Australasian Bus & Coach 410 October 2021

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AUSTRALASIAN BUS & COACH

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driven: retro clipper interview: zf e-mobility event: qld watt bros park

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contents ISSUE 410 OCTOBER 2021

08 in the know

6. editorial | ignition ‘A day’s a long time in politics’? You betcha. Changes aplenty – affecting the world of bus? Editor Cotter speaks.

28. In focus | quantron 12m e-bus

NEW GERMAN 12M E-BUS AVAILABLE

8. news | the front line We’ve gathered up all the key, hardhitting Australasian and international bus and coach news for you, to keep you in the loop.

A new 12-metre electric bus – available as battery-electric (comparable to conventional diesel bus pricing) or as fuel-cell electric versions – will be made available to Australian operators, upon orders received, German e-mobility specialist Quantron confirms.

24. bic column

30. In focus | custom denning sta deal

NEW INDUSTRY REPORT BIC’s released its report on the Australian bus industry’s current state.

in focus

26. In focus | watt park, qld

QUEENSLAND PARK GETS ICONIC BUS FAMILY NAME An east Brisbane park has been officially named after an iconic local bus family, which has been in business for nearly 100 years, 66 of them based near the park, event

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organisers have announced, recently.

CUSTOM DENNING SECURES KEY NSW STA E-BUS DEAL Following a successful trial by the State Transit Authority (STA), local Australianowned bus manufacturer Custom Denning has landed a 10 zero-emission bus order – with deliveries starting November, 2021, Transport for NSW (TfNSW) confirms.

32. in focus | yutong e12 e-bus

YUTONG E12 E-BUS TRIALS BREAK 500,000KM IN OZ No fewer than 12 Australian operators

have successfully trialled a localised variant of Yutong’s globally prolific E12 electric bus, with more than 500,000km collectively amassed during trials and in service locally – plus more successful trials still ongoing, Yutong Australia reports.

34. in focus | mercedes-benz electric chassis

MERCEDES-BENZ ELECTRIC BUS CHASSIS: 2022 IN AUSTRALIA Daimler’s electro-mobility plans for the Southern Hemisphere have taken a massive – and long anticipated – leap forward with Mercedes-Benz announcing it is importing an e-bus chassis in 2022 for the Australian bus market.

40. cover story | volvo bzl electric

POWER TO THE PEOPLE

If brand loyalty counts for anything and market leadership is its currency, Volvo Bus Australia will be pinning its future success here on its newly launched BZL electric bus chassis. Bus rivals not worried? They should be.

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EDITORIAL Editor: Fabian Cotter ph: 0451 194 600 e-mail: Fabian.Cotter@primecreative.com.au Technical Writer: Paul Aldridge

FOLLOW US ONLINE AT:

PRODUCTION

Facebook – facebook.com/ABCBusnews YouTube – bit.ly/busandcoachtv Twitter – twitter.com/ABCmag

Production Co-Ordinator: Cat Fitzpatrick Art Director: Bea Barthelson

PRINTING IVE Print

ADVERTISING

48. interview | gary bain and shane trenbath

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THE ROAD AHEAD

German innovator ZF has a range of products and services that have led in so many ways in their respective fields, including the global bus and coach industry. With the e-mobility transition really kicking in here in Australia, ABC magazine picked the brains of OE expert Gary Bain and technical guru Shane Trenbath – ZF Oceania Leadership Team members – about why Australasia is on the right track ... or are we not?

Trader Group Sales Manager: James Rock ph: 0419 139 941 e-mail: James.Rock@primecreative.com.au Business Development Manager - Bus: Matt Alexander ph: 0413 599 669 e-mail: Matt.Alexander@primecreative.com.au

SUBSCRIPTIONS www.magshop.com.au e-mail: magshop@magshop.com.au ph: 1300 461 528 between 8am – 6pm (EST) Mon – Fri mail: Magshop, GPO Box 5252, Sydney, NSW, 2001 Annual subscription rates (12 issues): Australia: $89* NZ: $A100.05

56. test drive | 1958 ansair flxible clipper

Overseas: $A122.50 (Australian air-mail only) *price includes GST

MUCH-LOVED CLASSIC

One of the last Clippers to be built, this example from 1958 had an eventful life over the decades, from express work to transporting children in the outback.

Now a motorhome, it has been lovingly restored by Fantastic Aussie Tours’ Darrell Booth, who delved deep into its beautiful history.

EXECUTIVE GROUP CEO: John Murphy Publisher: Christine Clancy

the planet. Have a look around and see

COO: Zelda Tupicoff

what you might find in there!

Operations Manager: Regina Fellner Trader Group Sales Director: Brad Buchanan

70. factory facts | bus deliveries

MONTHLY RESULTS

departments

We know you love them and so we

FOR SALE!

sales data collected and recorded for

There’s hundreds of great vehicles and services listed here from some of the leading bus and coach companies on

who is who and who’s done what

65. bus marketplace | classifieds

have the latest bus and coach supplier you to sink your teeth into. To know simply check it out!

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ABC is published by Prime Creative Media 11-15 Buckhurst Street, South Melbourne VIC 3205 Telephone: (+61) 03 9690 8766 Website: www.primecreative.com.au

ISSN 1324-8634

DISTRIBUTION

Distribution within Australia and New Zealand and beyond by paid subscription to the owners and managers of: • route buses • government bus operations • school buses • extended and day tour operations • express coaches • country and charter operations • bus and coach manufacturers • equipment suppliers • tourism attractions • railways management.

Australasian Bus & Coach (ABC) magazine is owned by Prime Creative Media. All material in ABC is copyright and no part may be reproduced or copied in any form or by any means (graphic, electronic or mechanical including information and retrieval systems) without written permission of the publisher. The Editor welcomes contributions but reserves the right to accept or reject any material. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information Prime Creative Media will not accept responsibility for errors or omissions or for any consequences arising from reliance on information published. Opinions expressed in ABC are not necessarily the opinions of, or endorsed by the publisher unless otherwise stated.

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IGNITION

FABIAN COTTER

Smart Phones On Wheels There is a lot of cool bus-related product coming onto the global market, localised stuff too. Spoilt for choice?

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ummaging around for that last silver coin, to contribute to your mate’s silver coin, just to afford the phone call to his mum to come pick us up after spending all of your hard-earned school holiday savings playing video games in a 1980s ‘pinnie parlour’, was the absolute definition of ‘a good day out’.

At least it was back then.

As a kid, particularly in that era, computer gaming was still in its infancy – or starting its emergence out of it, depending on how you see it – ‘playing the pinnies’ was just the absolute priority for budding gamers back in the day.

The intent was to go see a movie; I’m sure many of you have been there.

Summer holidays in Sydney, no school ’til next year’, you’ve saved up all your birthday money given in good faith by loving friends and relos so you could ‘buy something worthwhile’ – and for all the world of hoping and trying you know you were going to blow that wad of cash in 2.5 hours max playing video games instead.

Or more. Twenty cents a game. Then it became 40c. Gold dollar coins became the ‘new normal’ over the years – the evil, tyrannical [expletive here] as inflation kicked in. And I’m sure we all might have dipped into the home ‘chump change’ coin collection here and there, with parents eventually wondering, ‘Gees, is there a hole in this thing or what?’

In my defence, there was method to the madness; unbeknownst to me, or my parents at the time – I would eventually, older and wiser, end up working at Nintendo. In Germany. True story.

The GFC, before it was even known as the GFC and which affected Europe at the time even more so than Oz, I recall, forced my hand to pay bills and I landed a gig over there not even knowing what I had applied for. And it was some of the best years of my life.

Aside from walking around Frankfurt sensing – resonating even – like I’d trodden those streets before, being a games tester at such a big electronics icon on ‘the other side of the world’ was pretty cool.

Weird … but cool.

I look to now and though tech giants dabbling and merging into the

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automotive world is nothing new, to hear Taiwanese electronics giant Foxconn – contract manufacturer of all things iPhone, PlayStation, Nintendo and X-Box these days – has recently debuted its own ‘futuristically funky’ electric bus.

As part of a trio of EVs launched from Foxconn, it was the bus that caught the eyes and reminded, even more so, how rapidly the electro-mobility space is changing – and from all manufacturers, traditional bus and vehicle or not.

I’m no gambling man, but I’ll put money on the greatest advances on the automotive e-evolution may well just come from ‘outsiders’ looking in. Sometimes, you have to remove ego-driven experience to realise you ‘know nothing’ before you even have a chance to ‘learn something’.

Years’ long in-car Bluetooth pairing frustration may well just have irrevocably put wheel-driven transport on big tech’s radar, big time. All of it.

A HUGE MONTH Way too much has happened this month for the liking. New premiers, political investigations (Hey, even I get invited to the online viewings occasionally ;) ) and closer to home we pumped out our annual Bus Search 2021 magazine.

If you haven’t got yourself a copy of this useful industry tool – a quick reference guide, as it were – then do yourself a favour and do so.

COME ON IN This issue, ABC puts to bed a story that has been a long time in the planning, let alone in the making. And that’s not just from our perspective. You see, Volvo Bus tackled the issue of when – and how … and for whom - to bring in an electric bus to Australia, so that patience for ‘Ovlov’ bus fans has been rewarded with its new BZL electric bus chassis officially launched recently.

The BZL graces our cover this issue – matched to an austere and sweet-looking Volgren e-bus body.

As the first Volvo e-buses into Australia – and with the BZL e-chassis intended for Australasia overall – it’s a key product choice for bus operators given Volvo’s bus market leadership here, in Oz at least.

With a well-established reputation, and being the first of the Euro ‘full’ e-chassis to land here, it will be interesting to see to what extent brand loyalty steers its electro-mobility campaign. Read more on pages 40–47.

Also in this issue we have a great interview with two key representatives from ZF Oceania’s Leadership Team. ABC got to exclusively ‘pick the brains’ of OE expert Gary Bain and technical guru Shane Trenbath about why Australasia, in terms of e-mobility, is on the right track ... or are we not? Check that out on pages 48–56.

On the complete opposite end of the time spectrum, we test drive a stunningly retro-cool 1958 Ansair Flexible Clipper, which lives up in the NSW Blue Mountains, mostly. Check it out on pages 56–64. I know people will query why such ‘old metal’ is in the magazine while all this ‘new stuff’ is kicking about, but you have to remember the Australian bus industry is equally adaptive to new tech just as much as it is endearingly stubborn about its history and the bus product that shaped it. Bless.

After all, what was that Forrest Gump saying about ‘life being a box of chocolates’ and ‘not knowing which one you were going to get’?

Think of each issue of your beloved ABC magazine just like that.

Actually, who am I kidding. It’s always the bleedin’ Turkish Delight.

Until the next thrilling instalment…

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NEWS

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‘SKYBUS’ WINS MELBOURNE METRO CONTRACT

over the next four months to ensure a smooth transition for its employees and passengers.”

SKYBUS OPERATOR Kinetic will introduce no fewer than 36 fully-electric buses to the Melbourne metro network by mid-2025, following its AUD$2.3 billion ‘franchise’ win.

As part of the Victorian state government’s aim to transition its massive bus fleet to low-to-zero emissions – pledging specifically, “…all new public transport buses to be zero emissions from 2025” – Melbournebased Kinetic will operate a third of the metropolitan bus network from January 31, 2022, to June, 2031, the government confirms.

Kinetic, which runs Skybus and local bus routes across Australasia – a slew of key operations now, in fact – will introduce the 36 fully electric buses to the network by mid-2025, including five

by June next year.

More than half of the franchise fleet – 341 of the 537 buses – will be replaced with low- or zero-emission vehicles over the term of the franchise, the Victorian government states.

The new environmentally friendly electric and hybrid buses will be made at Volgren’s Dandenong South facility, “…supporting jobs, boosting the local

LOCAL CONTENT

economy and helping to build Victoria’s engineering, design and manufacturing expertise in these emerging technologies,” it explains.

SMOOTH TRANSITION Victoria’s Public Transport Minister Ben Carroll said: “We are jump-starting our push for a zero-emissions bus fleet in Victoria to benefit the environment and help build our engineering, design and manufacturing expertise in these emerging technologies.

“The roll out of 36 electric buses early on in this partnership will accelerate our pledge for all new buses from 2025 to be zero emissions and, importantly, will contribute to the learnings of the threeyear Zero Emissions Bus Project.”

Department of Transport head of Transport Services Nick Foa said: “We have undertaken a robust and competitive tender process over the past year, and we look forward to working with Kinetic to continue to improve the travelling experience for bus passengers across its 50 routes.

“We thank Transdev for supporting the state in providing a safe and reliable bus network and for working with us

A minimum fleet target of 60 per cent local content will apply to the electric and hybrid buses, and Kinetic will also deliver on a local content target of 90 per cent for operations, such as fuel and uniforms, the government explains.

Knowledge from the early introduction of electric buses will add to the findings of the government’s three-year, $20 million Zero Emissions Bus Project, which will start early next year, it adds.

The franchise, currently operated by Transdev Melbourne, transports millions of passengers each year across 50 bus routes – including the popular orbital routes that connect Melbourne’s middle ring suburbs and city commuter services, such as the Doncaster Area Rapid Transit.

The contract with Kinetic will see, “…an uplift in operational performance – driving greater reliability and a strong focus on customer outcomes and increased cleaning,” the government stated.

Key workers at Transdev, including about 1,100 bus drivers, will be offered employment with Kinetic, and buses and six bus depots will transfer over on January 31 next year, it confirms.

Kinetic co-CEO Adam Begg stated:

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2022 DATES ANNOUNCED FOR BUS AND COACH EXPO THE BELATED 2022 Australasia Bus and Coach Expo will be held October 5-6 next year in The Dome and Halls at Sydney Showground, Sydney Olympic Park, organisers have announced.

BusNSW executive director Matt Threlkeld says the association was excited to announce the new dates for 2022 after postponing the 2021 Expo due to Covid and the lockdown in Sydney.

“The dates have been chosen following the consideration of school holidays, venue availability and the industry events in 2022,” Threlkeld said.

“We believe the 12-month delay gives us the best opportunity to host a world-class exhibition and optimise attendance.”

The Covid-safe event will involve displays covering more than 13,000 square metres, all under the one roof.

“We anticipate that there will be a strong focus on battery electric and hydrogen fuel-cell buses.”

“With a leadership team that has grown up catching buses in and around Melbourne, this is an incredibly exciting announcement for us to partner with the Victorian government to modernise the city’s bus experience and deliver benefits to the whole community.

“We understand the incredible influence bus networks have on the livelihoods of communities and we’re fully supportive of delivering a worldclass transport network that supports opportunity, inclusion, growth and community connections for generations to come.”

KINETIC TARGETS Melbourne-based Kinetic bought Skybus in 2014 and now operates urban, regional, school and airport bus services across

Above: Key workers at Transdev, including about 1,100 bus drivers, will be offered employment with Kinetic, and buses and six bus depots will transfer over on January 31 next year.

Australia and New Zealand, it states.

Kinetic now operates 52 bus contracts and 3,000 buses that move more than 50 million passengers per year, it adds.

In a first for a bus contract in Victoria, Kinetic has targets to increase the recruitment of women and priority job seekers – such as longterm unemployed and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people – and to increase spend with Aboriginal businesses and disability enterprises, it explains.

“We will soon commence discussions with industry suppliers regarding bookings for booths and display areas,” Threlkeld said.

“Transport for NSW is leading the way on the transition to zero-emission buses and will be proudly supporting the Expo.

“We anticipate that there will be a strong focus on battery electric and hydrogen fuel-cell buses, so the event will provide a great opportunity to showcase this technology.

“We have an opportunity to build on the new Australasia Bus and Coach Expo brand as we promote the event over the next 12 months.”

THE FORMAT The Expo will include two important social events, with a welcome function on Tuesday October 4, 2022, and an industry Gala Dinner on Wednesday October 5, 2022.

Suppliers, operators and industry stakeholders can keep informed in the lead-up to the Australasia Bus and Coach Expo 2022 via the official Expo website at: www. busandcoachexpo.com.au “If buses or coaches are your business, mark Wednesday 5 and Thursday 6 October, 2022, in your calendar and start planning your visit to the Expo today,” Threlkeld advised.

Suppliers interested in exhibiting at the Expo can contact BusNSW on (02) 8839 9500, or via: events@ busnsw.com.au

Opposite, Top: The Expo will take place at The Dome and Halls at Sydney Showground, Sydney Olympic Park.

Below: The next Australasia Bus and Coach Expo will take place October 5-6, 2022 in Sydney.

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NEWS

network with spare capacity; • i ncentives for green hydrogen production; and • a hydrogen refuelling station network to be rolled out across the state.º Business will be to submit an expression of interest to participate in the hydrogen hubs by the end of October.

COUNCIL SUPPORT

NSW HYDROGEN PUSH GETS $3 BILLION BOOST NSW IS SET TO attract more than $80 billion of investment, drive deep decarbonisation and establish itself as an energy and economic superpower with the launch of the NSW Hydrogen Strategy.

Premier Dominic Perrottet says that, as NSW worked through post-lockdown recovery, hydrogen was an opportunity to drive new investment and help secure jobs right across the state.

“Australia has an opportunity to be an energy superpower; New South Wales will lead the country with this hydrogen strategy,” Premier Perrottet said.

“Our major trading partners see hydrogen as part of their energy future; this state has the skills, infrastructure and renewable energy resources to compete globally in this new industry.”

Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW Paul Toole says hydrogen is a huge opportunity for regional NSW. “We know that regional economies are diversifying, and the NSW government’s Hydrogen Strategy is bringing that to life,” Toole said.

production in NSW and will make NSW the best place to invest in hydrogen in the world.”

Fortescue Future Industries (FFI) chairman and founder Dr Andrew Forrest AO said: “I am delighted with NSW’s historic hydrogen strategy and ambition to set itself up as an energy and economic superpower.

“NSW is taking a state leadership position providing clear pathways for how renewable hydrogen can deliver for Australian businesses, Australian jobs, communities and our children’s future.

“At FFI, we are doing everything we can as a business to lead the world effort to lower emissions. We are planning to deliver 15 million tonnes of renewable green hydrogen to the world by 2030 – increasing to 50 million tonnes per year thereafter.

The Australian Hydrogen Council applauded the New South Wales government on its Hydrogen Strategy.

“Setting aside $3 billion to support the scale-up of our hydrogen industry is a leap in the right direction, a clear demonstration to us that the New South Wales government is serious about meeting its net-zero commitments and the role of hydrogen to get there,” said Dr Fiona Simon, CEO of the Australian Hydrogen Council.

“The strategy contains precisely the type of policy commitments, targets and funding that we have called for in our recent white paper ‘Unlocking Australia’s hydrogen opportunity’, and we are delighted to see the NSW government taking this next evolutionary step.

“In line with our white paper, the NSW government has committed to prioritising heavy transport, trucks and refuelling infrastructure; heavy transport is a key sector that needs hydrogen to decarbonise, replacing petrol and diesel with hydrogen.

“Australia has enormous opportunity to lead the world in the production, use

“Our major trading partners see hydrogen as part of their energy future.”

GLOBAL HYDROGEN LEADER Treasurer and Energy Minister Matt Kean says the strategy, which will provide up to AUD$3 billion in incentives, will set the state up as a global hydrogen leader and is forecast to increase the size of the NSW economy by more than AUD$600 million by 2030.

“Hydrogen will not only help the state halve our emissions by 2030 and get to net zero by 2050, it will create new opportunities for our heavy industry, and an economic bonanza of investment and jobs,” Kean said.

“This strategy is forecast to more than halve the cost of green hydrogen 10

“We are committed to working with the NSW government to support their ambitions and develop Green Hydrogen Hubs together.”

FURTHER DETAILS In addition to delivering an already committed AUD$70 million to develop the state’s hydrogen hubs in the Illawarra and the Hunter, the strategy includes: • exemptions for green hydrogen production from government charges; • a 90 per cent exemption from electricity network charges for green hydrogen producers that connect to parts of the

and export of hydrogen and the NSW government has demonstrated the leadership needed to drive the creation of the clean hydrogen industry.

“An Australian hydrogen industry will require large scale electrolysers, renewable electricity, hydrogen storage, water and water pipelines, electricity infrastructure, CCS [carbon capture and storage] as appropriate, and hydrogen pipelines.

Planning, with the right funding and targets is a vital part of getting this industry to scale and we look forward to working with the NSW government to chart the state’s path to net-zero using hydrogen.”

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NATIONAL CLEAN HYDROGEN HUBS’ $150 MILLION BOOST WELCOMING the federal government’s announcement in September of extra grants and the expansion of its shortlist for a national network of clean hydrogen hubs, Australian Hydrogen Council (AHC) CEO Dr Fiona Simon said the extra AUD$150 million in funding underlines the government is, “… serious about investing in Australia’s hydrogen future.

“Committing grant funding of $464m to support feasibility studies and construction is another important step forward,” Simon said.

Simon said the decision to increase the number of hubs from five to seven is good news for jobs and getting the industry to scale, as hubs drive collaboration and shared benefit.

AHC represents the Australian hydrogen industry, it states.

Members include: Air Liquide,

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Aluminium Revolutionary Chassis Company, Ampol, ANT Energy Solutions, ANZ Banking Group, APA Group, Arup, Arthur Phillips Pty Ltd, ATCO, Aurecon, AusNet Services/ Mondo, Australian Gas Infrastructure Group, Baker Hughes, Bloom Energy, BOC, BP, BusTech Group, Chart Industries, CIP Aus Pty Ltd, Countrywide Renewable Hydrogen, CEJN, Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners Aus, Coregas, CS Energy, Cummins South Pacific, Daimler, Downer, Emerson, Endeavour Petroleum, ENEA consulting, Fortescue Metals Group, Foton Mobility, GeelongPort, GHD, Global Energy Ventures, H2U, Haskel, Hazer, Honeywell, Horizon Power, Howden, Hyundai Australia, ITM Power, ITOCHU Australia Ltd, Jacobs, Jemena, John Cockerill Energy, KBR, Linde, Lochard Energy, Luxfer Australia, National Australia Bank,

Nel, Origin Energy, Quanta Services Australia, S&P Global Platts, Samson, SG Fleet, Siemens, Silver Metal Investment, SMA Australia, Southern Green Gas, Stanwell, Star Scientific, Sumitomo Australia Pty Ltd, Sun Metals, TfA Project Group, Total Eren, Toyota Australia, Transit Systems, UPC\AC Renewables Australia, Valmec, Viva Energy, Weidmüller, Wesfarmers Chemicals, Energy & Fertilisers, Wood, Woodside, and Worley.

Above: The federal government has announced extra funding for a national network of clean hydrogen hubs.

11/08/2021 19:13:36

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NEWS

NSW PLANNING MINISTER TO TAKE TOP TRANSPORT ROLE FOLLOWING a whirlwind week of dramatic changes in NSW state Liberal Party politics, Planning Minister Rob Stokes has been announced as the new Minister for Transport, according to new NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet.

After Stokes’s challenge for the party leadership in a ballot at NSW Parliament House – where Perrottet defeated him with 39–5 votes – the new Premier of NSW says Stokes was happy to take on the Transport portfolio, confirming he thought he would be ideal for the job given his 10 years of ministerial experience.

“When I called him this morning, he was very happy to take it on and I think balancing both planning, transport, and infrastructure makes perfect sense,” Premier Perrottet informed reporters at the announcement on October 6.

According to independent

national newswire AAP, he says the largest component of infrastructure remained in transport, a portfolio soon to be available after Minister Andrew Constance announced he was entering federal politics instead.

“So I think he [Stokes] will play a key role and is a perfect person for the job,” Premier Perrottet said.

TITLE CHANGES NSW Regional Transport Minister Paul Toole has been sworn in as NSW Deputy Premier – following Barilaro’s resignation amidst the fallout of former premier Gladys Brejiklian’s resignation.

Toole pledged to restore “business as usual” in the state’s regions after being emphatically elected as the new Nationals leader, AAP reports.

Toole – also the MP for Bathurst and outgoing deputy Nationals leader – defeated Water, Property

Above: Planning Minister Rob Stokes is set to become the NSW Minister for Transport.

and Housing Minister Melinda Pavey 15–3 in a Nationals leadership ballot, it adds.

“I want to make sure we get back to work and it’s business as usual because the people of this state have been doing it tough now for a number of years,” Toole explained.

“What’s important here is that we actually get on with the job.”

Current Minister for Mental Health and upper house MP Bronnie Taylor will serve as the new Nationals Deputy Leader, it was confirmed.

ALLISON HYBRID-ELECTRIC TECH UNDERLIES SAN-FRAN BUS WIN DUE MID-2022, global North American commercial vehicle giant Allison will supply its H 40 EP electric hybrid propulsion system for integration into 30 metro buses via manufacturer ElDorado National’s (ENC) San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency’s (SFMTA) Municipal Railway (Muni) contract win, it was announced recently.

Indianapolis, USA-based Allison – a leading designer and manufacturer of conventional and electrified vehicle propulsion solutions and the largest global manufacturer of medium- and heavy-duty fully automatic transmissions for commercial vehicles and transit buses – has delivered more than 9,000 electric hybrid propulsion systems serving 230 cities in 43 US states, it confirms.

These systems have accumulated 12

more than 2.9 billion miles, saving more than 340 million gallons of fuel, and preventing 3.4 million metric tons of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere, it explains.

“ENC is excited to partner with SFMTA and Muni on these buses which will utilise the Allison Hybrid EP system, which dramatically reduces both diesel fuel consumption and CO2 emissions as compared to a conventional diesel transit bus,” said ElDorado National (California) vice president of Sales, Mike Ammann.

SFMTA awarded the contract to ElDorado for 30 electric hybrid E-Z Rider II model heavy-duty 30-foot transit buses, which will utilise the Allison H 40 EP hybrid system.

According to the company, the H 40 EP Series reduces fuel consumption by up to 25 per cent

versus a conventional diesel bus, facilitates quieter operation, and reduces CO2 emissions, helping to protect the environment.

Additionally, the H 40 EP Series is equipped with regenerative braking, converting the vehicle’s kinetic energy to stored electric energy when decelerating or stopping.

ElDorado expects to deliver the electric-hybrid buses in the second quarter of 2022, it confirms.

Above: In mid-2022, Allison will supply 30 electric hybrid propulsion systems to San Francisco buses.

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VOLGREN QLD FIRST E-BUS DUE EARLY 2022

IN A STRONG message of confidence in its Eagle Farm bus-manufacturing outlet, Volgren HQ has confirmed plans to invest in its Queensland operations, which is due to produce its first locally-made electric bus early next year, the company has announced.

Backing its workers and local manufacturing in Queensland, Australia’s largest bus body builder will continue building a range of bus bodies in the state. This follows a period of uncertainty after Volgren delivered its final bus to Brisbane City Council in June this year, concluding an agreement that had lasted 12 years and incorporated almost 900 vehicles.

Volgren CEO Thiago Deiro says the company’s investment in its Queensland operation would secure the future of 45 valued staff members and a local supply chain involving 20 local businesses.

“Volgren has spent more than a decade developing a skilled workforce and a world-class manufacturing centre at Eagle Farm. It’s not something we ever wanted to walk away from,” he explained.

“Our plans are to double labour capacity in 2022 at our Eagle Farm facility and deliver higher volumes than ever before, including large numbers of electric buses.”

Volgren’s Queensland operations manager Clayton Nel says he was excited about beginning a new chapter in the story of Queensland bus manufacture.

“The decision to retain all staff and continue what we love doing has been met with an enormous feeling of relief and appreciation from our staff and local supply chain,” Nel stated.

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www.camirafabrics.com T 03 9832 0624 | E info@camiragroup.com.au | www.camirafabrics.com Above: Volgren’s Eagle Farm site will produce its first electric bus at the beginning of next year.

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NEWS

Left: Scania is offering 20 places on a four-year apprenticeship training course to become a qualified bus or truck technician.

BUS APPRENTICE DRIVE SEEKS RIGHT ‘ATTITUDE, APTITUDE’ SCANIA AUSTRALIA is offering 20 Australians a unique career path that can take them directly from school or another occupation into fulfilling long-term employment at its company-owned workshops around the country, it has announced.

A Scania four-year apprenticeship to become a qualified heavy truck and or bus technician, or a dual apprenticeship adding in auto electrics, is undertaken in concert with TAFE, and students can fast-track their learning to complete in a shorter time-period if they wish, the company explains.

Scania offers apprentices many benefits including 30 per cent more pay than the Award rate, plus access to the company employee bonus scheme, it confirms.

There is also on-the-job mentoring to ensure the training is progressing smoothly and to iron out any issues, Scania says.

ADVANCED TECH “Potential candidates with the right attitude and aptitude will find the well-established Scania apprenticeship course structured and stimulating,” said Sean Corby, regional executive manager for Scania in NSW and Victoria.

“It will prepare them for a career working on advanced technology vehicles and engines.

“Scania is leading the shift towards sustainable transport solutions, so there’s already the opportunity to work on heavy-duty hybrid-electric vehicles, and battery electric vehicles could be on our roads by the time the class of 2022 qualifies,” Corby outlined.

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“Each year, Scania takes on around 20 first-year technician and parts apprentices at our company-owned capital city branches. In 2022 we’re opening a brand new branch at Eastern Creek in Sydney, increasing the demand for technician apprentices within the business,” Corby explained.

EARN AND LEARN “In 2022, we’re also looking for apprentices to join our parts interpreter teams; this is ideal for someone who wants to work in a workshop environment but may not want to be on the tools,” said Corby.

the Australian Qualification Training Framework and, “… therefore deliver a consistent and transferrable qualification nationally.”

Apprentices selecting a dual trade will aim to qualify in Certificate III Heavy Commercial Vehicle Mechanical Technology (AUR31116) and Certificate III Automotive Electrical Technology (AUR30316), it confirms.

Continuing study to a dual trade generally adds a further 18 months of study, but during the dual-trade upskilling apprentices will be paid as a qualified technician and provided with the opportunity to continue to upskill and develop themselves, it adds.

TEAM PLAYERS “Apprentices are well looked after and are embraced as an integral part of the Scania workshop workforce, where we work hard to foster strong team environments,” said Michele Gellatly, people and culture director at Scania Australia.

“Our apprentice programme has been exceptionally successful over many years at producing qualified technicians who are excellent team players, astute at diagnostics and committed to

“Apprentices are embraced as an integral part of the Scania workshop workforce.”

“Apprentices learn and earn while they work. They study at TAFE and also undertake significant in-house learning within the Scania training programme, the costs of which are all met by Scania.

“The in-house training builds knowledge and confidence of Scania-specific vehicle systems to provide foundation skills for servicing, repairing and diagnosing Scania vehicles’ technological systems.”

Scania’s apprentices are enrolled in TAFE courses to deliver qualifications in either Certificate III Heavy Commercial Vehicle Mechanical Technology (AUR31116), or Certificate III Automotive Sales (AUR31016) or Certificate III Automotive Electrical Technology (AUR30316), the company confirms. These courses are defined in

maintaining our customers’ uptime.

“We currently have 59 apprentices across our network, ranging from first to fourth year, as well as around 14 that have qualified early.

“Australia is still suffering a skills shortage, which is good news for apprentices, as it means there will be plenty of opportunities for them to find work throughout their careers.

“Scania is a highly regarded employer; our people are our greatest asset and together we create a safe and inclusive workplace.”

For more information on applying for one of the 2022 apprenticeship places, contact careers@scania.com.au, or call (03) 9217 3300.

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go electric with volvo

The new Volvo BZL Electric chassis delivers Australia’s most safe, responsible and sustainable electric bus system. Designed from tried and tested European technology and tailored to demanding Australian operating conditions, the Volvo BZL Electric offers peace of mind with Volvo’s renowned data protection and circular battery management systems. As our customers have come to expect, the new Volvo BZL Electric delivers second to none quality, reliability and safety. And, with extensive support from Australia’s only dedicated bus team and the largest dealer network in the country, you can rest assured you’re on board with the electromobility experts when you Go Electric With Volvo.

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NEWS

Left: Scania’s Craig McFadyen.

BESPOKE APPLICATIONS

BUS-REPAYMENTS RESPITE REMINDER DURING PANDEMIC SCANIA AUSTRALIA’S bus finance department is reminding its customers to seek the company’s flexible support, tailored solutions and open communication avenues, if needed, during pandemic-induced difficult times.

According to the company, in supporting bus and coach customers in good times and bad, Scania Finance Australia took immediate action at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic to help sustain its customers hard-hit by lockdowns and the dearth of inbound tourism.

Living up to the company’s core value of putting the customer first, Scania Finance demonstrated exactly what it means to have a financial business partner who is supportive in those good times and bad, it explains.

Scania Finance Australia’s commercial finance manager Craig McFadyen says during the past 18 months the business has supported around 25 bus customers by rescheduling payments over three-month periods.

“Thankfully, the vast majority of these customers are now finding their way back to work. We recognised the dangers for their businesses very early on and through contact with them, initiated by us or by them, we discussed options to enable them to retain their vehicles and give them some hope that their businesses would survive,” said McFadyen.

DOING IT TOUGH “During 2020 we were able to zero out their repayments for up to three months and, in some cases, we continued this activity for a further few months,” he continued.

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“Some operators were able to move to payment on an interest-only level for a short time, before reprising their normal payments.

“Obviously Covid-19 has been a very distressing and unexpected development that none of our customers planned for, and it was our focus to stand by our customers through the difficulties presented by the pandemic and subsequent lockdowns.

“We have proven that we’re here to help our customers as much as we can, to survive in these difficult times.”

Scania Finance is focused on tailoring finance packages to suit each customer’s situation, just as much as the Scania vehicle offer can be individually tailored to the operator’s needs, McFadyen explained.

“We’re able to offer attractive interest rates and flexible structurers using our dedicated business development managers in each state, so we’re able to cover the entire country,” he said.

“We work with body builders and our Scania salespeople to ensure our customers get the best possible financing product that suits their need.”

GLOBAL SUPPORT “In good times and in bad, we support our customers’ businesses as much as we possibly can,” commented head of sales, Scania Financial Services, Joakim Ewers.

Scania Financial Services supports 63 Scania markets globally through a network of 1,200 employees, it confirms.

Over the past year and a half, Scania Financial Services globally has offered a lifeline to many bus customers in need, adjusting the payment plans for customers financed by Scania, it states.

Compared with banks and other financial suppliers, Scania’s representatives

“We have proven that we’re here to help our customers as much as we can.”

BUS LIFELINES “In South Australia, we have seen customers getting back to normal as school has returned and some charter work has recovered. In other states some operators have tried to diversify their businesses – for example, into rail replacement – but again the unpredictability of the lockdowns has had a negative effect,” McFadyen outlined.

“During the past 18 months we have been health-checking our customers, and to let them know that we are here if they need us.

“Customer response has been exceptionally positive, unsurprisingly, given the very personal nature of many of these family owned and run businesses, and the lifetimes of effort they have put into evolving them.”

are proven experts on bus and coach financing, as Ewers explained: “For a conventional bank this kind of financing is a relatively small part of their work; for us it is core business.

“We know the market, the product and its value, and together with our global Scania dealer network we are very close to our local customers, so we are familiar with their daily challenges.”

Ewers added that no matter in the world where a customer contacts Scania, the company’s representatives always strive to be straightforward and quick to respond.

“We want to make it simple and smooth for our customers, to integrate everything from financing and insurance and vehicle delivery to repair and maintenance into a ‘one stop shop’ for them.”

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DYSON GROUP EXPANDS RURAL VICTORIA OPERATIONS LONG-STANDING Victorian bus operator Dyson Group has purchased an even longer-standing rural Victorian bus operator, acquiring Littles Gippsland, based in Sale, the company announced recently.

The Littles operation complements Dyson Group’s existing services within the Eastern Victorian region, the company explains, confirming that it started operating the Sale depot from October 1, 2021.

Jim Little started the Littles Gippsland Coaches business with one bus around 1945 before selling it to the Ridgeway family in 1969. Today, the operation has grown to a fleet of 28 vehicles operating town services, government contracted work, school runs and charter.

Both Dysons and Littles confirm all employees will transition across to Dysons as part of the acquisition process, continuing to deliver the, “…same high standards of services to the local community,” Dysons states.

The Ridgeway and Dyson families are committed to supporting the transferring of employees and ensuring the transition process goes smoothly for all, they explain.

SIMILAR SYNERGIES When ABC magazine asked Dysons if this was a purchasing opportunity that recently arose, or had been on the company’s acquisition radar for a while, Dyson Group of Companies spokesperson Roy Dyson explained: “Littles Gippsland Coaches has a lot of synergies with our current Gippsland operation.

“We are able to transfer eight buses we

currently operate out of a different location in Sale into this new depot,” he stated.

In terms of rolling stock, the Littles bus fleet is almost exclusively Mercedes-Benz based, with the majority being school buses with Queensland-made Coach Design bodies. The fleet’s newest lowfloor route bus has a Volgren body, Dysons confirms.

Asked to clarify if any of the Ridgeway family would still be involved in the day-to-day operation of the business while owned by Dysons – or if it’s only ‘non-family’ staff transferring over, Roy clarified: “The Ridgeway family have moved on to other things.”

GOOD TIMING Dyson’s expansion into this area comes at a good time arguably, given some hopeful indications of freer – even if only slightly – movement as the year’s end approaches.

In theory this would mean freer and more seamless cross-state border travel.

In dealing with the pandemic, Roy explained: “We have implemented stringent cleaning and sanitising protocols on the vehicles and in the depot.

“It has been tough as a lot of charter work has been cancelled, but we can hopefully see the light at the end of the tunnel now.”

ABOUT LITTLE’S Family business Little’s Gippsland Coaches Pty Ltd started around 1945 after World War II when it began transporting children before becoming a dedicated bus company.

The company runs minibus self-drive

FULLY AUTOMATED STAFF BENEFITS PROGRAMS

Above: (L-R) Pictured here at the recent Littles handover in Sale, Victoria, are Angie Ridgeway, Grant Ridgeway, Roy Dyson – regional operations manager, Dyson Group and Rich Dyson – eastern region manager, Dyson Group.

and charter services, using 12- and 22-seat buses, respectively; plus large school buses for camps, excursions and poll shuttles etc; and general charter luxury coaches for holiday tours, weddings, Melbourne return visits and local and interstate trips – including to the NSW Sapphire Coast’s Merimbula and Eden, Northern Tasmania, and to Echuca and The Murray, it states.

ABOUT DYSONS The Dyson Group, a family owned and operated bus company, has been in business since 1952 and has four generations of experience in quality passenger transport, it states.

The Group operates more than 500 buses and coaches while employing more than 900 staff in metropolitan Melbourne, regional Victoria and NSW, it confirms.

DISCOUNTED ECARDS FOR CHRISTMAS GIFTS OR BIRTHDAYS.

Bus Operators who launch their programs before Christamas will gain the most benefit for themselves, their staff and families.

wemakeadifference.com.au or call Kieran McHatton on 0493 054 814 busnews.com.au October 2021 ABC

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NEWS

CDC AUSTRALIA EXPANDS REGIONAL NSW BUS FOOTPRINT IN A MOVE that “strengthens the quality of services it can deliver in regional Australia”, ComfortDelGro Corporation Australia (CDC) has purchased NSW school-bus operator KA & VK Stubbs Pty Ltd for use in the Narrabri region.

The purchased assets comprise five buses and a Rural and Regional Bus Service Contract of three school routes in Narrabri. From October, 2021, CDC combined these with its existing operations – bringing the fleet to a total of 21 buses in the Narrabri, approximately 475km west of Coffs

Harbour – and Wee Waa areas, it confirmed.

ComfortDelGro Australia’s Regional Australia Division CEO Tony Hopkins said he is pleased to be increasing CDC’s service commitment to the region.

“Since we entered the Australian market in 2005, we have shown our dedication to linking people, places and communities in both regional and metropolitan Australia through our bus services,” Hopkins said.

“The contract acquisition is a small but meaningful addition to our operations, which will strengthen the quality of

services that we can deliver in regional Australia and to the communities in Narrabri and Wee Waa. “CDC’s increased presence in the region will mean that more customers are benefitting from the experience and resources of one of Australia’s largest bus operators.

“As shown in our existing bus regions around Australia, CDC ownership opens the way for a rollout of advanced on-board technologies, which provide an improved customer experience and higher levels of safety,” Hopkins explained.

“We are also focused on working well with groups in the community – as seen in our involvement with sleepbus and Kinchela Boys Home Aboriginal Corporation – and providing meaningful employment opportunities in the communities in which we operate,” he said.

FLEET INCREASE The KA & VK Stubbs Pty Ltd contract acquisition brings CDC Australia’s total bus fleet size in regional New South Wales to more than 275 buses, with the total number of buses operated in Australia increasing close to 2500, CDC confirms.

CDC currently operates in six states and territories in Australia: New South Wales, Victoria, the Australia Capital Territory, Queensland, the Northern Territory and Western Australia, it states.

VOLVO EXPANDS AUSSIE BUS SALES TEAM WITH YEARS OF experience in the bus and coach industry, Brad Schulz joins the Volvo Bus Australia (VBA) team as a sales account manager for CMV Truck & Bus in Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania – effective October 11, 2021 – the company has announced.

Schulz – having previously held roles with Volgren and Irizar over the past decade – joins the VBA team with an excellent understanding of the industry and has developed relationships with key stakeholders, Volvo Bus states. He will be an integral part of the team at CMV Truck & Bus, joining sales manager Anthony Fisicaro in supporting the sales of Volvo Bus products, it confirms.

“Brad is extremely customer service focused and well known and respected within our industry,” said CMV Truck & Bus general manager, Miles Crawford.

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“He brings to CMV a strong technical background and solutions-orientated approach and we’re very much looking forward to having Brad join the team,” Crawford added.

LONG-TERM STRATEGY Schulz’s customer and industry skills will be a major asset for CMV Truck & Bus and the VBA team, who are excited to welcome him.

“We are thrilled to welcome Brad to the Volvo Bus team. His extensive bus sales, service and industry experience will help support our long-term strategy and position across the southern states,” said Mitch Peden, general manager Volvo Bus Australia.

Schulz’s new appointment reinforces VBA and CMV Truck & Bus’s joint commitment to servicing their

Above: Brad Schulz’s new appointment reinforces VBA and CMV Truck & Bus’s joint commitment to servicing their customers across Victoria, South Australia, and Tasmania, the company states.

customers across Victoria, South Australia, and Tasmania, and will be integral to supporting their collective effort in delivering high-quality, safe and sustainable transport solutions, the companies explain.

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19/10/21 10:55 am

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NEWS

VOLVO BUS BATTERY ‘LIFECYCLE’ MANAGEMENT PLAN FOLLOWING the recent launch of its new BZL electric chassis, Volvo Bus Australia (VBA) pledges its commitment to ensuring the “sustainable management of electric vehicle batteries” throughout their lifecycles, the company confirmed.

VBA general manager Mitch Peden detailed the company’s commitment to deploying a long-term electric vehicle battery sustainability strategy throughout the battery lifecycle to ensure a cleaner future for Australian transport.

“The launch of our Volvo BZL electric chassis really emphasises Volvo Bus and the wider Volvo Group’s dedication to delivering quality, safe and environmentally friendly transport

solutions to our customers,” Peden explained.

“Our commitment to deploying a sustainable and circular electric vehicle battery management strategy will further deliver on these values.

“While it is an exciting time to be in the electro-mobility space, it is important for the industry to consider the many responsibilities that come with manufacturing and distributing this technology – and sustainable electric vehicle battery management is crucial to consider. “Here in Australia and globally, the electro-mobility experts at Volvo.

Buses have been working hard to ensure that we continue to deploy sustainable

operations at every stage of the battery lifecycle, from sourcing to disposal or repurposing, to mitigate social and environmental impacts.”

Volvo Bus Corporation has recently partnered with Stena Recycling – Sweden’s leading recycling company and a partner for developing sustainable circular solutions – to give Volvo electric bus batteries a “second life”, it states. This partnership has seen the commercial service lives of bus batteries significantly extended and natural resources conserved, as part of the Stena Recycling subsidiary Batteryloop, where old batteries are removed from Volvo buses and reused for years as energy storage units, VBA states.

‘LIGHTWEIGHT’ EBUSCO 3.0 BUS WINS INNOVATION AWARD DUTCH E-BUS manufacturer Ebusco has received the coveted biennial Automotive Innovation Award for its Ebusco 3.0 electric bus because of, “...its significant contribution to sustainable and affordable public transport,” award adjudicators in Europe confirmed, recently.

At an official presentation ceremony held at the Louwman Museum in The Hague, The Netherlands, on Monday September 20, the Ebusco team was delighted to accept the award for all the hard work that went into it.

Ebusco CEO Peter Bijvelds proudly attributes this great recognition to the entire Ebusco team, stating: “Together we have worked incredibly hard in recent 20

years to develop this lightweight composite-body electric bus.”

“This award rewards the passion and dedication of all my colleagues, and demonstrates our commitment to continuous innovation, ’’ Bijvelds stated.

The Ebusco 3.0 is a revolutionary model with its lightweight carbon-fibre-composite body based on aerospace technology, which contributes to its distinctive features, the company explains.

Additional highlights complementing the Ebusco 3.0’s light weight is its range (kilometres) on a single charge and its lifespan, it adds.

The company’s ultimate aim is to, “... create a better living environment by enabling safe,

Above: The Ebusco team receives its award for the 3.0 e-bus.

sustainable, emission-free and affordable transport ecosystems,” it states.

“With this, Ebusco wants to drive the transition to sustainable public transport,” it adds.

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NEWS

SWEET TREAT FOR LONGERLASTING BUS BATTERIES ADDING A GLUCOSE-based additive to the positive electrode on lithium-sulfur batteries can lead to longer vehicle battery life – including bus batteries – newly released data from Monash Energy Institute research has found.

Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries could be a lighter, more sustainable alternative to Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries for use in electric vehicles, now that Li-S batteries have been stabilised, says the Institute.

Li-S batteries – theoretically – store as much as five times the energy of Li-ion batteries, say the authors of a new paper on the Institute’s research titled ‘A saccharide-based binder for efficient polysulfide regulations in Li-S batteries’, published in the journal Nature Communications. However, their efficiency was hampered by instability of the battery electrodes, which deteriorated rapidly and led to a short battery life, it explains.

The positive sulfur electrode (cathode) suffered from substantial expansion and contraction, weakening it and making it inaccessible to lithium, and the negative lithium electrode (anode) became contaminated by sulfur compounds, it adds.

Research has therefore been focused on developing a system that could address these issues directly on the anode and cathode of the battery, it says.

The Institute’s new research has found the solution: a “saccharide-based aqueous slurry” that, “…promotes the formation of a web-like electrode microstructure…” on the cathode. This stabilises the sulfur, allowing

for increased expansion tolerance on the cathode, and preventing the sulfur from moving and blanketing the anode, which can cause short-circuiting.

Additionally, the sugar solution can, “… be fabricated at scale from commonly sourced materials,” say the authors.

Test-cell prototypes constructed by the team have been shown to have a charge-discharge life of at least 1,000 cycles, while still holding far more capacity than equivalent Li-ion batteries.

“So each charge lasts longer, extending the battery’s life,” said first author and PhD student Yingyi Huang.

SUPER STRONG

A throwback to 100 years ago in October, 1921, when sailor Jim White, the ‘Champion Strongman of the Navy’, pulled a loaded bus on the streets of Washington DC with his teeth! And he wasn’t just showing off his dental work – it was to generate interest and raise money for unemployed servicemen. Impressive!

NEXT STEP According to a report released in June this year from market research company Facts and Factors, global electric bus sales are predicted to increase from 135,000 units in 2019 to 600,000 units by 2026, with a compound annual growth rate of 25 per cent from 2020 to 2026.

With the focus being on reducing the cost of electric vehicles and extending the range of a vehicle per charge, Li-S batteries could now become a viable alternative to Li-ion batteries for bus battery manufacturers.

Results published at the end of last year in the International Journal of Powertrains – by researchers from the UK’s Cranfield University and Iran’s Kermanshah University of Technology – investigated the suitability of Li-S batteries for use in electric city buses.

They concluded, compared to two commercial Li-ion batteries tested, the Li-S battery pack fulfilled the power requirements of the bus while also achieving a, “…considerable increase in the vehicle’s range”. However, the limited cycling life of Li-S batteries, “…prevents this technology to be commercialised for such an application at the time being,” said the authors.

Now that a sugary solution has been found that increases the life of Li-S batteries, Dr Mahdokht Shaibani, second author of the Monash Energy Institute’s paper, said: “Many of the challenges on the cathode side of the battery has been solved by our team”.

Left: (L-R): The Monash Energy Institute team – Mahdokht Shaibani, Mainak Majumder, Matthew Hill, Yingyi Huang.

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THE WOT!?!

DATA DRIVE

French autonomous driving system company Navya has announced its first deployment of an autonomous shuttle on public roads in the UK at the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, south of Oxford. The new shuttle will transport people around the 6,000-person campus, operated by communications company Darwin. Insurer Aviva will also use data from the trial to evolve its insurance products specifically designed for autonomous vehicles and associated technologies.

IN THE CLOUD

Over in the US, there’s an alternative system to traditional school bus runs gaining strength. Startup Zum, based in Redwood City, CA, has been awarded US$130 million (AUD$176 million) in funding as it plans to expand operations from four to 12 states. Zum offers a Cloud-based ridehailing-style school transportation platform for 4,000 schools, providing realtime info on where an expected vehicle is, and is aiming for a 100 per cent electric fleet by 2025. One to watch.

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BIC

New industry report The BIC has released its report on the current state of the bus industry in Australia.

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Above: The BIC secretariat is committed to the moving people vision that enhances the sustainability and liveability of Australia’s cities and regions by using bus and coach transportation.

Readers can connect with us on 02 6247 5990 or by email to enquiries@ bic.asn.au.

very day, far more Australians are transported by bus and coach on the nation’s road network than are moved by rail, even in our largest capital cities. Buses provide an alternative travel choice to the car for people’s daily commute and other travel purposes. Buses and coaches provide a vital lifeline for individuals and communities – promoting social inclusion and access to education, healthcare, employment and social opportunities.

This opening statement is something all of us bussies already know – right? But what about the rest of Australia?

Seventy-nine per cent of Australian workers use a car for their journey to work. So, perhaps it is not such a far stretch to say that, although more than half of Australia ‘see’ the buses on our roads, what do they really ‘know’ about them?

The full life-cycle of a bus and its services are complex and requires a taskforce of more than 85,000 Australians. Our industry provides a huge range of jobs in communities across Australia, including drivers, mechanics, engineers, skilled production workers and transport professionals in various specialised fields such as planning, social work and even psychology!

In terms of the bus industry’s overall economic impact in Australia – well – that is a difficult figure to easily explain in this short column due to the direct

“The full life cycle of a bus and its services are complex and requires a taskforce of more than 85,000 Australians.” and indirect benefits that we ‘busies’ provide. As the leading public transport sector keeping Australians moving, we are managers of congestion and facilitators of productivity in our cities and regions. If public transport was stopped overnight, our cities – the cities that generate 80 per cent of the value of Australia’s GDP – would grind to a halt.

If governments were to stop providing route and school services, an estimated one billion-plus passenger trips per year would transfer to an alternative travel mode 24

– such as the car, which could add 1.4 million or more cars to our roads. The impact on congestion would be immense, as would the increase in greenhouse gas emissions and other air pollutants.

It is estimated that bus passengers get 41 minutes per day of incidental exercise. If they stopped catching the bus and drove instead this would decline to eight minutes per day. The health implications for the nation are significant. Two-thirds of Australian adults are now overweight (35.6 per cent) or obese (31.3 per cent). Imagine how much this figure could rise with a reduction in incidental exercise.

If 10 per cent of people started using the bus instead of their car, there could be a reduction in healthrelated costs of air pollution of $20 million a year and a reduction in greenhouse emissions of over 400,000 tonnes per year.

If our manufacturing and supply sector ceased building buses and supplying the parts and components, Australia’s economy would stand to lose $5 billion in one year alone; and a further $1.5 billion in keeping the bus fit and operational.

It is this kind of information that our industry, our governments and Australian communities need to hear – and hear often.

The BIC has always approached our ‘moving people’ vision to enhance the sustainability and liveability of Australia’s cities and regions by using buses and coaches. This is one of the reasons behind our decision in mid-2018 to commission the Institute of Transport and Logistics Studies (University of Sydney) to compile a decade of national data on the bus fleet on our roads, the operators and their passengers. The collated data provides an important snapshot of our industry and our contribution to Australia’s economy, social well-being, city liveability and the governments ‘green’ agenda.

The report will shortly land on the desks of parliamentarians, ministers, city lord mayors and bureaucrats. Readers can go to our new website movingpeople.com.au to download the report. We urge you to read the report and then circulate the report to your local council representative and parliamentary member.

One last note. We advised in September’s column that the BIC has decided to postpone our planned National Moving People 2021 conference to next year. Mark the diaries – 13 to 16 November 2022 in Brisbane. The BIC will hold an industry summit on 1st and 2nd March 2022 in Canberra to discuss the zero-emission agenda of governments and practical transition approaches. The summit will also include an IR Seminar and Technical Seminar. Bookmark your browser with movingpeople.com.au to stay up to date with all coming attractions and stay informed on what is going on nationally with industry and the federal government.

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IN FOCUS

WATT PARK, QLD

QUEENSLAND PARK GETS ICONIC BUS FAMILY NAME An east Brisbane park has been officially named after an iconic local bus family, which has been in business for nearly 100 years, 66 of them based near the park, event organisers have announced.

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N SATURDAY, September 25 2021, Brisbane City Council (BCC) officially unveiled the naming of ‘Watt Park’ after one of Australia’s oldest bus families.

The ceremony was attended by more than 70 people, including local Brisbane City councillor Fiona Cunningham, chair of Council’s Finance and City Governance committee; councillor Ryan Murphy, chair of Council’s Public and Active Transit committee; Barrie Watt, managing director of Watt’s Bus and Coach Works; and Nick Wilson, president of the Queensland Omnibus and Coach Society (QOCS).

BCC named Watt Park after the Watt family because they have been in business for almost a century and owned and occupied this particular property at 5 26

Wellington Road for 66 years, organisers explain.

HISTORY LESSON During 1923, John Watt – a master blacksmith and carriage builder – relocated from Upper Coomera in the Gold Coast hinterland to establish ‘Watt Bros’ at Woolloongabba with his three young sons: Jim, Jack and Sheriff. They initially operated out of premises in Stanley Street (opposite the post office) before a second premises was established nearby at 5 Wellington Road from 1938.

The Wellington Road factory became the sole premises of Watt Bros after World War II, the family confirms.

Watt Bros built its first bus in February 1928 for the Taringa Bus Service in the western suburbs of Brisbane. From this initial vehicle, Watt Bros went onto

manufacture more than 500 buses and coaches before its sale to Custom Coaches.

The Watt Bros not only specialised in the construction of buses, but also other automotive bodies such as trucks, ambulances, hearses and even a tow truck, the company confirms.

Renowned for its quality wooden-framed buses that lasted decades, the bulk of these were manufactured for operators in Queensland and northern NSW.

CUSTOM CONNECTION In 1955, Watt Bros formed an association with Cycle Components Manufacturing Company (later renamed Custom Coaches) in New South Wales to supply steel sub-assemblies for their body framework, with steel-frame construction gradually and successfully replacing the

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Watt Bros built its first bus in February 1928 for the Taringa Bus Service in the western suburbs of Brisbane.

timber-frame units for which it was renowned, QOCS confirms.

Later, the brothers decided to retire and sell the business as a going concern to Custom Coaches, effective 1 July, 1973.

The last Watt Bros bus was built for Ritchies Bus Service of Taree, NSW, in May that year.

However, this was short lived after the floods of January, 1974, badly damaged the factory, resulting in Custom Coaches closing its Queensland division.

NAME LOYALTY After receiving multiple requests from loyal Watt Bros customers, Sheriff’s son Barrie Watt started repairing and selling buses in his own right from April,

1974. Barrie continued to occupy the Wellington Road premises until September, 2005, when the buildings on this land were destroyed by fire in an arson attack.

The Wellington Road property sat vacant for several years until it was resumed by Brisbane City Council in June, 2012, and developed into a park during 2016.

In January, 2019, QOCS president Wilson lodged a petition with BCC on behalf of the Watt family requesting the council name the park ‘Watt Park’ to recognise their significant contribution to the bus industry.

In November, 2020, the council officially approved the renaming of the park to ‘Watt Park’ at the request of councillor Fiona Cunningham, with an official unveiling ceremony taking place on Saturday, 25 September, 2021.

Top: Watt Bros was founded by john Watt in 1923 in Woolloongabba and went on to make 500 buses before its sale to Custom Coaches.

Above, Left: In November, 2020, the Brisbane City Council officially approved the renaming of the park to ‘Watt Park’ at the request of councillor Fiona Cunningham, with an official unveiling ceremony taking place on Saturday, September 25, 2021.

Left: In 1955, Watt Bros started moving from wooden to steel sub-assemblies for their body frameworks.

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IN FOCUS

QUANTRON 12M E-BUS

NEW GERMAN 12M E-BUS AVAILABLE

A new 12-metre electric bus – available as battery-electric (comparable to conventional diesel bus pricing) or as fuel-cell electric versions – will be made available to Australian operators, upon orders received, German e-mobility specialist Quantron confirms.

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WORDS FABIAN COTTER IMAGES COURTESY QUANTRON

HE “PROVEN” Quantron 12-metre low-floor city bus can be ordered as early as the end of 2021 in batteryelectric variant, and as a fuel-cell electric vehicle from European spring, 2022, it states.

“Our 12-metre bus will be also available as right-hand drive (RHD), so yes, we will also accept orders from Down Under,” replied Quantron spokesperson Volker Seitz, when ABC magazine asked if there was any chance its new e-bus would ever made it to Australian shores – regulations permitted.

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“We will publish more details in November,” he added, which will include revealing the official name of the new bus.

“Our batteries are from the world-wide-leading and largest manufacturer, CATL [China]; by the way, CATL also supplies Daimler and other leading OEMs [original equipment manufacturers].”

When asked what scope there was for local body builders to be added to the Quantron product, Volker answered: “Our fuel cells [are] from [Canada’s] Ballard Power and we sell the complete bus to our customers and are open [to deliver] if local

manufacturers ask for [just the] e-chassis.”

ALL INVOLVED The vehicle is offered in close cooperation with Quantron investor and strategic partner Ev Dynamics, a European-Asian consortium of companies specialising in electric and hydrogen-based mobility, it explains.

Both the batteries (CATL) and the fuel cells (Ballard Power) come from the world’s leading manufacturers of the respective technologies, Quantron confirms.

Ev Dynamics CEO Miguel Valldecabres

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range is up to 300km, making the vehicle ideal for daily urban use, it adds.

Charging power is up to 80kW with a battery capacity of up to 422kWh, according to Quantron.

In terms of charging, the battery receives charge via a European-standard plug CCS 2 within three to six hours, depending on the battery size, it explains. Thus, this city bus is fully operational after overnight charging, it adds.

The battery system itself is adapted to the respective operational requirements and is compatible with various charging solutions, Quantron confirms.

Inside, the bus has a capacity for up to 95 passengers. The equipment for optimum passenger and driver comfort, as well as the interior and exterior design, are available in a range of specifications and styles to meet individual customer requirements, it adds.

ABOUT QUANTRON Polop, explained: “Several thousand buses have already been produced.

These have been operating successfully in Asia for years.”

PERFORMANCE NOTES With fully electric drive, the bus achieves a maximum output of 250kW, the company states. The

Quantron AG is a system provider of clean battery and hydrogen-powered e-mobility for commercial vehicles such as trucks, buses and vans, it states.

In addition to new electric vehicles, the range of services offered by the ‘innovation forge’ includes the electrification of used and existing vehicles; the creation

The vehicle is offered in close cooperation with Quantron investor and strategic partner Ev Dynamics. of individual overall concepts including the appropriate charging infrastructure, as well as rental, financing and leasing offers and driver training, it explains.

Quantron AG also sells batteries and integrated customised electrification concepts to manufacturers of commercial vehicles, machinery, and intralogistics vehicles, it adds.

Based in Augsburg, Bavaria, in Germany, Quantron is a pioneer and innovation driver for e-mobility in passenger, transport and freight traffic, it says.

It has a network of 700 service partners and the comprehensive knowledge of qualified experts in the fields of power electronics and battery technology through its cooperation with CATL, the world’s largest battery producer, it states.

Quantron AG, as a high-tech spin-off of the renowned Haller GmbH, combines 138 years of commercial vehicle experience with state-of-the-art e-mobility know-how, the company explains.

Opposite: Both the batteries (CATL) and the fuel cells (Ballard Power) come from the world’s leading manufacturers of the respective technologies, Quantron confirms.

Below: The battery system is adapted to the respective operational requirements and is compatible with various charging solutions.

Specs NAME: Quantron 12-metre lowfloor bus (BEV)* WEIGHT: Permissible total – 19,500kg PERFORMANCE: Maximum power – 250kW; Maximum torque – 3,400Nm BATTERY: Range (BEV bersion) – 160–300km; Capacity 242/281/363/422kWh; Charging time – 3–6 hours; Maximum charging power – 80kW INTERIOR: Passenger capacity – 71–95 * All specifications are based on the current status as of August, 2021.

Quantron reserves the right to change the technical features and specifications of its products without prior notice.

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INFOCUS

CUSTOM DENNING STA DEAL

CUSTOM DENNING SECURES KEY NSW STA E-BUS DEAL Following a successful trial by the State Transit Authority (STA), local Australian-owned bus manufacturer Custom Denning has landed a 10 zero-emission bus order – with deliveries starting November, 2021, Transport for NSW (TfNSW) confirms.

WORDS FABIAN COTTER IMAGES COURTESY TFNSW

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USTOM DENNING’S 10 electric bus order will run until March, 2022 – with deliveries to Sydney’s Waverley bus depot – after its e-bus was added to the NSW government’s Procurement Panel 3, for purchasing by the state’s public bus operators.

Last March, now ex-NSW Minister for Transport and Roads Andrew Constance and Member for Vaucluse Gabrielle Upton launched the trial of the first NSW-built electric bus at the Waverley depot.

According to TfNSW, multiple operators have now placed orders for this model, which is designed, manufactured and assembled by Custom Denning in St Marys, in Western Sydney.

Member for Vaucluse Gabrielle Upton said: “It’s exciting to know that in just a matter of months my community will be catching brand new electric buses from suburbs like Bondi and Vaucluse into the city.

“This order of 10 electric buses take us closer to an emissions-free future while also supporting hundreds of local jobs in Western Sydney, where these buses are built.

“Our government is getting closer to securing a cleaner, healthier future for the people of NSW and an electric bus fleet will be a big part of reaching net zero emissions,” member Upton explained.

PASSENGER FANS The Element e-bus can run for

This order of 10 electric buses take us closer to an emissionsfree future. approximately 16 hours on a full charge, or 450 kilometres, TfNSW explains.

As a sign of the emerging times, a compressed natural gas (CNG) station to power gas buses at Waverley Depot was decommissioned earlier this year to accommodate a sub-station and charging infrastructure, it adds.

Ultimately, this work forms part of the NSW government’s strategy to transition the state’s fleet of more than 8,000 diesel and gas buses to zero-emission technology by 2030.

Waverley bus operator James Wallace commented: “It was a great joy to drive, to be quite honest. The electric motor and braking system mean you just coast nicely into a stop. I was using the brakes significantly less than I do on other types of buses.

“Customers often commented on the smoothness of the ride and how quiet it was in comparison to the roar of a diesel engine.

“The passengers I had along for a ride during the trial were very happy with it; sometimes we even had ‘bus groupies’ chasing us down the street!”

Wallace explained.

Opposite: Custom Denning’s 10 electric bus order will run until March, 2022.

Above: The Element e-bus can run for approximately 16 hours on a full charge, or 450 kilometres.

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IN FOCUS

YUTONG E12 E-BUS

YUTONG E12 E-BUS TRIALS BREAK 500,000KM IN OZ No fewer than 12 Australian operators have successfully trialled a localised variant of Yutong’s globally prolific E12 electric bus, with more than 500,000km collectively amassed during trials and in service locally – plus more successful trials still ongoing, Yutong Australia reports.

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range of Australasian bus operators of varying sizes – from very large fleets, such as Brisbane City Council, to many smaller, family run urban fleets in New South Wales and Queensland - have now taken part, with many more keen to experience battery-electric bus technology in their own environments, the company confirms.

In surpassing its e-bus distance milestone of 500,000km in Australia, Yutong highlights that this has provided an enormous amount of useful data to operators, state transport departments and, of course, to 32

the Yutong R&D team, which has been verified by the operators themselves using the comprehensive on-board ‘Vehicle+’ telematics system that comes standard with each E12 vehicle.

TENDER OPTION According to the national sales manager for Yutong in Australia, Warren Young, it is not only the savings in running costs that are of interest, but also the overwhelmingly positive feedback from drivers and passengers alike, with feedback on the reduced levels of noise, vibration, increased smoothness and comfort.

“The fact is, our E12 has proven extremely reliable, efficient and easy for drivers to adapt to that has resulted in overwhelmingly positive comments from operators, with many having now placed orders and, in some cases, already taken delivery of multiple Yutong E12 buses,” Young explained.

“We are ideally placed to offer large numbers of these vehicles very quickly, at a price that gives operators an advantage especially if they are tendering for contracts using a ‘cost plus’ model.

“We also have the parts, service facilities and arrangements to provide the product

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support that is so important,” he added.

DATA AND RESULTS To verify such claims and results, ABC magazine was given exclusive access to E12 performance data, which it agreed to sight as ‘commercial in confidence’.

The bus data reports were typical examples of the reports that operators of the E12 BEV are able to create and can see in real time using the Yutong Vehicle + telematics system, included in every E12. Yutong in Australia was keen to highlight an operator’s ability to monitor driver performance as another feature available to them to help reduce operating costs though conceding a little bit of driver coaching would certainly have ‘improved the results you see attached’.

“Many drivers need to modify their driving style to take maximum advantage of [e-motor electricity] ‘regeneration’ to slow the bus and return energy to the battery,” Young explained.

Additionally, to further validate the findings, ABC magazine sought feedback from a range of bus operators that are using or have trialled the Yutong E12, and the overall feedback largely reflected positively on the experience, it was noted.

CASE STUDIES

Top: Twelve Australian operators have successfully trialled a localised variant of Yutong’s globally prolific E12 electric bus.

Above: “We are ideally placed to offer large numbers of these vehicles very quickly, at a price that gives operators an advantage - especially if they are tendering for contracts using a ‘cost plus’ model,” said national sales manager for Yutong in Australia, Warren Young.

Transit Systems, NSW - Robert Rachwal, NSW fleet and asset manager “The Yutong E12 bus, which we’ve been operating since mid-2019 is based at our Leichhardt depot, in inner Sydney,” Rachwal said.

“The E12 operates routes in our Region 6 contract area, which covers the Inner West and innercity areas.

“Some routes also extend into the east and across the [Sydney] Harbour Bridge to the lower North Shore.

“The E12 has proven to be reliable. The battery performance and regeneration has exceeded our expectations.

“The E12 operates in a mainly undulating environment. Because busnews.com.au October 2021 ABC

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IN FOCUS

YUTONG E12 E-BUS

During the trial the E12 impressed everyone in our organisation in relation to reliability and performance. with more on order. I have trialled a number of others that have fallen short of the Yutong E12, both in product and support.” our routes service a wide area of inner Sydney, it can experience varied conditions in the Inner West, a relatively flat environment in the Central Business District, and the winding, hilly streets in the Eastern Suburbs. It appears to be handling these conditions quite well.

“Customer feedback for electric vehicles has been positive, and it is certainly noticed and well-received by those travelling onboard the bus, as well as pedestrians who enjoy the quieter operation.

“Our operating area has very high patronage, and the E12 regularly operates on busy routes, which experience large volumes of customer traffic,” Rachwal explained.

“It has operated at capacity on occasion, especially during peak times.

“The battery performance and regeneration has exceeded our expectations.

“Costs are considerably lower than those of a diesel bus.

“Because we operate in the narrow streets of inner Sydney, mirrors on our buses are occasionally damaged by passing vehicles.

“We’ve noticed that repairs to the mirrors and mirror arms on the E12 are more expensive compared to other vehicles in our fleet, so it would be good if cost-effective improvements could be made in this area.

Interline, NSW – Joe Oliveri, manager and director “We received the first of nine units in April 2021 with the balance of the vehicles staged in delivery with 34

the last received in June; they are servicing the Campbelltown to Liverpool area,” Oliveri explained.

“The vehicles have exceeded my expectation. There is always some hesitancy with new products, but from the first day that was overcome with the vehicle going directly into the longest shifts without issue. The lower maintenance requirements allow the vehicle to remain in service with little down time.

“The vehicles are in full service with no passenger or driver complaints. On the contrary, the feedback was more than positive with the quietness of the vehicle the biggest compliment.

“The batteries have performed well with the vehicle meeting our shifting requirements. We are working on our depot smart charging system that is an ever-learning experience, which I was always expecting to have as we learn from each update and upgrade we make. I am very happy with the savings the vehicles are making across the services they complete.

“I couldn’t ask for any more from the Yutong team; they have been extremely supportive from the planning stage to the vehicle’s delivery, driver training and maintenance staff training.

“As with any new product there will always be teething items that will have questions and [the] team works with me at any time of the day - and I mean any time – as vehicles don’t return from service until as late as 11:30pm. They are one phone call away. The Yutong E12s are now my benchmark vehicle

Transdev Australasia, Victoria – Marc Cleave, head of engineering Running across the Wellington (NZ) metro area for 267 days and 24,369km, Cleave said that: “The kW/ km level has been good and the local team have had very little issues with the vehicle.”

With mixed topography and a range of seasonal operating temperatures, he added: “The E12 bus performs, from a battery perspective, in line with [Yutong’s] degeneration curve for this short trial – meeting expectations.

“The local team have been very supportive and response times for vehicle servicing and information has been very good.

“We have included this as our draft pick vehicle for the airport tender in Wellington [as] it meets our requirements for this region (Note: it’s the E13 that’s been spec’d to meet tender).”

Premier Transport, NSW – John King, managing director “The Premier Transport Group trialled the Yutong E12 at our Nowra Coaches operation for approximately three months commencing January, 2019,” King said.

Top, Left: In comparison to a diesel bus the operating costs of the E12 were dramatically lower.

Above: The trials received great feedback from both drivers and the general public.

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“At the time this was the first Yutong E12 to be trialled/operated in Australia, hence we had no pre-set expectations or comparative data.

During the trial the E12 impressed everyone in our organisation in relation to reliability and performance considering this was the first time it had been operated in Australian conditions.

“The trial was operated on a rail supplementary service between Kiama Station and Bomaderry Station on the NSW south coast. The run was predominantly

flat highway with several undulations and one steep hill. Approximately 90 per cent of the trial was conducted on the Princess Highway at posted speeds between 80 and 100km/h. The Yutong E12 bus handled these conditions exceptionally well.

“As part of the trial KPIs [key performance indicators], a passenger survey was conducted, which was overwhelmingly positive. Responses included praise for the smooth and particularly quiet service.

“The trial was conducted in direct comparison with a diesel bus and the operating costs of the E12 were dramatically lower. Once the charging system was installed the process of depot charging was extremely simple and the electricity usage was constant throughout the trial.

“Throughout the trial Yutong was extremely supportive supplying the vehicle and technicians to assist with the implementation and operation.”

Red Bus Services, NSW – John Shore, depot and fleet manager Red Bus Services trialled the E12 for four weeks on the NSW Central Coast and found it “very impressive,” Shore confirmed.

“The feedback from our community was very positive. Likewise, our drivers were also very supportive of the trial and complimentary of the Yutong bus.

“It completed our 377km run no worries, but we were only charging on 50 amps during the trial, so charging would be much quicker with a permanent system.

“Other than a little bit of body roll that has now been addressed, no other [issues].

“It was a trial and, unfortunately, TfNSW have now rejected our submission to purchase, which is disappointing,” Shore commented.

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IN FOCUS

MB E-BUS CHASSIS

MERCEDES-BENZ ELECTRIC BUS CHASSIS: 2022 IN AUSTRALIA Daimler’s electromobility plans for the Southern Hemisphere have taken a massive – and long anticipated – leap forward with Mercedes-Benz announcing it is importing an e-bus chassis in 2022 for the Australian bus market.

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nnounced at a time many new and established global original equipment manufacturers are showing keen interest to bring in tailored electric bus product into Australia, the low-floor zero-emissions Mercedes-Benz electric city bus chassis will be available here in the last quarter of next year, MB confirms.

The Mercedes-Benz electric city bus chassis is suitable for locally made bus bodies up to 13.2 metres in length, it clarifies.

The electric bus chassis development was led by and recently revealed by Mercedes-Benz in Brazil, where it will be built for the Latin America, Europe and Oceania markets, it says.

With the electric motor integrated into the rear axle, the electric chassis is equipped with an EBS electronic braking and energy recovery system, MB explains.

Prototype buses using the new electric chassis are currently being tested in Germany and Brazil, MB Australia confirms.

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BRAND TRUST

INTEGRATION SUPPORT

The Australian-specification electric city bus chassis will have a range of more than 300km and can be fully charged in little more than three hours, Mercedes-Benz states.

Daimler Truck and Bus Australia Pacific president and CEO Daniel Whitehead says Australian customers will welcome an electric bus chassis from a brand they can trust.

“Daimler is proud to offer customers advanced electric solutions for trucks and buses that have been properly developed, tried and tested in order to deliver the class-leading quality and performance expected from our trusted brands,” he said.

“Our customers are excited about a Mercedes-Benz bus that emits zero local emissions and is perfect for operation both in the regions and cities and suburbs with high pedestrian density. We know the Mercedes-Benz electric city bus chassis will deliver exactly what they have asked for.”

As part of its electric bus chassis package, Mercedes-Benz will also offer a consultancy service to help customers with everything required to integrate the new vehicles into their existing fleet including energy supply, battery recharge infrastructure and fleet operation planning, the company explains.

The electric bus chassis product will also be supported by, “…the vast Mercedes-Benz dealership network that spans the country,” it adds.

Below: Prototype buses using the new electric chassis are currently being tested in Germany and Brazil, MB Australia confirms.

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FEATURE

BUS STAFF BENEFITS

MAKE A DIFFERENCE

If you want to give your bus staff some well-earned 2021 financial help, while also raising money for your chosen charity, then e-vouchers could prove the ultimate festive or commemorative gift. Software service provider We Make A Difference is here to help.

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O say 2021 for the bus industry – amongst so many others – has proven extremely difficult would be a foolishly gross understatement, with the mental and financial toll on staff being particularly tough this year.

As we emerge from lockdowns in different states and head towards Christmas, the usual festive cheer for many is tempered by stressful feelings of insurmountable bills to pay, perhaps a reluctance to physically go to the shops, and overall a need to save as much as possible and make every dollar stretch that little bit further.

Indeed, those bus operators who are looking to help their valued staff members in as many ways as possible – with employee retention crucial as life looks to get itself somewhat back on track (or as best it can) – convenient e-vouchers and e-cards that 38

help staff save up to 12 per cent off what they would normally purchase in stores is bound to be looked at favourably.

Many bus operators may already have a staff benefits program, but regardless something like We Make A Difference can take yours to the next level, or give you one that your current staff members should love.

WHAT IS SAAS? With about 10 years knowledge of the bus industry through experience with suppression-specialists Firestorm Fire Protection and Fogmaker Australia, creative strategist Kieran McHatton was excited to realise how something like We Make A Difference could help so many bus operators, particularly those smaller family run businesses where bus staff are treated virtually like family anyway.

We Make a Difference is an SaaS (Software as a Service) provider that builds

fully automated staff benefits programs branded with company logos and colours and delivered via website and mobile applications in both iOS (Apple) and Android (Google).

Its employee benefits program allows staff to save money on everyday shopping and provides businesses with the ability to raise money for their charity or cause.

Families are saving approx. $2,500 per year by using the benefits program, the company states.

The We Make A Difference staff benefits program provides employees with access to discounts from more than 100 reputable Australian retailers, which really makes a difference each week when employees can save up to 12 per cent off what they would generally purchase, the provider explains.

Participating stores include supermarkets such as Woolworths (4 per cent), Amazon (4 per cent) Harvey Norman (7.5 per cent),

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JB HiFi (4 per cent) A-Mart furniture (12 per cent) and also covers prescriptions at Priceline pharmacy (8 per cent).

Bus operators that launch their programs before Christmas, 2021, will gain the most benefit for themselves, their staff and families, it adds.

AWESOME E-VOUCHERS Staff can also purchase the discounted e-cards for Christmas gifts or birthdays, as the program allows staff to send the e-card with a personalised message and also set the date for the e-card to be sent.

The platform is accessible via the mobile app or website (www.wemakeadifference.com.au) and allows companies to reward their staff with branded e-vouchers that the staff can convert to their choice of e-Cards, We Make A Difference explains.

“The e-vouchers can be for Christmas gifts, end-of year bonuses, or a little thank-you when staff have gone over and above,” said McHatton.

“The program is already used

by Dingo Bus Charter in Perth and

Families are saving approx. $2,500 per year by using the benefits program, the company states.

NSW Central Coast Red Bus Tours is an early adopter.

“We Make A Difference operates a unique and innovative customer retention and members’ benefits program that’s been adopted by businesses, not-for-profits, sporting clubs, schools and local communities all across Australia,” McHatton confirmed.

GOOD CAUSES When the platform is used to purchase goods online via the e-Stores, 2 per cent of the purchase contributes funds to the company’s chosen charity, thereby enhancing your company’s corporate social responsibility, he stated.

“The web login and mobile app keeps all the e-vouchers or e-cards in the e-wallet, so they are always accessible,” McHatton stated.

“It takes on average less than

60 secs from requesting an e-card to receiving it, which allows staff to order an e-card while in the shop before moving to the registers.

“The discounts are on top of any sale or negotiated price,” McHatton explained proudly.

“The business owner or HR manager can manage the platform, add or remove staff, and create e-vouchers for staff employment milestones, too.”

To learn more go to www. wemakeadifference.com.au, or call Kieran McHatton on 0493 054 814.

Opposite: Staff can access their e-voucher benefits via a smartphone.

Above: Carl Grey and Ray Shortt of Dingo Bus. Two per cent of purchases made via the platform go to the company’s chosen charity.

Below: The Red Bus team; Give back to your staff with a benefits program that saves them money on everything from groceries to new furniture.

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COVERSTORY

VOLVO BZL ELECTRIC

If brand loyalty counts for anything and market leadership is its currency, Volvo Bus Australia will be pinning its future success here on its newly launched BZL electric chassis.

Bus rivals not worried? They should be.

POWER TO THE PEOPLE WORDS FABIAN COTTER IMAGES COURTESY VOLVO BUS AUSTRALIA

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I

t is indeed a curious thing. Over time, the quality and longevity of a service, and the effectiveness and performance of a product or program, engenders the ‘prime creator’ brand loyalty. This is, understandably, usually lauded and promoted by the recipient company – as it should be – but can it be a curse?

Where it might seem brand loyalty already does a lot of the

work for a company - where ‘half the battle is already won’ in terms of attracting new business or ensuring a new product’s successful adaptation and integration into a relevant market - perhaps it also brings unexpected pressure to perform? Could that pressure, even if self-appointed, skew a product’s development and launch and ‘tarnishingly’ temper its potential?

After all, you yourself have raised

the bar – set your own exceptional benchmark – and are now challenged to meet and exceed your product or service’s previous expectations.

Hmm... There’s that scene in iconic mid-1990s golf-tragic movie Tin Cup that raises this predicament only too well. As endearingly failed and wannabe golf pro Roy McAvoy (played

by Kevin Costner) ponders – often while solemnly ‘thwacking’ driving range golf busnews.com.au October 2021 ABC

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COVERSTORY

VOLVO BZL ELECTRIC

‘LIFECYCLE’ MANAGEMENT VBA HAS PLEDGED its commitment to ensuring the, “…sustainable management of electric vehicle batteries” throughout their lifecycles.

“Our circular business cycle and this cooperation is truly a major step in the right direction and is part of our longterm strategy,” Peden stated.

He recently detailed the company’s commitment to deploying a long-term electric vehicle battery sustainability strategy throughout the battery lifecycle to ensure a cleaner future for Australian transport.

“The launch of our Volvo BZL electric chassis really emphasises Volvo Bus and the wider Volvo Group’s dedication to delivering quality, safe and environmentally friendly transport solutions to our customers,” he explained.

“Our commitment to deploying a sustainable and circular electric vehicle battery management strategy will further deliver on these values.

“While it is an exciting time to be in the electro-mobility space, it is important for the industry to consider the many responsibilities that come with manufacturing and distributing this technology – and sustainable electric vehicle battery management is crucial to consider.

“Here in Australia and globally, the electro-mobility experts at Volvo Buses have been working hard to ensure that we continue to deploy sustainable operations at every stage of the

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battery lifecycle, from sourcing to disposal or repurposing, to mitigate social and environmental impacts.”

STENA RECYCLING Responsible sourcing of electric-vehicle battery materials is a key responsibility for Volvo Buses within Australia and across the globe, the company confirms.

Ensuring the ‘sustainable’ sourcing of raw materials for batteries is important for all stages of the supply chain, it adds.

Volvo Bus Corporation has also recently partnered with Stena Recycling – Sweden’s leading recycling company and a partner for developing sustainable circular solutions – to give Volvo electric bus batteries a “second life”, it states. This partnership has seen the commercial service lives of bus batteries significantly extended and natural resources conserved, as part of the Stena Recycling subsidiary Batteryloop, where old batteries are removed from Volvo buses and reused for years as energy storage units, VBA states.

INTO THE GRID With demand of local energy storage units expected to increase in future, these energy storage units provide an innovative means

Above: Volvo has placed a strong focus on the sustainable sourcing of resources for the bus battery. of storing renewable energy, where there is also the potential for surplus energy sold and delivered straight into the grid, according to Volvo Bus Australia.

“As we begin to see increasing demand for electric buses in Australia, we will also see an increase in the number of used batteries,” outlined Peden.

“Volvo Buses globally have done an excellent job at implementing longterm battery management plans and, in Australia, we are working towards having our own battery sustainability strategy that safeguards every stage of our value chain, from procurement to repurposing.

“Our circular business cycle and this cooperation is truly a major step in the right direction and is part of our longterm strategy,” he stated.

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After five years of extensive planning, development and testing, VBA was very proud to see the Volvo BZL electric chassis officially launch globally.

Opposite, Top: The new Volvo BZL Electric has been developed to be more than 90 per cent recyclable, Volvo Bus explains.

Above, Right: Volvo’s Zone Management means the operator can create safety zones where the maximum speed is limited, VBA says.

balls with his trusty 7-iron into tepid Texan midnight summer’s air: “When a defining moment comes along, you define the moment, or the moment defines you.”

Speak in depth to Volvo Bus Australia’s bus team for any length of time – drill into their hearts and minds about their product, how VBA’s market leadership in Australia came about and its devotion to ensure this doesn’t change – and only then do you get to understand the magnitude of what its new ‘BZL Electric’ bus chassis means and how important its success aims to be in its overall electro-mobility program.

VIRTUAL EVENT Ninety per cent full bus ‘recycle-ability’ and a 20-year battery ‘energy guarantee’ were key highlights of the

long-awaited launch of the new low-floor Volvo BZL city e-bus chassis, held virtually from Volvo Group Australia (VGA) headquarters in Wacol, Brisbane, Queensland, recently.

“After five years of extensive planning, development and testing, VBA was very proud to see the Volvo BZL electric chassis officially launch globally,” said Volvo Bus Australia general manager Mitch Peden.

Prior to an initial four units being handed over to its first Australian customer – Western Australia’s Public Transport Authority (PTA) – Volvo Bus Corporation officially launched its new BZL e-chassis to a global online audience and key Brisbane-based customers, partners and other industry stakeholders.

Following a “warm Swedish welcome and

introduction” from new Volvo Bus Corporation president Anna Westerberg, Peden continued proceedings, outlining Volvo’s holistic view of battery management and the company’s ability to provide a, “...fantastic and quality assured process around material sourcing, delivery of batteries, second life and third life plans when we can really provide a cradle to grave quality-assured business model for your business as we go forward.”

On display was a completed Volvo BZL electric bus chassis with a Volgren Optimus body, where it was able to be viewed up close in person by event attendees, including members of Volvo’s ‘dedicated bus team’.

Video segments from global Volvo Bus markets including Australia, the United Kingdom and Mexico – as well as from key personnel including Peden and Volvo Bus Asia Pacific region’s electromobility product director Dean Moule – highlighted many market advantages the BZL offers operators, in what must be said is now a competitively expanding local zero-emissions bus space.

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COVERSTORY

VOLVO BZL ELECTRIC

CYBER SAFE

AS ELECTRO-MOBILITY evolves, and in particular for buses and its use in such a public environment, cyber security and safety of its information systems is right on the cutting edge of the field’s evolution.

To that end Volvo Buses says it invests in ongoing cyber and data security for the new Volvo BZL chassis.

With data security becoming increasingly paramount, Volvo Buses is making digital protection and cyber security a key priority across its chassis range, especially with the newlylaunched BZL chassis, in ensuring an ongoing investment in data security measures to increase the protection of customer information and to prevent cyber-attacks.

Whilst electric buses will be integral to the future of public transport across Australia, Volvo Buses understands the importance for the industry to be prepared for the risks that come with potential digital threats, it says.

As the company explains, Volvo Bus’ team of experts are working alongside trusted partners within the cyber and data security space to ensure that Volvo’s data security systems can deliver increased reliability and protection for storing customer information and information associated with public transport routes and networks.

Electric vehicles bring with them a range of new features, which naturally bring new considerations into question.

For example, the storage of data from the telematics remote diagnostic system, tracking bus whereabouts and driver behaviours – is not new for Volvo, as the security of this data has been paramount since the introduction of telematics as a standard offering, it explains.

Volvo Buses has consistently prioritised digital security over the years with its digital services, including Volvo’s fleet management telematics system and Volvo Connect – Volvo’s web-based customer portal.

“Providing customer security has always been at the forefront of how we have gone about responsibly designing and rolling out our digital services – ensuring that customer information and data remains protected,” explained Peden.

“For many years, Volvo Buses and the wider Volvo Group have applied standards related to customer privacy, as well as local privacy laws to ensure

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Above: Volvo Buses is making digital protection and cyber security a key priority across its chassis range. in all cases that customers are informed and aware before any data is tracked or provided.

“Volvo Group are also further investing in digital infrastructure protection to meet the requirements of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe’s 2024 targets.

“Market trends indicate that there will be substantial growth in the market for cybersecurity solutions for connected vehicles in the coming years, and we will continue to remain on top of these demands to provide reliable and secure solutions.

“Volvo’s online offerings have managed to secure customer data whilst providing value to our customers with comprehensive fleet information.

“Our high standards around maintaining data security are being extended to our Volvo BZL Electric product, following its recent launch.

Whilst it is certainly an exciting time for the industry with the increased production of electric vehicles, operators need to be vigilant when looking into this new technology and its associated security risks.

“Volvo’s security experts are working hard to ensure that the Volvo BZL Electric incorporates ongoing, reliable technology protection to prevent data breaches and to ensure that our customers can continue to operate their vehicles and access our services with peace of mind.”

“Our electro-mobility projects have been ongoing for more than a decade, and we are thrilled to have launched such an innovative product that offers our cleanest, safest and most sustainable technology to date for the Australian and New Zealand markets,” said Peden.

“We take pride in the fact that we have worked consistently to develop and refine the Volvo BZL electric chassis, ensuring we were taking the appropriate steps in setting up long-term partnerships within the e-mobility space and working on developing specialised training, before officially launching this product – making sure that the Volvo BZL electric offers the highest quality and safety standards, and ensuring the product will last in line with operator expectations in the Australian environment,” Peden explained.

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We are thrilled to have launched such an innovative product that offers our cleanest, safest and most sustainable technology to date.

GLOBAL PITCH “We are committed to leading the transformation of our industry towards a more sustainable future,” commented Anna Westerberg, president of Volvo Buses (worldwide).

“With the launch of the new Volvo BZL Electric, our ambition is to offer the world’s most responsible electric bus systems. We do it by focusing on sustainability, safety and reliability.”

The global demand for electro-mobility solutions in the public transport sector is rising and Volvo Buses expects a rapid increase in the coming years, the company explains.

“With the new Volvo BZL electric we offer a global

platform for clean, silent, and energy-efficient public transport to meet the rising demand on important markets that are ready for the shift to electromobility,” said Westerberg.

‘CIRCULARITY’ IMPORTANCE Environmental care is at the heart of Volvo and sustainability; “…less noise, lower emissions, and reduced CO2 is essential,” it explains. Yet, Volvo Buses has a wider scope than just that, it confirms.

“We have a lifecycle perspective and take responsibility for the environmental impact of our products, from the cradle to the grave. This means we ensure that materials, manufacturing,

Above: Internally, the bus features a full low-floor layout meaning no steps in the aisle of the vehicle.

Opposite, Top: All the chassis and driveline components have been developed and manufactured

by Volvo.

Opposite, Below: The new Volvo BZL is clean, silent and energy-efficient, VBA states.

operation and recycling meet the highest environmental standards,” said Westerberg.

At Volvo Buses, circularity is important, and the new Volvo BZL Electric has been developed to be over 90 per cent recyclable, Volvo claims.

In terms of applications – and thus the implications for Australasia – the new Volvo BZL is designed for both single- and double-decker applications with multiple options for bodybuilders.

“The new Volvo BZL electric is based on proven and successful technologies already implemented in Europe,” explained Dan Pettersson, head of International at Volvo Buses.

“All the chassis and driveline components have been developed and manufactured by Volvo. To safeguard the premium qualities of our buses we partner up with selected bodybuilders around the world.”

This is in the context that an

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COVERSTORY

VOLVO BZL ELECTRIC

The new Volvo BZL electric is based on proven and successful technologies already implemented in Europe. electric bus is always part of a system, as Volvo Bus highlights. Route length, frequency, capacity, charging and local regulations all translate into different solutions, it adds.

“Through experience, we know that we need to work closely together with our customers and partners to be able to tailor electro-mobility solutions to each individual city. And through our worldwide service network and dedicated service teams, we can ensure the reliability and efficiency of our products and services even in the long-term perspective. It’s all about delivering zero unplanned downtime,” said Pettersson.

VOLVO CONNECT According to the company, the new Volvo BZL meets the highest European standards for superior driveability and safe operation. It includes Volvo Buses’ latest connected technology offer, Volvo Connect.

With features such as Volvo’s Zone Management, the operator can create safety zones where the 46

maximum speed is limited; for example, outside a school or in a bus depot, Volvo explains.

In terms of driveline, it’s been developed entirely by Volvo, the company confirms. The 200kW electric motor is coupled to a two-stage automated gearbox. This increases wheel torque at low speed and evens out “current peaks, thus reducing energy consumption and sustaining motor and battery health”, it states.

The driveline can be configured as a single or dual-motor unit with a power output of no less than 540hp (403kW), which makes the Volvo BZL Electric an, “…untiring hill climber and allows for swift and smooth operation.”

The BZL is designed for charging flexibility using hardware interfaces for both OppCharge high-power charging on route, as well as combined charging system in the depot, Volvo states.

The company is quick to explain it also offers a “usable energy commitment”, which means Volvo Buses guarantees capacity for an

agreed amount of energy for the operation – thus, “…eliminating any customer worries about batteries,” it adds.

THE CHASSIS The Volvo BZL electric chassis is available in lengths from 9.9 to 12.5 metres, and features a proven driveline adapted from Europe, combined with the same trusted electrical system, suspension and pneumatic system as Volvo’s beloved B8RLE Euro 6 and B5LH hybrid products, the company explains.

Internally, the bus features a full low-floor layout meaning no steps in the aisle of the vehicle, providing unrivalled accessibility and comfort to passengers, Volvo states.

The BZL chassis has also been designed to ensure optimum and effortless accessibility and serviceability, in taking less time to service the chassis and costing less to do so, the company adds – ensuring that buses are back in service more often and on the

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Specs MAKE: Volvo Bus MODEL: BZL Electric DIMENSIONS: (single deck) Length (mm): 11,815; Permitted front axle load (kg) – 7,500; Permitted drive axle load (kg) – 12,000; Permitted gross vehicle weight (kg) – 19,500.

AXLES: Arrangement – 4x2, Front axle - Volvo RFS-L, Rear axle – ZF AV133 SUSPENSION: Air bellows – front 2, rear 4; Kneeling – optional; Max wheel angle – 53 DRIVELINE: Electric motor – max output one/two motors: 200/400kW (single decker); Torque max (Nm) – 1x electric motor: 425Nm, 2x electric motors: 850Nm TRANSMISSION: Two-speed automated manual gearbox

road where they should be, it explains.

“From an operator perspective, the Volvo BZL electric chassis offers the complete package, with unparalleled serviceability, quality and reliability – with our dedicated bus team and largest dealer network in Australia committed to supporting customers as they transition the Volvo BZL electric at each and every stage of their journey,” Peden confirmed.

“The Volvo BZL electric has been developed in line with stringent European and Australian standards and align with what our Australian and New Zealand customers need and expect from an

electric product in terms of quality and safety. It really is a chassis designed for the long-haul,” concluded Peden.

FIRST CUSTOMER An official handover to the Western Australia Public Transport Authority (PTA) will ensue towards end 2021, Volvo Bus confirms.

WA’s Minister for Transport, the Honourable Rita Saffioti MLA, was part of the virtual launch, acknowledging this important next step towards delivering electro-mobility to Australian customers.

CHARGING: OppCharge, max charge power: 300kW; Combo2/ CCS, max charge power 150kW; Automatic shut off of main switch at low-voltage level BATTERY: Energy storage capacity up to 470kW/h (282kW/h, 376kW/h), Voltage – 600V. Lithium-ion batteries with total energy of 94kW/h per battery. Number of batteries – 2x 12V, capacity – 2x 105Ah Management system developed

by Volvo with the latest reliable battery technology designed for high energy density. Chassis including ESS module to be roof mounted; Automatic temperature controlling of batteries MISC.: Climate system – chassis prepared for various roofmounted HVAC units from different suppliers (heating, ventilation and air-conditioning, including heat pump functionality); High-voltage heaters come pre-assembled on chassis (0–24 kW)

Top: The Volvo BZL electric chassis is available in lengths from 9.9 to 12.5 metres.

Opposite: Handover of the Volvo BZL Electric to the Western Australia Public Transport Authority will take place at the end of 2021.

Left: The driveline can be configured as a single or dual-motor unit with a power output of 540hp (403kW).

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INTERVIEW

GARY BAIN AND SHANE TRENBATH

THE ROAD AHEAD

German innovator ZF has a range of products and services that have led in so many ways in their respective fields, including the global bus and coach industry. With the e-mobility transition really kicking in here in Australia, ABC magazine picked the brains of OE expert Gary Bain and technical guru Shane Trenbath – ZF Oceania Leadership Team members – about why Australasia is on the right track ... or are we not?

WORDS FABIAN COTTER IMAGES COURTESY ZF

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hile ZF brings tailored solutions, excellent quality parts and first-class services to both the automotive and non-automotive markets – including industries like agriculture, construction, rail, marine and wind power – perhaps that comprehensive expertise is aiding its marketleading advances for buses by giving it ‘big picture’ knowledge and vision?

With global sales of over €32 billion (AUD$50.4 billion) in the 2020 fiscal year, ZF Group employs more than 150,000 associates at approximately 270 locations in 42 countries – making it one of biggest global technology companies in the world. Speaking with two of its local representatives revealed an insightful glimpse into how the big German company sees buses and public transport and how it aims each day to shape its future.

ABC: Hello Gary and Shane.

Thanks for joining us. Firstly, could you please give a brief rundown of your careers and experiences in getting you to these roles at ZF here in Australia?

GB: Great to catch up! I have been with ZF in Oceania for 26 years and I have been leading the OE/OES side locally for quite a while now. Previously, I was with a global leading diesel engine manufacturer for nine years and before that I also worked for a major heavy duty market leading truck manufacturer and a crane manufacturer.

ST: I started my career in public transport, completing my early studies as an apprentice with State Rail at a time that was possibly the perfect foundation for the start of my career at ZF. At the end of that apprenticeship, I had gained experience working across rail, passenger ferry and bus. I joined ZF in 1990, more or

less three years after it opened here in Australia as a wholly owned subsidiary of ZF Group.

I was very fortunate to join ZF at that time and benefited from the opportunities that came with its rapid growth. I moved quickly from pure technical roles into management and have held various responsibilities over the years, mostly pivoting around the service and technical components of the business.

ABC: What do you see as the benefits and problems with e-mobility from a bus perspective and how can these be bettered and overcome?

ST: I honestly don’t see any problems, only benefits & opportunities! Transitioning our city bus fleets to zero emission is a no brainer. Aside from the very obvious environmental benefits, city buses are perfectly suited to an electric

Above: New mobility customers are emerging, says ZF, with greater opportunities arising for automated operation.

Opposite, L-R: Gary Bain, ZF head of OE/OES Oceania, and Shane Trenbath, ZF Technical Services manager.

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INTERVIEW

GARY BAIN AND SHANE TRENBATH

drivetrain, like rail has done so for so many years. The big advantage of an all-electric drive is that it reduces the complexity of the vehicle drive system considerably, which brings many benefits. Our AxTrax AVE drive axle system, for example, which has the electric motors fully integrated into the axle itself, means we have not only gained the space traditionally used by the engine, transmission and drive shaft; we have eliminated the complexity that comes with those components. There are certainly still some challenges for the bus manufactures to overcome, like managing the weight of the batteries, but we are already seeing very innovative solutions emerge.

GB: And to underline Shane’s points, obviously the 50

environment will be a big winner, especially in condensed structured cities. But this also then creates other challenges, especially around charging capabilities of large fleets, so infrastructure itself becomes a critical factor, especially in terms of capital cost. This will certainly challenge the fleets over the next few years.

ABC: How is ZF recognising the changes in the bus and coach industry and adapting its products and services accordingly? Is there some innovation that even exceeded ZF’s original expectations?

And what lessons were learned through that experience?

GB: The world is changing at a rapid pace, far quicker than a lot of people thought. ZF has

The world is changing at a rapid pace, far quicker than a lot of people thought.

Above: ZF Aftermarket has developed a range of courses designed to upskill employees so they can safely handle highvoltage systems Opposite, Bottom: ZF is looking into new mobility solutions, such as autonomous shuttle systems, says Gary Bain.

recognised this growing change by restructuring with a clear strategy for Next Generation Mobility and business-focused divisions and expertise in emerging technologies, not only for bus but also across all market segments that ZF participates in. It’s early days in the new technologies but, as the past has proven, ZF’s dedication to R&D has seen it become a leading technology player.

ST: From my standpoint, we are already on the journey of

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adapting our service offering, which starts with developing the technical competencies with our people that are required to support our future products. A prime example of this are our high voltage experts.

In terms of product innovations, there are many examples, but the two that come to mind when considering adapting to change is ZF Bus Connect, which has already helped many fleet operators improve productivity and reduce costs though enhanced data and connectivity.

Then, there is the recently announced Energy Management System (EMS), specifically designed for electric buses, which in the future can control all auxiliary units and coordinate the energy requirements of the driveline – to help electrically driven commercial vehicles be more efficient.

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GARY BAIN AND SHANE TRENBATH

The initial investment may be higher but, over the term of the vehicle’s life, it may be a substantial saving. have also set our sights on new mobility solutions such as autonomous shuttle systems as a supplement to public transport, as well as the new Modular eDrive Kit for passenger cars to serve the demand for purely electricallydriven vehicles.

ABC: How do you see the future of transportation in Australasia and how is ZF’s approach to e-mobility different to others, if at all? What can others learn from ZF?

normally physically held in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, but this time it was a live online event. How did that go for the Group and what were the big bus innovations there?

ST: Yes, Automechanika was a great success with overwhelming positive feedback from customers, industry players and employees alike with engagement and reach at a high enabled through this new form of hybrid event. For ZF this year, we presented our extended ‘CV’ portfolio for commercial vehicles and fleet customers, following the integration of WABCO into the business. One of the great benefits of a virtual event is that so many more people can attend 52

than what would be possible with the traditional physical exhibition approach.

One of the highlights for me this year was the online training that we offered to the fleets and workshops on Day 3; the first time that we were able to provide in-depth training on such a scale to a truely international audience.

GB: And, by the way, ZF also participated at the IAA [trade fair] only a week before Automechanika, with a focus on automated driving functions, under the motto: ‘Next Generation Mobility. NOW.’ This includes the new model of the ZF ProAI supercomputer, which offers the basis for autonomous driving up to Level 5. Additionally, we

GB: Looking into the future, without doubt autonomous vehicles are coming, with driverless buses and shuttles to certainly be a future demand. With driver labour being a major component of an operator’s cost, along with fuel [diesel], having these reduced costs would certainly be attractive to any large fleet operator.

Naturally infrastructure and legislation with such technology will play a major part. ZF has acquired [automated transit manufacturer] 2getthere in its future strategy for this autonomous future direction and is also involved with many other leading companies around the world to bring the future mobility vision to reality.

ST: In terms of public transport, I agree with Gary that new mobility concepts like fully autonomous electric shuttles, the so called ‘people movers’ and autonomous ride hailing will have a role to play, potentially complementing traditional transport modes like rail and buses. The true drivers behind autonomous driving are the mobility concepts such as ‘Mobility-as-aService’ or ‘Transport-as-a-Service’ [MaaS and TaaS]. These concepts will be driven by cities and city planners – players and customer segments that the automotive industry has not

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really paid significant attention to until recently. New mobility customers are emerging and ZF is well positioned as an attractive partner due to its comprehensive range of expertise that covers automated driving, electric mobility, integrated safety, vehicle motion control and digital competence.

ABC: Why should those Australasian bus operators with large diesel fleets, thinking about the need to electrify them at a pace that suits and with product that works best and won’t sink them into unfathomable debt, look to ZF’s e-mobility range?

GB: In my own opinion, I would be looking at the overall life cost of a bus. Quality doesn’t come cheap, so the initial investment

may be higher but, over the term of the vehicle’s life, it may be a substantial saving, especially here in Australia where buses can remain in operation for up to 25 years. The old adage – you get what you pay for – will be important in such investment decisions and this is where ZF offers operators peace of mind, being a globally leading player for over 100 years.

It is reassuring to see local bus manufacturers embracing new technologies developing their own zero emission bus platforms whilst also creating jobs and revenue locally and using quality German-designed and manufactured ZF products already today.

ST: Ultimately, governments will need to provide the incentives to those fleets to fast-track a

transition from diesel to zero emission. I would like to believe that those large fleets would look very favourably towards ZEB buses that still utilise ZF drives because of the confidence they have in the quality of our products and our service, which we have demonstrated to the bus market for more than 30 years. ZF globally is already exploring the options of a conversion program for internal combustion enginepowered buses to zero emission.

One possibility is to replace the existing engine and transmission with our ZF CeTrax electric central drive.

ABC: What are some of the in-development projects that ZF is working on you are most excited about and why? How will operators benefit from your products like the electrically

Above: ZF CeTrax electric central drive.

Opposite: “City buses are perfectly suited to an electric drivetrain,” said Shane Trenbath.

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INTERVIEW

GARY BAIN AND SHANE TRENBATH

ZF is actively involved in autonomous technology to meet global demands of the future.

Above: ZF’s AxTrax AVE drive axle system.

Opposite: ZF has more than 75 team members supporting the local market. Pictured is the ZF Oceania Leadership Team.

Below: Shane Trenbath says, as part of ZF’s R&D activities, it is looking into converting internal combustion enginepowered buses to zeroemission solutions.

powered hydraulic steering pump (EPHS) for hybrid and electric vehicles, the Powerline automatic transmission and new LiDAR sensors?

GB: ZF invests millions of Euros each year into R&D. Many products are in the concept stage and others re in development, many of course are kept confidential. But the released technologies on the way like EPHS will certainly improve

current adapted mechanical steering systems into electric systems for chassis designers and, at the end of the day, the operators.

Powerline will fill a gap in the traditional fossil fuel market for ZF for automatic transmissions, while in other markets zero emission challenges are more complex and require a technical solution with a critical mass that can support the costs.

Sensors and other associated technologies will play a greater part in the ZF strategy going forward and it’s a bit early yet to determine the impact on our region.

ABC: I believe ZF has a range of courses that should help technicians keep abreast of the latest e-bus and e-mobility trends and techniques. Are they just for ZF personnel or open to external participants? What is their value in real-world terms for those who enroll and why?

How can people get involved?

ST: Great questions and yes!

New technologies require new expertise and ZF Aftermarket 54

has developed a range of courses designed to address those requirements. As we roll these out globally, the initial priority for some will be our own people, closely followed by our partners, as well as active support for external participants.

One such example is the new online qualification for an Electrically Instructed Person.

This training course is basically the first step and designed to raise employee’s awareness and competences on how to deal with high voltage systems, enabling them to safely carry out any non-electrical work on a vehicle and ensure that high

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voltage components can immediately and clearly be identified, understand the hazards they pose and are familiar with the component markings.

We are also very interested to learn from local industry if there is a demand for HV Expert Level training, which is something we might offer in the future.

thoughts are in consideration.

At this time, however, I am not aware of such.

ABC: Is ZF about to dabble in charging infrastructure for electric buses and, if so, how far away would this be? But, if not, why not and is it partnering with any organisations specifically for such a capability?

ST: I agree, I would not rule it out completely but it is not a focus for ZF at the moment. As charging infrastructure is only applicable for battery electric buses, it is out of the scope for our business, currently. With that being said, as we are expecting more manufacturers to look towards fuel cell electric buses in the future and ZF will support these manufacturers accordingly.

GB: Anything is possible. Like I said, ZF is investing heavily in R&D for future products and who is not to say such

ABC: What advancement in autonomous buses is ZF most involved with on a global scale and

how is that a step ahead of the competition? How do you see the roll-out and change needed to make driverless buses and vehicles as successful and safe as possible? What are the hurdles and challenges and how do we as an industry overcome them?

GB: ZF is actively involved in autonomous technology to meet global demands of the future. I can’t elaborate further at this time due to market sensitivities. However, if our recently released technologies such as the ProAI supercomputer and our acquisition of 2getthere are anything to go by, the future is definitely positive. Stay tuned! busnews.com.au October 2021 ABC

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TEST DRIVE

1958 ANSAIR FLXIBLE CLIPPER

MUCH-LOVED CLASSIC WORDS + IMAGES PAUL ALDRIDGE

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One of the last Clippers to be built, this example from 1958 had an eventful life over the decades, from express work to transporting children in the outback. Now a motorhome, it has been lovingly restored by Fantastic Aussie Tours’ Darrell Booth, who delved deep into its beautiful history.

A

s a bus enthusiast, we’re sure you all have a bus that you wish was parked in your garage. It’s hard not to be impressed by the ever-changing features and abilities of our modern bus and coaches today and we are constantly blown away.

However, if we had to choose a dream bus, it would always be the classic

oldies that get the most attention. There’s something about the excessive details and dynamic shapes of the past that bus lovers can’t help but be drawn to.

Today’s drive of a 1958 Ansair Flxible Clipper is a bus that anyone would find it hard not to want the keys to in their pocket. It’s truly a real head-turner, a step back in time and a credit to its owner Darrell Booth, the operations and

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TEST DRIVE

1958 ANSAIR FLXIBLE CLIPPER

fleet manager at Fantastic Aussie Tours’.

We got to check out two amazing historic Clippers before we set off today: one was the very first imported to Australia by Pioneer Tours from the Flxible Company in Loudonville Ohio, USA in 1947; and the second was Booth’s outstanding 1958 Clipper.

Parked side-by-side this pair is really something to see. What makes them even more amazing is that, together, they are the very first and the very last Clippers in the Pioneer Tours Clipper Fleet and both in an impeccable, fully restored condition. Their paintwork and detailing is mind-blowing.

Between these two Clippers there was almost a 10-year gap in build time, but they both certainly retained the same unmistakable Clipper features: the dual curved windscreens, the roundness of the body with an art 58

deco feel and the stainless steel and chrome work. Although, externally, they appear very similar, Booth says that, mechanically, they had certainly progressed from a more ‘agricultural’ drive to the later ones having a much lighter body, with V six Deutz air-cooled diesel motors and airbag suspension making them a quieter, more comfortable and powerful drive.

Ansair built 131 Flxible Clippers from 1950 to June 1960. Today, there are still around 45 in existence. This is a testimony to the cult following of this bus and probably - to a degree - a reflection of the strength of the builds of the era.

Booth stated: “The Clippers have such a good retention rate and, in my opinion, you’d say it’s a testament to a man called Bill Hardinge, who was the founding president of the Flxible

Clipper Club of Australia.”

Booth explains that Hardinge had a business that took him traveling around the Australian countryside and he scoured everywhere in his travels. If he found a Clipper, he generally bought it.

Even if he couldn’t get it then, he’d say: “That’s mine, I’ll come back for that one day.”

Hardinge’s passion for the Clippers also meant that he kept a record of any he located and, as time passed, more and more people started to have an interest in them. From this growing passion he formed the Flxible Clipper Club.

Booth continued: “I’m certainly a classic case of being hooked from the moment I spotted my first Clipper and thinking it was such an incredible-looking vehicle. Even my wife can tell the story of when she

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The design is all ... they look fast even when they’re sitting still, they always look like they are going places even when they’re parked. look at Booth’s Clipper and appreciate the time, research and devotion he’s poured in to ensure that not only is this bus safe and in great running order, but his attention to the smallest details to retain authenticity is outstanding. In interviews we’ll ask owners what they know about the bus’s history and, like everything Booth does with the Clipper, his knowledge about the Clipper’s life was extensive and a story in itself.

Of course, with such attention

to detail in the restoration, we shouldn’t have been surprised with the highly detailed history and timeline Booth has put together for his Clipper. Its driving story started as an Ansett Roadways Vehicle, fleet number AR37. Booth has a photograph of it from November 1958 when it only had about 1,750 miles (2,816km) on the clock.

He got the picture from a Pioneer driver called Dave Pollard, who he is still friends with today. Pollard had driven

Opposite: This Clipper has been converted into a motorhome for eight people.

Below: The wide, curved windscreen provides excellent visibility for the driver.

saw Gary Driver’s Clipper in Darling Harbour one day and she thought it was the most beautiful bus she’d ever seen in her life. In their era they were the big highway coaches, but you also learn about their history and the significance of their introduction to Australia and how the industry changed after their important impact. For me, it was a case also of wanting to honor and pay recognition to the Clipper.

“The design is all ... they look fast even when they’re sitting still, they always look like they are going places even when they’re parked.”

DRIVING HISTORY When you get an up-close, busnews.com.au October 2021 ABC

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TEST DRIVE

1958 ANSAIR FLXIBLE CLIPPER

it when it was brand new for Ansett Express. It ran from Mildura to Melbourne on express and, when it was about three-years-old, it went into the Pioneer Express Fleet. That was when it got cut in half, stretched by four feet and put on the Economy Express.

Pioneer cut 10 of its Clippers in half from around 1958. Booth’s was done in 1961 as this was really the end of the 10-year Clipper line. By the early ‘60s Pioneer was looking to introduce the 4106 and then the 4107s, so Clippers were getting moved down the line.

They were still fairly new, though, so by cutting and stretching them they increased their viability by expanding the seating capacity from 29 to 37 60

passengers, as well as adding airbag suspension.

The next step in Booth’s Clipper’s driving life was a move down to Pioneer Tours, before transferring to Continental Coach Lines in Queensland.

“Then, it went to Haidley’s Panoramic Coaches and Motors from Warwick,” Booth explained.

“About two years ago, I actually was up through Warwick and I took it back to Haidley’s and got a picture of Cameron and his father, Don, just as a bit of a history thing.”

In his travels, Booth has taken the Clipper to every state except the Northern Territory and Western Australia, so it’s definitely not just for show.

“It was then also subcontracted to another company called H and J Coaches, or something like that,” he continued.

“It broke down in Central Australia on a tour and was effectively abandoned.

It was towed back into Alice Springs and I’ve got a photo of it being flat towed behind a semi; the Clipper had a trailer hanging off the back at the same time,” he explained.

The next stage of its journey, between the late ‘70s until 1984, saw it being repaired by Detroit in Alice Springs and bought by the Warrabri School at Ali Curung – an Indigenous community about 375km north of there. The Clipper was the school bus there for a number of years, bashing around in the

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IN SAFE HANDS

Like the Harbour Bridge, the Clipper’s been a work in progress since the day I purchased it.

Left: A full kitchen provides everything you need on the road.

Below: The outside was returned to Pioneer Express colours.

outback. It’s hard to imagine this bus on the harsh dirt roads filled with schoolchildren! Booth, as part of his extensive history, has a letter from the school principal looking for diff parts from Hardinge.

“Clippers have always been renowned for the way they handle because of their low centre of gravity,” Booth said.

“The story goes that, from the Pioneer days, they were unsurpassed in the snow and ice. If you look at some of the old photos, you’ll see them in the snow through cuttings with snow right up to the roof line or in the desert on the Stuart Highway bogged to the axles. So, am I afraid to take this anywhere in Australia? Definitely no!”

In 1984, it left Ali Curung and began its journey to Sydney for its conversion to a mobile home.

Then, in 1987, it was purchased

by Clipper Club members Ian and Lyn Williams. The Williams, with help of other Clipper Club members, drove it to Melbourne to have the interior re-fitted and a return in paintwork to the Pioneer Tours colours.

Booth and his wife, Sue-Ellen, bought the Clipper from the Williams in 2007. Effectively, it had never had a restoration.

Booth’s priority was to restore and upgrade it to a very high standard of roadworthiness and reliability, and for the Clipper to be engineered for compliance.

The interior re-furb that the Williams designed was perfect as it was and only updates to soft furnishings and a few safety changes were required, so the ‘old world’ feel of travelling on the road in the 1950s wasn’t lost.

“Like the Harbour Bridge, the Clipper’s been a work in progress since the day I purchased it,” Booth commented, with a smile.

Externally, the restoration was more complex...

“In its whole life, it had never had an ‘all panels off’ refurbishment,” he explained.

“In places, there were three layers of panel, which revealed damage underneath. Over a number of years all panels have been removed. In the framework repairs, all curved panels were repaired or remade and re-panelled with new aluminium panels. The windows were removed, repaired and then painted the Pioneer Express colours that we see today.”

With most historic vehicles, sourcing replacement parts can be the hardest part of

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TEST DRIVE

1958 ANSAIR FLXIBLE CLIPPER

the process – and sometimes near impossible – but for body parts the Flxible Clipper Club has a contact in Healesville and Booth says that you basically can order your Clipper parts online from them.

One spare part that we thought would be impossible to replicate or get hold of was the windscreens. Often in old vehicles the windscreen can be hard to come by, but, surprisingly, the club ended up with original moulds for the windscreens. Booth says that Clipper restorers get them made up by O’Briens and at a price that’s probably cheaper than a normal car windscreen.

You can pay the Earth for the smallest of spare parts, but Booth says he isn’t worried at all about parts.

62

“I wanted this bus to be as original as possible. I’ve kept the old wipers because even the sound of the wipers operating is part of the experience,” he explained.

“So, as a club, a priority is to make sure, number one, our Clippers are safe. Naturally, there will be things you can’t find after a while. I’ll give you an example: this bus had Franklin airbags and you can’t get them anymore, but a Kenworth airbag is identical, so that part is okay. As a club it’s also important that this is recognised engineering-wise; all modifications and improvements need to be fully engineered. All standard upgrades are adopted through the club and they have been engineered in a number of

states in Australia.”

We tend to focus less on the impact of modifications on a heritage vehicle, but when passengers and road safety are at risk, there’s a lot more at stake than just replacing a worn part with another on a period bus.

The key thing about this restoration and carefully researched life of the Clipper is the importance for future generations and it’s because of passionate bus people like Darrell Booth and the members of the Clipper Club that these amazing early vehicles of our industry will live on.

THE DRIVE This is our second drive of a Clipper and, with driving any classic bus,

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you never really know what to expect mechanically. We usually don’t have high expectations in comparison to what our modern vehicles can do, but we are often left surprised.

From the moment you approach the Clipper it’s like entering a time warp. Booth has worked hard to maintain as much originality as possible and his attention to the restoration is meticulous. The blue paintwork of the Pioneer Express colours - complete with replica original wording and stainless steel features - are perfection.

Stepping on board and getting into the driver’s seat, the classic driver experience begins with the stainless door-closing lever.

Booth has made sure to keep all the componentry and operating devices as original and ensure it’s all there as part of the full classic drive experience. In the driver’s area everything is there and it’s very simple. We love all the chrome work and this is the very last of the Clippers, so it would have been the most modern Clipper of the fleet.

Booth says the brakes had a standard upgrade as part of the restoration process. They are a E-3 Single Circuit foot brake valve with a relay valve on the back extra air tanks. As it’s a single-circuit braking system, it must have an emergency release, so it’s a pump-out

It’s not meant to be making land-speed records with great fuel economy. This bus is for cruising and enjoying yourself.

Left: The old school stylistic touches keep the original spirit intact.

Below: There’s even a bed up the back of the bus.

system with an emergency release. They certainly handle the Blue Mountains roads we are driving on today really well – we’re just touching the brake going down inclines and we have a lot of confidence in doing an emergency stop if necessary.

Visibility was surprising. Having the dual screens with the art deco curve, the pillars seem to disappear. Although certainly not large windscreens, the curve of the glass makes all the difference with all-round driver vision. Compared with more modern buses, you are seated a lot closer to the windscreen, so the curve seems to wrap around the driver for unobstructed views. The mirrors were original and worked well.

Booth had warned that the turning circle wasn’t great and, in certain tricky parts of the Mountains’ tourists spots, you need to be pretty precise, but on standard corners the turning was exactly what we expected it to be for a vehicle of its age. The steering wasn’t heavy as some older vehicles can be, so a full day behind the wheel wouldn’t be an issue.

The Allison MT643 transmission has had a few little tweaks done by the Allison training department and is mated up to a Detroit Diesel 6V53 engine. It shifts really well when you first take off; you think it’s revving a little bit, but this two stroke really loves to rev.

When you’re going up inclines, it knocks down a gear and you don’t need to manually override at all. It’s certainly not a super horsepower machine at 217hp/ 162kW@2,800rpm); it hasn’t got a lot of torque, but it’s really nice busnews.com.au October 2021 ABC

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TEST DRIVE

1958 ANSAIR FLXIBLE CLIPPER

The Clipper gets about two and a half to three kilometers per litre, consistently.

Right: This Clipper’s well travelled – and can meet the toughest conditions, whether desert or snow.

Specs MAKE: Ansair MODEL: Flxible Clipper BUILT: November 1958. Stretched by four feet (1,200mm) in 1961 ENGINE: Detroit Diesel 6V53 with Jake brakes TRANSMISSION: Allison MT643 DRIVE AXLE: Rockwell R145 Ratio: 4.33:1 SPEED: 100kph at 2350rpm TYRES: 10.00R22.5 radials on 7.50x22.5 tubeless rims LENGTH: 37 foot (11.3 metres) HEIGHT: 2,800mm WIDTH: 2,430mm WHEELBASE: 6,740mm TARE: 9,060kg GVM: 11,660kg GCM: 12,850kg FUEL: 390 litres in three tanks FUEL CONSUMPTION: 3-4km/L ALTERNATOR: 24V 175A Leece Neville BRAKES: Full air S-Cam single circuit with emergency release SUSPENSION: Full air with instantaneous levelling valves TOWING: 3,500kg

MOTORHOME Licenced to carry eight passengers FRESH WATER: 280 litres in two tanks DRINKING WATER: 100 litres in one separate tank GREY WATER TANK: 100 litres BLACK WATER TANK: 80 litres HOT WATER: Gas, instantaneous COOKING: Gas stovetop REFRIGERATOR: 24V compressor fridge LIGHTING: 24V LED warm white HOUSE POWER: 24V deep cycle INVERTER: 24/240V 2kW AIR CON: 2.5KW inverter split reverse cycle

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and comfortable for what is essentially a very old bus.

Of the whole day only one feature was a disappointment. When you go to the curved rear of the bus and open the engine cover, all you can see is the huge fan. You can call it a schoolboy moment, but we were looking forward to seeing the engine. However, what doesn’t disappoint is the sound when you start this baby up.

Maybe even higher up on the list is when you realise the Clipper didn’t come out with blinkers and a little arm comes out to indicate that you are turning.

Classic Clipper, brilliant.

The Clipper gets about two and a half to three kilometers per litre, consistently, three and a half out on the highway, and it certainly isn’t an economical drive. But, again, it’s not meant to be making land speed records with great fuel economy – this bus is for cruising and enjoying yourself. Back in the day, Booth says that Clippers could do around 60 miles an hour, no problems at all – legally they couldn’t but he said they certainly could.

It would have been great to see them in their heyday; just imagine driving one of these babies to the snowfields filled with tourists.

The Clipper is currently licenced as a motor home to carry eight people. It has more seats, but its licensing limit is eight. Booth has maintained the original motor home floor plan designed by the previous owners, but given the Clipper some modern and environmental

updates for comfort. He’s added outlets for grey water, inlets for fresh water and an instantaneous hot water system.

Take a seat at one of the tables and you can just imagine taking in the Mountains scenery and eating your breakfast or dinner while enjoying the views.

The kitchen has a full-size oven and four-burner gas cook top with full-size bench space and sink; certainly not a standard camping kitchen. There’s also a full-size fridge and freezer.

The sleeping quarters has a really comfortable bedspace and it’s a room with a view; outside the bedroom there’s a separate shower and toilet.

You realise why Booth didn’t change the original motorhome floor plan; it all works well and certainly would be great for extended holidays and a dream for weekends away. We should’ve asked for a two-day test drive, but I might have to ditch Cameron, the videographer, for my wife.

Today’s drive was around scenic roads that we are familiar with and there wasn’t one part of the drive that disappointed.

The way that Booth has got his bus working is impressive. The brakes, steering and a lot of the mechanicals are as original, but have just been tweaked a little bit and it just drives so, so good.

The steering is as tight as in any bus that we have driven, new or old, and that’s really saying something - but it’s just a really enjoyable drive.

Like the desto says on today’s drive says – “Very Special”.

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automatic,Cummmins ISB240hp, 39 fixed coach seats including lap sash seat belts, Coachair heat cool A/C,underfloor bins, DVD, alloy rims, tachograph, complete chassis and body service plus more, travelled approx.

335,00klm

$130,000.00+GST

$89,000.00+GST

$69,500.00+GST

2008 BCI “EXPLORER”

PLUS MANY MORE, CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE AT www.roddhoodsbusandcoachsales.com Mobile: 0417 699 980 - Email: rodd.hood@bigpond.com.au LICENSED MOTOR DEALER 3341258

Over 36 years experience in the bus and coach industry

CONTACT Phil 03 5623 5377 admin@warragulbuslines.com.au

2018 MITSUBISHI ROSA

2013 MAN 18-290

2010 SCANIA K320

MCV body, automatic, 57 seatbelts, Thermoking A/C.

Higer A30, 57 Seatbelts, Auto, A/C, 385,000km

$80,000 + GST

$148,000 + GST

$140,000 + GST

$95,000 + GST

2017 MERCEDES O500RF

Deluxe, 24 seats, Manual, 122,000km

$115,000 + GST

2004 MERCEDES O500RF

2005 MERCEDES O500RF 50 Recliners, Toilet, A/C, Manual

2002 IVECO

2006 HINO RK260

2013 BONLUCK

Autobus, 57 Seatbelts, A/C, Manual

Custom CB50 body, 61 seats, Manual, Thermoking.

480,000km

P&D body, 57 seats, Manual.

360,000 KMS

President, Cummins, Automatic, 57 Seatbelts, A/C

BCI body, Automatic, A/C, 57 Seatbelts, 110,000km

$75,000 + GST

$40,000 + GST

$50,000 + GST

$120,000 + GST

$245,000 + GST

busnews.com.au OCTOBER 2021 ABC

ABC 410 65-69.indd 67

ABC-HH-5171496-TS-410

2013 HIGER Road Boss, Cummins, Automatic, 53 Seatbelts, A/C

67

19/10/21 10:43 am

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ABC OCTOBER 2021 busnews.com.au

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19/10/21 10:43 am

Comfort, convenience and capacity The D12 series Yutong is the world’s largest bus manufacturer – combining technology, design and reliability to deliver consistent quality and longevity in mind – to provide a transport experience you can trust.

As a multipurpose bus, the D12 brings comfort and style with its air suspension and fully adjustable high back luxury seats.

The premium option for schools, mining or charter operations, it stands tall in delivering robust safety and reliability to its drivers, passengers and operators.

A true crowd pleaser.

ABC 410 65-69.indd 69

yuton g.com . au

drive comfort at every turn. Each vehicle is built with safety and

19/10/21 10:43 am

DELIVERIES

SEPTEMBER 2021

September deliveries continue slide Financial year headwinds persist, exclusive ABC data reveals.

T

he first quarter of the 2021-22 financial year ended a slow one for Australian bus and coach deliveries, with September numbers dropping to 56.

It maintained the downward trend after two months in the 60s, with the pandemic impacts continuing to bite.

The situation was highlighted in the chassis sector with Scania leading the monthly tally on 14, below the highs of previous years. Volvo followed on 11, which also represented a recent low for the Swede. It was better news for MAN, though, breaking through to double figures – its highest monthly tally since January.

Volgren retained its lead in the body building sector, recording 21 deliveries. No other name hit double figures, though BCI saw an improvement to nine deliveries after a combined three in the previous two months.

Thermo King occupied nearly half the air-

conditioning market, but its figure of 24 was also a yearly low. Coachair was a welcome inclusion after not featuring in last month’s deliveries, with a tally of 10 marking its best monthly return since March’s 12 deliveries.

Victoria and Western Australia were evenly placed in the state charts, accounting for nearly two-thirds of the market.

NSW followed on 20 per cent, with Queensland next on 14 per cent and SA on 5 per cent.

Turn overleaf for comprehensive bus and coach delivery information for September. Please note all data is as supplied from manufacturers, at their discretion.

Volgren retained its lead in the body building sector, recording 21 deliveries.

70

ABC October 2021 busnews.com.au

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19/10/21 10:10 am

Volgren 21 BCI 9 Bustech 7 Irizar 5 Coach Design 4 JBUS 3 Yutong 3 Express Coaches 2 BLK 1 Scania Higer 1

5% SA

14%

31% VIC

QLD

SALES BY BODY Volgren retained its lead in the body-building sector, recording 21 deliveries. No other name hit double figures, though BCI saw an improvement to nine deliveries after a combined three in the previous two months.

%

SALES BY AIR-CONDITIONER

Thermo King occupied nearly half the air-conditioning market, but its figure of 24 was also a yearly low.

Coachair was a welcome inclusion after not featuring in last month’s deliveries, with a tally of 10 marking its best monthly return since March’s 12 deliveries.

Thermo King 24 Coachair 10 Hispacold 8 MCC 5

Percentage by

Cling-Yutong Denso Konvekta Spheros

3 3 2 1

REGION SCANIA 14

20% NSW

VOLVO 11

30%

MAN 10

WA

MERCEDES-BENZ 8

BCI 5

HINO 3

Sales by chassis

YUTONG 3

The situation was highlighted in the chassis sector with Scania leading the monthly tally on 14, below the highs of previous years. Volvo followed on 11, which also represented a recent low for the Swede. It was better news for MAN, though, breaking through to double figures – its highest monthly tally since January.

BLK 1

BYD 1

busnews.com.au October 2021 ABC

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19/10/21 10:11 am

SEPTEMBER 2021

ENGINES

TRANS­M

UNITS

DELIVERIES

CHASSIS

WA

5

Fleetmaster

BCI

320

R

Euro 5

A

NSW

1

Cooper

BLK

210

R

Euro 5

A

VIC

1

BYD

Volgren

300kW

R

Zero Emission

A

N/A

NSW

2

Poncho

JBUS

185

R

Euro 5

A

N/A

NSW

1

Poncho

JBUS

185

R

Euro 5

A

Kinetic/Surfside

QLD

2

LE.19.320.RC2.E5

Bustech

320

R

Euro 5

A

Kinetic/Sunbus

QLD

2

LE.19.320.RC2.E5

Bustech

320

R

Euro 5

A

Kinetic Group

QLD

1

CO.19.360.RR2

Irizar

360

R

Euro 5

A

Kinetic Group

NSW

2

IC.19.320.RR8

Irizar

320

R

Euro 5

A

Hurstbridge Bus & Coach

VIC

2

CO.19.360.RR2

Irizar

360

R

Euro 5

A

Mt Gravatt Coaches

QLD

1

LE.19.320.RC2.E5

Volgren

320

R

Euro 5

A

MERCEDES-BENZ N/A

VIC

1

OC500RF E5 1936

BCI

360

R

Euro 5

A

N/A

VIC

1

OC500RF E5 1936

Express Coaches

360

R

Euro 5

A

N/A

QLD

1

OC500LE E6

Volgren

360

R

Euro 6

A

N/A

QLD

1

OC500LE E6

Volgren

360

R

Euro 6

A

N/A

VIC

1

O500RS

Coach Design

348

R

Euro 5

A

N/A

NSW

1

OC500RF E6 1930

BCI

360

R

Euro 6

A

N/A

NSW

1

OC500RF E6 1930

BCI

360

R

Euro 6

A

N/A

NSW

1

OC500RF E5 1936

BCI

360

R

Euro 5

A

Ballarat Coach Lines

VIC

1

K 310 IB4X2

Coach Design

310

R

Euro 5

O

CDC Victoria

VIC

7

K 320 UB4X2

Volgren

320

R

Euro 6

A

Department of Public Transport Infrastructure

SA

3

K 320 UB4X2

Bustech

320

R

Euro 6

A

McHarry's Bus Lines

VIC

1

K 320 UB4X2

Express Coaches

320

R

Euro 6

A

Mooroopna Passenger Service

VIC

1

K 360 IB4X2

Scania Higer

360

R

Euro 5

O

Nuich & Co

WA

1

K 310 IB4X2

Coach Design

310

R

Euro 5

O

B & G Christian

VIC

1

B8R

Coach Design

330

R

Euro 5

A

NSW

2

B8R

Volgren

320

R

Euro 6

A

Perth Transport Authorities

WA

6

B8RLE

Volgren

320

R

Euro 6

A

Perth Transport Authorities

WA

2

B8RLEA

Volgren

320

R

Euro 6

A

N/A

WA

1

D12

Yutong

360

R

Euro 5

A

N/A

WA

1

D12

Yutong

360

R

Euro 5

A

N/A

WA

1

D7

Yutong

160

F

Euro 5

A

MANUFACTURER, OPERATOR & LOCATION BCI

Sodexo

BLK

Bhangala

BYD

Ventura Bus Lines

HINO

MAN

SCANIA

VOLVO

Port Stephens Coaches

YUTONG

(Model)

BODY BUILDER

HP*

Rear / Front

Emissions standard

TOTAL DELIVERIES 56

72

ABC October 2021 busnews.com.au

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19/10/21 10:21 am

A: Auto M: Ma AS: Aut O: Opti

NUMBER OF SEATS

APPLICATION

issions andard

A: Automatic M: Manual AS: Auto-Shift O: Opticruise

AXLES

TRANS­MISSION

BODY LENGTH

uro 5

A

ZF

2

12.3

MCC

–

53

–

–

X

–

uro 5

A

Allison

2

8.5

Spheros

35

–

–

–

–

Emission

A

BYD

2

12.2

Thermo King

–

–

39

–

uro 5

A

Aisin

2

8

Denso

18

–

–

uro 5

A

Aisin

2

8

Denso

18

–

uro 5

A

ZF

2

10-12.9

Thermo King

–

uro 5

A

ZF

2

10-12.9

Thermo King

uro 5

A

ZF

2

10-12.9

uro 5

A

ZF

2

uro 5

A

ZF

uro 5

A

uro 5

SEATING

SEAT BELTS

–

Sege

Y

–

X

Fainsa

Y

–

X

–

McConnell

N

–

–

X

–

Styleride

N

–

–

–

X

–

Styleride

N

–

X

–

–

X

–

Styleride

N

–

–

X

–

–

X

–

Styleride

N

Hispacold

–

X

–

–

X

–

–

SEGE

Y

10-12.9

Hispacold

–

X

–

–

X

–

–

SEGE

Y

2

10-12.9

Hispacold

–

X

–

–

X

–

–

SEGE

Y

ZF

2

10-12.9

Thermo King

–

–

X

–

–

X

–

Styleride

N

A

ZF

2

13.5

Thermo King

–

–

57

–

–

–

X

McConnell

N

uro 5

A

ZF

2

13.5

Thermo King

–

–

57

–

–

–

X

McConnell

Y

uro 6

A

ZF

2

12.5

Coachair

44

–

–

–

–

X

–

McConnell

N

uro 6

A

ZF

2

12.5

Coachair

44

–

–

–

–

X

–

McConnell

N

uro 5

A

ZF

2

12.5

Thermo King

53

–

–

–

–

–

X

McConnell

Y

uro 6

A

ZF

2

13.5

Thermo King

–

–

57

–

–

–

X

McConnell

N

uro 6

A

ZF

2

13.5

Thermo King

–

–

57

–

–

–

X

McConnell

N

uro 5

A

ZF

2

13.5

Thermo King

–

–

57

–

–

–

X

McConnell

N

uro 5

O

Scania

2

12.3

Thermo King

57

–

–

–

–

–

X

Styleride

Y

uro 6

A

ZF

2

12

Coachair

–

–

41

–

–

X

–

McConnell

N

uro 6

A

ZF

2

11.7

Hispacold

–

–

43

–

–

X

–

Bustech

N

uro 6

A

ZF

2

13.5

Coachair

49

–

–

–

–

X

–

McConnell

N

uro 5

O

Scania

2

12.3

Konvekta

57

–

–

–

–

–

–

Styleride

N

uro 5

O

Scania

2

10.5

Konvekta

43

–

–

–

–

–

X

Styleride

Y

uro 5

A

ZF

2

10-12.9

Thermo King

57

–

–

–

–

–

X

Styleride

Y

uro 6

A

ZF

2

10-12.9

Thermo King

57

–

–

–

–

–

X

McConnell

N

uro 6

A

ZF

2

10-12.9

Thermo King

–

–

41

–

–

X

–

McConnell

N

uro 6

A

ZF

3

10-12.9

Thermo King

–

–

X

–

–

X

–

McConnell

N

uro 5

A

Allison

2

12.4

Cling-Yutong

57

–

–

–

X

–

–

N/A

Y

uro 5

A

Allison

2

12.4

Cling-Yutong

57

–

–

–

X

–

–

N/A

Y

uro 5

A

Allison

2

8

Cling-Yutong

28

–

–

–

X

–

–

N/A

Y

TRANS MAKE

(metres)

AIR-CON (Brand)

Fixed Coach

Recliners

Metro

Long Distance

Charter

City or Route

School

*Bustech Group comprises Bustech, Elphinstone and Precision Buses. Volgren’s count includes any units from its partnership with Supportrans.

busnews.com.au October 2021 ABC

ABC_410_072-73_Bus Deliveries Table FC.indd 73

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19/10/21 10:33 am

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TAKE THE CHALLENGE! AUSTRALIAN OWNED AND DESIGN – RELIABILITY, LONGEVITY, FLEXIBILITY

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Untitled-26 75

18/10/21 2:28 pm

2 YEARS FREE SERVICING *

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Scheduled servicing and repairs are provided on the standard terms, conditions and exclusions of a 2yr/60,000km/1,200Hrs (whichever comes first) BestBasic Service Plan and exclude wheels, rims and tyres. Servicing can only be carried out by an authorised Fuso Service dealer. #Warranty terms and conditions apply, 5 year/200,000km whichever comes first. See an authorised Fuso dealer or our warranty policy at https://www.fuso.com.au/Warranty-Policy. Fuso is a registered trademark of Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation Japan and distributed by Daimler Truck and Bus Australia Pacific Pty Ltd ABN 86 618 413 282.

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