greenbusandcoach July 2022 by greenbusandcoach

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July 2022

Issue 440

busandcoach

driving towards a greener future

MAN major investment in battery plant News and analysis of the transition to a zero emission bus and coach sector

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contents

andcoach

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is published by Plum Publishing Ltd

Editorial

Zero Emission Coach Taskforce highlights uncertainties

Steve Rooney steve.rooney@busandcoach.com

Contact address:

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Plum Publishing Ltd, Unit 4 Marshbrook Business Park Church Stretton SY6 6QE Telephone: 01694 731510 www.greenbusandcoach.com

Every care is taken over the accuracy of material in

8 Thirty Irizar ie trams for Vallodolid

greenbusandcoach but the publishers cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions. Views and opinions of contributors

to greenbusandcoachare not necessarily those of the publishers who cannot accept responsibility for such contributions.

10 Karsan delivers first e-JEST to Canada

11 New brand identity revealed for Alexander Dennis July 2022

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Technology certainty remains a barrier to ZE coaches, says CPT taskforce CPT’s Zero Emission Coach Taskforce has set out the challenges for coach operators in identifying workable and realistic options in its first report since being established six months ago. The report claims there is a lack of certainty over whether electric, hydrogen or a combination of both will be the most appropriate technology. CPT’s taskforce says that the few electric coaches that are currently available on the market do not deliver the required range that would give operators the confidence to continue operating the range of services they currently provide, suggesting that a range of more than 250 miles would be required for electric coaches to give the majority of operators confidence to invest. The report also considers hydrogen vehicles which may be able to provide a greater range, but notes that green hydrogen, which would be essential for it to meet the claim of being zero emission, would mean higher fuel costs. Ian Luckett, chair of the Zero Emission Coach Taskforce, says: “These past six months have been a truly fascinating time, and I have learnt a great deal, not only about the challenges facing the coach sector, but also those in the manufacturing, finance and infrastructure worlds. “I am very much looking forward to the next phase of the taskforce when we will begin to identify potential solutions and collaborations with the other sectors to join them on this journey to net zero.” www.cpt-uk.org

July 2022

events

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Electric buses on show at Busworld Turkey 2022

THE 9th edition of Busworld Turkey, organised by Busworld and its Turkish partner, HKF Trade Fairs, was Busworld’s first post-covid event and welcomed 11,043 visitors and 183 exhibitors. The two halls (12,500 sqm) featured vehicles from Turkish bus and coach builders Anadolu Isuzu, Karsan, Otokar, BMC, Güleryüz, Mapar (showing Temsa), Ilesbus, Bur-Can, Buskar, Erener, Erduman, Eşref Karoser, Gürsözler and Harputlu. For the first time, Busworld Turkey also welcomed Iveco Bus for the relaunch of their brand in Turkey after 15 years. Although some diesel buses could still be seen in the booths, July 2022

the shift towards electric buses was obvious with Turkish manufacturers showing electric models for export to the rest of the world. Otokar brought five vehicles to the show, including the articulated 18.75m e-Kent with Voith motor and Webasto batteries which had its world première at Busworld Turkey. Anadolu Isuzu exhibited the CNG-fueled Kendo, the full electric NovoCITI Volt, the Grand Toro coach and the Novolux and Citiport 12 models. Karsan presented its complete e-vehicle range with five models: e-JEST (6m), e-ATAK (8m) and e-ATA (10m, 12m and 18m). Güleryüz presented its electric bus, the Ecoline Electric, and an

open-top sightseeing coach, the Panora Open Top. Vincent Dewaele, general manager, Busworld International, says: ”After two long years, we are finally back in the field, right where we belong. It was extremely rewarding to experience the reactions of all participants and see how delighted they were to be able to meet in person again. “Clearly trade shows are coming back stronger than ever before. Because people need to meet people in person to do business. And Busworld can help them in doing this in the best circumstances.” www.busworld.org/exhibitions

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BYD secures the first order for 18m articulated ebuses in Iberia

BYD has won an order for four 18m articulated eBuses from Moventis, which operates intercity passenger transport in the Vallés Occidental area near Barcelona. A new customer for BYD, this is also the first order for articulated eBuses in the Iberian region. The buses on order are scheduled for delivery to Sant Cugat de Vallès towards the end of 2022 in a project financed by

the Regional Railway System of Catalonia (FGC). The 18m buses accommodate 110 passengers and have a 478kWh battery capacity to deliver a 300 km range. BYD has now delivered, or has on order, over 110 eBuses to public transport operators across Spain, which it says have so far completed in excess of 7.6 million electric kilometres, reducing CO2 emissions by 8,000 tonnes.” Joaquín Bellido, BYD Iberia

eBus sales director, said: “We are delighted to receive our first order from Moventis, made especially noteworthy as it is the first ever order for 18-metre articulated eBuses in the Iberian region. “These eBuses will provide zero-emission transport services for local people, in a busy commuter hotspot, prompting the net-zero decarbonisation process within Iberia.” www.byd.com

July 2022

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ev buses

Thirty Irizar ie tram zero-emission buses for Valladolid

AUVASA (Autobuses Urbanos de Valladolid) has signed a framework agreement with Irizar e-mobility for a total of 30 Irizar ie tram buses and charging infrastructure, with the first eleven units to be delivered in late 2022. “We’re extremely proud of the trust that AUVASA and the city of Valladolid has put in us to start the electric transformation of their fleet,” says Txema Otero, Irizar e-mobility commercial

director for Spain and Portugal. “The low CO2 and noise emissions and the great passenger experience make the Irizar ie tram an especially suitable bus for using in urban centres.” The vehicles that Irizar e-mobility will provide will be powered by latest generation batteries with a capacity of 630kWh. They will have a double charging system, consisting of an inverted pantograph and smart plug-in charging in the garage, manufactured by Jema Energy, an

Irizar Group company. With the inverted pantograph charging system, communication between the bus and the charger is established when a bus arrives at the garage and the pantograph is automatically lowered. Irizar says the system is compatible with practically all electric buses on the market and it makes the daily vehicle charging process easier. www.irizar-emobility.com

July 2022

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Karsan delivers first e-JEST to Canada

KARSAN has entered the North American market with an e-JEST electric minibus delivered to the Canadian city of Saint John in cooperation with Karsan’s distributor Damera. Okan Baş, Karsan CEO, says: “We continue our global collaborations with Canada in

North America in accordance with our strategy. Karsan e-JEST has become Canada’s first low entrance, 20-foot electric minibus offering a public transportation service.” The city of Saint John has made a commitment to transformation by taking significant steps towards

replacing vehicles in the f leet with battery-electric or hydrogen fuel cell vehicles by 2040. The e-JEST offers a range of up to 210 km and has a BMW electric motor producing 170hp power and 290Nm torque plus BMW 44 or 88kWh batteries. www.karsan.com

Switch Mobility appoints Martin Brailey as president UK & Ireland SWITCH Mobility has appointed Martin Brailey as president UK & Ireland and business development director. Brailey, who will lead Switch’s UK and European sales teams, has held senior positions at Evobus UK and more recently Alexander Dennis. Sarwant Singh, chief planning officer, says: “I’m delighted to welcome Martin to the sales team. We have a strong pipeline of

sales at Switch and Martin brings a wealth of experience in this field. Following the launch of the Switch e1, we are well positioned to continue to grow the business in the UK, Europe and beyond, and having Martin on board will enable us to further develop our relationships with customers and continue to deliver exceptional products to the market.” Brailey adds: “Switch’s cur-

rent products range, alongside its plans to develop a new portfolio of electric buses and light commercial vehicles, provide the foundations for significant growth. I look forward to working with the team to deliver market leading products, grow Switch’s sales volumes and support the decarbonisation of our customer’s bus fleets.” www.switchmobility.tech

July 2022

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Alexander Dennis unveils new brand identity and opens Trident House facility

A L E X A N DER Dennis has launched a new brand identity that aims to convey the company’s agility and innovation in the transition to zero emission mobility, at the same time as officially opening its new Trident House facility in Farnborough. Alexander Dennis president and managing director Paul Davies says: “This is a defining moment for Alexander Dennis as we position ourselves even more clearly to our customers, suppliers and stakeholders. “Our new brand identity sets out the values by which we measure ourselves. We exist to move people by designing, manufacturing and supporting the most reliable buses and coaches in the market. We use technology to be cleaner, greener, quieter and the choice for transport companies around the world. Our strong heritage proves that we will con-

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tinue to deliver, time and time again.” According to ADL, Trident House will be critical to taking forward the company’s new product development agenda and zero emission mobility ambitions, housing experts from across the business in engineering and test and development, as well as other key business teams who will underpin future success for the company. Trident House takes its name from the iconic Dennis Trident low-floor chassis, which revolutionised accessible double-deck buses in the UK and across the globe in the 1990s. Legacy preservation was a key consideration in the design of the facility, which will also have a museum honouring the heritage of the Dennis brand and the people, knowledge, passion and expertise it encompasses. Development of the new ADL

brand identity was led by group marketing executive Marina Matošević: “Over the past year, we’ve had a very collaborative process involving team members across the entire business in which we analysed and determined who we will be as a company in the next ten to twenty years. This forward-looking spirit is distilled in our new identity. “We have assembled a brilliant team of brand ambassadors in every business function who will support colleagues in the roll-out, and if their excitement is anything to go by, this new brand identity will be the start of a brand new chapter for Alexander Dennis as we continue to ensure that investment in cleaner transport benefits our communities as much as the environment.” www.alexander-dennis.com

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Switch India launches next generation Switch EiV 12

SWITCH Mobility has launched a new electric bus platform ‘Switch EiV 12’ for the Indian market with two variants - EiV 12 low-floor and EiV 12 standard. Dheeraj Hinduja, chairman, Switch Mobility, says: “The launch of our next-generation electric bus platform in India is an important milestone for Switch Mobility. Our aspiration is to make electric products more accessible in India, UK, Europe and many Global markets, contributing significantly to the rapidly growing zero carbon mobility. “With a strong heritage and proven expertise of the Hinduja

group and Ashok Leyland in the commercial vehicle market, we are confident that through more such offerings of electric buses and soon to be launched electric light vehicles, we will accelerate our vision to be at the forefront in this evolving market”. Mahesh Babu, director & CEO, Switch Mobility India, adds: “I am pleased to introduce Switch EiV 12 platform in India which is built on the experience of 50 million electric km globally. The products on this platform have been designed with cutting-edge technology to deliver delightful customer experience.’’ The Switch EiV range of buses

have been configured to meet customer requirements for varied applications including intracity, inter-city, staff, school and airport transfers. The buses are equipped with new generation, lithium-ion NMC modular batteries, specially formulated for the Indian market and climatic conditions. Switch says that the modular batteries increase the capacity per battery cell for the same weight, enabling higher range of kilometres – up to 300km/day with a single charge, and up to 500km/day with dual fast-charging. www.switchmobility.tech

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New depot equipped for EVs at Abellio London Bus

ABELLIO London Bus has revealed its new depot for West London in Hayes which replaces the North Hyde Gardens site. The Hayes depot goes into operation with full EV capacity and highlights Abellio London Bus’ investment in electric technology and infrastructure. In the past year, Abellio has introduced 41 electric buses across its London fleet, adding to 34 already in service. By the end of 2022, the business will have 125 full-electric buses in service.

Abellio’s first fully-owned bus depot in London, it is a purposebuilt operating centre that houses up to 56 buses serving routes 278, 350, 482, U5, U7 and U9. The building features a living roof and nesting boxes alongside an energy efficiency rating of B. It also features a wall of historic significance that dates back to the Tudor period, which has been rebuilt using handmade Tudor bricks and a unique brick bond. The Hayes depot will be the home for new ADL EV buses

operating on route U5. The depot will support these new EV buses with a 300kW charger from Enel X Way, using ‘smart’ charging technology to maximise efficiency through charging at off-peak times and using faster chargers. Connection to the grid was supported by ESP Utilities Group, via an 11kV substation providing a 2,000kVA capacity for the bus depot. www.abellio.co.uk

July 2022

policy

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Coronavirus concerns continues to dampen concessionary bus users, says Transport Focus MORE than half of concessionary bus pass holders in England, Wales and Scotland say coronavirus is still a major concern for them, according to research carried out by Transport Focus. Following the relaxation of coronavirus related restrictions, Transport Focus found that fewer pass holders have returned to using buses in comparison to fare payers. Almost two thirds of pass holders say they are generally making fewer journeys than

before the pandemic. However, 35 per cent say this is because, in terms of coronavirus, they feel the bus is less safe than other types of transport. Other reasons include services having been reduced, buses not running on time and buses being cancelled at the last minute. Anthony Smith, chief executive of Transport Focus, says: “It’s important that concessionary bus pass holders’ needs are met by the bus industry. There is huge poten-

tial in not only bringing these passengers back on board but also getting non-users to give bus a go.” “While the pandemic has changed the way many people travel for good, by improving basics like reliability and frequency, this will go a long way to getting more people on buses.” www.transportfocus.org.uk/ publication/getting-free-bus-passholders-back-on-board/

Greener Transport Solutions calls for universal carbon allowance IN the wake of rising fuel costs, Greener Transport Solutions is calling for the UK chancellor to introduce a universal carbon allowance to help households cope with the cost-of-living crisis and accelerate the transition to net zero. The group is proposing a strategy to both tackle the cost-of-living crisis as well as accelerate the transition to net zero and protect the country’s energy security. The plan involves introducing a universal carbon allowance for every individual in the UK, funded by putting a carbon price on everything consumed. Claire Haigh, founder & CEO of Greener Transport Solutions, says: “The transport sector on its own cannot achieve net zero. It’s July 2022

clear that we urgently need a new approach. We need a solution for the whole economy. “The current crises we face all demonstrate that we must break our dependency on fossil fuels. If we are to wean ourselves off fossil fuels, we must price properly for carbon. This will generate the revenue needed to tackle the costof-living crisis. “Record high fuel and energy prices are a game-changer. We urge the Chancellor to seize the opportunity to tackle the cost-ofliving crisis, shore up our energy security and accelerate the transition to net zero at the same time.” Greener Transport Solutions argues that the proposals would be very progressive in taxation terms with individuals on higher

incomes paying more in carbon tax through all the goods and services they buy, while receiving the same fixed allowance as those on lower incomes. It points to data from the Treasury’s Net Zero Review which shows that higher income households consume three times more carbon than lower income households. www.greenertransportsolutions.com

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batteries

Major investment in battery production for MAN at Nuremberg

FROM the beginning of 2025, MAN Truck & Bus will manufacture high-voltage batteries for electric trucks and buses in large-scale production at its Nuremberg site backed by an investment of around €100million over the next five years. Production capacity will be expanded to more than 100,000 batteries per year. MAN says that the investment in the development of battery production will secure 350 jobs at the site, and the decision was made in close cooperation between the company and employee representatives with the active support of Bavarian politicians. Initially, the batteries, which along with the engines form the heart of electric commercial vehicle drives, will be manufactured manually at the MAN plant in Nuremberg in a small series production for about two

and a half years. Construction of large-scale production is scheduled to start in mid-2023 and to be completed by the end of 2024. MAN says it is thus laying the foundations for the large-scale industrialisation of electric drive systems for trucks and buses. The commercial vehicle manufacturer is receiving support from the Bavarian State Government, which has promised a contribution of around €30million to energy research and technology funding for the period 2023 to 2027. These funds will be used to conduct research in battery assembly, cell chemistry and development, battery safety, and ultimately battery recycling to ensure the sustainability of the propulsion mode. Alexander Vlaskamp, chairman of the executive board of MAN Truck & Bus, says: “We are now starting to industrialise electromobility and continue on our path to climate-neutral mobil-

ity in commercial vehicles. It is a groundbreaking location and investment decision for the next decades. “At the same time, it is part of MAN’s transformation into a provider of sustainable transport solutions. This now paves the way for a commercial vehicle ecluster ‘made in Bavaria’, consisting of the production of e-trucks at MAN in Munich, battery production in Nuremberg, research & development at both locations and excellent cooperation with the respective colleges, universities and institutes. “With our investment decision, we are securing around 350 jobs at the Nuremberg site and hundreds if not thousands of jobs in Germany.” The Nuremberg plant has a long tradition with a history dating back around 180 years. www.mantruckandbus.com July 2022

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Oxfordshire council and operators campaign to get people back on buses

A campaign to encourage people to travel on buses in Oxfordshire, led by Oxfordshire County Council, has been unveiled to highlight the financial advantage of taking a bus over a private vehicle during the current cost of living challenge caused by rising inflation. With the cost of fuel at record levels, commuters and leisure travellers can achieve significant savings by swapping using private vehicles for buses, where practical. Oxfordshire County Council is delivering the campaign in partnership with Oxford Bus Company, Thames Travel and Stagecoach. Sharing the experiences of bus users and July 2022

how they have benefited from cost savings will form a key part of the multi-channel campaign. A return journey between Witney and Oxford via Stagecoach S1 five days a week achieves an annual saving of up to £2,230.30, compared to using a private vehicle, while a return journey between Abingdon and John Radcliffe Hospital via Oxford Bus Company’s X3 service saves up to £2,318.23 per year. Bus passenger levels in the county are currently running at between 75 and 80 per cent of preCOVID levels. Without improvements and action, including continued government financial support, it is believed that services

may have to be reviewed later this year. Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council cabinet member for highways management, says: “We are committed to ensuring that the bus is a reliable, affordable alternative to the car. That’s more important now than ever as we face this cost of living crisis. “This council is doing everything in our power to make buses a success. We’re working with the operators to improve punctuality and to make public transport the most attractive and affordable option for getting around the county.” www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/residents/ roads-and-transport/public-transpor

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infrastructure

First phase of Birmingham Sprint bus rapid transit corridor completed

CONSTRUCTION of the first phase of the Sprint bus rapid transit network has been completed in Birmingham, improving cross city travel for people who live and work in and around the region. Sprint is described as the first cross city corridor of its kind. The A34 and A45 routes are being delivered in two parts with the £88million first phase now completed which connects Walsall with Birmingham city centre and Birmingham Airport - joining the A34 with the A45 to create one continuous route. The second phase is expected to follow next year to complete the continuous bus priority between Walsall and the airport and extend the route to Solihull. The route is designed to enable Birmingham and West Mid-

lands to further benefit from HS2, helping to spread the benefits by linking Walsall and Solihull and the intermediate communities directly with the new HS2 Curzon Street and Interchange stations. The bus rapid transit project has been developed and delivered by Transport for West Midlands, part of the West Midlands Combined Authority, in partnership with local councils. The scheme has been funded by the Department for Transport. Anne Shaw, executive director, TfWM, says: “With dedicated bus lanes and priority at key junctions Sprint will ensure our bus services are more reliable and more attractive to the travelling public from day one. “With phase 2 and the introduction of the region’s first cross-city bus service to follow we will see

even more benefit for passengers – a high quality service to encourage more people to swap the car and traffic congestion for a reliable high-quality bus service. “Sprint is also a key part of our wider green transport revolution which is delivering new bus, rail, Metro and cycle schemes to support our economy and decarbonise our transport network.” National Express West Midlands will be running Sprint services along the corridor once phase 2 has been completed in 2024. This will see the introduction of a fleet of zero-emission articulated vehicles to further improve journey times and comfort for passengers. www.wmca.org.uk

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Iveco E-WAY begins operating in Maribor in Slovenia

IVECO Bus has delivered two 12m E-WAY vehicles to Marprom to operate in Maribor, Slovenia. Emission-free and silent, the E-WAY will contribute to the development of a clean city while improving drivers’, passengers’, and citizens’ lives, according to Iveco. They will operate between new electric charging stations in Maribor city on the busiest bus line Nr6.

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The E-WAY model comes in a range of lengths (9.5, 10.7, 12 and 18m) and charging modes (slow night-charging, or fast-charging by pantograph). The OppCharge standard-compliant E-WAY chosen by Marprom features a 140kW electric traction motor and five Lithium Titanate Oxide 73kWh batteries. During the day, the buses will be fast-charged in a few minutes via a pantograph at charg-

ing points on the bus route. “We are proud to support Maribor city in the implementation of its full electric mobility project with our fast-charging E-WAY model which combines the highest performance achievements with the highest environmental requirements,” says Stéphane Espinasse, head of sales & products, Iveco Bus. www.ivecobus.com

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investment

Work starts on new showroom and workshop for Pelican Bus & Coach

PELICAN Bus & Coach is making a £2million investment in a new showroom, offices and workshop in Castleford to support the continued growth of its Yutong business. Pelican says that the new facility will enable it to quadruple capacity, as well as creating at least another ten jobs this year. Demolition of the existing buildings has already begun, with construction due to be completed by November. Formerly a truck rental depot, the site was purchased by Pelican in 2020 and it is undergoing a major redevelopment to transform it into a new 20,000sq ft facility dedicated to fitting-out, commissioning and supporting new and used Yutong

vehicles. The new facility will complement the group’s existing showroom in Castleford which will continue to be used for some bus work, and also as overf low space for Pelican’s nearby DAF dealership. The investment coincides with Pelican signing a new long term distribution agreement with Yutong. Richard Crump, managing director, Pelican Engineering, says: “In recent years, Pelican has seen huge growth in Yutong sales as more and more local authorities and bus operators transition to clean zero emission vehicles. “From zero vehicles in 2014, we are now approaching 1,000

Yutong buses and coaches sold in the UK, and this new facility is needed to enable us to fully support the increasing number of electric buses and coaches we are forecasting to achieve in the future. “As a fourth generation British family business with a heritage dating back over 100 years, we are proud to be continuing to invest in growing our Yutong division. This new facility will create more jobs as well as strengthening our position as one of the leading suppliers of zero-emission large passenger vehicles across the UK.” www.pelicanyutong.co.uk

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Iveco E-WAY begins operating in Maribor in Slovenia

July 2022

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Ireland’s NTA orders 120 electric double-decks from Wrightbus IR ELAND’S NTA has confirmed an order for 120 doubledeck battery-electric buses from Wrightbus as part of a framework agreement which provides for the procurement of up to 800 zeroemission battery-electric buses over a period of five years. The Streetdeck Electroliner BEVs will be manufactured and assembled at the Wrightbus facility in Galgorm, on the outskirts of Ballymena in Northern Ireland. The framework agreement between the NTA and Wrightbus is claimed to have the potential to be the single biggest bus procurement in Ireland’s history. These will be the first battery-electric double-deck buses to be added to the national bus fleet in Ireland and their addition will deliver a significant uplift in the proportion of low- or zero-emission buses within that fleet. The initial order for 120

buses represents an investment of €80.4million. Of the 120 buses currently on order, 100 are destined for use by Dublin Bus on bus services within the Dublin metropolitan area and 20 for use by Bus Éireann in Limerick. Buses from future orders may also be used to operate bus services in other parts of Ireland, including Cork, Galway and Waterford. Minister for transport Eamon Ryan says: “We know that decarbonising transport is imperative, as part of our effort to tackle climate change. “Public transport, because it is shared mobility, is already a far more sustainable and economical way of getting around, particularly compared to a private car that runs on fossil fuel, and the battery-electric buses that we are now ordering, will accelerate the transition to a zero-emission fleet. “Going electric will reduce the carbon footprint of our pub-

BEN Werth has been appointed chief commercial officer at Wrightbus, taking up the role alongside his current position as managing director of Wrightbus sister company Fuze Finance. A former director with Mistral Group with more than 26 years experience in the bus industry, Werth will oversee all sales and commercial activity for the Northern Ireland-based manufacturer.

Werth says: “I am delighted to be taking on this new role. Having worked alongside John [McLeister] and his team for the last few months it is apparent that the level of recent successes and the projected growth strategy provided an opportunity for me to complement the current sales and business development team on their continued journey to becoming market leader within the zeroemission bus sector.”

lic transport fleet, and will help us reach our long-term climate goals, as outlined in the Climate Action Plan. These new electric buses will also help reduce air pollution, improve public health and improve access to public transport for people of all abilities.” Neil Collins, managing director, Wrightbus, adds: “We are extremely proud of this historic deal, which is hugely significant for Ireland’s decarbonisation ambitions and for us here at Wrightbus. “This deal further cements the reputation we have built in the zero-emission sector, and follows hot on the heels of historic deals in Australia and Germany. This shows our ambition to be at the forefront of the zero emission drive in cities, towns and rural areas across the world.” www.wrightbus.com

Ben Werth appointed chief commercial officer at Wrightbus

July 2022

compliance

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TruTac warns of ‘current day and 28 days previous’ drivers’ hours rule

TRUTAC is warning businesses about what it says are littleknown, but stringent tachograph compliance rules that require commercial vehicle operators to record and show evidence of drivers’ timetables – both during and outside of working hours – for the past 28 days. The majority of EU Mobility Package rules were introduced on 20 August 2020. It applies to every driver undertaking any EU-regulated driving (both HGV and PSV) and requires operators to provide, at the roadside, a 24/7 record of drivers’ activities for the previous 28 days. This must be documented via a tachograph chart, the driver’s digital card or a printout from the digital device. This is the case even if they only undertook one EU Regulated driving duty in the prior 28 days. TruTac adds that, crucially, this is not limited to the time driving behind the wheel or even engaged in other activities for the business. The regulation requires

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operators to show complete evidence of drivers’ entire calendars for the period, including daily rest, days off and sick leave. This is an onerous task particularly for parttime, agency or drivers who work a mix of EU regulated driving and non-EU. TruTac is aware the DVSA has begun enforcing the regulations during roadside stops and when investigating operators. Traffic commissioners are also reportedly scrutinising operators’ facilities to find out if they have systems in place to document drivers’ timetables in sufficient detail. “Operators really need to know about this regulation because, based on feedback from our customers, we know the DVSA are actively enforcing it,” says TruTac managing director Jemma James. “However, there has been absolutely no publicity about it whatsoever, so it is incredibly easy for even the most diligent commercial vehicle business to inadvertently contravene the rules.”

TruTac’s range of software for the transport industry is designed with compliance at its core, and it documents operators’ activities and drivers’ hours in minute detail. Its TruControl fleet management portal comprises a suite of software applications for simple all-round compliance management and includes tools such as TruAnalysis – a full tachograph management system, with driver de-briefing, risk scores and automatic compliance reporting. “This regulation is a real headache for operators, and it’s worth remembering that it applies to any driver undertaking EUregulated journeys – even an occasional agency driver,” adds James. “Drivers and operators will be expected to produce these records when stopped, so it’s vital that they have a solid and dependable way of capturing and presenting the data.” www.trutac.co.uk

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ev buses

New substation ready for electrification at Oxford’s Cowley depot

OXFORD Bus Company has completed a major milestone in its project to roll out a fleet of electric buses for Oxford with the installation of a substation at its Cowley depot. The substation, which will provide 8MW of power to support rapid charging of vehicles, is connected to a cable which runs into a large 60MW battery that is sited at the Cowley substation and connected direct to the National Grid. In the future, Oxford Bus Company is looking to install 104 charging posts and connecting them to the substation to charge the new electric buses. The new substation was installed by Pivot Power and makes up part of the Oxford Energy Superhub project which will be used to help balance grid demand to assist the transition to

renewable energy sources. It will also power a high-power private wire charging network that will support a large number of ground source heat pumps in the city, and supply power to the bus depot and an EV charging hub at Redbridge Park & Ride, to enable large scale EV charging at the Park & Ride site. The development follows a successful bid for funding to support the introduction of 159 electric buses to serve Oxford. Oxford Bus Company, Thames Travel, City Sightseeing Oxford and Stagecoach have pledged £43.7million towards the Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas (ZEBRA) scheme. The government has committed £32.8million and Oxfordshire County Council £6million. The commitment from bus operators is dependent on the introduction

of public policies to reduce bus journey times. Phil Southall, Oxford Bus Company managing director, says: “We are grateful to the longstanding partnership we have with Pivot Power and the Energy Superhub Oxford project, which has helped us deliver the substation. It is a key step in our exciting electric transformation journey.” In 2020 Oxford Bus Company introduced the first electric bus to Oxford via its City Sightseeing Oxford f leet. It now has three retrofitted electric vehicles in its f leet, which were delivered in partnership with Oxford City Council. The electric buses are charged at the Cowley depot, via its depot energy circuit, which also includes solar panels. www.oxfordbus.co.uk

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