Buses World News: February 2005

PURCHASES - CANADA - New buses to arrive in 2006

Toronto,Canada -Globe and Mail,by JENNIFER LEWINGTON -Feb,24,2005: --New buses to replace an aging fleet will roll onto Toronto streets next year after city council approved a $1.2-billion capital budget yesterday after three days of debate...

ECOLOGY - INDIA - CNG buses hit Ahmedabad roads

Ahmedabad,India -Business Standard -Feb,23,2005: -- The Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation (GSRTC) unveiled its first compressed natural gas (CNG) buses on Monday which will run between... India’s largest automobile manufacturer Tata Motors has supplied the first lot of CNG buses to GSRTC...

SURVEY - USA - Buses do job

SAGINAW,Mich,USA -THE SAGINAW NEWS,by BREANNA SHEPHERD -Feb,23,2005: -- They're not luxurious, not convenient and not that comfortable. But, riders say, buses do the job... That's the consensus so far of dozens who participated in ridership surveys conducted by professor Gary Clark's Saginaw Valley State University marketing class...
http://www.mlive.com/news/sanews/index.ssf?/base/news-14/1109173884237460.xml

PURCHASE - UK - Arriva lanes plea for 400 buses

Liverpool Echo,by Neil Hodgson -Feb,22,2005: -- TRANSPORT group Arriva is to invest £45m on 400 new buses for Merseyside... He promised £20m towards a new fleet of low-floor buses for Liverpool by 2008 anda further £25m for new buses covering the rest of Merseyside by 2011...

TECHNECOLOGY - USA - Zero-emission buses to be tried

USA -Mercury News -22,Feb,2005: -- Two transit agencies will kick off a pilot program that may take diesel out of buses... will begin a three-year program to test the viability of zero-emission fuel-cell bus technology. The agencies will operate three buses powered solely by hydrogen to comply with new regulations by the California Air Resources Board to reduce nitrogen oxide and particulate matter.
http://www.fuelcellsworks.com/Supppage2115.html

OBSTACLES - USA - Illegally parked cars

Silver Line’s tarnished: Cars, snow blocks buses’ lanes
Boston,Mass,USA -Boston Herald,by Casey Ross -Feb,22,2005: -- The MBTA's Silver Line, heralded as a traffic-free ride for underserved Roxbury commuters, has become a dangerous obstacle course for mammoth buses constantly being forced into heavy traffic by illegally parked cars...
http://news.bostonherald.com/localRegional/view.bg?articleid=69762

PUBLIC TRANSPORT - ISRAEL - Encourage traveling on

Joint tickets for trains and buses okayed
Jerusalem,Israel -Jerusalem Post,by NINA GILBERT -Feb/22/2005: -- Israel Railways and the Egged and Dan bus companies would be required to issue joint tickets for continuing travel according to ... measure is aimed at encouraging travel on public transportation and thereby reducing costs, a Treasury official said...
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1109042627762

SUCCESS - UK - Crimestopper success makes bus yobs pay

UK -The Scotsman,by CHRIS MOONEY -21,Feb,2005: -- DOZENS of criminals have been caught following a "shop-a-lout" campaign on the Capital’s buses... Police received numerous tip-offs after passengers were encouraged to call the Crimestoppers phoneline during a publicity blitz...
http://news.scotsman.com/edinburgh.cfm?id=196602005

CONGESTIONS - AUSTRALIA - Light rail plan to ease Sydney's congestion

New South Wales,Australia -Sydney Morning Herald,by Tim Dick -February 21, 2005: -- An extensive light rail system to relieve inner Sydney's traffic congestion is affordable, would reduce commuting times for city workers and would halve the number of buses on clogged streets, the State Government will be told...
http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/City-vision-light-rail-to-beaches-inner-west/2005/02/20/1108834662453.html?oneclick=true

NEW - UK - StreetCars lined up to tackle congestion

Edinburgh,Scotland,UK -Edinburgh Evening News,by SAM HALSTEAD -19,Feb,2005: -- A HYBRID tram-bus is being touted as an answer to the city’s congestion problems. Transport giant FirstGroup is in talks with city chiefs over the introduction of "StreetCars" - a cross between trams and buses - on to the streets of the Capital. ..
http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=191082005

SALES - SWEDEN - VOLVO Reports Increases for Truck Orders

USA -Forbes/Associated Press -02/23/2005: -- Truck maker Volvo AB said Wednesday its January orders for new trucks surged 30 percent thanks to demand from western Europe and North America... The number of orders in January rose to 15,869 vehicles, u from 12,222 in the year-ago period, said the Goteborg-based company, whose brands include Mack Trucks and Renault...

PRODUCTION - USA - TOYOTA May Build More Factories in North America

LA,Cal,USA -LA Times/From Bloomberg News -Feb,22,2005: -- Toyota Motor Corp., which has broken its U.S. sales record for nine consecutive years, said it planned to expand production capacity in North America... plans to add two assembly factories by 2010, in addition to one planned for next year, for a total of eight plants as it attempts to boost sales in the world's largest auto market and challenge General Motors Corp....
http://www.blogger.com/publish.g?blogID=6950405&inprogress=true

PRODUCTION - Noth America Vehicle production this week

Ward's Reports Estimated Production
SOUTHFIELD, Mich,USA -PRNewswire- Feb,18,2005: -- Vehicle production this week in the U.S., Canada and Mexico is expected to hit an estimated 358,130 units, up 0.3 percent from the 357,056 cars and trucks built last week, according to WardsAuto.com...
http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=109&STORY=/www/story/02-18-2005/0003030504&EDATE=

BUSINESS - INDIA - TATRA Trucks opens seat manufacturing unit

Bangalore,INDIA -Business Standard -Feb,19,2005: -- ... the Indian truck manufacturing operations of the UK based Vectra Group, announced the opening of a seat manufacturing facility in Hosur. The organisation plans to manufacture a range of seats for use in luxury bus segment buses... The seating manufacturing unit has been formed in collaboration with FAINSA of Spain...

ECOLOGY - ITALY - Increase Diesel, Gasoline Tax to Buy Cleaner Buses

New York,USA -Bloomberg -Feb,18,2005: -- Italian Environment Minister Altero Matteoli said the government today decided to raise taxes on diesel fuel and gasoline to help buy less-polluting buses...
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000085&sid=aXshlnzIYvnI&refer=europe

INFRASTRUCTURE - EUROPE - Project of transpirenaica highway

Euzkadi,Spain -EITB -17/02/2005: -- The project of transpirenaica highway: Iruñea-Salies de Bearn, appeared yesterday publicly to the affected municipalities, that consists of a fast route of two tracks by sense that appears like an alternative to the passage towards Europe by the axis Irun-Baiona, but in no case like a route of union between Navarrese territories... Instead of deciding on the improvement of the present highway...
http://www.eitb24.com/noticia_es.php?id=39711

SALES - INDIA - ASHOK LEYLAND gets contract to supply 3,322 trucks to IRAK

Ernakulam,Kerala,India -New Kerala/Business India -Feb,16,2005: -- Ashok Leyland, Hinduja group's flagship company, has clinched a deal to supply 3,322 trucks to Iraq, the largest order so far for commercial vehicles from India... Other orders from the region include 100 trucks valued at five million dollars and an equal number of buses to Sudan...
http://www.newkerala.com/news-daily/news/features.php?action=fullnews&id=73029

ECOLOGY - AUSTRALIA - Buses and trains to run on biodiesel

Australia -NEWS.com.au,The Advertiser,by Bronwyn Hurrell - Feb,17,2005: ... Coinciding with the official introduction of the Kyoto Protocol yesterday, the State Government announced the city's buses and trains will be partly powered by biodiesel – an environmentally friendly fuel that can be made from recycled frying oil... All metropolitan trains and diesel buses will run on 5 per cent biodiesel from March 1... Over time, this will be increased to 20 per cent...
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,12275162-1246,00.html

SALES - S.KOREA - Singapore to Run Korean CNG Buses

South Korea -Korea Times,By Moon Gwang-lip -02/14/2005:
South Korea is seeking to export low emission buses powered by compressed natural gas (CNG) to Singapore in 2008 as the two countries move to increase ...

EMPTY - USA - Sick of empty buses

Salt Lake City,UT,USA -Salt Lake Tribune -02/14/2005: ... What a waste. I am sick of seeing the UTA running empty buses all over town. If UTA. wants to double my tax, they really need to stop wasting my money...
http://www.sltrib.com/opinion/ci_2567913

PROFITS - GERMANY - DaimlerChrysler sees favourable year for trucks in 2005

Turkey -Turkish Press/AFP -Feb,16,2005: -- STUTTGART, Germany,- German-US auto giant DaimlerChrysler expects 2005 to be another good year for its commercial vehicles division, following the record year in 2004... "2005 will be another good year. January got off to a good start,"... The division should turn in an operating profit in 2005 that was no lower than the 1.332 billion euros (1.7 billion dollars) booked in 2004, Renschler continued...
http://www.turkishpress.com/news.asp?ID=37417

TECHNOLOGY - USA - GM's Vehicles Standard Equipment: OnStar and StabiliTrak

NEW ORLEANS,LA,USA - ITS America News -Jan. 30, 2005: -– ... General Motors announced today that two proven life-saving safety technologies, OnStar and electronic stability control, will become standard features for retail customers in the United States and Canada, covering all segments and prices except... Based on stability systems now in use, NHTSA's study reported a 67 percent risk reduction in single-vehicle crashes for SUVs. The IIHS said as many as 800,000 of the 2 million single-vehicle crashes that occur each year could be avoided if stability control was standard on all vehicles sold in the United States...

TECHNECOLOGY - USA - EPA to Build World's First Full Hydraulic Hybrid Urban Delivery Vehicle

Washington, USA - EPA Press Release - Feb/2005: -- EPA (US, Environmental Protection Agency) and four partners are building the world's first full hydraulic hybrid urban delivery vehicle with significantly improved fuel economy and reduced harmful emissions... this technology can be especially significant because urban delivery vehicles--including buses, refuse trucks and package delivery vehicles--often operate in stop-and-go traffic. The benefits of this technology are reduced pollution and increased fuel economy.

ECOLOGY - USA - Copper to be testing site for fuel-efficient buses

Frisco,CO,USA -Summit Daily News,by JENNIFER HUFFMAN -Feb,11,2005: -- COPPER MOUNTAIN - Copper Mountain is going green with a new fuel-efficient bus to help transport skiers and riders... has teamed with Cobus Industries as a 60-day testing site for one of the company's vehicle models... The Cobus shuttle has a fuel-efficient engine, front-wheel drive for snow performance, low-floor technology for skiers' and riders' comfort and an aluminum-bolted body for longevity...

ECOLOGY - UK - Major Milestones Passed for Fuel Cell Buses

UK -The Fuel Cell Bus Club 11-February-2005: -- The CUTE / ECTOS / STEP fleet has passed two important milestones: Just before the end of last year, the total mileage of the 33 fuel cell buses amounted to 500.000 km... By the middle of January, the vehicles had been running for 40.000 hours since the beginning of operation... All participating cities - Amsterdam, Barcelona, Hamburg, London, Luxembourg, Madrid, Perth, Porto, Reykjavík, Stockholm and Stuttgart - are very pleased about the progress of the three projects. Buses and infrastructure continue to operate reliably.
http://www.fuelcellsworks.com/Supppage2042.html

RECORD - UK - A fare deal for buses

UK -The Scotsman -12 Feb 2005: -- ... Last year Lothian Buses dealt with a record 102 million bus passengers, representing an increase of 24 per cent in the space of six years. There is still potential for more people to travel by bus, and Lothian Buses aim to carry 120 million passengers a year by 2008...
http://news.scotsman.com/opinion.cfm?id=164152005

SECURITY - USA - Bus Security Increased, Metro Says

USA - Washington Post -Feb,11,2005: -- Metro has taken several steps to improve safety aboard its buses, assigning transit police to ride along on some routes and using canine units to sweep bus...
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/tombstone.html

TECHNOLOGY - USA - Buses may add Internet, satellite TV

Riverside,CA,USA -Press-Enterprise(subscription)-Feb,11,2005 -- ... the Riverside Transit Agency Board of Directors will vote on a proposal to spend nearly $47,000 on high-tech upgrades to three commuter buses traveling from ...

SECURITY - UK - ‘Buses could kill someone'

UK - Ealing Times,by Ushma Mistry - 11,Feb,2005: -- BUSES are being driven along pavements to bypass queuing traffic putting pedestrians at risk and causing hundreds of pounds worth of damage, it is claimed...

PROFITS - SWEDEN - VOLVO 4Q profits driven by trucks

LONDON,uk - newratings - February 10, 2005: -– Swedish truck manufacturer Volvo AB said that increasing demand from buyers in Europe and North America had enabled it to return to profits in the fourth quarter... The truck manufacturer’s revenue for the three-month period increased by 17% from the year-ago period. The company’s board recommended a dividend of 12.50 kronor for the full year 2004 as compared to 8 kronor paid in 2003. Volvo’s 2004 truck deliveries increased by 48% in North America and 12% in Europe...

PROFITS - GERMANY - DaimlerChrysler 2004 Rises Fivefold

Germany - Bloomberg - Feb.10,2005: -- DaimlerChrysler AG, the world's fifth- largest carmaker, said 2004 net income rose more than fivefold as the Chrysler and commercial vehicle divisions benefited from growing demand.

COMPLAINTS - UK - OAPs criticise unsafe Richmond bus service

UK - Richmond and Twickenham Times,by Sarah Woods - 10th February 2005: -- ELDERLY residents in Richmond have reacted with concern over the standards of bus operators in the borough, claiming that they often feel vulnerable and unsafe... Fresh statistics for London, which show that there were 20,000 complaints in the capital about unsafe driving by employees of the main bus companies... Criticisms were made over drivers not pulling up to stops and others moving off suddenly before older passengers had a time to get to a seat...

BIKE RACKS - USA - Tyler adds bike racks to buses

Longview,TX,USA - East Texas Review - February 10,2005: -- In response to citizen input, the City of Tyler has added bike racks to one bus on its Red Line and one bus on its Green Line... said most big cities in Texas like Dallas, San Antonio and Houston already offer this service... Additionally, cities like Denver have seen ridership increase by offering a place for people to put their bikes...

CHANGE - USA - More city buses and fewer school buses

Des Moines School Buses
Des Moines,IO, USA - who tv - February 9th, 2005: -- There could be some changes in the way children get to school. The Des Moines School Board is looking at using more city buses and fewer school buses this fall...

PRIVATIZATION - INDIA - Rickety Vadodara buses to get the boot; private players invited

VADODARA,Mumbai,India - Times of India,BY PAUL JOHN - FEBRUARY 09, 2005: -- In the coming months, the Gujarat State Road Transport (GSRTC), will gradually phase out its rickety city bus service and hand over the responsibility of monitoring the service to the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC)... The civic body on the other hand recently invited "Expression of Interest" (EOI) from private parties for operating the bus service. ...

PURCHASE - CANADA - Buying buses won't wait

* TTC's capital budget not settled but move likely to proceed
* $208 million purchase key to long-term fleet recycling plan
Toronto,Ontario,Canada - Toronto Star (Subscription),by KEVIN MCGRAN - Feb. 8, 2005: -- With fare increases looming and its 2005 capital budget still not balanced, the TTC is forging ahead with plans to buy $208 million worth of buses... TTC commissioners are expected to approve the purchase of 180 diesel buses and 150 diesel-electric hybrid buses from Mississauga-based Orion Bus Industries tomorrow at their monthly meeting.

SPEED LIMITS - MALAYSIA - Devices for buses being evaluated

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia - News Straits Times - Feb 7,2005: -- The Government is considering at least two types of speed limiting devices for express and tour buses... One is a speed limiter that will gradually slow the vehicle down if it breaches the 90kph speed limit.The other is a device that uses the global positioning system to track the movement of buses. When a bus goes beyond the speed limit, it automatically sends a signal to the Road Transport Department...

RESPONSIBILITY - Buses not enough

New York,NY,USA - Washington Square News - 02.08.2005 : -- Even though NYU's Campus Transportation has tried to improve service recently by adding new stops and increasing the number of buses, students living far from from campus still complained to WSN that they cannot rely upon NYU's transportation to get them to classes on time... If NYU is going to house students so far from campus, it is their responsibility to ensure that they have adequate transportation options and the ability to get to campus quickly and efficiently...

COMFORT - INDIA - Way to go: Deluxe buses catch travellers’ fancy

CHANDIGARH,India - Cities Express India,by Simran Kaler - February 6,2005: DELUXE buses that promise comfort and speed are leaving behind the State Transport buses in Punjab in terms of popularity and service... People are happy with the deluxe buses which, they say, are comfortable, convenient, and safe. "Deluxe buses provide 70 per cent more facilities to passengers than government buses"...
http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=116763

TECHNOLOGY - JAPAN - Buses offer guidance in 4 languages

TOKIO,Japan - Yomiuri Shimbun - Feb/2005: -- A Nara bus company has introduced on a trial basis a taped system that provides tourists with information in four languages about seven World Heritage Sites in the ancient capital... Tourists can choose Japanese, Chinese, English or Korean from a language selector on the back of the seat in front of them. There are also two monitors that can be viewed in the four languages aboard the two buses equipped with the service...
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/newse/20050207wo61.htm

ECOLOGY - INDONESIA - Smoking banned from public places

Jakarta,INDONESIA - The Australian - February 04,2005: -- ... passed a law banning smoking in public places as part of efforts to combat pollution in one of the world's most polluted cities... According to the new law, a person caught smoking in public places such as restaurants, parks and public transport will be fined 50 million rupiah ($7000) or jailed for six months... In another move to curb pollution in Jakarta, city councillors this week agreed to set limits on vehicle emissions but dropped plans to ban ageing cars and buses from roads despite pressure from officials and environmentalists...

FREE BUSES - N. ZEALAND - Council supports petition for

Manukau,New Zealand - Scoop.co.nz/RAM media release - 4.2.05:... Manukau City Council's Transport Committee passed a resolution urging the Auckland Regional Transport Authority to give "serious consideration" to the free buses petition being circulated by RAM -Residents Action Movement- ... "RAM sees the support of Manukau council for our free buses petition as an important step towards solving Auckland's traffic gridlock," ...
http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/AK0502/S00045.htm

SAFETY - USA - Study shows: All cell conversations distracting

WASHINGTON,USA - The Trucker - Feb/2005 -- The Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) Feb. 3 cited new research from the University of Utah as further evidence that both hands-free and hand-held cell phone use are potentially dangerous behaviors while driving... The study, found that when 18- to 25-year-olds were placed in a driving simulator and talked on a cell phone, they reacted to brake lights from a car in front of them as slowly as a 65- to 74-year-olds who were not using a cell phone, according to a GHSA news release. The study also found that drivers who talked on cell phones were 18 percent slower in hitting their brakes than drivers who did not talk and drive. The drivers were distracted whether they were using a hand-held phone or using the hands-free feature...
http://www.thetrucker.com/stories/02_05/0204_cell_phones.html

REGULATIONS - USA - Do the time or do time!

Road Transport Working Time Regulations
TNN,UK - Feb/7/05: Washington, USA -- A reminder to operators of heavy goods vehicles of the draft Road Transport Working Time Regulations its effects and requirements...
http://www.tnn.co.uk/legal/plonearticle.2005-02-07.9657028143

INT'L COLLABORATION - Road 'no accident' says World Health Organization

Washington, USA - A collaborative venture by seven automotive and oil companies aims to cut the growing toll of road casualties in developing countries...is at the heart of a $10 million project to cut the 1.2 million road deaths and 50 million injuries globally... supported by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Red Cross and Crescent Federation, the idea is to be implemented by the Global Road Safety partnership(GRSP)... multi-national companies contributing to the initiative include Shell, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Michelin, Renault and Toyota. The programme intends to bring together representatives from governments, business and non- governmental organisations to work together on practical ideas to improve safety in the developing world, so as to reduce the serious social and economic impacts of road casualties. Road deaths and injuries are predicted to rise by 65% in the developing conuties unless something is done... www.GRSProadsafety.org
http://www.tnn.co.uk/WorldwideNews/plonearticle.2005-01-04.1535542772

INT´L ORGANIZATION - The International Road Transport Union

The International Road Transport Union, organization based in Geneva, Switzerland, founded to help the full international transport, assists bus and coach as well as taxi and truck operators throughout the world and briefs them on developments affecting their business. Through its national associations on every continent, the IRU speaks for the entire road transport industry...
http://www.iru.org/Presenting/Welcome.E.html

TOLLS - GERMANY - No drama as MAUT goes live

TNN,UK - Feb/2005: GERMANY -- After many months of political argument and several breakdowns in the technical equipment, the German MAUT road-tolling system finally went live on January 1st this year. Despite worries from transport companies and road transport industry groups, the predicted foul-up at the payment kiosks failed to materialise...
http://www.tnn.co.uk/EuropeanNews/plonearticle.2005-01-07.0299319159

EDUCATION - AUSTRIA Wrong way hazard in

TNN, UK - Feb/2005: AUSTRIA -- A educational programme has been launched in Austria aimed at preventing drivers coming towards you on your side of the motorway. Austria's transport ministry is reported to be launching an urgent campaign to educate its motorists after some 550 drivers were caught driving on the wrong side of the country's motorways...
http://www.tnn.co.uk/EuropeanNews/plonearticle.2005-02-02.6780450949

REGULATIONS - FRANCE: Light up in?

TNN, UK - Feb/2005: France -- There is much dispute still going on over whether or not it is now a legal requirement for all vehicles to have dipped headlights on at all times of day and night in France and the experiment of having headlights on in France at all times has confused many drivers...
http://www.tnn.co.uk/EuropeanNews/plonearticle.2005-02-02.8769386177

TECHNECOLOGY - AUSTRALIA - Diesel from plastic bags

TNN, UK - Feb/2005: New process that converts waste plastic bags to diesel at low cost. We have heard so many stories about processes that produce diesel but here's one that really is environmentally sound... The system uses a pyrolysis chamber, a patented catalytic converter and series of specially built condensers to produce energy rich diesel fuel from...
http://www.tnn.co.uk/Technology/plonearticle.2004-11-23.1998994704

TECHNOLOGY - UK - New solution for tyred old problem

TNN - UK - Feb/2005: Every year 32 million car tyres and nearly 4 million truck tyres are scrapped. Despite many uses now being found for them, some 190,000 tonnes still end up in landfill sites each year - a method which will be banned by 2006... So a new distillation process under development by...
http://www.tnn.co.uk/Technology/plonearticle.2004-12-08.0169490021

TECHNOLOGY - USA - US Truck Maker throws away the keys

TNN, UK - Feb/2005: TX, USA -- Peterbilt, the Texas-based Paccar subsidiary, has announced the fitting of a luxury car style keyless door entry system for all of its articulated, conventional (normal control) range... The company says the move will bring additional convenience and security to its trucks. The remote keyless option uses a two-button fob to lock and unlock the driver, passenger and full-size sleeper doors...
http://www.tnn.co.uk/Technology/plonearticle.2004-12-22.7511268587

TECHNOLOGY - UK - Aims to lead in alternative fuels

TNN - UK - Feb/2005: London -- UK Today Industry Minister Jacqui Smith announced the setting-up of two research and development centres devoted to alternative fuel sources. With funding of £15m the two centres will help the UK take a world lead in "smart" transport and zero emission vehicle technologies...
http://www.tnn.co.uk/Technology/

TECHNOLOGY - TYRES - GOODYEAR launchs 'puncture-proof' tyre

TNN, UK - Feb/2005: Goodyear tyres have just announced the production of a 'puncture-proof' tyre aimed squarely at the commercial vehicle market. The DuraSeal technology will automatically seal any cuts or punctures in the tyre and allow the driver to continue to use the tyre until retreading is required...
http://www.tnn.co.uk/Technology/plonearticle.2005-01-25.4152188568

PRODUCTION - CHINA - VOLKSWAGEN committs to

TNN, UK - Feb/2005: VW Volkswagen opened a new plant in Changchun, in northern China, with its joint venture FAW Volkswagen. The production of the Caddy model is due to start there in the Spring of next year. The Chinese partners FAW and Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC) will produce engines for the production in China...
http://www.tnn.co.uk/Manufacturers/plonearticle.2004-12-23.8409489597

PRODUCTION - VOLKSWAGEN assembles CVs in UAE

TNN - UK - Feb/2005: German automotive giant Volkswagen is to begin assembling heavy trucks in the United Arab Emirates beginning in 2006. The company plans to begin with 1,000 commercial vehicles, before expanding production to 3,000...
http://www.tnn.co.uk/Manufacturers/plonearticle.2004-12-23.8409489597

INVESTMENT - PAKISTAN - DAIMLERCHRYSLER to invest in

TNN, UK - Feb/2005: GERMANY -- A delegation of investors from Germany and the United Arab Emirates met Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz in Islamabad on Tuesday, amongst them were senior representatives from DaimlerChrysler...
http://www.tnn.co.uk/Manufacturers/plonearticle.2005-01-12.8803736746

SALES - GERMANY - 25 per cent of MAN shares sold

TNN, UK - Feb/2005: The largest shareholders in MAN, Europe's third-largest truckmaker, sold their holding in the German multi-national this week for €1bn. Insurer Allianz, Munich Re and Commerzbank sold exactly 24.2% of MAN to institutional investors on Wednesday at €29 a share...
http://www.tnn.co.uk/Manufacturers/plonearticle.2005-01-14.6057210906

SALES - IVECO up for sale soon?

TNN - UK - Feb 2005: ITALY -- A story in the Italian language newspaper Milano Finanza (Milan Finance) suggests that Fiat Group is planning to announce that its Lancia car and Iveco truck subsidiaries may be offered for sale to raise €2bn as part of a two year restructuring plan for the indebted group...
http://www.tnn.co.uk/Manufacturers/plonearticle.2005-01-19.5837275188

BUYS - DUBAI buys into DaimlerChrysler

TNN - London,UK - Feb/2005: It was announced on Sunday that the Emirate of Dubai has bought a $1bn stake in DaimlerChrysler. This represents just over 2% of the company's shares, and makes Dubai the third largest shareholder in the German automotive manufacturer...
http://www.tnn.co.uk/Manufacturers/plonearticle.2005-01-31.9387188507

TECHNESECURITY - National Scientific Corp. Announces Purchase Order For Travado IBUS

SCOTTSDALE,Ariz,USA - Business Wire - Feb. 4, 2005:... U.S. technology firm National Scientific Corp., today announced receipt and acceptance of a purchase order for their Travado IBUS digital video and school bus rider authentication system. The order is from Auto Safety House (ASH), a leading distributor of Thomas Built Buses...
http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2005/Feb/1114419.htm

TECHNOLOGY - UK - Glitches put brakes on bus displays drive

Edinburgh,Scotland,UK - The Scotsman,by ALAN RODEN - 2 Feb 2005: THE introduction of Tube-style electronic information panels on city bus stops has been hit by a series of glitches... The panels offering information about when the next bus is due were supposed to be working on six routes by the end of last month...
http://news.scotsman.com/scotland.cfm?id=125322005

SCHOOL BUSES - USA - Some adding GPS devices

USA - USA Today - 2/2/2005: FREDERICKSBURG,Va./AP -— School buses rumbling down roads in two counties could soon have a high-tech option usually found on pricier cars: Global Positioning System devices... The systems will allow dispatchers...
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2005-02-02-school-bus-gps_x.htm

PURCHASES - DUBAI to increase fleet of buses to 800 by 2010

DUBAI - MENAFN, Middle East/Emirates News Agency - 01/02/2005: Dubai plans to increase the number of public buses from the present 500 to 800 by 2010 to meet the increasing demand for public transportation, Abdul Aziz Abdulla Malik, Director of Public Transport Department, Dubai Municipality said today.

SALES - TURKEY - DAIMLERCHRYSLER to supply buses

London,UK - AWKnowledge (subscription) - 1/Feb/2005: DaimlerChrysler has signed an agreement with the Istanbul urban transport authority in Turkey for the supply of 450 buses. ...

ECOLOGY - UK - Buses and taxis get blame as capital fails emission test

Edinburgh,Scotland,UK - The Scotsman, by CLAIRE SMITH - 31 Jan 2005: BUSES and taxis are the reason Edinburgh is failing to meet new European guidelines on emissions - not private cars. The revelation came yesterday as the city’s council leader Donald Anderson raised the intensity of the debate over the planned congestion charge. He suggested that unless residents voted "yes" in the forthcoming referendum, certain city centre streets would have to be closed off to traffic because of pollution levels...

REGULATIONS - USA - Safe Clear won't take any buses

Houston,TX,USA - Houston Chronicle,by BILL MURPHY - Jan. 30, 2005: Harris County Commissioner Steve Radack recently pointed out what he considers an unfair aspect of Houston's Safe Clear ordinance. It doesn't allow drivers to repair vehicles along freeways, he said, but Metro is given time to repair stalled buses.

TECHNOLOGY - TAIWAN - Inauguration of Buses with TV

Kaohsiung,Taipei,Taiwan - Taiwan Headlines/CNA - 2005/01/29: The Kaohsiung City Government inaugurated buses and ferries offering DiMo TV Saturday, according to Chang Chun-yen, secretary-general of the southern port city's government. TV will play commercial-free digital programs offered by the PTSF, which will do its utmost to uphold the program quality...

Buses World News

25.2.05