is handled in-house at the Transport Canberra workshops, with Scania supplying parts out of Sydney on demand.

“Scania Australia is confident that Transport Canberra will continue to enjoy reliable service from this second batch of buses equipped with our clean and efficient Euro 6 exhaust after treatment system,” says Trevor O’Brien, Scania’s National Manager, Bus – Government.

“With 82 Euro 6 buses having covered 3 million km in just two-and-a-half years around Canberra, the SCR-only exhaust treatment system has proven itself in Australian conditions, and is lighter and

less complex than combined SCR + EGR applications for bus operators.

“From Transport Canberra’s perspective, the switch to Scania Euro 6 power was seamless and successful. As a result of Transport Canberra’s leadership in Euro 6 we are beginning to see more operators convert now.

“In Adelaide, we have 22 Euro 6 Scanias in service, and in New South Wales, a long-time Scania operator, Punchbowl Bus Co., is about to take delivery of their first Euro 6 city bus chassis, which will be the first of this type in the state,” he says.

“Undeniably, the low emissions benefit provided by the stringent exhaust after treatment system benefits urban areas most, and it is good to see more city bus operators making the switch to Euro 6,” he says.

“There are still too many 20-25-year old city buses still in operation on our suburban streets with primitive emissions control systems.

“Replacing these with Euro 6 compliant vehicles would play a role in improving air quality in built-up areas which will benefit the majority of Australians,” Trevor says.

ScaniaTransit July 2017 21

Photos: Charlie Suriano

10 years at the top of the class Scania is offering school bus operators 10 years of driveline peace-of-mind

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cania Australia is enhancing its after sales support for 4x2 bus and coach operators in the school and charter bus markets.

Recognising there is a difference between the duty cycles of school buses and charter buses, especially if they are used exclusively in one or other segments, Scania has designed a separate protection plan for each.

For the growing number of school

22 ScaniaTransit July 2017

bus operators turning to Scania to provide reliable and durable cost effective solutions for their daily needs, Scania is now offering 10 years or 400,000 km coverage for driveline, as part of a 4x2 School Bus maintenance programme.

In addition to the driveline coverage, the programme includes 2 scheduled Scania services per year, as well as the supply of pre-defined components included for preventative maintenance.

The programme provides 120 months of peace-of-mind for just $330 plus GST per month.

For 4x2 charter bus operators who are likely to cover more substantial distances, Scania is now offering a programme of repair and maintenance coverage for 7 years’ total peace-of-mind for vehicles travelling between 100,000 km and 200,000 km annually. “Scania has created an individual

maintenance programme for its 4x2 bus and coach customers that is tailored to meet their servicing and repair needs over the long term,” says Ben Pattie, Scania Australia National Service Sales Manager.

“We understand that there are differences in the way vehicles are utilised. For example school buses may be idle much of the day and during school holidays, meaning they may only clock up 40,000 km per year, whereas other operators may have a large number of charter activities they use their school buses for in off-peak or holiday periods.

“The difference in the use profile needs to be recognised by the maintenance programme, in order to provide the best value and efficiency for the customer.

“We have formulated these programmes to better suit the needs of our customers, while at all times maintaining their peace-of-mind that their investment in a Scania school or charter

bus will have been a good one, acquiring a business asset that will provide them with reliable service and high levels of uptime year-to-year,” Ben says.

“We are confident that the 10-year 4x2 school bus programme in particular will appeal to the many customers who are new to Scania, giving them additional positive reasons to select us as a supplier.

Essentially we are removing the risk from their purchase and delivering a reliability promise.

“With the added value of the preventative maintenance package, customers will be assured that they will enjoy unparalleled uptime across the first 10 years of service,” he says.

Meanwhile, Scania is continuing with its innovative Service Exchange programme for bus engines, offering customers with older vehicles the opportunity to have their old engine replaced with a unit that has been rebuilt at the factory to original specifications.

By switching rather than rebuilding a tired engine, operators can have their bus back on the road in a matter of days rather than wait weeks for the engine to be rebuilt.

“We have been replacing engines and gearboxes and differentials under the Scania Service Exchange programme for well over a year and customer satisfaction is very high,” Ben Pattie says.

“We have the ability to get customers back on the road with an older bus returned to as new condition from a driveline perspective. This obviously boosts reliability, reduces fuel consumption, provides a smoother ride for passengers and enhances the driving experience,” he says.

To find out more about any of the Scania repair and maintenance programmes or the Service Exchange programme, contact Scania on (03) 9217 3300 or visit www.scania.com.au, or your local Scania branch.

ScaniaTransit July 2017 23

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Scania has a selection of fully compliant high quality locally manufactured and readybuilt buses to meet your school and charter requirements.

All Scania buses come with ABS/EBS as standard equipment with the option of Electronic Stability Control. Coupled with customised driver training and integrated fleet management system, Scania sets new standards for operating economy, driveability, handling and reliability.

Features include:• High quality body and interior • 295/80R22.5 tyres • Available in 310hp • Built-in retarder • Choice of six-speed automatic transmission or eight-speed two pedal Opticruise.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE SCANIA-HIGER A30 CONTACT:QLD Brian Thompson: 0418 531 632 WA Dean Cash: 0478 310 518

NSW Rob Lanteri: 0478 317 177 Warren Young: 0411 768 027

VIC / SA / TAS Dean Cash: 0478 310 518 Jamie Atkinson: 0408 059 501