ABC is the leading bus and coach publication in Australia, providing operators with vital information and market intelligence to help them keep their BUSiness moving. ABC is the major source of vehicle and equipment classifieds for the industry.
You hear an interestingly weird story once, that’s kind of cool. You hear about something similar twice, it’s bit of a ‘co-inky-dink’. But thrice? Hang on! Hold the phone! I can’t say who and where – as names are being withheld to protect the innocent (not really, just always wanted to say that) – but, from what I can tell, we are under attack. That’s right, the Australian bus industry is under attack and it’s not coming from within. It’s an external phenomenon and, get this, they are not even human! Extra-terrestrials? No chance. Supernatural beings? That would be too easy. What are they? Think movies, think Men In Black, think bugs! Sticky-icky nasty something-or-other bugs – and they’ve successfully prevented a few key bus manufacturers from delivering their latest…
FAMILY-OWNED New South Wales regional bus operator Sapphire Coast Buslines will become the first operator in the country to bring Volgren’s new low-floor Urban bus with seatbelts into its fleet. Currently under build at Volgren’s Dandenong manufacturing facility, the new combination, built on a Volvo B8RLE-E5 chassis, is expected to be in service early this year. Jamie Klemm, managing director of Sapphire Coast Buslines, said the new vehicle is a replacement bus under their current contract. “Our Rural and Regional Government contract stipulates that all school buses by 2020 must have seatbelts, and for this reason one of our low floor buses selected for replacement will be fitted with seatbelts. “We wanted to continue with our current suppliers being Volgren and Volvo, and we’re really looking forward to the new…
FOLLOWING DELIVERIES TO Hamburg and Berlin, Rhein-Neckar-Verkehr GmbH (rnv) has started running three fully electric Mercedes-Benz eCitaro city buses, it’s reported recently. At the bus depot in Mannheim, Till Oberwörder, head of Daimler Buses, and Martin in der Beek, technical managing director at rnv, presented the new eCitaros in a ceremony officiated at by Dr. Peter Kurz, Mayor of Mannheim, as well as Christian Specht, first Mayor of Mannheim, and then in the presence of Professor Eckart Würzner, Mayor of Heidelberg. “The eCitaro is redefining conventionally driven bus transportation and is for us the symbol for future-oriented local public transport,” said Oberwörder. “A holistic approach is very important to us. That is why we have put together a comprehensive package comprising the vehicle, charging management and consultation with which we…
THREE OF THE USA’S EAST COAST’S major airports will collectively have 18 new Proterra Catalyst E2 electric buses in service, as the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey targets its goal of a fully electric airport shuttle fleet. American bus maker Proterra – a leading innovator in heavy-duty electric transportation – announced recently that the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has agreed to procure 18 Proterra Catalyst E2 vehicles for shuttle service at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) and LaGuardia Airport (LGA), representing one of the largest electric bus fleet commitments of any airport authority in the United States, it states. Six of the battery-electric buses are already in service at JFK, with LGA and EWR to each deploy…
VICTORIA’S GREENSBOROUGH Highway Patrol officers are currently investigating after a car and a bus collided in Templestowe on Tuesday, January 15, 2019 at 16:01. As reported by VicPol’s media department, police officers have been told an SUV was travelling along Fitzsimons Lane at the bridge over the Yarra just before 2pm. It is believed the SUV veered onto the wrong side of the road and collided head-on with a bus. The bus driver, a Berwick man aged in his 40s, received minor injuries and was taken to hospital. Five passengers were not injured. WITNESSES SOUGHT The driver of the SUV, a Montmorency man, was taken to hospital with serious injuries. Fitzsimons Lane is currently blocked to traffic in both directions. Any witnesses or anyone who saw the SUV prior to…
THE TRANSMILENIO BRT bus network in the Columbian capital city Bogotá – encompassing 12 lines totalling 112 kilometres for 1.7 million passenger journeys every day – is to upgrade and expand using 1,441 new buses supplied by Scania and Volvo following a public tender, it’s reported recently. The 741 Scania Euro 6 gas-powered chassis, increased from a previous agreed total of 481 units, and the 700 Euro 5 diesel-powered Volvo chassis are to be bodied by local body builder Superpolo SA in Colombia. Superpolo is a result of an alliance with Superior bodies of the Fanalca Group and Brazilian manufacturer Marcopolo since 2001. SCANIA MAJORITY In November, 2018, TransMilenio selected Scania to deliver 481 Scania Euro 6 gas buses – the cleanest and quietest buses on the market, the company…
