BUSMAKERS' NEWS * WORLDWIDE

* USA - American busmaker Gillig and its workers, a stimulus success story

CAL,USA -Fav Stocks/by The White House Blog -9 April 2010: -- The other day, I heard a great success story from a man who thanked me for the work DOT’s Recovery Act grants had stimulated. He had in mind, specifically, our Federal Transit Administration grants that have allowed local and regional transit districts to upgrade and expand their fleets in times of strapped budgets... Because of the Obama Administration’s stimulus, he said, the Gillig Corporation, a 100% American bus manufacturer in California, had not only been able to retain its workforce in threatening times, but had added workers and was even working a shift on Saturdays... Now, I’ve heard a lot of anecdotes like this in the past 14 months. Recovery Act grants have allowed transit agencies to purchase over 12,000 new buses, rail cars, and paratransit vans. In Tennessee, for example, a grant to the Memphis Area Transit Authority allowed them to order 26 new vehicles from Gillig... (Photo: The first of 14 new Gillig-made buses for the Whatcom Transportation Authority)


* Germany - MB buses meet EEV emissions standard without diesel particulate filter

Stuttgart,Germany -Transport Weekly (Letonia) -15 April 2010: -- The Mercedes-Benz bus range for travel and regular transport services is to feature even more environmentally friendly specifications in the future. Over and above the proven BlueTec 5 diesel technology, the buses are now being made available in EEV (Enhanced Environmentally Friendly Vehicle) versions. The optional EEV emissions standard is currently the strictest European emissions standard, with limits which are below those of the Euro 5 standard. This translates into even lower pollutant emissions, thereby undercutting the Euro 5 standard in terms of particle emissions, for example, by around 30%, but without a fuel economy penalty. The most significant aspect of this result, however, is that it has been achieved solely by means of internal engine measures and without an additional particulate filter in the case of the Mercedes-Benz BlueTec engines. Previously the BlueTec engines were able to fulfil the optional EEV emissions standard through a combination of SCR (Selective Catalytic Reduction) technology and an additional diesel particulate filter. This system will also continue to be available...


* Hungary - Bus makers establish business cluster

Budapest,Hungary -Real Deal/MTI-ECONEWS -April 08, 2010: -- Nineteen Hungarian bus makers have established the Hungarian Bus Makers Cluster, government commissioner in charge of a programme supporting the bus-making industry Istvan Forian said at a press conference on Wednesday... The aim of the cluster is to promote cooperation among Hungarian companies in the industry, increasing their chances amidst fierce international competition, Mr Forian said... The founders of the cluster are Alfa Busz Projekt, Auto Rad Controlle, Auto Univerzal, I-Cell, IK Femtechnika, IK Jarmutechnika, Ikarus Bus, Jaszi-Autokut, Kti Kozlekedestudomanyi Intezet Nonprofit, Liberatus Hungary, Magyar Autobuszgyarto, Nor-Service, Omnex, Oroshazaglas, Raba Jarmu, Silex, Trezor-Liktor, Tuv Nord and Vill-Cad...