Coach & Bus issue 25 Sep-Oct 2016 by Transport Publishing Australia

coach&bus www.truckandbus.net.au Issue 25 $6.60 incl. GST

COMMEMORATIVE ISSUE

AUTO PILOT

MEET DAIMLER'S LANDMARK HANDS-FREE LOW-FLOOR LAUNCHED: HINO PONCHO DDA IN DEPTH: BUS BACK PAIN

OPERATOR: BUS QUEENSLAND INTERVIEW: MERC'S MICHAEL MAY

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001Driver’s Seat

Fabian Cotter

“...it is perhaps in the more controlled realm of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) that autonomous driving will truly hit its mark.”

HANGE. Many say it’s a good thing. Others will say no way. Is it imperative for evolution, or merely inconvenience magnified? Either way I’m not sure, but I do know that for all the good or bad it can bring it really is a massive pain in the butt. In fact, ‘butt’ doesn’t quite do the emotions justice; try some good ol’ John Wayne drawl and a three-letter word starting with ‘a’ and ending with ‘s’. Yes, now that’s more like it. Truth be told, you can’t avoid it and the only way to minimise your mental collateral damage is to, unfortunately, embrace it. And I don’t mean just a little pat on the back or shoulders, I mean a big old grizzly bear hug and squeeze the living ‘jeebus’ out of it. The global bus and coach industry is truly in the midst of major change and autonomous driving is its name. There’s no turning back now and the theoretical benefits greatly outweigh – or so we’ll be told – any negatives that could come about. Could? It already has for the driver of a Tesla electric car running in a ‘beta’ version of its autonomous-driving software. With a semi-trailer driving across its path, reports state that neither computer nor driver could recognise the white of the trailer against a blinding sunny sky and thus no brakes were applied. The result? Not good. While that event has gone down as the first autonomous (semi-, but the end goal will be fully one day) driving fatality, it will also go down as to where the real debate about how this new technology should be rolled out and what to avoid. Yet while car world has often dictated and led how such innovation affects bus world, it is perhaps in the more controlled realm of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) that autonomous driving will truly hit its mark. As certainly semiautonomous driving seems to be doing given the success of the Mercedes-Benz Future Bus with CityPilot trial, our coverstory this issue. See, perhaps it’s with knowing there are other people’s lives at risk (same with car passengers, though they may become the actual distraction as well at times) a bus driver in future cannot afford to fully trust the software – and maybe that’s a good thing. As Arno Prüllage, Future Bus head of Project Engineering says, drivers have to “concentrate

001 www.truckandbus.net.au

even more … because he is in full charge of the vehicle even if everything is working just perfect.” In that way it bodes well for the role of tomorrow’s bus driver – instead of them visiting the unemployment line. This is still in the context of a fully autonomous electric bus trial occurring in south Perth even right now. Conducted by the RAC WA, the $250,000 French-built Intellibus can travel up to 45km/h (average 25km/h) and carry 11 people, it’s stated. A big leap over last year’s Dutch WePod experiment, carrying up to six people and doing about 24km/h – give or take a clog. Again, all at relatively low speed and controlled environments. For autonomous buses – or vehicles in general, for that matter – whether it’s next week or 50 years from now, someone somewhere will need to not just rubber stamp the foolproof safety aspect of their program, to justify any full trust a driver may have in it. And as that probably won’t happen for a very long time - nor should it, I believe - the human still has a vital role to play (Incidentally, it’s good to see the RAC WA stating it would claim responsibility in the off chance of an Intellibus accident, as reported by ABC News online). This issue - our Commemorative 25th issue to be precise - is again chock full of coach and bus goodness. We hope you like our coverage of the 2016 BusNSW Australian Coach and Bus Show, held in Sydney recently. It was a magnificent event and we were delighted to participate in BusNSW celebrating its Diamond Jubilee. It showcased some really cool new bus product and was a great time to catch up with many familiar faces. Oh, and there’s a commemorative book coming out about BusNSW’s 75 years, so look

out for news of that one on www.busnsw.com.au Also, we visit two successful operators and see what latest product they’ve added to their fleets and why: Bus Queensland and Melbourne’s Crown Coaches. Plus we take a closer look at the now DDA-compliant Hino Poncho 7m bus and have a chat with new Daimler Truck and Bus – Asia / Pacific general manager Michael May to see how things are going. And finally, on the topic of all things change (Heck, I knew I brought it up for some reason), Coach & Bus magazine has undergone a change of sorts. Nearly six years after Truck Power Media Group publisher, the late great Geoff Paradise, started this humble magazine it’s now been sold to a new owner, GrayHaze Pty Ltd. Here, it will have a warm and fuzzy - and a bit teary - reunion with its old sister publication, Transport and Trucking Australia (née. Today). There are some exciting changes afoot, so look out for those ones. At this point, I’d like to take this opportunity to again thank Jacqui Paradise and all those who ever in any way helped Coach & Bus magazine over the past 25 issues – a cast of thousands, and then some, no doubt - as I’m sure there will be similar love and support of it in what promises to be a very long and bright future. So, just like The Two Ronnies used to say at the end of each show, “It’s goodnight from me.” “And it’s good night from him.” Until the next thrilling instalment...

Issue 025

Contents Regulars

CONTACT DETAILS PO Box 3294 Erina, NSW 2250 www.truckandbus.net.au Enquiries Tel: 0411 099 091 Follow us on Twitter #truckandbusnews Managing Editor/Editor Fabian Cotter fabian@truckandbus.net.au Art Director Luke Melbourne www.thekissmarketingagency.com.au Advertising Sales E: coachandbus@adexec.com T: Lauryn McGuiness, 0404 058 380 Contributing Writers Chris Smith, David Meredith, Sven-Erik Lindstrand, Allen Matzel Contributing Photographers Mark Bean, Cristian Brunelli, Jan Glovac, David Meredith, Chris Smith, Paul Jakubicki, Matthew Everingham Coach & Bus magazine is produced under license by the Truck Power Media Group Pty Ltd. ABN 85 122 374 547 six times per year and is distributed to bus and coach operators, business professionals and the industry throughout Australia. All material contained herein including text, photography, design elements and format are copyright and cannot be reproduced by any means without the written permission of the publisher. Truck Power Media Group is a member of the Copyright Agency Limited (1800 066 844).

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Driver’s Seat

Editor Cotter mulls over change in the industry, whether it’s driverless bus tech or changes even closer to come.

Up Front

We wrap up the key local and international bus and coach news that affects us as a global industry and where we are heading.

In Depth – Spinal Trap

Back pain can be debilitating at the best of times, so long bus or coach journeys might need you to properly limber up and exercise it properly to relieve any travel stress, say experts. Fabian Cotter reports.

Hot Stuff – Gadgets on the Go

If you are past Lego and Meccano then these trick gadgets on the go are hard to resist. You may not need them, but you’ll certainly want them. Or is that vice-versa?

Company Car

The latest 2016-update Infiniti Q50 luxury car range now is headed up by a 298kW 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 engine and a host of tech, safety and feel-good goodies. Fabian Cotter reports.

Money

Though none of us can exactly predict when we ‘kick that bucket’ on our way to the bank to ‘buy the farm’, financially planning for a comfortable retirement is really sound advice. Our financial guru Paul Clitheroe explains.

Interview

60 Minutes With...

INTERVIEW: There’s a new Daimler Truck and Bus – Asia / Pacific general manager in town and his name is Michael May. Taking the reigns since last November, we finally track down the busy GM for a quick chat. Fabian Cotter reports.

Editorial contributions are welcome for consideration. Contact the Editor for guidelines, fees and level of interest. All unsolicited manuscripts must be accompanied by a stamp, addressed envelope for their return. We will not be held responsible for material supplied electronically. Proudly printed in Australia.

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Busworld 2015 Kortrijk, Belgium EPIC SHOW REPORT

BUS

l T tiaLONG BLACK ECH PresidenHOT Sweet Aussie electric

BONLU bus reveal MEET KINGCK'S LONG'S LATEST COACH CREATION MEET ed! - Futureproof? Cheaper CLASSY AFFAIR than diesel?

OPERATOR: Tassielink INTERNATIONAL: MAN Lion's Intercity Interview: Sean Copeland TECH: Cam Mirrors INDUSTRY: Scania Driver Award launched Guide: Bus Seats Operator:Tech: Scania Mega Artic Metro Tasmania and Trevor O’Brien SCANIA's Julian Gurney - Germany INTERVIEW: VDS system EVENT: IT-TRANS, 2016 CBT24_p000_COV_v2.indd 1 4/07/2016 7:43 AM Transwa TECH: VOLVO's i8 revealed OPERATOR: PM 30/03/2016 5:40 INTERNATIONAL: Irizar CBT22_p000_COV.indd 1

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“...all the pomp and glamour of a Broadway musical-cum-Vegas show right in our very own bus backyard. Epic entertainment.”

Features

Selfie Trick

Bus Queensland

Hooray! 25 Today!

COVERSTORY: Daimler showcases its stunning semiautonomous Citaro-based Future Bus with CityPilot function, bringing autonomous-driving buses ever so much closer. Fabian Cotter reports.

OPERATOR: Servicing an area of no less than 2.8 million people, Bus Queensland has been key to public transport in the South-East. And its recent Scania chassis’d, Gemilang-bodied city bus additions further help the cause. Fabian Cotter checks it out.

EVENT: There’s a bit of a party happening at Planet Coach & Bus magazine, as we celebrate our 25th issue … finally! Woohoo! Only another 13,365 issues to go. And we are bimonthly. We can do this, easy. Can you feel the love?

Diamond Jubilee

EVENT: BusNSW celebrates its 75th Anniversary in style with an amazing 2016 Australian Bus + Coach Show at Sydney Showground recently. Coach & Bus editor Fabian Cotter went for a good-old look-see.

Big Things, Small Packages

DEBUT: Three years after sussing things out here, Hino’s brought in its fully DDA-compliant 7m Poncho bus to cut into the tough Coaster-dominated market. We take a closer look at the final Aussie guise. Fabian Cotter reports.

Royal Flush

OPERATOR: Victoria’s Crown Coaches has been part of the Melbourne public transport furniture for quite a while now and it’s been at the head of the pack by using the latest bus technology. Recent Mercedes-Benz Euro6 additions further bolster the cause. Fabian Cotter reports.

UpFront

KILLER DIESEL FUMES AT WORK DIESEL FUMES AT WORK cause 130 lung cancer cases every year says Cancer Council Australia, highlighting the risks of the disease during National Safe Work Month, recently. It validates findings of The World Health Organisation (WHO) in July 2012, as reported at the time in Coach & Bus magazine Issue 5. WHO declared diesel emissions a killer, confirming it causes lung cancer, increased the risk of bladder cancer, and caused other respiratory diseases such as asthma. This was in addition to claims of an increased risk of heart attacks according to Britain’s Edinburgh University, reported in C&B Issue 1. Cancer Council Australia is now calling for greater cancer awareness in the workplace, following the new estimates that about 130 Australian workers are diagnosed each year with lung cancer as a result of work-based exposure to diesel fumes. Terry Slevin, chair of Cancer Council Australia’s Occupational and Environmental Cancer Committee, said

Data like this may well force governments around the world to quickly make cleaner bus fleet upgrades mandatory.

an estimated 3.6 million Australians were exposed to cancer-causing agents at work, with around 5000 cancer cases diagnosed each year as a result. “Awareness of the risks of exposures like asbestos and UV radiation is increasing, and is reflected in gradual improvements in work safety practices,” Slevin said. “By contrast, awareness of the hazards of exposure to diesel fumes is low, especially in relation to the potential harms. “Exposure to diesel fumes is Australia’s second-most prevalent work-based cancer-causing agent. It’s estimated that around 1.2 million Australians are exposed to diesel engine exhaust at work each year and that 130 workers each year are diagnosed with lung cancer as a result of their exposure on the job. “The World Health Organisation’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has upgraded its classification of diesel exhaust to a ‘Group 1’ carcinogen, confirming that

it is an established cause of cancer in humans. IARC estimates that people regularly exposed to diesel exhaust fumes at work can be up to 40 per cent more likely to develop lung cancer. “While the general population might only be exposed to diesel occasionally, those who work with diesel-fuelled heavy machinery are at high risk. This includes those who work with diesel motor vehicles including buses, tractors, trains and forklifts, especially in enclosed spaces like garages and workshops. There are also risks for people who work with diesel operated generators, compressors or power plants,” he said. Slevin adds that both workers and employers had to take steps to reduce their cancer risk at work. “Taking simple steps, such as winding up the window and turning on the air con if you are driving a diesel vehicle, can reduce your cancer risk,” Slevin explained. As part of National Safe Work Month

this October, Cancer Council Australia released a series of free resources outlining workplace cancer risks for employers and employees. As well as diesel engine exhaust, the new fact sheets cover UV radiation (outdoor workers), asbestos (builders and renovators), welding fumes and secondhand tobacco smoke. The resources aim to provide information about workplace cancer risks, how to reduce carcinogen exposure at work, and legal obligations for organisations. Slevin said exposing employees to avoidable cancer risks was unethical and illegal - and preventable. “Taking stronger action now, and increasing awareness, will go a long way to avoiding the worst kind of problems down the track - employees being diagnosed with a cancer that can be attributed to what happened to them at work.” For more information please visit: cancer.org.au/workcancer

People regularly exposed to diesel exhaust fumes at work can be up to 40 per cent more likely to develop lung cancer.

Each year 130 workers are diagnosed with lung cancer as a result of their exposure on the job. 2 Terry Slevin, chair of Cancer Council Australiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Occupational and Environmental Cancer Committee. 3 No clean Euro6 here, more like Euro negative 4.28 and counting. 1

www.truckandbus.net.au 005

UpFront

NAVISTAR ALLIGNS WITH VW TRUCK & BUS US-BASED Navistar International Corporation announced that it was forming a wide-ranging strategic alliance with Volkswagen Truck & Bus, recently. The agreements expected to be entered into in connection with the alliance will enable Navistar to offer customers expanded access to leading-edge products and services through collaboration on technology and the licensing and supply of Volkswagen Truck & Bus’s products and components, while better optimising its product development spend, it’s claimed. The alliance will also strengthen Navistar’s liquidity position. In addition, the procurement joint venture is expected to leverage the purchasing power of Volkswagen Truck & Bus’s three major truck brands, Scania, MAN and Volkswagen Caminhões e Ônibus, in addition to Navistar’s own International® and IC

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Bus brands, providing Navistar with enhanced global scale. Navistar expects significant synergies from both the strategic technology collaboration and the procurement joint venture, the company states. It expects the alliance to be accretive beginning in the first year, and for cumulative synergies for Navistar to ramp up to at least $500 million over the first five years. By year five, it expects the alliance will generate annual synergies of at least $200 million for Navistar. This annual run rate is expected to grow materially thereafter as the companies continue to introduce technologies from the collaboration. “We are very pleased to partner with a global leader who shares our view of the world, in an alliance that will deliver multiple benefits and is consistent with our open-integration strategy,” said Troy Clarke, president and CEO, Navistar. “Starting in the

near term, this alliance will benefit our purchasing operations through global scope and scale. Over the longer term, it is intended to expand the technology options we are able to offer our customers by leveraging the best of both companies and enabling Navistar to deliver enhanced uptime. Volkswagen Truck & Bus’ equity investment will strengthen our liquidity position and expand our financial flexibility, while aligning us with a valuable strategic partner.” “Closer collaboration among our existing brands was a top priority for our commercial vehicles business and we are well on track in this context,” said Andreas Renschler, CEO of Volkswagen Truck & Bus and member of the Board of Management of Volkswagen AG responsible for commercial vehicles. “We are now taking the next step on our way to becoming a Global Champion in the

commercial vehicles industry. The strategic alliance with Navistar is an important milestone and will be very beneficial for both sides.” Navistar will remain a leading, independent truck, bus and engine company, focused on providing bestin-class products and related services to its customers globally and delivering value for its shareholders. “We expect this alliance will create significant global scale, yielding considerable cost savings for both companies,” said Walter Borst, executive vice-president and chief financial officer of Navistar. “We believe working collaboratively, the two companies can optimise the capital and engineering expenditures associated with next-generation truck and bus engine development, while providing both Navistar and Volkswagen Truck & Bus with opportunities for substantial procurement savings.

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UpFront

HOXTON PARK DEPOT FOR SECOND AIRPORT BOON TRANSIT SYSTEMS has opened a brand new depot at Hoxton Park, which will initially house 105 buses as the second strategic and purpose-built facility since the company began operating in the Transport for NSW network in 2013. Transit Systems CEO Clint Feuerherdt said the depot showcased a strategic long-term transport plan, with the facility offering immediate service improvements and employment opportunities, accommodating a workforce in excess of 200 people. “Transit Systems is proud to have invested more than a $100 million into the region so far, including the new Hoxton Park and Smithfield depots, new fleet of buses and equipment. “Liverpool will continue to proposer in terms of residential and commercial development and our vision is to stay ahead of demand for public transport with adequate planning and preparation, at the ready to meet growth from key pockets of residential growth, as well as connecting

businesses and services like the new Badgerys Creek airport. Minister for Transport and Infrastructure Andrew Constance congratulated Transit Systems for its investments in South-west Sydney and commitment to providing bus services for the region. “It’s great to see an Australian company, known for delivering bus services not only in South-west Sydney, but also across the country and in other major cities around the world, open such a fantastic firstclass facility,” Minister Constance said. “The NSW Government is 100 per cent committed to catering for future demand in this rapidly growing region and I commend Transit Systems for working with us on achieving this aim.” Member for Holsworthy Melanie Gibbons said: “This is fantastic news for South-west Sydney. This brand new facility will deliver more local jobs and customers can look forward to more services in the future.” In future-proofing the new facility, the

Hoxton Park depot has the capacity to grow the fleet by a further 50 buses to meet the growing demand for quality public transport service. Feuerherdt said Transit Systems transformed the services it inherited from five previous operators to become the leading bus operator in Sydney. “With a 24 per cent year-on-year patronage growth on the T80 service, we are well on the way to delivering a better transport network and achieving Government objectives for performance and growth. “We are proud of our on-time running performances, achieving best on-time operator in the Transport for NSW network, and we are pleased to offer the youngest average age fleet of just 6.8 years, with an all air-conditioned and accessible fleet,” he said. To deliver seamless public transport services, the company now employs more than 350 people in the region, operating 220 buses.

“In 2017, we will also introduce doubledecker buses to the network, which will enable us to better cater to patronage growth in the region. Holding up to 116 passengers, you’ll see these on route T80, estimated to carry over 30 per cent more passengers during peak hours than a single-deck vehicle. “We believe we have, and will continue to, improve all of the service operations for commuters, taxpayers, Government and for community and look forward to continuing to set and exceed industry benchmarks” he said. Transit Systems has an exceptional reputation in the transport-provider industry, developing and delivering effective transport systems, procuring vehicles and overseeing delivery, maintenance and ongoing operations, it’s claimed. Transit Systems is the only Australianowned multi-national public transport company. For more information please visit www.transitsystems.com.au

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UpFront

TRANSDEV DEPOT FOR MELBOURNE SOUTH-WEST IMPROVED WORKING conditions for drivers and more reliable services for passengers in Melbourne’s South-west is the aim of Transdev’s new Heatherton depot. Parliamentary Secretary for Public Transport Ros Spence joined representatives from Transdev and Public Transport Victoria to open the new facility in Heatherton, Victoria. Heatherton is the first of three stateof-the-art bus depots being constructed this year as part of a $40 million investment in new depots to boost Transdev services.

The new $10.6 million depot at 2/1 Kingston Road, Heatherton, will house up to 110 staff and 44 buses. The depot is located within the City of Kingston, which is serviced by four Transdev Melbourne bus routes: 600, 903, 922 and 923. Key features of the depot include: automated bus wash; modern fuel facility; water tanks for rain water harvesting, and underground tanks as part of a water recycling system for the bus wash; design to maximise natural light and reduce electricity requirements; and a modern bus bodywork and spray-

From left: Transdev Melbourne managing director Harry Wijers, Parliamentary Secretary for Public Transport Ros Spence and PTV acting executive director of Performance and Contract Management Warwick Horsley.

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paint booth. The Andrews Labor Government is also investing a further $100 million to improve bus services across Melbourne including the introduction of new and expanded routes in growth areas and better integration of the bus and rail networks, it’s stated. Parliamentary Secretary for Public Transport Ros Spence said: The new Heatherton Depot will ensure drivers have access to better facilities, to continue to get millions of Victorians safely where they need to go every day.” “This depot will be home to more than

40 buses and 110 staff, and is part of our plan to improve bus services for the community.” “We know demand for services is growing, which is why we are upgrading and modernising the network — making it easier to run more reliable services for passengers across Melbourne’s south-east.”

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UpFront

PEDESTRIAN AUDIO WARNING SYSTEM UNVEILED VOLVO PRE-EMPTIVE warning sounds to help protect pedestrians was revealed at the 2016 IAA Commercial Vehicles Show in Hanover, Germany, recently, with the system to be introduced on the company’s European city bus fleet in 2017. The life-saving technology - a pedestrian and cyclist detection system unique to the bus industry - aims to reduce the 1.25 million annual road traffic deaths*, it’s claimed. “Accidents involving buses and unprotected road-users seldom occur, but when they do the consequences may be very serious. In order to minimise the risks, it is important that drivers and anyone moving around near buses – such as at bus stops and pedestrian

crossings – pays close attention to the traffic. In this context the Pedestrian and Cyclist Detection System offers excellent support,” said Peter Danielsson, director Vehicle Features and Safety at Volvo Buses. The Pedestrian and Cyclist Detection System continuously monitors the bus’s vicinity using a camera. When the system detects unprotected road-users near the bus, it transmits a sound to warn other road-users that the bus is approaching. At the same time, the driver is alerted via sound and light signals inside the vehicle. If there is an imminent risk of an incident, the bus’s horn is activated. “Several of the components in our system are based on the same tried and

tested technology found in many cars. But we are the only vehicle manufacturer to offer a solution that simultaneously notifies both driver and unprotected road-user,” said Danielsson. Volvo Buses’ introduction of this type of warning system is part of the company’s electromobility drive. As the proportion of electrified vehicles in urban traffic continues to grow, exhaust fumes and noise continue to disappear, it’s stated. At the same time, however, it is important to also eliminate any risks that might arise as the vehicles in the urban environment operate much more quietly. “The bus can be heard – but without being disruptive. We’ve solved this problem by developing a synthetic background sound with a frequency

range that is not perceived as disruptive. For instance, it does not penetrate windows with triple glazing, unlike the low-frequency noise made by a diesel engine,” explained Danielsson. The system consists of a camera, image-processing system and algorithms for detection of pedestrians and cyclists. Soon the Pedestrian and Cyclist Detection System will become operational in field tests on route 55 in Gothenburg, Sweden. At IAA 2016, the new system was unveiled with several other Volvo safety innovations, such as Volvo Dynamic Steering, Collision Warning and Emergency Braking and Lane Keeping Support.

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UpFront SCANIA TRACKS DRIVER BRAINWAVES FURTHERING BUS travel safety, Scania R&D’s Driver Vehicle Interaction team has examined how experienced drivers perceive a range of sounds, including warnings relating to obstacles, load shifting and bad weather conditions. “We still don’t know why drivers prefer some sounds over others, though,” said Stas Krupenia, senior cognitive engineer. “It may simply be because they thought that they sounded better. To investigate the relationship between subjective experience and actual brain activity, Scania R&D has entered into a partnership with the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics in Tübingen, Germany, a world-leading research centre. A recent research project recorded the brain activity of 16 drivers. Each driver twice drove the same stretch of road in the simulator for 25 minutes. Meanwhile, 12 different alert sounds were played a total of 20 times. The sounds came in different ranges while other irrelevant sounds were also played. The drivers pressed a button to confirm when they had heard each warning sound. “It was extremely tiring, much more so than normal driving,” noted Jeffrey Joslin, one of the test subject drivers. Each driver was equipped with an electroencephalography (EEG) cap from the German company Brain Products, which saw each test subject have 64 electrodes attached to their scalp. The experiments were led by Christiane Glatz, a doctoral student in cognitive neuroscience at the Max Planck Institute. A similar technology is commonly used for

diagnosing brain diseases such as epilepsy, seizures, inflammation of the brain and some types of dementia. A disease can be identified based on the waves that are recorded in various parts of the brain. But the technology can also provide insight into the suitability of different warning sounds in eliciting the appropriate in-vehicle response. “A warning sound prepares the driver for taking or avoiding an action,” said Glatz. “A good warning sound should be understood immediately and without ambiguity. There should be no need for deep contemplation. Verbal commands can be understood clearly, but they might require more mental resources to process than auditory cues that we are familiar with. For example, we immediately recognise an ambulance siren and its changing pitch as a indication of its moving direction.” The research aims to measure brain activity while eliminating cultural factors that influence our perception of warning sounds and the workload involved in comprehending them. “If a horn is sounded on German or Swedish roads we probably pay attention. But an Italian driver perhaps wouldn’t care at all,” Glatz stated. The huge amount of data generated by the tests will now be analysed to determine whether the test subjects’ own experiences are consistent with brain activity. “This will give us a solid basis for establishing good simulation methods that increase our capacity to perform virtual tests,” explained Krupenia.

INDIA-MADE DAIMLER BUSES FOR EXPORT FULLY-EQUIPPED Mercedes-Benz buses from India will be exported into the Middle East market from November 2016, as part of a two-year deal, it was announced recently. Daimler India Commercial Vehicles (DICV) will supply its 9-tonne buses

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and also plans to introduce a 16-tonne version next year, confirmed Daimler Bus India boss Markus Villinger. “Middle East is the second-biggest market for school buses. We got this two-year contract from the state government through a tender

process,” Villinger said. DICV has been exporting chassis to Africa, South-East Asia and Latin America for 18 months, but the new deal will see it supply complete models to Dubai, Jordan and Oman for the first time.

AUSTRALASIAN ROAD SAFETY AWARD ANNOUNCED PROFESSOR ANN WILLIAMSON, director, Transport and Road Safety (TARS) Research Centre at the University of New South Wales has been presented with the prestigious 2016 ACRS Fellowship at Australia’s Parliament House, recently. The ceremony took place in front of 550 of Australasia’s foremost road safety professionals and advocates, and is recognition of Professor Williamson’s profound commitment to the reduction of road trauma. The award was presented by Hon Darren Chester, Federal Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, and ACRS president Mr Lauchlan McIntosh AM, during the 2016 Australasian Road Safety Conference (ARSC2016).

In detailing the award, ACRS president Mr Lauchlan McIntosh AM, says Williamson continues to be an outstanding advocate for road safety both in our region and internationally. “Professor Williamson has contributed enormously to excellence in road safety research and to providing a strong evidence base for effective road safety interventions. Her dedication to developing and sharing road safety knowledge has been shown through her tireless efforts to work collaboratively in the field with various injury prevention and accident research centres and researchers who work in the field of road safety”. Professor Williamson was the

founding director of the Injury Risk Management Research Centre and the Transport and Road Safety Research Centre and is Australia’s leading expert on driver fatigue and heavy vehicle safety. “It is an honour to be awarded the ACRS Fellowship and I look forward to continuing to support the great work of the College as we aim to halve road deaths and injuries by 2020”, Professor Williamson said. The Australasian College of Road Safety (ACRS) is the region’s peak membership association for road safety professionals, advocates, and members of the public who are focused on saving lives and serious injuries on our roads.

h AM, (L-R) Mr Lauchlan McIntos FACRS, Professor Ann Williamson Federal Minister Hon Darren Chester MP, sport for Infrastructure and Tran

BUS OF THE YEAR 2017 THE ELECTRIC-powered Solaris Urbino has been named Bus of the Year 2017, in Brussels, Belgium. It is the first title of this kind awarded to a Polish manufacturer, and the first time in the history of the competition that the award goes to a battery-driven vehicle. The Urbino beat out tough competition from Ebusco, Irizar, Van Hool and Mercedes-Benz for the ultimate prize. The first four producers entered the contest with electric buses, while Mercedes chose a natural gas (CNG)-fuelled vehicle. The new Solaris Urbino 12 electric, which was evaluated by a jury of journalists from 20 countries, has been equipped with 240kWh batteries. Two charging systems have been installed in the bus: one using a pantograph - for charging during

stopovers at bus stops - the other one using plug-in technology for charging in the bus depot. During the competition, the batterypowered Solaris was charged by way of a new-generation charger with a power output of 80kW, designed and produced by Ekoenergetyka-Polska. The mobile charger of the plug-in type was connected to a post with a pantograph specially devised for this purpose. Thanks to this solution the driving range of the electric Urbino is practically unlimited, it’s claimed. The Bus of The Year contest for the best city bus has been organised since 1989. The winning vehicle receives the title of best bus for the following year - in this case, 2017. The official Bus of the Year 2017 ceremony took place during the 2016 IAA fair in Hanover, recently.

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UpFront

ROADWORTHY SURVEY NEARS COMPLETION UNDERSTANDING THE HEALTH of Australia’s heavy vehicle fleet is a step closer with more than three-quarters of the National Roadworthiness Baseline Survey completed, according to the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator. NHVR executive director for Productivity and Safety Geoff Casey told the recent Australasian Road Safety Conference that survey inspections had been completed

in NSW, Victoria and Tasmania with inspections due to commence in Western Australia and the Northern Territory shortly. “The results of the Survey are important not only for the Regulator but for operators and the industry as a whole,” Casey. “Industry support has been positive, with many operators proactively engaging inspectors to examine their fleet at depots

across the country. “The fact that operators are asking to be inspected and surveyed highlights the collaborative work of the NHVR, states, territories and industry.” The Survey which commenced on August 1 is the first time Australia’s national heavy vehicle fleet has been assessed under the same criteria, using the National Heavy Vehicle Inspection

Manual. The survey will sample up to 9000 heavy vehicles, including rigid, articulated, B-doubles, road trains, buses and plant equipment. The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator is Australia’s independent regulator for all vehicles over 4.5t gross vehicle mass. Further information is available at www.nhvr.gov.au.

2016 ITS World Congress Winners FOUR AUSTRALIAN UNIVERSITY student winners booked their place at the 23rd World Congress on Intelligent Transport Systems, in Melbourne, this October, after winning a national competition. Australian University students were challenged to write essays on vehicle technology and smart cities with the prize being a complimentary pass to the

recent 2016 ITS World Congress at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre and, with it, the opportunity to meet some 7000 global ITS leaders. Congratulations go to: Emmanual Ajadi – Curtin University, Western Australia; Harry Carpenter – University of Adelaide, South Australia; Bruno Rota – RMIT University, Victoria; and Chuka Oham – University of

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CMY

New South Wales, New South Wales. “Well done to all the students who participated and congratulations to the winners. The standard of entries was high and we are delighted so many students found time to participate,” ITS Australia CEO Susan Harris said. “We are excited by the depth of knowledge and passion these students

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have for the ITS industry and, judging by these submissions, the industry can rest assured the next crop of ITS professionals will take the industry forward,” Harris said. In addition to the week-long complimentary pass, winners also received financial assistance for their travel.

In Depth

SPINAL TRAP

Lower back pain is inevitable if your body posture is not ideal while travelling long periods in any vehicle. So if you are planning a lengthy bus or coach trip, what should you do? UK spinal surgeon consultant Iona Collins - and founder of new website www.fixmyspine.co.uk – spoke exclusively to Coach & Bus magazine about how to keep your back supple when riding the road. Editor Fabian Cotter reports.

ow many of us are bothered with back pain, especially when we sit down for a long time? There is an abundance of published evidence pointing to the detrimental effects of sitting with a slouched posture, as well as staying in one position (ie. any position) for long periods on a road journey, experts state. A study in the European Spine Journal [Lis, 2007], identified bus drivers as being at high risk of developing back pain, due to prolonged sitting. The same study showed that while prolonged sitting is bad, prolonged sitting in an awkward posture is even worse for the back. We have a tendency to adopt fixed and awkward postures when we drive a car, with driving not only giving us back pain, but it also increases the risk of gaining excessive weight and developing heart problems, it’s claimed [Sugiyama, 2016]. So, prolonged sitting is bad for us? In most cases it looks like it. As spinal expert Iona Collins futher explains, while sitting avoidance may be fairly easy to achieve when deciding whether to walk to the corner shop versus driving there (walking wins!), it’s

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less easy to avoid sitting when planning longer journeys. “We could fly from A to B, but worry about developing lifethreatening blood clots in our lungs as well as worrying about our seating posture,” Collins stated. So how can we avoid spinal problems which result from prolonged sitting? “Well, for a start, when we plan to travel by bus we tend to walk to a bus stop. This is a great opportunity to improve our health overall,” Collins said. “The University of Sydney highlighted that people who walk to bus stops and then to their destination when dropped off are more likely to achieve the minimum walking requirement of 10,000 steps a day, compared with people who drive a car [Rissel, 2012]. Catching a bus is therefore classed as ‘active travel’, which is good for our backs, good for our overall health and good for the environment by reducing our collective carbon footprint,” she explained. “But the good news is at risk of coming to an end when we climb into that bus and make ourselves comfortable in a seat,” she added.

All may not be lost, however! According to Collins, a team of researchers from Japan and Thailand recruited 74 volunteers aged between 18-25 years old and split them into two seated groups. One group sat and enjoyed a two-hour movie, while the other group watched the same film but repeated an exercise regime every 20 minutes. The people who exercised while sitting (dynamic sitting) had significantly more flexible lower backs compared with the group that stayed still, she says. If that’s the case, what kind of exercises reduce or help eliminate lower back pain, such as on a long road trip? Collins advised the following steps: “Enjoy a nice healthy walk to your bus stop and relish the number of steps that you’re pacing out, toward your daily goal of 10K steps;” “Stand tall and adopt a good posture while waiting to get onto the bus;” “When you get onto the bus, choose a seat that reclines as this will off-load the spine compared with sitting completely upright;” “Relax your arms on the armrests;”

“Extend your lower back until you can feel a slight stretching in that area. Hold this posture for about five seconds;” “Gently draw in the abdomen to return to the neutral sitting posture in 1-5 seconds;” “And repeat six times in one minute and repeat the whole routine every twenty minutes.” FixMySpine.co.uk is a new online resource that is 100 per cent evidence-based and 100 per cent spine friendly, it’s claimed. The articles are written by many different spinal experts from different backgrounds, in order to present a truly comprehensive and unbiased source of online information, the website states.

“..catching a bus is therefore classed as ‘active travel’, which is good for our backs...”

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Coverstory

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SELFIE TRICK Driverless city buses just got a whole lot closer with the semi-autonomous Mercedes-Benz Future Bus debuting at the recent 2016 IAA Commercial Vehicles show, in Hannover, Germany. It looks the goods and can certainly drive itself, but will the technology sell itself? Coach & Bus editor Fabian Cotter reports.

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ave to, or want to? If in a random loud industrial complex and mumbled fast enough, ‘have to’ and ‘want to’ might sound pretty similar at a distance – a solid ear-wax buildup would also help. Yet there’s a landmark emotional difference between the words and when it comes to public transport and ‘having to’ take the bus or ‘wanting to’ take the bus, you get the picture pretty fast. The MercedesBenz Future Bus, though, just might be the thing to make the people ‘want to’ – big time. A perennial conundrum that faces the industry globally, it’s best illustrated when there is some other public-transport problem or cartraffic inconvenience, where the news media will be quick to report something like ‘...and so commuters instead will have to take the bus’.

The beauty of something like the MercedesBenz Future Bus is not just the exciting implications and applications of its CityPilot semi-autonomous driving technology – though that is thoroughly deserving of such – but also its futuristic and invitingly ergonomic, practical and re-invigorating interior design. And if it’s about really getting people to ‘want to take the bus’ rather than ‘have to take it’ then the Future Bus concept is well poised to invoke such mass-market perceptual change. But let’s explore that a bit later. Touted as “a milestone on the way to the autonomous city bus, and a revolutionary mobility system for the future” the MercedesBenz Future Bus with CityPilot indeed presents itself as a “safe, ecological, comfortable” solution for urban mobility. Particularly for the

future of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT). And it is in this real-life test environment that the Future Bus is proving its worth along a near 20km stretch of the stuff that includes “a number of tight bends, tunnels, numerous bus stops and involving high speeds for a city bus,” the company states. Of its first public journey on part of Europe’s longest BRT route in the Netherlands – linking Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport with the town of Haarlem - Arno Prüllage, head of Project Engineering told Coach & Bus magazine exclusively: “For me … it was amazing and a great experience to be part of the test drives with the media. Already on the road now, with the city bus of tomorrow provides a specific and attractive fore-taste of the city bus and bus-based transport systems of the future.

“...its futuristic and invitingly ergonomic, practical and re-invigorating interior design.”

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1 A convenient height for

luggage support and wireless phone charging - perfect for post-flight travellers. 2 Distinctive rear end is unmistakably Future Bus. 3 The interior design somewhat dismisses orthodoxy while imbuing practicality. 4 A family friendly environment - it should be a real hit with the kids.

THE TECH

THE HISTORY Mercedes-Benz has been a pioneer in autonomous driving in sophisticated city bus and BRT systems for decades. One of the precursors to the networked electronic systems of today’s CityPilot was the track-guided bus from Mercedes-Benz. Presented in 1979, it has operated in the German city of Essen since 1980. In this city bus with mechanical track guidance, side-mounted guide rollers on the wheels run along guide rails – the driver can release the steering wheel when on the move. From 1979, at its plant site in Rastatt, Mercedes-Benz operated electrified track-guided bus routes for buses with both mechanical and electronic track guidance using a guide cable recessed into the road surface. And most notably here is the Mercedes-Benz ‘O-Bahn Busway’ in Adelaide, Australia, still in use today and is to be expanded.

Design undertones of a modern Citaro, but with a ‘futuristically funky’ spin.

Future Bus has a top speed of 70km/h on the open road. Throughout the journey the driver does not need to operate the accelerator or brake at all, and only needs to take the wheel in accordance with traffic regulations when there is oncoming traffic, according to Daimler. However, the driver is able to intervene at any time and immediately take control if required – hence semiautonomous. No fewer than 10 cameras in different systems with a wide range of purposes are in use, matched with long and shortrange radar systems. Data is “reconciled with stored values” – that is anything it ‘sees’ or ‘senses’ is matched up within a certain allowed marginal (just centimetres) difference – with prior-recorded information. It communicates with traffic light systems, and has automatic braking. It’s an ideal vehicle for a BRT system, says Daimler. That stated, it “is allowed to operate on public roads despite deviating from the normal technical and service specifications”. The CityPilot’s functions include traffic light recognition, pedestrian recognition, centi-metric precision when halting at bus stops (check out the YouTube videos - spot-on!) and the ability to drive semiautonomously in tunnels. And the cost for and effort required for monitoring the road and the surroundings? “Extraordinarily high,” the company states. But when is advanced technology ever not? The long-range radar works up to 200m, there’s electrically actuated Servotwin steering and

there are mirror-cams instead of exterior mirrors (Did you see our commercial vehicles camera story in C&B Issue 24?). Lane-tracking cameras are used for the Lane Keep Assist system. Four short-range radar sensors – two in the front section, two at the front corners – cover distances from 50cm to 10m ahead of the bus. Two stereo cameras, with a range of up to 50m, allow 3D vision and recognition of obstacles and pedestrians, it’s claimed. A satellite-supported locationsystem GPS, lane-tracking cameras and four cameras for global visual location means the Future Bus is always where it should be. These cameras are installed at front axle level high up on the sides, monitoring the surroundings and, as stated, comparing them with images pre-stored in memory – very cool. They ensure exact positioning and they are guided by waypoints. Daimler says they “operate to an accuracy of 8cm and are also used in illuminated tunnels”. Two further close-range cameras are directed vertically downwards at the front sides. These recognise the pattern of the asphalt road surface like a fingerprint (Wow! Very CSI Miami), and likewise compare this continuously with previously stored images of the route. And finally there are three cameras recording the journey. They record both the movements of the bus and the actions of the driver. And as these movements are so precise, more so than a human driver alone, it should bring an element of predictability and repeatability to operator fuel and running costs.

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It’s a beautiful and calming place to be, in terms of bus transport. Free highspeed Wi-Fi and phone charging are perfect for the modern bus user. 2 The way of the future? Wing mirrors be gone! High-def cameras to rule here from now on.

“a milestone on the way to the autonomous city bus; a revolutionary mobility system for the future.” “It was a great pleasure for me and my whole team to be part of that demonstration. We worked very hard to get the bus ready from the technical perspective; everything worked well and we are all very proud on our common team work”. So just what is the CityPilot part of the Future Bus project? According to Daimler it is based on similar technology (Highway Pilot) as used on the autonomously driving Mercedes-Benz Actros truck, which debuted two years ago. For bus use, though, it’s been further developed and tailored to suit. CityPilot can recognise traffic lights, communicate with them and safely negotiate junctions controlled by them, Daimler states. It can also recognise obstacles – most importantly pedestrians on the road, no doubt - and brake autonomously (that’s geek

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speak for ‘by itself’). It approaches bus stops automatically, where it opens and closes its doors for passengers to get on board or alight, and is able to drive through tunnels (even if not well lit enough for its cameras to ‘see’). On that note, nearly a dozen cameras scan the road and surroundings while long and short-range radar systems constantly monitor the route ahead, it’s claimed. Complemented by a GPS system, all the data received creates “an extremely precise picture” allowing the bus to be positioned to “within centimetres”, according to the company. That’s pretty impressive stuff! And from what we’ve seen, read and heard it seems to be an accurate description of the successful Future Bus trial on the 20km Amsterdam route. So is there reduced or increased workload on the driver?

THE LOOK Based on the world-famous Citaro city bus in terms of overall initial design, the Future Bus is a beautiful, re-interpreted technology platform around 12m long. Its interior and exterior are inspired by city architecture; its lighting, door layout and information systems offer a funky and inviting travel experience and overall aesthetic. Inside its refreshingly open-plan design was aimed to have the feel and look inspired by city squares and parks. And this, it must be said, has been successfully achieved. As is explained, the theory is it is divided into three zones for different lengths of stay. Designer seats are loosely arranged along the walls in each zone. “Firstly, the interior design offers numerous ideas for rethinking the triedand-tested partitioning of the passenger compartment, which has remained essentially unchanged for decades. This concerns the segmentation into different passenger zones as well as the arrangement of the seats. The bus of the future can look like the Future Bus on the inside, but it certainly doesn’t have to look like today’s urban buses,” explained Prüllage. “The capacity of the Future Bus is about the same as that of a standard solo bus. Due to legal restrains coming with the special design, the capacity is

limited to 22 passengers (plus driver, plus conductor). “Passengers receive information from two 43-inch monitors. These are embedded in an overhead console in the central zone of the passenger compartment. These displays are specially made for the express zone (standing area). All other passengers not in the visual line of the TV screens can connect to the bus via Wi-Fi to gain individual information,” he said. Innovative grab rails reflect the park-like theme by branching upwards like trees towards the two-tone ceiling, Daimler states. The ceiling lighting resembles a leaf canopy, which looks amazing. Operators are able to relay information and entertainment via large monitors in the middle segment of the passenger compartment. At the front, sitting in a largely reimagined area, the driver receives information from a large screen with an innovative display. According to Daimler, “the MercedesBenz Future Bus sends out unmistakable messages about the attractive local public transport of the future, and invites its passengers to enjoy a fascinating driving experience”. “Its design intentionally breaks with conventions and is based on new approaches. The result is completely

new design solutions. These benefit passengers, the driver and bus operators. The ready-to-drive city bus offers its passengers maximum comfort, functionality and information, gives its driver a radically simplified cockpit and benefits bus operators with rapid passenger flows,” it’s stated. Outside, from front on, the iconic Mercedes star badge is flanked by two white light bars, which cleverly illuminate in white (manual) or blue (semi-automated) to indicate the current driving status of the bus. At the top, the windscreen is hallmarked via a compact destination indicator. A panel covers the area above the driver, which Daimler says symbolises the fact “the driver on board this semi-automated city bus only plays a diminished role behind the wheel” – which is a bit teary for a lot of ‘busies’, really. Dynamically styled wheel arches, silver painted side walls and roof panelling look very futuristic, and even roof-mounted equipment ensure an integrated appearance. In the centre are two double doors to speed up passenger flows, with lighting above to help indicate when to get on or off. There are no doors facing the cockpit or behind the rear axle; passengers enter

and leave the bus via two double-width doors between the axles. These doors are marked with luminescent bands on the outside – green means entry, red means exit – to speed up passenger flows in the standing zone between the axles. “This therefore becomes the ‘main traffic zone’ in the city bus, as this is where the majority of passengers only covering short distances will congregate. At the same time this calms the other areas in the interior – a benefit for passengers spending longer on board”. An electronic ticket system means the driver is able to concentrate on key activities rather than selling and checking tickets. On that note, e-ticketing considerably speeds up passenger flows, which means shorter stopping times at bus stops and faster travel times, making travel by bus even more attractive for passengers, Daimler states. “The design plus the completely reorganised passenger flows therefore have a positive overall influence on the bus as a transport system”. Passengers receive information from two 43-inch monitors. These are embedded in an overhead console in the central zone of the passenger compartment.

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“Today the bus driver of the Future Bus has to concentrate even more,” said Prüllage, “because he is in full charge of the vehicle even if everything is working just perfect. But in the near future, serial assistance systems will make driving much easier by relieving the driver from standard tasks.” Can the technology be hacked or interfered with by an unauthorised source, even if momentarily? “The data technology is protected against attacks from outside, perpetrated by hackers, since access … is currently only possible

by gaining physical access to the vehicle. Further protective measures are possible and necessary for serial production, but in the current Future Bus (technology platform and concept vehicle) [it’s] not currently implemented,” he explained. So where does such a bus concept go from here? Only time will tell what the greatest achievements or inherent limitations were of the Future Bus – a design that will probably influence bus transport over the next 1050 years. But until then let’s look at certain aspects a little closer...

“...a design that will probably influence bus transport over the next 10-50 years.”

THE DRIVELINE The drive unit is located on the opposite end of the bus: The Mercedes-Benz OM 936 in-line six-cylinder Euro6 diesel engine is installed on the left in the rear. It develops 220kW and transfers its power to the driven low-floor portal axle via an automatic torque converter transmission. This does not have to be the only alternative, however; the new Mercedes-Benz M 936 G gas engine could also be used. And with Mercedes-Benz planning a battery-electric drive system for city buses for 2018 there’ll be another option, too.

Future Bus with CityPilot takes care of the steering business, but always under the watchful eyes of the driver.

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Operator

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BUS QU

UEENSLAND Servicing an area that represents 2.8 million people, Bus Queensland has a big stake in successfully fulfilling the communityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s public transport needs. So when it comes to vehicles it needs quality kit that wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t break the bank. Coach & Bus Editor Fabian Cotter reports.

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us Queensland’s vision to provide its passengers with safe, comfortable and dependable transport that “takes them to where they want to go” has seen it become one of the largest privately owned bus companies in Australia during the past 40 years. And it does so while “providing a safe workplace and respecting each other, our partners and our environment” the company states. To date it operates a modern fleet of 414 buses in both the greater South-East area of Queensland and in certain parts of Victoria. Not bad for a company that started in 1972 by four brothers with just four buses. The 100 per cent Australian-owned company employs around 350 staff across four depots in South-East Queensland, which service the Ipswich, Park Ridge, Toowoomba and Lockyer Valley areas. It also runs two bus companies in Victoria: Mansfield-Mt Buller Bus Lines and Cranbourne Transit. Bus Queensland is run by the Pulitano Group of Companies, whose board members include Domenic Pulitano, Perri Pulitano, Guiseppa Petrazzuolo, Adam Pulitano, Dom Pulitano and

Anthony Pulitano. Managing director Adam Pulitano joined Bus Queensland in 2008 after nearly 15 years in the Victorian bus industry, where he gained extensive experience operating a metropolitan bus service and developed roster design, operations management and front-line management skills. Before this he was general manager at both the Westside Bus Co and Park Ridge Transit operations, where he gained skills in network design, contract negotiation and senior management. Adam’s been a Queensland Bus Industry Council (QBIC) committee member since 2011 and was the winner of the inaugural 2011 ‘Translink Rising Star’ award for his commitment to operating and improving bus services in Brisbane’s south-western region. The rest of the management team includes: Robert Macey as chief operating officer; Kevin Hollingshead as depot manager at Park Ridge Transit; Shane Jakobi as depot manager at Toowoomba Transit; Bill Conway as depot manager at Westside Bus Company; and Nicole Phillips as depot manager at the Lockyer Valley.

As an equal opportunity employer and with a solid environmental management system in place, it has developed a sound Incident Management Plan in line with the Transport Operation (Passenger Transport) Standard 2010. This allows it to respond to an incident in a timely and appropriate manner and also provides appropriate management of incidents, injuries, illnesses and emergencies. It forms an essential element of Bus Queensland’s health and safety responsibilities, the company states. Recently, in line with its policy to “consistently deliver a high standard of charter service to all our clients” it started to receive the first four of seven new low-floor city buses for its outer urban routes in Brisbane and urban routes in Toowoomba, bringing to 170 the number of Scanias in the group’s fleet. The delivery was perfect timing for Bus Queensland opening its completely rebuilt Park Ridge Depot, where two of the buses will be based. Overall, the new depot building will house approximately 120 staff and 90 vehicles. “The new buses will be welcomed by our customers, our drivers as well as by our workshop staff,” said Adam Pulitano, managing

“... to consistently deliver a high standard of charter service to all our clients.”

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 Somewhere in an alternate universe is perhaps a bus with a desto that reads “Do-Ray-Mi”.

1 The new Scanias in all their coloured-Gemilang glory. 2 Bus Queensland MD Adam Pulitano, Scania Bus and Coach national manager

- retail Julian Gurney, Justin Smith Park Ridge Transit, Brian Thompson Scania 3 Driver’s work area looks bright and comfy.

director of the Pulitano Group. “The low-floor accessibility makes a difference for our outerurban passengers, and the drivers enjoy the new smooth ride and comfortable driver’s station,” he said. The new Gemilang-bodied, Scania-chassis buses are said to provide efficient air conditioning, wheelchair access and low-floor convenience, it’s claimed, and wear the highly identifiable green Translink (Brisbane) and the company’s yellow (Toowoomba Transit) front panel livery. There are 41 Vogel-supplied seats and space for 35 standees, with provision for a single wheelchair. The bus offers a double door at the front and a single SMC door along the middle of the body. Powering the new buses is Scania’s K 310 SCR Euro 5 engine driving through a ZF pushbutton six-speed automatic transmission. Scania’s Communicator is also fitted to provide a high degree of fleet monitoring data, it’s stated. “We have been running Gemilang bodies for five years, with 20 vehicles of this type performing very well. The appeal of the Scania and Gemilang combination is it provides a reasonably priced solution for our application. In addition, the vehicles have had a high level of acceptance by our driving and workshop staff. “The Scania chassis and running gear over time has significantly improved its fuel efficiency, and the Scania Driver Support on-board tips and advice functions keep our drivers focused on doing a good job, and assist them to continually enhance their skills. “One of the main benefits of the aluminium body that we get from Gemilang is its durability and ability to resist corrosion, helping to control the whole-of-life costs. “When added to the Scania’s improved fuel performance we can see a benefit of the combination of body and chassis,” Pulitano said. The Group has been buying Scania buses for around 30 years and has acquired more than a dozen during the past two years fitted with the latest Scania SCR Euro 5 emission engines. “After undergoing Scania’s driver training we have seen very impressive fuel efficiency gains from our drivers,” he explained. “We have been utilising the Scania fleet monitoring system to give us visibility of our costs and driver performance as well as emissions. After training delivered by Alana Mountfield and the Scania bus driver development team, our drivers have had a strong focus on economical driving, and

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1 there is a good vibe among the drivers as they attempt to improve on their fuel use, and compete with each other to deliver the best levels of fuel efficiency and passenger comfort.” Two buses sent to Toowoomba are the first of five that will replace some aged buses in that town. Pulitano added: “It has been a few years since we have introduced new full-size low-floor buses to the Toowoomba region. There is good demand in the area and we are looking forward to increasing utilisation over the next few years. At present, we have 65 vehicles in the town, running a broad array of services from route bus, school, charter, and long distance services. We operate two- and three-axle coaches on the express services, including some Scania K 440 three-axle

2 vehicles. “We were the first operator to take the new A30 when it arrived in Australia and we have grown that fleet to 31 vehicles, now powered by the same 310hp SCR engine as the route buses. “Some of the early fleet have clocked up significant kilometres already. We even run a daily A30 route to the outback, underlining its versatility. They are very popular with the drivers and passengers,” he explained. Scania Bus and Coach national manager - retail, Julian Gurney, explained the deal as ‘Bus Queensland’s continued commitment to the Scania brand; a vote of confidence in the product’. “They were the first with a fleet of A30s when we launched them in 2010 and they have continued with the product as we

3 have evolved it, from the initial 270hp to today’s 310hp versions. The experience Bus Queensland has had with the A30s has given other operators the confidence to take on board Scania-Higer A30s into their fleets,” Gurney said. “In the same way, we are confident that the aluminium-bodied Gemilang bus that we have just introduced to Bus Queensland with our 310hp chassis will also be successful for this operator, and will also again provide other operators with the confidence to give this costeffective and highly efficient package a go. “The price effectiveness of the Gemilang offer gives them a significant advantage in the Australian market and, when teamed with the frugal and reliable Scania running gear, you have a combination that will be hard to beat for route bus services,” Gurney said.

“One of the main benefits of the aluminium body that we get from Gemilang is its durability and ability to resist corrosion.” 4

1 It’s called the Garden City for a

reason - and here’s one right there! 2 Vogel-supplied seats do the trick on

the new Scania low-floors. 3 Scania logo colours and Queensland

Government logo colours match what a ‘co-inky-dink’! 4 Bus Queensland showing off its shiny new purchases.

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YOU

SCANIA

HAVE IMMEDIATE DELIVERY. Scania has a selection of high quality locally manufactured and readybuilt buses to meet your school and charter requirements. 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 • Available in 310hp • Built-in retarder

• Choice of six-speed automatic transmission or eight-speed two pedal Opticruise Giving fleet operators a virtual off-the-shelf solution means rapid order-to-delivery times come as standard.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:QLD

Brian Thompson: 0418 531 632

NSW

VIC / SA / TAS

Dean Cash: 0478 310 518 Jamie Atkinson: 0408 059 501

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

*Delivery time may vary depending upon operators desired seat configuration or body choice.

Dean Cash: 0478 310 518

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OPERATOR:

KASTORIA BUS LINES, VIC

TECHNICAL:

WRIGHTBUS ‘ROAD CHARGES’ ITS ELECTRIC

OVERSEAS:

VOLVO 9700 AWARD-WINNER

EVALUATED:

THRIFTY’S NEW WA MINE BUS

coach&bus

dd 28

OPERATOR: ACCESSIBLE TRANSIT SPECIALISTS TECH: UPM BIOVERNO DIESEL CBT14_p000_COV_2.indd 28

2/05/2014 9:04 am

MAN 4X4 CAB-CHASSIS GOES HARD! INTERVIEW: Higer CEO Neil Bamford TRAINING: Asia Motors New Facility INTERNATIONAL: HINO Space Bus TECH: Induction Charging

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17/07/2014 10:55 am

2014 SHOWS: IAA Commercial Vehicles, Germany

Australasian Bus and Coach Conference & Expo, Gold Coast

MEET BCI’S NZ LOW-FLOOR Volvo’s Race-ready Roadie INTERVIEW: BIC’s Michael Apps TECH: MAN UR:BAN Project INTERNATIONAL: USA Shower Bus OPERATOR: Explorer Coachlines, SA

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17/02/14 10:53 AM

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25th

COMMEMORATIVE ISSUE

AUTO PILOT

ET DAIMLER'S LANDMARK HANDS-FREE LOW-FLOOR

NCHED: HINO PONCHO DDA PTH: BUS BACK PAIN

14/12/12 4:45 P

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Tough Mudder INBOUND TRANZIT SUPERSTAR LEARNING SPANISH Scania Euro6 in Oz!

EVENT: SCANIA 2014 DRIVER AWARDS EVENT: HIGER VARIETY CHARITY RIDE OVERSEAS: SUNSUNDEGUI SC7, VOLVO B11R

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OPERATOR: BUS QUEENSLAND INTERVIEW: MERC'S MICHAEL MAY

INTERVIEW: MAN’s Mark Mello SCANIA: Best Driver Competition INTERNATIONAL: Setra TopClass S 431 DT

IRIZAR - AT HOME IN OZ

OPERATOR: Buslink VIVO NEWS: Scania Poo Bus? INTERNATIONAL: Volvo Hybrid Electric INTERVIEW: HVA-King Long’s Anthony Fisicaro

... to the Australasian and, in fact, global coach and bus industry for supporting us for 25 issues and counting. Without the continued support of our valued readers, advertisers, manufacturers, operators, freelance writers and photographers we wouldn’t be here. 15/09/2014 11:23 am

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We’ve received great feedback and encouragement throughout the years and we’ll endeavour to bring you even higher & quality bi-monthly & issues of your favourite bus magazine, so that we SOLD! continue to do so.

coach&bus coach&bus coach&bus coach bus coach bus coach&bus

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SPECIAL BIRTHDAY ISSUE

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media group

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CUSTOM-ADL MARRIAGE OVER! Aussie Icon Cut, Brits Run

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2014 SHOWS:

media group

CUSTOM

IAA Commercial Vehicles, Germany

Australasian Bus and Coach Conference & Expo, Gold Coast

OLD BOSS, NEW NAME

ICKET TO RIDE Euro zone

CI’s chic Citirider hits town

RLD 2013, BELGIUM FIRST LOOK: CHIRON TILT CAB OPERATOR: BALLARAT COACHLINES TECH: ZF GENSHOCK INTERNATIONAL: DAIMLER SETRA 500 TOPCLASS

INTERVIEW: TONY KERR, EX-VOLGREN

OPERATOR:

KASTORIA BUS LINES, VIC

TECHNICAL:

WRIGHTBUS ‘ROAD CHARGES’ ITS ELECTRIC

OVERSEAS:

VOLVO 9700 AWARD-WINNER

EVALUATED:

THRIFTY’S NEW WA MINE BUS

coach&bus coach&bus

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TAILOR MADE

KING LONG’S 6120/30 GOES CONTINENTAL CUSTOM’S FIRST ADL ‘AUSSIE’

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OPERATOR: ACCESSIBLE TRANSIT SPECIALISTS TECH: UPM BIOVERNO DIESEL

Tough Mudder INBOUND TRANZIT SUPERSTAR MAN 4X4 CAB-CHASSIS GOES HARD! Scania Euro6 in Oz!

EVENT: SCANIA 2014 DRIVER AWARDS EVENT: HIGER VARIETY CHARITY RIDE OVERSEAS: SUNSUNDEGUI SC7, VOLVO B11R

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Look out for a brand-new format publication and enhanced website at www.truckandbus.net.au soon...

2/05/2014 9:04 am

INTERVIEW: Higer CEO Neil Bamford TRAINING: Asia Motors New Facility INTERNATIONAL: HINO Space Bus TECH: Induction Charging

CBT15_p000_COV.indd 1

17/07/2014 10:55 am

MEET BCI’S NZ LOW-FLOOR Volvo’s Race-ready Roadie INTERVIEW: BIC’s Michael Apps TECH: MAN UR:BAN Project INTERNATIONAL: USA Shower Bus OPERATOR: Explorer Coachlines, SA

CBT16_p000_COV.indd 1

15/09/2014 11:23 am

INTERVIEW: MAN’s Mark Mello SCANIA: Best Driver Competition INTERNATIONAL: Setra TopClass S 431 DT CBT17_p000_COV.indd 1

21/11/2014 11:10 a

17/02/14 10:53 AM

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COMMEMORATIVE ISSUE

HOT LONG BLACK

ET KING LONG'S LATEST COACH CREATION

MEET DAIMLER'S LANDMARK HANDS-FREE LOW-FLOOR LAUNCHED: HINO PONCHO DDA IN DEPTH: BUS BACK PAIN

RATOR: Tassielink INTERNATIONAL: MAN Lion's Intercity H: Cam Mirrors INDUSTRY: Scania Driver Award launched

coach&bus

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AUTO PILOT

4/07/2016 7:43 AM

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OPERATOR: BUS QUEENSLAND INTERVIEW: MERC'S MICHAEL MAY

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SPECIAL BIRTHDAY ISSUE

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CUSTOM-ADL MARRIAGE OVER! Aussie Icon Cut, Brits Run

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CUSTOM

SOLD!

OLD BOSS, NEW NAME

TICKET TO RIDE Euro zone

062 www.truckandbus.net.au

RAZILIAN BEAUTY

Marcopolo’s Stunner Hits Oz!

BCI’s chic Citirider hits town

TAILOR MADE

KING LONG’S 6120/30 GOES CONTINENTAL CUSTOM’S FIRST ADL ‘AUSSIE’ INTERVIEW:

OPERATOR:

TECHNICAL:

OVERSEAS:

EVALUATED:

OPERATOR: ACCESSIBLE

EVENT: SCANIA 2014 DRIVER AWARDS

Tough Mudder INBOUND TRANZIT MAN 4X4 CAB-CHASSIS GOES HARD! Scania

INTERVIEW: Higer CEO Neil Bamford

MEET BCI’S NZ LOW-FLOOR

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ALEXANDER DENNIS And the truth behind the Custom deal

media group

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C&B NEW

WEBSITE LAUNCHED!

media group

S BI

media group

Masterclass PROVING GROUND BRITISH LIONS TRANSFORMERS BRAZILIAN BEAUTY TICKET TO RID THE

COUP. DAEWOO SCHOOL BUS

FIRST DRIVE! Volvo’s hybrid bus tested

! YET AGAIN

Scania’s A30 ‘TALKS THE TALK’, but has it walked the walk? îBIG ISSUES!

EXCLUSIVE!

Optare CityBuses head Down Under

BCI FACTORY OPERATOR TOUR - AUSSIE KNOW-HOW THAT’S MADE IN CHINA VOLVO PLUG-IN HYBRID - LANDMARK EUROPEAN TRIAL BEGINS VOLGREN DEBUT - WEST OZ GETS NEW ROUTE BUS FIRST TRANSIT SYSTEMS - AUSSIE CEO TALKS UK EXPANSION AND MORE

îEXCLUSIVE!

Bus width and seatbelt changes fast-tracked?

Fuso city bus lands in OZ

Brahman’s 4x4 Bus launched Tough as nails!

Volgren’s Latest Duo - ‘More Than Meets the Eye’ MIGHTY MINI-BUSES – MERCEDES SPRINTERS LANDING! TECH: ACTIA TELEMATICS – AN IN-DEPTH LOOK 2013 MELBOURNE BUSVIC SHOW – AS GOOD AS IT GETS? OPERATOR: MELBOURNE’S CROWN COACHES

VOLVO’S 2013 PHOTO COMPETITION WINNER REVEALED…

BCI’s chic Citirider hits tow

Marcopolo’s Stunner Hits Oz!

INTERVIEW: 60 MINS WITH VOLVO’S AKASH PASSEY EVENT: 2013 SYDNEY BUS SHOW OPERATOR: NZ’S RITCHIES BRINGS ITS SCANIA DOUBLE DECK TECH: DME BIO-FUEL

BUSWORLD 2013, BELGIUM FIRST LOOK: CHIRON TILT CAB OPERATOR: BALLARAT COA TECH: ZF GENSHOCK INTERNATIONAL: DAIMLER SETRA 500 TOPCLASS

coach&bus coach&bus coach&bus coach&bus coach&bus coach&bus

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Busworld 2015 Kortrijk, Belgium EPIC SHOW REPORT

BusVic 2015 Massive Show Report

CLASS ACT

CBT10_p000_COV.indd 22

MB Mini-buses Green-lighted

Aussie Pride! Volvo's First Euro6 Articulated Bus

Artic Fox VOLVO’S B8RLEA HITS WEST OZ

Shining Star High Roller BUS TECH DAIMLER'S AWARD-WINNING CITARO IS FINALLY HERE! INTERVIEW: Nikki Brouwers

NEWS: Volgren Double-Deck

EVENT: 61st UITP Milan, 2015

VOLGREN DOUBLE DECK - VICTORIA'S SECRET!

TECH: Solar Roads Concept

OPERATOR: AAT Kings NEWS: UBC Take-over TECH: Air-powered Vehicles? INTERNATIONAL: Wrightbus Streetdeck

Presidential Sweet

Aussie electric bus revealed!

MEET BONLUCK'S CLASSY AFFAIR

- Futureproof? Cheaper than diesel?

INTERVIEW: Sean Copeland

FEATURE: Higer H8200 Platinum GUIDE: Bus Air-conditioning

Interview: Sean Copeland Tech: Scania Mega Artic Guide: Bus Seats Operator: Metro Tasmania

TECH: Willie LCD Bus

EVENT: IT-TRANS, 2016 - Germany INTERVIEW: SCANIA's Julian Gurney and Trevor O’Brien INTERNATIONAL: Irizar i8 revealed OPERATOR: Transwa TECH: VOLVO's VDS system

HOT LONG BLAC

MEET KING LONG'S LATEST COACH CREAT OPERATOR: Tassielink INTERNATIONAL: MAN Lion's Intercity TECH: Cam Mirrors INDUSTRY: Scania Driver Award launched

coach&bus coach&bus coach&bus coach&bus coach&bus coach&bus

CBT19_p000_COV.indd 1

SCOOP! NEW HIGER CITYBUS REVEALED

12/05/2015 10:40 am

WIN $1500

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IN PRIZES. ENTER VOLVO’S PHOTO COMP!

25/06/2015 10:20 pm

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WIN0 $150

IN PRIZES. ENTER VOLVO’S PHOTO COMP!

16/09/2015 10:09 pm

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TODAY

2013 BUS OF THE YEAR - NEW CITARO INSIDE!

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22/12/2015 7:34 PM

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30/03/2016 5:40 PM

EXCLUSIVE: HINO PONCHO + MELPHA HIT OZ!

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ALEXANDER DENNIS And the truth behind the Custom deal

media group

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C&B NEW

WEBSITE LAUNCHED!

media group

B11R IN OZ Masterclass PROVING GROUND BRITISH LIONS TRANSFORMERS BRAZILIAN BEAUT THE

Volvo’s latest chassis hits the road

ZF 25TH BIRTHDAY SCANIA BEST YOUNG DRIVER AWARDS HYUNDAI HYDROGEN BUSES OPERATOR - BRISBANE TRANSPORT

N! COUP. YET AGAI DAEWOO SCHOOL BUS

FIRST DRIVE! Volvo’s hybrid bus tested

EXCLUSIVE!

Scania’s A30 ‘TALKS THE TALK’, but has it walked the walk? îBIG ISSUES!

Optare CityBuses head Down Under

îEXCLUSIVE!

Bus width and seatbelt changes fast-tracked?

Fuso city bus lands in OZ

Brahman’s 4x4 Bus launched Tough as nails!

VOLVO’S 2013 PHOTO COMPETITION WINNER REVEALED…

Marcopolo’s Stunner Hits Oz

INTERVIEW: 60 MINS WITH VOLVO’S AKASH PASSEY EVENT: 2013 SYDNEY BUS OPERATOR: NZ’S RITCHIES BRINGS ITS SCANIA DOUBLE DECK TECH: DME BI

coach&bus coach&bus coach&bus coach&bus coach&bus coach&bus

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13/08/13 2:55 PM

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Busworld 2015 Kortrijk, Belgium EPIC SHOW REPORT

BusVic 2015 Massive Show Report

CLASS ACT

CBT10_p000_COV.indd 22

MB Mini-buses Green-lighted

Aussie Pride! Volvo's First Euro6 Articulated Bus

LEARNING SPANISH IRIZAR - AT HOME IN OZ

Artic Fox VOLVO’S B8RLEA HITS WEST OZ

Shining Star High Roller BUS TECH DAIMLER'S AWARD-WINNING CITARO IS FINALLY HERE! INTERVIEW: Nikki Brouwers

NEWS: Volgren Double-Deck

EVENT: 61st UITP Milan, 2015

OPERATOR: AAT Kings NEWS: UBC Take-over TECH: Air-powered Vehicles? INTERNATIONAL: Wrightbus Streetdeck

25/02/2015 2:19 pm

CBT19_p000_COV.indd 1

SCOOP! NEW HIGER CITYBUS REVEALED

12/05/2015 10:40 am

WIN $1500

IN PRIZES. ENTER VOLVO’S PHOTO COMP!

Presidentia Sweet

Aussie electric bus revealed!

MEET BONLUC CLASSY AFFAI

- Futureproof? Cheaper than diesel?

INTERVIEW: Sean Copeland

OPERATOR: Buslink VIVO NEWS: Scania Poo Bus? INTERNATIONAL: Volvo Hybrid Electric INTERVIEW: HVA-King Long’s Anthony Fisicaro CBT18_p000_COV.indd 1

VOLGREN DOUBLE DECK - VICTORIA'S SECRET!

TECH: Solar Roads Concept

FEATURE: Higer H8200 Platinum GUIDE: Bus Air-conditioning

WIN0

Interview: Sean Copeland Tech: Scania Mega Artic Guide: Bus Seats Operator: Metro Tasmania

TECH: Willie LCD Bus

IN PRIZES. ENTER VOLVO’S PHOTO COMP!

EVENT: IT-TRANS, 2016 - Germany INTERVIEW: SCANIA's Julian Gurney and Trevor O’Brien INTERNATIONAL: Irizar i8 revealed OPERATOR: Transwa TECH: VOLVO's VDS system

2013 BUS OF THE YEAR - NEW CITARO INSIDE!

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EXCLUSIVE: HINO PONCHO + MELPHA H

coach&bus coach&bus coach&bus coach&bus coach&bus CBT20_p000_COV.indd 1

25/06/2015 10:20 pm

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$150

16/09/2015 10:09 pm

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TODAY

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ALEXANDER DENNIS

media group

And the truth behind the Custom deal

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C&B NEW

WEBSITE LAUNCHED!

media group

B11R IN OZ Masterclass PROVING GROUND BRITISH LIONS TRANSFORMER THE

Volvo’s latest chassis hits the road

ZF 25TH BIRTHDAY SCANIA BEST YOUNG DRIVER AWARDS HYUNDAI HYDROGEN BUSES OPERATOR - BRISBANE TRANSPORT

COUP. DAEWOO SCHOOL BUS

FIRST DRIVE! Volvo’s hybrid bus tested

! YET AGAIN

Scania’s A30 ‘TALKS THE TALK’, but has it walked the walk? îBIG ISSUES!

EXCLUSIVE!

Optare CityBuses head Down Under

îEXCLUSIVE!

Bus width and seatbelt changes fast-tracked?

Fuso city bus lands in OZ

Brahman’s 4x4 Bus launched Tough as nails!

Volgren’s Latest Duo - ‘More Than Meets the

MIGHTY MINI-BUSES – MERCEDES SPRINTERS LANDING! TECH: ACTIA TELEMATICS – AN IN-DE 2013 MELBOURNE BUSVIC SHOW – AS GOOD AS IT GETS? OPERATOR: MELBOURNE’S CROWN

VOLVO’S 2013 PHOTO COMPETITION WINNER REVEA

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2014 SHOWS:

BusVic 2015 Massive Show Report

IAA Commercial Vehicles, Germany Australasian Bus and Coach Conference & Expo, Gold Coast

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CLASS ACT

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Busworld 2015 Kortrijk, Belgium EPIC SHOW REPORT

MB Mini-buses Green-lighted

SUPERSTAR LEARNING SPANISH Artic Fox Aussie Pride! Volvo's First Euro6 Articulated Bus

VOLVO’S B8RLEA HITS WEST OZ

Shining Star High Roller BUS TECH DAIMLER'S AWARD-WINNING CITARO IS FINALLY HERE! INTERVIEW: Nikki Brouwers

NEWS: Volgren Double-Deck

EVENT: 61st UITP Milan, 2015

TECH: Solar Roads Concept

VOLGREN DOUBLE DECK - VICTORIA'S SECRET!

Aussie electric bus revealed! - Futureproof? Cheaper than diesel?

Event

DIAMOND JUBILEE Photography: Fabian Cotter

036 www.truckandbus.net.au

The 2016 Australian Bus and Coach Show at Sydney Showgrounds, 5-6 October, was a fantastic way for BusNSW to celebrate its 75th Anniversary in style. Coach & Bus magazine moseyed on down to partake in the festivities. Editor Fabian Cotter reports.

BusNSW executive director, Darryl Mellish.

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ore than $50 million worth of commercial and super-special vehicles on display? Check. The latest and greatest ancillary bus-related products for your viewing pleasure from around 120 exhibitors? You betcha! A stunning gala dinner with awesome entertainment? Wallop! More than 2500 people discovered the Australian Bus and Coach Show was all that it promised to be. The delectable mix of new metal peppered with select historical bus specials imbued the event with the perfect sense of both the passing of time and excitement for the future befitting the 75 years of BusNSW’s existence. “[We] made a conscious decision to focus on a stand-alone exhibition with free entry to allow all operators, large and small, and other industry stakeholders to attend,” explained BusNSW executive director, Darryl Mellish. “At a time when technology and innovation is an important focus for state and federal governments, the [show] provides an ideal opportunity to view the products and services that will drive efficiency in public transport and

WINNERS’ CIRCLE

improve customers’ experiences,” he said. In terms of new bus product there was more than enough to keep discerning punters happy, with double-deckers a notably increased presence on the scene. Understandable, really, given the ooohs and aaahs the Bustech twin-steer CDi got from unsuspecting onlookers at the Sydney Rosehill Gardens event nearly six years ago; it all seemed a natural progression due to market demand in some states for such a vehicle. BCI had its sophisticated Citirider D on show, a three-axle double-deck with up to 100 seats, which is doing well for its New Zealand operators. It is also available as a two-axle for 81 seats. Its full-step staircase and overhead passenger-number sensor were great innovations that operators should love. We’ll have more on that one soon. MAN also came to the party with its all-new three-axle low-floor A95 double-deck city bus on Gemilang Coachworks aluminium composite structure body. The daytimerunning lights in the lower part of the bumper under the headlights was a nice touch.

Early on day one after the official show opening address by BusNSW’s Mellish and Secretary of Transport for New South Wales, Tim Reardon, the 2016 Bus Driver of the Year Award winners were announced – for many, the highlight. A big congratulations to: Metropolitan Bus Driver of the Year: Lorrainne Griffiths (Interline Bus Service). Rural and Regional Bus Driver of the Year: Fala Faatamala (QCity Transit – and such an inspirational and entertaining speech he gave). Coach Driver of the Year: Trevor White (All Australian Journeys – the award was accepted on his behalf by Phil Bromley). Later that night at the gala dinner function there would even more winners, with the Transit Australia Group again getting an Operator Excellence award for innovation and training; Transit Graphics won Supplier of the Year Award and ComfortDelGro Cabcharge CEO and BusNSW board member since 2009 Jim Glasson won Outstanding Contribution to the Industry. Well done, people; high-fives all around.

BCI’s Citirider D three-axle doubledecker looked sweet and joined the increasing ranks of ‘deckers’ on display.

038 www.truckandbus.net.au

“...double-deckers a notably increased presence on the scene.”

1 The BusNSW team did a great show. 2 Daimler’s ‘new generation’ 7.7-litre

OC 500 LE City Bus looked great. 3 Little Hino Poncho makes its Aussie

DDA debut. 4 Iveco custom Daily 4x2 Minibus

direct from Europe featured fast motorised ramp. 5 A songstress dangles from the sky. Foliage an additional extra.

MAN three-axle lowfloor A95 double-deck city bus on Gemilang body.

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“...the perfect sense of both the passing of time and excitement for the future - befitting the 75 years of BusNSW’s existence.” Running a MAN Euro5 D20 six-cylinder diesel pumping out 235kW and 1600Nm via a ZF EcoLife six-speed automatic transmission with integrated hydraulic retarder, it is said to successfully meet the tough NSW GVM limit of 20.5 tonnes when carrying up to 100 passengers. On the Scania stand was a pretty swishlooking Euro6 School/Charter coach that got loads of attention. On K320 IB4x2 chassis its inline 5, 9.3-litre DC9 108 engine puts out a claimed 235kW@1900rpm and 1600Nm@1050-1300prm using the XPI injection system and ZF six-speed. Running under a very tidy-looking Coach Design body it certainly turned heads. On the Hino stand, it was good to see the

040 www.truckandbus.net.au

DDA-compliant Poncho (pp44-48 this issue) finally making its official Aussie debut. The dinky little 7m low-floor city bus might be small on looks (as in small and pretty), but it was big in impact, with Hino staff reporting loads of enquiries about that bus. Speaking of smaller vehicles with big impact, Iveco was lapping it up big time with some very cool wheels on display. There was much gob smacking going on around two of it custom Dailys: a 4x2 Minibus direct from Europe, and a 3.0-litre turbodiesel 4x4 number that just looked the business. Most interesting of the former – itself with 3.0-litre four-stroke diesel with direct injection and Variable Geometry Turbo – was its relatively lightning-fast motorised wheelchair

1 Enter Sandman! V8 Supercar

wagon goodness. 2 BonLuck’s new President 3

coach with funky gold wheels. 3 The Vegas-style welcome

girls doing their thing. 4 Higer’s H8200 Platinum Edition

- Black caviar.

5 The public loved the show. 6 The wheel of fortune? Close

enough. 7 Volvo’s new City Mobility

Simulator in action. 8 The benefits of Volvo

Dynamic Steering explained.

9 New Custom CB80 II got

them all aboard.

SOCIAL MEDIA The welcoming and homely bunch that is the Australasian bus community not only attend such events to see the latest bus products and services, but also to unashamedly socialise, network and just generally mingle until the wee hours. The Tuesday night after exhibitor bump-in, Volvo again hosted its traditional pre-show welcome drinks, which as always was a hit, with punters chewing the fat and keen to start the show proper the next day.

The following night’s gala dinner is the highlight, though. And what a stunning occasion it was! Organisers state that more than 550 guests attended the event, partaking in Broadway come Vegas-style entertainment and sumptuous threecourse meal. Following kind words from NSW Parliament Secretary for Transport, Roads, Industry, Resources and Energy John Sidoti, the Hon. Andrew Constance, Minister for Transport - who unfortunately was unable to attend the show himself - sent

a video message to attendees, displayed on two massive screens. The Minister thanked BusNSW for its work over the past 75 years to improve and expand the bus industry, and praised its achievements throughout the state since it started. And then came the entertainment! Not that you knew it was the entertainment at the start as some smarty pants – no names mentioned – thought it would be good to have singers impersonate high-profile Iveco executives and

then randomly break out in song during their speeches. It worked, though. Few had any idea by the time the third person started belting out a tune and, it must be said, they sounded and looked awesome. And so did the lovely lady singer at the start, dangling as she did above the crowd, as well the chaps doing the Rat Pack tribute at the end. Marvellous stuff and the dinner guests loved it. Ultimately, it was a fitting way for BusNSW to celebrate it 75th Anniversary.

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“... such events to unashamedly socialise, network and just generally mingle until the wee hours.” ramp. With a range of retirement and community-tailored vehicles boasting of quick wheelchair-access times, they’ll be keenly watching how this Iveco vehicle is received given the ramp took only about 15 seconds each way to flip out or retract at the push of a button. Great stuff! Getting back to the bigger end of town, Custom Bus Australia was showing off its new sexy CB80 II body. With a 25-year design life, it incorporates a stainless steel frame and fullpiece fibreglass roof, plus all new wiring for the latest plug-n-play technology. Other standouts included Daimler’s ‘new generation’ 7.7-litre OC 500 LE City Bus; BonLuck’s latest President 3 luxury coach with striking gold wheels; Higer’s funky-

looking H8200 Platinum Edition resplendent in black; and two StreetLite representatives from the UK’s Wrightbus. Volvo’s stand presence was again strong, with a B11R and B8R chassis on display flanked by a Volvo Dynamic Steering model for espousing the reduced risk of work-related injuries for drivers. Key for Volvo this event, though, was its new fuel-use mapping City Mobility Simulator, which lets customers plot any route and then compare which buses use how much fuel etc. All handy info before buying. And for pure wow factor, it was pretty hard to ignore a V8 Supercar Sandman van on the Iveco stand, or the DMC DeLorean (Yeah, a DeLorean with flashing Flux Capacitor and everything) on the Bustech one. Great Scott!

2 3

1 ‘Starry, starry night...” 2 Articulate lady endorses articulates. 3 Scania Euro6 School/Charter coach - K320 IB4x2

chassis with Coach Design body - turned heads.

4 Bustech goes all Back To The Future on us.

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5 Transit Graphics won Supplier

of the Year. 6 They never expect a camera at the

unofficial post-dinner drinks. Giddy up! 7 The Day 2 show punters loved it. So

much stuff to check out. 8 Out of the office and living it up. 9 Unearth Ed. helped represent the strong

coach-tourism market. 10 Still big smiles after all day chatting

about air. 11 Once back on Earth, sky-dangling girl

rocks out on stage.

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New Product

BIG THINGS, SMALL PACKAGES

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Three years after Hino dipped its cute little Ponchoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s toes into Australian bus waters to test the market, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s back big time with full local DDA compliance. Will it hit the Aussie smallbus mark, or will it prove too good to refuse and not even have to? Coach & Bus magazine editor Fabian Cotter reports. www.truckandbus.net.au 045

ltimately in life money, power and prestige (as superficial as that may be) will not be the most valuable commodities for any of us - just in case that penny hadn’t dropped yet. That top pedestal belongs to our time itself, and when it comes to public transport and saving time during a commute, it becomes crucial to the travel experience for a range of obvious – and some not so – reasons. As for buses, particularly low-floor city buses and small vehicles catering for disability patrons requiring wheelchair access, any time saved is a bonus for all involved – and often particularly for the wheelchair users themselves. At a recent pre-2016 Sydney Bus Show launch event, Hino was quick to highlight the massive advantage its little 7m Poncho ‘minibus’ will have over rivals when it comes to saving time. “The current [rival] solutions [in the Australian market] for customers … have a wheelchair loader, so it’s using the additional space, like the van type out the rear. You need two meters out the back there for the loader, and then you

need an additional two meters [to approach and push a wheelchair on],” explained Daniel Petrovski, manager of Product Safety, Hino Australia. And with some vehicles in that segment having both rear and side loaders, such space is also needed on the left flank. “It’s about 10-15 minutes to load and unload, so that’s not just the time the operator has to stop, has to load and then get them going,” he said. “There’s also that thing where someone in a wheelchair doesn’t want the rest of the bus to be waiting for them to get on to go somewhere. They just want to get on and take their place,” he said. And it is here that the Poncho might just have an edge in an increasingly competitive market, which includes recreation clubs, pubs, community venues, retirement villages and such. “So basically that’s it. You pull up. The ramp goes out, the person gets on, gets into their position ready to go and they [the bus] are gone within five minutes. It’s so much quicker, so much easier – and that’s only if you use the

ramp,” he said. “The bus is low enough for them [the wheelchair user] to go straight on and straight off. It has kneeling ability and full air suspension,” Petrovski explained. “And it’s not just about getting on and off with ease, there’s also now the safety concerns about what do you do with someone in a wheelchair if you have an accident, or if there’s a fire on a bus with a wheelchair loader. How do you get those people off? So there are a lot of concerns that we are looking to address. And we’ve done a lot of research around this.” The Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) basically means that public places and public transport must be accessible to both able bodied and disabled people – and this includes buses. The Act comes into full effect in 2022 after a staged introduction. And with small buses increasingly becoming a handy addition to many an operator fleet, the market is responding. “We’ve found over the past 18 months that there’s been a huge spike in the interest for some sort of solution like a small bus, which is about 40-50 per cent of the market depending

“...the massive advantage the little 7m Poncho ‘mini-bus’ will have over rivals when it comes to saving time.”

If you are not sitting then you best grab on to one of these for ‘real bus’ feel.

2016 PONCHO IN OZ The seating is customisable; two seats / two seats, or two / one (pictured). Ponchos can be set up to transport 6-7 wheel chairs, easily and quickly, says Petrovski. Seat fitment is done here in Australia to match customer needs and local regulations. It has a reverse camera and Hino multimedia system. Poncho is said to be ideal for ‘satellite streets’ - small streets off the main routes that full-size low-floor buses cannot get through. There’s an emergency hatch in the roof (not needed in Japan). Seat belts not needed for this category of bus (under 80km/h).

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1 The wheelchair ramp seemed pretty easy

to unfold and attach quickly - but only if even needed. Kneeling function a bonus. 2 With its engine at the back, the rear end offers good seating and passenger vision all ‘round. 3 Part of local compliance was the exit hatch.

COUP D’STAR

2 3

Outside of Japan, you won’t find J-Bus Poncho buses working the streets of any other cities or suburbs and that’s because Australia is the first foreign country to receive it. That’s a massive coup for us. So what is J-Bus? J-Bus Ltd is a 50-50 joint-venture between Hino and Isuzu started in 2002 and now employs over 1700 people.

It’s like a proper low-floor bus that’s been shrunk down for size and squished at the sides a little. It’s quite tall - and ‘cute’.

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on the year, Petrovski said. “We call [the Poncho] a small, ultra-lowfloor bus [for] up to 22 passengers. It’s fully DDA compliant, so basically you can run a wheelchair on and off this vehicle rather than have a wheelchair loader (the doorway had to be adjusted 50mm just to meet DDA compliance). “It’s a perfect alternative for operators who today have routes they need to service as part of their contract where they are only picking up 5-10 passengers max and they are running a full-sized city low-floor bus. “The Poncho, being a lot cheaper than a full-size city bus, with less fuel consumption and easier maintenance, is going to be a boon for these owners in total cost of ownership,” Petrovski said. “It’s a very exciting little product that we’ve got.”

He added that it’s ideal for a range of applications because the flexible internal layout can be easily configured to suit customer and community needs. Additionally, the bus has extra features like the safety door with buzzer and the reversing camera. “This is not a converted van! The Poncho is designed as a bus; it has a rear-mounted 5.1-litre turbocharged intercooled engine and five-speed fully automatic transmission, as well as air suspension with kneeling function,” Petrovski stated. On paper and in the flesh, the Hino Poncho looks well placed to find its groove in the tough small-bus market and definitely give operators who are staunch supporters of other products something to really think about. Designed and built with standard safety features like ABS, door security, emergency

exits and good vision all around, Hino says it also has a flexible internal layout that can be easily configured to suit customer and community needs. Being a good-looking rear-engined bus, if it goes anything as well as the Mandarin Orange version we took a quick spin in and reported on in Coach & Bus Issue 10, the current 2022 DDA-compliance issue may well mean few operators will be able to resist its appeal. Thus especially in terms of longevity of use and re-sale value. Add in an electric version running around on trial between Komatsu airport and train station in Japan and who knows what Poncho variants might end up on our shores in future. At the time of print, pricing was still to be announced, with the Poncho launching locally at the 2016 Sydney Bus and Coach show.

“...a lot cheaper than a full-size city bus, with less fuel consumption and easier maintenance.”

BUS SPECS

MAKE: Hino MODEL: Poncho 7m Ultra-Low-Floor bus ENGINE: Hino Euro5 J05E-TS 5.1-litre direct-injected, turbo-charged intercooled, 4-cylinder, overhead camshaft, water-cooled diesel. POWER – 134kW@2500rpm; TORQUE - 530Nm@1500rpm TRANSMISSION: Aisin five-speed automatic with overdrive BRAKES: ABS STEERING: Turning circle - 6.4m SUSPENSION: Full air suspension with kneeling function INTERIOR: Seating for 22 + driver, 10 standees EXTERIOR: Length - 6990mm; Width 2080mm; Height - 3100mm. Wheelbase - 4825mm MISC.: Rear camera for safety. Fuel tank – 160L

1 Driver’s area more bus than just van. Tiller,

buttons and switches fall easily to hand. 2 The Poncho can be configured for even more

wheelchair spaces, as per customer requests.

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3 It’s a good-looking little unit even from behind

and always nicely bus-like.

Spotlight On

60mins with... Michael May

General manager, Daimler Truck and Bus With former Daimler Truck and Bus – Asia / Pacific general manager Justin Whitford moving on to Fuso late last year, since November his replacement Michael May has been in the hot seat and continuing Mercedes-Benz bus’s reinvigorated market strategy. How’s it all going? Coach & Bus editor Fabian Cotter chatted with him recently to find out. www.truckandbus.net.au 049

G’day Michael. Cheers for chatting with Coach & Bus. Firstly, congratulations on the new role at Daimler. Can you tell us a bit about yourself and how it all panned out for you to get to where you are? You have a solid engineering background I hear; how will that enhance your new role? MM: “Thanks, Fabian. I’m 42, married with two kids and a long history with MercedesBenz in Australia. I have a bachelor degree in mechanical engineering, with further studies in business administration. My time with Daimler started 17 years ago as a sales engineer for Mercedes-Benz Commercial Vehicles. Working with a company like Daimler, I’ve been lucky enough to experience nearly all facets of our business, having run the engineering team performing all certification and some local testing for the Daimler portfolio. I then took a senior manager role responsible for commercial vehicle service and training, and most recently I was dealer principal over our company-owned retail stores in Melbourne. Above all, I learned the importance of keeping our customers moving. I think my various roles have enabled me to build a wealth of experiences, not only in selling vehicles but in ensuring the network support is flexible and dedicated. As far as my engineering background enhancing the role, I like to communicate with people and importantly listen before applying a considered logic to build and empower our team to adapt and lead.”

How do you see Daimler’s market position changing in the next 12 to 18 months, if at all? And how will it be of any / or extra benefit for new and existing customers? Or is the idea to do much of the same over that period? MM: “We see opportunity to grow and the team has consistently been working towards growth in key segments. I’m happy to say the groundwork has been implemented and we’re growing in targeted segments; our team has never been better or as focused on our bus customers. Internally, I have responsibility for both sales and after-sales performance in Australia and New Zealand and this structure enables us to grow and improve our flexibility and speed of action. I’m sure customers are benefiting, and will continue to benefit, from the changes we’ve made. From a product perspective, Mercedes-Benz has been really strong and

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“We aren’t satisfied with our current market position and this motivates each of us to improve and realise our true potential.”

we will continue with quality platforms. We aren’t satisfied with our current market position and this motivates each of us to improve and realise our true potential.”

Retrospectively, there seems to have been roughly the same time-frame (about 18 months) between when people hold such a role there at Daimler. Are such terms dictated by or pre-set, thereby always existing under some such deadline to achieve results, or is the possibility of a longer-term run always there? Or is it all just part of some management progression structure to try new things or ideas at set intervals? MM: “Daimler continues to develop its staff and recognises this is critical in continuing to be the best. While we have structured development for our management, the growth in our region has determined the more recent changes and I have been thrilled to take the Mercedes-Benz Truck and Bus lead role for Daniel Whitehead, our managing director overseeing all Daimler Truck and Bus. This is a new chapter for our executive management, with an all-local team under Daniel, which provides great consistency.”

In your research for this role and experience in the industry in general, what are some of the concerns, if at all, of Australasian bus operators and how have manufacturers in the industry addressed them, either successfully or not? How specifically has Daimler approached these and will it continue to do this while you hold this role, or are there new strategies that need to be invoked? Cheekily, what are they? MM: “Operators, like most organisations, are under continued pressure; they are required to do more with less. Often they are dependent on contracts that are under pressure from government spending challenges. Operators have a challenging function in that they need to deal with various entities to perform their task, provide safe work environments, deal with the public and be ahead of the game. So, as a manufacturer, we need to provide a strong partnership with the right tools and support to ensure their success. I believe the pressure to find efficiencies continues to differentiate the leaders from the rest and we continue to be flexible in our approach as a supplier to meet the demand and grow with the market and its changing requirements. This evolution is not unique to the bus industry; however, we have different needs in our market that drive direction

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and hopefully innovation - innovation that Mercedes-Benz wants to be part of, facilitate and define together with the operators in our industry.”

With constant competition from rival European bus manufacturers in this market, how has the amount of Asian bus body and chassis manufacturers here changed things – and are these positives or negatives? How has, is, or will Daimler counter or embrace such market influences? And why? MM: “Australia is in the Asian region, so it is no surprise that we’re heavily influenced by the regional demands and opportunities. Competition is healthy; it is what drives innovation and improvement. Mercedes-Benz continues to focus, together with customers, on segments and opportunities that benefit operators and ultimately [with] end customers who travel in our products. So a balanced approach is the right approach for us; we continue to see opportunities with our strong partners and suppliers in Australia and in the region. End customer demand ultimately defines the composition of our products. Like Japanese and Korean competition for car-makers, the Asian influence has changed the bus market in Australia. As a customer-focused organisation we’ll continue to be driven by customer demand.”

What is the status of Daimler’s relationship with companies such as BCI Australia? Have all objectives been met or are there still goals to achieve? In what ways has it benefited both parties beyond expectations, if at all? MM: “We have very strong relationships with a number of body builders in Australia and we will continue to build on this. In the past 10 months I have been lucky enough to connect with bus operators all over Australia. My consistent take away is that this is a tight group, a community and an environment where doing what you say is critical and our customers and operators are not frightened to tell you when something isn’t going right. Communication is the critical component here. Bus and Coach Group senior manager Grant Simmonds, and our team of sales and after-sales guys, are well connected and have good relationships with operators based on mutual trust. We’ve just recently bolstered our product team with Alen Fak and Andrew Grant

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being dedicated to the bus product team. These structural improvements will help us build our relations and support for all of our builder partners. This can only improve the ownership experience of a Mercedes-Benz bus irrespective of body. Certainly BCI has proven to be a strong partner for Mercedes-Benz Bus, which has reflected in positive customer enquiry and sales. In saying that, we have developed strong relationships with many body partners (Australian-based and offshore) that enable us to provide quality products to our customers that represent value for money. We appreciate that many customers have strong ties to specific body partners and we work closely with them to provide buses that meet their expectations.”

What are your thoughts on alternative fuel buses both in terms of their use here and from a global perspective? The huge push is for electric vehicles, but has the production and support strategy of such technology been made foolproof yet? Is it as clean as it needs to – and is said to - be? MM: “Daimler is a global technology leader and we spend billions on research and development every year. So, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that Daimler Truck and Bus is investing massively in all kinds of alternative technologies. There is a big push for electrification technology and the future of that is very exciting, especially in high-density metropolitan areas where the distances are shorter and the benefits of local air quality improvement and reduced noise are most valued. We have CNG products in operation and we are also investing heavily into research for hybrids, fuel cells and biofuels, while also placing a major focus on the further development of clean diesel. I don’t think it will be so simple as having one single technology solution for all vehicles in all parts of the world, so it pays to progress with many various types in order to suit a variety of needs.”

If you were an operator, is there any one technology that stands out to you that you think you’d prefer to run? Is there still viable use for clean diesel in both the convenient shorter – say 10 years - and more importantly longer term – like 15-30 years from now? What’s Daimler doing to ensure it’s at the head of the field in this regard? How is your Euro6 diesel engine development

advancing, or has all that can be achieved been so? MM: “Certainly diesel will be the best solution locally for some time, which is great for us given the investment that has gone into our new generation Euro6 engines that are so much cleaner than a decade ago, but are also producing brilliant fuel economy. It might seem like there is no room for improvement, but we have a lot of talented people in our organisation, with significant resources, who are working on further improving clean diesel technology, as well as developing alternatives.”

Daimler is a premium brand and prides itself on quality OEM replacement parts. How has the issue of counterfeit parts improved or worsened from an OEM viewpoint? Many companies claim their products are actually OEM, OEM quality or often better than OEM standard. What actually is the case and how does Daimler ensure it parts and products are a priority of operators when it comes to getting their capital equipment back into service fast? MM: “Counterfeit parts are an issue for operators because they can do a lot of damage to their business and reputation when they fail. We understand the desire to save a few extra dollars, but we also know better than anyone why it is crucial to use parts made by the original manufacturer. Our genuine parts sold through our authorised dealers are made specifically for MercedesBenz vehicles and meet our strict quality and durability standards and are updated to the latest specifications. With counterfeit or aftermarket parts, this is often not the case and often customers are fitting superseded parts without knowing it.”

Q “...doing what you say is critical and our customers and operators are not frightened to tell you when something isn’t going right. Communication is the critical component here.”

Daimler here was successful in bringing in a 2.55m Citaro bus via the ADR Performance Based Standards scheme. How did that all pan out from Daimler’s point of view, in terms or hurdles met and overcome? Was this all just for the Citaro or can we expect other key product from the MercedesBenz bus stock in Europe to pop up on our shores? If so, anything of particular interest on the radar? MM: “The Citaro is currently operating as part of a trial with the Brisbane City Council and the feedback so far has been very positive. Operators who saw how successful that bus was in Europe came to us to ask if

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we could bring it here, so we went through the steps required to bring it here for a trial. We’ll sit down and analyse the results and discuss them with operators before determining our next step. However, if we did proceed with Citaro, its role would only ever be as a premium niche model offering in addition to the chassis product we provide to our local body builder partners for their conventional products.”

How important is the Australasian bus market to Daimler HQ in Germany? How much feedback and fine-tuning about product gets filtered back to HQ at all, or is the product that comes straight from Germany simply as has been decided from there for global use? MM: “Australia is a very important market to Daimler. We constantly have German colleagues working with us in Australia to improve and advance, from engineering to systems, sales and parts. Over the past three years they have assisted us with large projects such as the supply of 150+ 500R buses in Darwin. These dedicated high uptime programs are the result of great partnerships and the innovative methods used by the operator sets new benchmarks for the industry. Also, Australian conditions offer new challenges for average speeds and temperatures that assist in the feedback loop for the improvement of our products globally. We’ve had many test programs and trials in Australia to ensure we are meeting the market needs.”

“...we have a lot of talented people in our organisation, with significant resources, who are working on further improving clean diesel technology...” 054 www.truckandbus.net.au

And finally, what driver training aids has Daimler set up for its bus and coach drivers to prevent pedestrian accidents and bus crashes? Are Australian Daimler-vehicle drivers encouraged to visit Germany to upskill on the latest systems there, or is there anything locally they can do to better their driving prowess? How is this being facilitated by Daimler locally if at all? MM: “We build impressive buses featuring the latest technologies, but the driver input is still integral in exploiting the full value of those products, achieve optimal fuel economy and deliver the highest level of passenger comfort. We do see driver training as an increasingly important field in Australia. That’s why we have a newly established driver training department here in Australia, led by Noel Griffiths, which will help drivers make the most of the technology at their fingertips.”

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Operator

ROYAL FLUSH Leading Victorian operator Crown Coaches prides itself on only running Mercedes-Benz chassis for its coach and charter services, and its latest Euro6 additions are the first step in further bringing its fleet right up to date. Too early to make that leap here in Australia, or is the timing just right? Coach & Bus editor Fabian Cotter reports.

hile running Euro6 engines in buses and coaches here in Australia is not yet a legal requirement, there is a growing number of local operators keen to keep up with international standards and are adapting the new technology into their fleets. Crown Coaches, based in Nunawading, Victoria, has been servicing the area for nearly 50 years and has always had safety, comfort, quality and fuel efficiency at the forefront of its fleet-vehicle selections – and that mindset continues to this day.

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The company covers all types of events and uses such as conferences, airport transfers, corporate functions, wedding guest transfers, multi-coach movements, matched coaches, snow trips, social clubs, Probus groups and senior citizens’ groups, interstate tours, bespoke winery tours, shopping tours, city sightseeing and coastal / rural tours plus a range of school needs. It employs in excess of 250 people including management, drivers, supervisors and mechanical staff. Recently Crown added five of MercedesBenz’s latest Euro6-engined chassis to its fleet,

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with another five lined up to join them soon, too. The move continues a Crown tradition of running the latest Mercedes-Benz product it can procure at the time it is available in this country. “They are Euro6, that’s why we went for them, so they are the latest [technology] you can get; you can’t go any higher – we are making the leap,” explained Crown Coaches managing director and National Road Transport Hall of Famer Victor Haoust. “They are the first Euro6s we have on the fleet and they are all performing excellent. There have been no problems whatsoever on that side. “That brings our fleet total to 138, I think. They are replacing our 1617s. We are more than happy with them,” Haoust explained. “They are the flagship of the Mercedes-Benz chassis. We are only operating Mercedes, so it’s the next step in our challenge,” he added. The new vehicles for Crown use MercedesBenz OC500RF chassis with 7.7-litre Euro6 engines, complemented with 83-seat BCI coach bodies. They are the first Benzes to run the smart new Euro6 engine package in charter application. “The new Euro6 package delivers a long

list of benefits to our operators including reduced fuel consumption and reduced AdBlue consumption,” said Mercedes-Benz Bus and Coach Group senior manager, Grant Simmonds. “At the same time we have been able to further cut running costs by maintaining the longevity of the engine and lengthening service intervals.” Simmonds says Crown Coaches has always been interested in taking up the latest technology in order to give its customers the highest level of service. “Vic and the team at Crown Coaches are very pleased with their five new 500RF 7.7-litre Euro6 BCI models and are especially happy with the refinement levels of the new product,” Simmonds stated. “Something that can often be overlooked when discussing Euro6 is the fact this engine is considerably quieter than the existing engine, while a new drive axle design is also much quieter, resulting in a far better experience for the occupants,” he explained. According to Mercedes-Benz, the Euro6 engine also has environmental credentials thanks to the reduction of nitrous oxides by

“...has environmental credentials thanks to the reduction of nitrous oxides by 80 per cent, while particle mass is reduced by 60 per cent.” 1

SIX APPEAL Mercedes-Benz engineers used three technologies to meet the tough Euro6 emissions standard. These include Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR), used in Daimler US operations since 2000; a Diesel Particulate Filter, in service in US and European Daimler product since 2007; and Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR), in European Daimler trucks and buses since 2005. The SCR system uses AdBlue exhaust treatment fluid as part of the treatment process, but much less than traditionally thought. AdBlue consumption was also reduced in some cases, as much as 40 per cent. This Euro6 engine was first introduced in Europe in 2012 and has clocked up a vast amount of kilometres in real-world driving. Even before it was launched, the OM 936 engine and transmission package had covered 60 million kilometres in “a gruelling test regime that ran across the world from the Polar Circle to South Africa”. The new OC500RF chassis comes standard with the ZF Ecolife six-speed automatic transmission. The new drive axle for the OC500RF chassis programme features a new housing and gear-set. The oil capacity of the axle drops from 15 litres to 11 litres while axle service intervals have also been extended. An improved axle design also means it is significantly quieter, which contributes to improved cabin refinement, the company says. Chassis weight was also reduced to contribute to a lesser weight overall, which helps balance out the increased weight of the new additional emission technology required to meet Euro6 limits. High-tensile steel for the chassis is now used in order to retain strength using lighter materials.

1 Crown Coaches managing director and

National Road Transport Hall of Famer Victor Haoust flanked by executive officers and siblings, Renee and Jerome Haoust. 2 Crown drivers report good things thus far from the new Mercedes chassis and engine package. It looks and feels stylish, too. 3 BCI 12.5m-long coach chassis marries up with the MB OC 500RF chassis really well. Decked out in striking Crown Coaches livery it certainly looks the part.

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FUELS RUSH IN... So just how much better is Euro6 and much fuel is saved over Euro5 Daimler bus product? To test the theory in real-world conditions, Mercedes-Benz asked independent motoring body DEKRA to conduct a fuel economy test in Wiesbaden, Germany. DEKRA used three Mercedes-Benz Citaro buses, each powered by either the 6.4-litre,

12-litre Euro5 engines or the new 7.7-litre Euro6. With their tanks sealed to ensure the accuracy of the test, the buses - each carrying 3.5 tonnes of ballast instead of passengers - had travelled around 10,000km prior to the test and each had the same transmission, final drive ratios, tyres and tread depth to ensure parity. Fuel was tested by both

on-board measuring devices and the FleetBoard Mercedes-Benz telematics service. The buses were operated by two-driver crews driving around the clock with a daily change of vehicle on Wiesbadenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s demanding regular service Route 17, just like regular city buses in the region. They drove for five days, 120 hours,

day and night on the inner city route and pulled up at all 25 bus stops. DEKRA staff checked the fuel tanks and verified the figures at the end of the test. The result? The new Euro5 Citaro had used 3.6L/100km less fuel than either of the Euro5 Citaro models, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s claimed, translating into a fuel-saving improvement of 8.5 per cent.

www.truckandbus.net.au 059

80 per cent, while particle mass is reduced by 60 per cent. The OC500RF’s 7.7-litre OM 936 in-line six-cylinder engine generates 260kW and 1400Nm from just 1400rpm. The advanced powerplant’s design is protected by no fewer than 180 patents. Other benefits includes weighing less than the 12-litre six-cylinder engine it replaces, and it has reduced friction losses and reduced thermal losses, which contribute to improved fuel efficiency, it’s claimed. High-pressure commonrail fuel injection, weight-optimised materials and the latest turbocharging technology are used as well. Plus it uses a controllable threestage engine brake, in addition to retarders on available transmissions. Daimler engineers were able to achieve the characteristics of a larger engine with the new, smaller and more efficient unit while also dramatically cutting the nitrous oxides and particulate matter in the exhaust, it’s claimed. Fuel consumption is cut by up to 8.5 per cent while also reducing CO2 by the same margin. The engine also is said to use 50 per cent less oil, and the oil volume of the engine has been reduced further reducing total cost of ownership. Plenty of torque means there’s less need for gear changes, offering a smoother ride for passengers, the company says.

The Crown Coaches Mercedes-Benz 500RF 7.7-litre Euro6 chassis plays host to 12.5m-long, 3.8m-high and 2.5m-wide BCI coach bodies. Fitted with 57 McConnell 2/3 Educator seats mounted to a ramped saloon floor (thus no step over the rear axle), it can fit up to 83 seated students (children under 12). The stinking heat of summer or the icy cold of winter is held at bay somewhat by a ThermoKing heating and air-conditioning unit, plus there are flip-down LCD screens for viewer entertainment purposes. The BCI body features luggage racks with speakers, lights and vents. Up the front, there is a coach-style dashboard and electrically adjustable heated external mirrors. A 300-litre fuel tank is mounted over the front axle with filler points on both sides of the coach - sweet! It also features luggage bins and lift-up wheel arches for easy access.

BUS SPECS MAKE: Mercedes-Benz MODEL: OC500RF ENGINE: OM 936 7.7-litre Euro6, in-line six-cylinder diesel with EGR, particulate filter and SCR; POWER – 260kW; TORQUE 1400Nm@1200rpm TRANSMISSION: ZF Ecolife six-speed automatic CHASSIS: High-tensile steel BODY: BCI 12.5m long, 3.8m high and 2.5m wide coach; 57 McConnell 2/3 Educator seats; flip-down LCD screens; luggage racks with speakers, lights and vents. MISC.: ThermoKing air-conditioning; electrically adjustable heated external mirrors; FUEL – 300L, filler points both sides.

“...the first Benzes to run the smart new Euro6 engine package in charter application.”

50 YEARS APPROACHES... Since starting in 1967 with just three vehicles, Crown Coaches expanded and evolved steadily throughout the years thanks to dedication to quality service, the natural absorption of neighbouring bus companies for a range of reasons, and a general need to run and maintain a state-of-the-art fleet of various seating capacities as per customer demands - or at least how it perceived what customers should be treated to. An Australian family owned business, the current fleet of about 140 vehicles – 70 of which are dedicated to transporting specialneeds kids - comprises minibuses carrying up to 21 passengers, mid-size vehicles carrying up to 43 passengers and full-size coaches

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with a maximum capacity of 57 passengers (83 if children under 12). All its coaches offer wheelchaircarrying capacity. In the mid-size range, Crown offers Australia’s first road-registered hybrid coaches and 100 per cent plug-in electric coaches powered by 100 per cent renewable resources in conjunction with electricity supplier AGL. All of its coaches are fitted with seatbelts and all recent additions to the fleet have ABS and traction control safety mechanisms. The Crown Coaches fleet is serviced on site in the Crown Repair workshop according to strict service schedules and the company has its own spray-booth facilities.

Hot Stuff

By Fabian Cotter

Gadgets on the go

We’ve scoured the globe for all the latest gadgets and gizmos for when you are on the go.

Tough Tablet There’s every likelihood tough, protected tablets are perfect for day-to-day work duties where high-impact bumps or drops are possible. Yet it also may be less for work and more for play, so you can tackle the latest online games and not wreck it when you throw it against the wall because you missed out on beating your highest score. Kiddin’. The Handheld Group recently launched a new version of its robust ALGIZ 10X ultra-rugged tablet, ideal for public transport ticketing duties, on construction sites or as for the frustrated

WHAT? WHO? HOW MUCH? CONTACT?

gaming scenario mentioned above. It’s new and improved screen and GPS/GLONASS functionality are the powerful 10.1-inch tablet’s biggest selling points, and it can operate in both glove mode and rain mode – that’s some hard-core awesomeness right there! The Algiz 10X also comes with an optional active capacitive stylus to maximize ease of use. The new u-blox NEO-M8N offers both GPS and GLONASS, giving users access to more satellites than ever.

Standard is the Enterprise LTSB version of Windows 10, and it features a quad-core Intel N2930 1.83 GHz processor and an expandable 128 GB solid-state drive. It has 4 gigabytes of DDR3 RAM and offers several connectivity options, including WLAN and BT, USB 2.0 and USB 3.0, VGA and RS232 ports. It also is IP65-rated and meets stringent MIL-STD-810G military standards for protection against dust, water, vibrations, drops and extreme temperatures. It weighs 1.3kg and measures 32mm thick.

ALGIZ 10X ultra-rugged tablet Handheld Group (HANDHELD APAC PTY LTD) Approx. AUD$3300+ www.handheldgroup.com

Muzo Noise Canceller If this thing goes even one eight of the way of proving true and working as described, we may just take 50 ourselves. Either at home or on business trips, the Muzo claims to be able to eliminate invading noise vibrations so you have a quieter experience in your immediate space. Useful to be attached to the inside of bus or coach windows to eliminate outside noise on journeys? God knows, but we are all ears.

Smart-phone-controlled Muzo claims to be the first acoustic device that applies Anti-Vibration Technology for smooth surfaces. This “exclusive technology” is said to prevent “objects from vibrating to minimise any unwanted disturbances nearby,” - beautiful! Muzo utilises Billionsound Technology (Powered by BST) to generate dynamic realistic sounds. These vivid sounds “drown out intrusive noises”, it’s

claimed. Squawking, noisy birds on your window sills in the morning? Be gone, feathered friends! Muzo sets your entire window frame in motion. In other words, your window becomes a Crystal Clear Quality Sound Speaker. Muzo turns it into an acoustic environment with its own speed of sound. Whatever claimed phasecancellation technology it uses, in theory it sounds great.

WHAT? WHO? HOW MUCH? CONTACT?

Muzo Celestial Tribe TBA www.celestialtribe.com/muzo

Mevo Live-Event Camera

WHAT? WHO? HOW MUCH? CONTACT?

Mevo Live-Event Camera Livestream US$399 www.getmevo.com/

The Mevo seems to be an amazing bit of tech that taps into the massive trend to now stream footage straight to Facebook or other such services, but with its powerful studio-type editing capabilities for a truly professional look. One camera it may be, but it shoots multiple angles which you can control via your smart phone. The Mevo live-event camera lets you edit video on the fly, then

stream it live or share it later, with pro-level production at your fingertips, it’s claimed. Your iPhone is now your personal video editing suite — zoom, pan and cut with ease, all from a single camera. Or tap the subjects in your shot and let Mevo do the work for you. Sounds simple enough. You can stream live to your customers, fans and friends from virtually anywhere via Wi-Fi or

LTE. Mevo supports Livestream and Facebook Live, the company says. Plus there’s no rig required. It’s simple, small and discreet - the Mevo camera and app are all you need to record or stream your live events. It features: 150° all glass lens; 4K sensor; professional-quality HD video; and built-in stereo microphones. The LED light ring keeps you informed about your WiFi connection, battery life and more.

Company Car

The Skyline’s The Limit It’s finishing up a big year for Nissan fans in general, with new engine-compression advancements and its tuning arm preparing to enter the Australian market officially in 2017. An update to the luxury Infiniti Q50 sedan range only adds to the late flurry of action. Fabian Cotter reports.

here’s that scene in Mel Brooks’s hilarious Blazing Saddles movie where some Mexican bandits are applying for a job to do some dubious work, but would need to wear name badges at the interview stage. “Badges? We don’t need no stinking badges!” they exclaim with derision. Similarly for many Nissan fans in general, any rapturous news or product development is always welcomed regardless of which company division or arm is putting its name or ‘badge’ to the work. End 2016, local punters have learned that

Nissan tuning giant Nismo is officially being introduced to the Australian market from 2017. Awesome! And news of the all-new 2.0-litre VC-Turbo (Variable Compression Turbo) petrol engine from Nissan’s luxury brand Infiniti being the world’s first production-ready variable compression-ratio engine was another massive coup. Even more awesome! Debuted at the 2016 Mondial de l’Automobile in Paris early October, the four-cylinder VCTurbo engine promises to be one of the most advanced internal combustion engines ever created, it’s claimed. Now, with Nissan’s stylish and tech-laden

HV37/ZV37 Skyline being the basis of Infiniti’s Q50 four-door luxury sedan, which landed here early 2014, a recent update is now on sale in Australia. This includes the new VR30 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 engine, with either 224kW@6400rpm / 400Nm@1600-5200rpm (Sport Premium), or stonking 298kW@6400rpm / 475Nm@1600-5200rpm (Sport Red) outputs. Company car owners now get a range of technology upgrades with the latest RWD Q50. These include next-generation Direct Adaptive Steering™ (DAS) with new rack electronic power steering system and new Dynamic Digital Suspension (DDS) for more engaging ride and

“...the 2016 upgrade Q50 looks largely the same – no bad thing, really.” CAR SPECS MAKE: Infiniti MODEL: Q50 ENGINE: VR30 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 engine. POWER - 224kW@6400rpm / 400Nm@1600-5200rpm (Sport Premium), 298kW@6400rpm / 475Nm@1600-5200rpm (Sport Red). TRANSMISSION: Advanced seven-speed electronically controlled automatic transmission with manual shift mode. SUSPENSION: Four-wheel independent WHEELS: Aluminium 19-inch alloys, run-flat tyres. INTERIOR: Graphite (dark) or Stone (lighter) colour schemes, leatherappointed seating surfaces, “Kacchu” aluminium touches. MISC.: Around View Monitor (AVM); Moving Object Detection (MOD; when reversing); Adaptive Front Lighting System (AFS); High Beam Assist (Auto High/Low Beam); and Direct Adaptive Steering (DAS) with Active Lane Control (ALC) Responsive performance – served four ways.

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There’s good muscular tone in the haunches and distinct tail-lights punctuate the rear end. 2 Two classy interior colour options are on offer: Graphite or Stone. 3 Infiniti Q50 comes with all the latest connectivity and multi-media gear. 1

1 handling performance, it’s claimed. The new Q50 Sport Red, with 298kW twinturbo V6, heads the line-up of four engine options – including RWD/AWD petrol-electric V6 hybrid, four-cylinder turbo-petrol and fourcylinder turbo-diesel. Plus there’s additional technology and equipment inclusions for the four-cylinder Q50 model variants. The Q50 four-banger GT model grade now has the following equipment fitted as standard: Around View Monitor (AVM); Moving Object Detection (MOD; when reversing); Adaptive Front Lighting System (AFS); High Beam Assist (Auto High/Low Beam); and Direct Adaptive Steering (DAS) with Active Lane Control (ALC) Responsive performance – served four ways. With the 2016 upgrade Q50 looking largely the same – no bad thing, really – the expanded engine options should please potential punters looking to add to their corporate fleets. The output options are: a 155kW@5500rpm /

2 350Nm@1500rpm–3500rpm, 2.0-litre turbopetrol I4; a 2.2-litre turbo-diesel I4; a 219kW / 350Nm petrol plus 50kW /290Nm electric motor, 3.5-litre V6 petrol-electric hybrid (net power is 268kW with a combined peak torque of 546Nm); and the above-mentioned VR-series 3.0-litre twin-turbo petrol V6. Interestingly, its four-cylinder petrol and diesel engines were developed in conjunction with Daimler AG. All 2016 Q50 powertrains are matched to an advanced seven-speed electronically controlled automatic transmission with manual shift mode. Every Q50 also features four-wheel independent suspension. Wheels range from 17-inch machine-finished aluminium alloys with 225/55R17 all-season run-flat tires to Q50 Sport models’ 19-inch aluminium alloys, also with run-flats. To offset the Q50’s contours and distinct surfaces a range of inviting colours is available.

3 Hues include: Chestnut Bronze; Malbec Black; Liquid Platinum; Graphite Shadow; Black Obsidian; Venetian Ruby; Moonlight White; Hagane Blue; and Iridium Blue (New for 2016; exclusive to the Sport range). Inside, execs will love the up to 500 litres of luggage space (400 litres in the 3.5-litre petrol-electric V6 hybrid). Infiniti Q50 features a choice of two interior colours, Graphite (dark) and Stone (lighter). Leather-appointed seating surfaces are standard on the Q50 range. Finishing off the elegant interior is the “Kacchu” aluminium inspired by traditional Samurai armaments. Nice. The luxury and safety appointments on the Q50 means plenty of bang for your back, which speaking of starts at – ex. on-roads and state-varying taxes and insurances etc – $53,900 (MSRP) for the 2.0-litre GT, topping out at $79,990 (MSRP) for the 3.0-litre TT V6 Red Sport.

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064Money Matters

Paul Clitheroe LIVE LONGER – PLAN WELL

long life is something to celebrate and figures from the OECD show Australians enjoy one of the highest life expectancies in the

world. Even better, our life expectancy is rising and is expected to increase well into our 90s over the next four decades. But living longer also raises questions about how we will fund a retirement that could span one-quarter of our life.

Retiring early is a goal for many Australians and a 2015 report by AMP/NATSEM found the average age for retirement is currently 63 years for men and 60 for women. These retirees could live for another 20

years. Australian men currently aged 65 can, on average, expect to live to age 85, or 87 for women. So hanging up your work boots at age 63 can mean spending 22 years, maybe more, in retirement. That’s a decent stretch of

time and it brings the challenge of paying for a retirement potentially extended across almost a quarter of a century. The Age Pension is one option though

anyone pinning their hopes entirely on government support should consider the

sort of lifestyle it will fund. The latest ASFA Retirement Living Standard shows a retired

couple needs a combined annual income of $34,216 to fund a ‘modest’ lifestyle. By comparison, the maximum Age Pension rate for a couple is $31,148 annually. And it’s becoming harder to get. Anyone born after 1 January 1957 won’t be eligible for the Age

Pension until age 67. This doesn’t just reinforce the need to build a pool of assets including superannuation, which will provide money to live on in retirement. It also highlights the importance of thinking carefully about when you plan to exit the workforce. Government research shows the most common factor influencing our decision to retire is financial security and delaying

retirement doesn’t just mean less time relying on personal savings, it also provides more time to build a nest egg. Already, many seniors are working for longer.

One in two 60 to 64-year-olds are still in the workforce, up from one in three in the 1970s.

More than one in 10 seniors aged 65-plus are still at the coalface though most work on a part-time basis. The thought of staying in the workforce for longer won’t be welcomed by everyone. However, as we enjoy greater life expectancy it could become the new normal - and it pays to give some thought to your own retirement plans long before you prepare to exit the workforce. Think about your likely life expectancy, the type of retirement lifestyle you’d like to lead and consider how well your investments will pay for it all. It can be quite an eye opener, but it’s the only way to lay plans for a decent future.

“... it pays to give some thought to your own retirement plans long before you prepare to exit the workforce.”

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Paul Clitheroe is a founding director of financial planning firm ipac, chairman of the Australian Government Financial Literacy Board and chief commentator for Money magazine. Visit www.paulsmoney.com.au for more information.

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