Buses World News: January 2013

Upstairs or downstairs ? Psychological Analysis * UK

* Where you sit on a bus reveals your personality

London,EN,UK -The Daily Mail -5 January 2009: -- You may think it's just part of the daily routine but where you sit on a bus can reveal what kind of person you are, according to a leading psychologist... Dr Tom Fawcett studied passengers on an hour-long double-decker bus route that links Bolton with Manchester and noticed that where people chose to sit exposed how they reacted to situations, what sort of temperament they had and even what their interests might be... He concluded that those who sat at the front were forward-thinkers, people who chose the middle seats were independent-minded, while the back seats were occupied by rebellious passengers who didn't like their personal space being invaded...

Labels: passengers' survey

PUBLIC TRANSPORT * USA

* DC - APTA: US Transit Users save $10,502 yearly

Washington,DC,USA -Busworld (Belgium) -23 Jan 2013: -- According to the American Public Transportation Association’s (APTA) January Transit Savings Report, individuals who ride public transportation instead of driving can save, on average, more than $875 this month, and $10,502 annually... These savings are based on the cost of commuting by public transportation compared to the cost of owning and driving a vehicle which includes the January 17, 2013 average national gas price ($3.29 per gallon — reported by AAA) and the national unreserved monthly parking rate... APTA releases this monthly Transit Savings Report to examine how an individual in a two-person household can save money by taking public transportation and living with one less car... The national average for a monthly unreserved parking space in a downtown business district is $166.26, according to the 2012 Colliers International Parking Rate Study. Over the course of a year, parking costs for a vehicle can amount to an average of $1,995...

Labels: public transport system

ALTERNATIVE FUELS * S. KOREA

* South Korea - NGV growth and development ongoing in

( Photo: Vehicles from South Korea)
Seoul,S.K. -Busworld (Belgium) -15 Jan 2013: -- There are now more than 35 thousand Natural Gas Vehicles (NGVs) in the Republic of Korea, serviced by 164 CNG or LNG stations, reports the International Energy Agency’s AMFI Newsletter. Promoted by the government’s Ministry of Environment since 2000, the Korean NGV population is made up of about 80% OEM transit buses and 20% OEM trucks and bi-fuel retrofit passenger cars, NGVs are predominantly powered by compressed natural gas (CNG) and have contributed to reduced air pollution in the cities by cutting greenhouse gas emissions... Dedicated CNG buses and trucks are supplied by Korean auto makers such as Hyundai, Daewoo Bus and Tata Daewoo. Liquefied natural gas (LNG) has also been taken up as an alternative fuel. Hyundai has developed dedicated LNG buses and there are some LNG dual-fuel trucks in operation... According to NGV Global statistics, Korea had 32,441 NGVs at end 2011, meaning a growth rate of approximately 8% appears to have been achieved through 2012..

Labels: alternative fuels

ROAD SAFETY * France

* France - Accidents involving trucks and buses fell 15% in 2012

Paris,France -Autocar and Bus Infos, 19189 (France), by FG -24 Jan 2013: -- The figures dramatic decline in road deaths in 2012 (- 8% according to preliminary figures from the Road Safety) compared to 2011, good news today fell for trucks and buses. Thus, the number of drivers killed at the wheel of their car or their truck went from 67 in 2011 to 57 in 2012, a decrease of nearly 15%. For the record, the number of truck drivers who died in 2000 was 124. Finally: the number of accidents and injuries (all drivers VL, Vul, PL, cars, bikes ...) fell 6.9%...

Labels: road safety

BUS MARKETS * Europe

* Belgium - The European Market in 2012 VI gloomy

Brussels,Belgium -Autocar Bus and Infos -30 Jan 2013: -- Registrations of new commercial vehicles in Europe fell by 12.4% in 2012, reaching 1,695,173 units, according to figures from the Association of European Automobile Manufacturers released before yesterday... France remains in this sector the largest European market with quarter of immats, despite a decline of 10.6% to 381,233 units... Registrations under PL 16 t decrease of 9.1% in Europe to 285,809 units, only to - 7.5% in France, with 45,678 units. The market for more than 16 t undergoes a substantial decrease slightly more at - 9.4%, or 214,086 registrations across the EU. In France, the sector declined by 8.5% to 36,461 units...

* France - Buses, coaches, mini: registrations down 12% in 2012

Paris,France -Autocar and Bus Infos, 19239, by FG -30 Jan 2013: -- According to figures from the Chambre Syndicale CSIAM and the Committee of Manufacturers (CCFA), registrations coaches, buses and minibuses minibus (from 3.5 t) decreased in 2012 compared to 2011. With 725 fewer vehicles, the new home market fell by 11.95%. In total, 6,062 vehicles people were registered last year against 6,787 in 2011, a record in France and even in Europe. By brand, the first three manufacturers on the French market Iveco Irisbus (36.1%), Mercedes-Benz (33.6%) and Heuliez Bus (6.8% - subsidiary Iveco bus group)...

Labels: bus markets

BUSMAKERS NEWS * WORLDWIDE

* Brazil - Marcopolo buys New Flyer shares

(Photo)
Caxias do Sul,Rio Grande do Sul,Brazil -Busworld (Belgium) -31 Jan 2013: -- Brazilian bus body builder Marcopolo announced that it has purchased a 19.99% share of Canada’s New Flyer for approximately $116 million. As part of the deal, Marcopolo will acquire 11,087,834 common shares to be issued by New Flyer Industries Inc.... New Flyer, based in Winnipeg, is a manufacturer of urban buses in Canada and in the United States that had net revenues of $926 million and produced 1800 units in 2011... The idea is to introduce Marcopolo technology and products into the Canadian and American markets through New Flyer, as well as introduce New Flyer branded technology and products into other markets...

* Sweden - Elimination of positions for, at Scania

(Photo: Southern Chile roadway)
Södertälje,Sweden -Autocar Bus and Infos -30 Jan 2013: -- Faced with poor figures of the European market PL, Scania today announced a reduction of its activity in Europe... "Given the weak demand in Europe and the Middle East, production will be reduced by about 15% in Europe in the early first quarter of 2013 compared to the first quarter of 2012. This decision pourait result in the elimination of 700 positions", said the statement from the manufacturer... Commands and PL bus from the Swedish nevertheless increased by 24% during the year 2012, driven by the dynamic South American market...

* China - BYD receives EC whole vehicle type approval for its pure electric bus

(Photo: All Aluminium elecdtric bus from BYD, China)
Shenzhen,Guangdong,China -Busworld (Belgium) -13 Jan 2013: -- BYD announced that its pure electric bus has received the EU’s Whole Vehicle Type Approval, WVTA for short, allowing it to sell its electric buses in all EU member states without the need for individual national approval... The WVTA is a compulsory certificate which has to be obtained before vehicles or components of the same type can be approved for sale within EU countries. The WVTA encompasses 25 tests (excluding components tests) and sets high standards for vehicle and safety performance. In order to achieve this standard a bus must conform to a host of stringent European directives... BYD has been targeting sales in Europe of its pure electric bus, the first 12 metre fully electric bus on the market, and has gained orders in a number of countries including China, Netherlands, Finland, Denmark, Israel, Uruguay, Canada and the United States... In addition, BYD has recently announced that it is to set up a Joint Venture to manufacture electric buses in Bulgaria...

* Hungary - Volvo Bus and Raba sign memorandum of understanding

(Photo: Volvo City bus of BKV, in Budapest)
Budapest,Hungary -Busworld (Belgium) -29 Jan 2013: -- Volvo Bus and Hungarian vehicle and component manufacturer Raba, recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), in which they agree to examine the possibilities of extending their cooperation to the Hungarian bus market... The public transport vehicles would be manufactured for Raba's home market... According to the agreement, Hungarian local content built in the vehicles would finally reach 30%. The industrial partnership would involve a wide use of Raba’s main components, as well as products from other Hungarian suppliers. These parts will be introduced into Volvo’s global purchasing system...

* Sweden - Volvo launches first hybrid bus in Asia-Pacific

(Photo: The new Volvo B5R Hybrid bus at the Volvo dealership in Guildford, Perth)
Stockholm,Sweden -Busworld (Belgium) -23 Jan 2013: ... The bus will begin operations in March in Perth’s free inner city CAT* service run by the Public Transport Authority of Western Australia... The Volvo B5R is assembled with a locally designed and built Volgren body following the same chassis and body approach of Volvo’s city chassis... The fully integrated parallel hybrid system used in the Volvo B5R allows the vehicle to operate on either electric only, diesel only or a combination of both depending on conditions and energy requirements... The electric motor acts both as a motor and a generator that recharges the battery when braking. At higher speeds the diesel engine and electric motor work together to power the bus along, while at lower speeds power can be electric only. Zero emissions are reached, when the diesel engine shuts off at lower speeds or during idling at a red light or bus stop...

* UK - The British test the anti-metro attacks

Newcatle,UK -Autocar and Bus Infos (France) -25 Jan 2013: -- Rail research center at the University of Newcatle in Britain think I found the solution for anti-subway bombings. Not that he can thwart the attacks, but he is able to make a bomb does not kill in case of explosion. For his test, the university has placed explosives in different types of subway cars with a new project to absorb shocks. After explosion, it turns out that some panels and passenger windows are virtually in place compared to current cars rolling equipment in Britain, which could be fewer victims...

* USA - Thor purchases Federal Coach assets

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Imlay City, Michigan,USA -Busworld (Belgium) -24 Jan 2013: -- Thor Industries Inc. announced its Champion Bus Inc. subsidiary purchased the bus operation assets of Federal Coach for $6.8 million in cash... The addition of the Federal Coach line offers Thor’s Bus Group both potential operating synergies and access to important markets within the industry... Federal Coach produces a full-line of shuttle, executive and limousine buses ranging in capacity from 12 to 44 passengers, with annual sales of approximately $25 million...

Labels: busmakers news worldwide

BRT TROUBLES * India

* India - The Controversial BRT Corridor

Delhi,India -India Transport Portal -Jan 2013: -- BRT or bus rapid transit refers to a popular public transportation system which allows buses to move faster and with greater ease, facilitating efficient flow of traffic. Several countries in Europe, the United States, Australia and Indonesia have successfully experimented with this. Following these examples, India too has implemented a number of BRT corridors in different cities... However, ever since its inception in 2008, the BRT corridor in Delhi has been plagued with controversies... Contrary to beliefs, the BRT corridor has considerably slowed down the traffic movement. A study revealed that there are more than 7 million vehicles compared to only 32000 buses plying on the roads of the national capital. By restricting the private vehicles from plying on bus lanes it further added to the traffic woes in the city... Earlier this year the Delhi High Court had ordered various traffic usage on the BRT corridor, which the authorities failed to comply with... The Delhi Government has approved private cars to ply on the bus lanes of the corridor. However with the government determined to protect the BRT corridor even in the face of stiff opposition, it seems unlikely that the controversies will be resolved soon...

Labels: bus rapid transit - BRT

BUS SALES * China

* China - Beijing to add 3000 Natural Gas Buses to its fleet

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Beijing,China -Busworld (Belgium) -12 Jan 2013: -- The Beijing Public Transport Group recently announced that 3155 new clean-energy buses would be added to its fleet during 2013... In 2012, 839 conventional buses were replaced by environmentally-friendly buses, including 249 Nation V diesel buses and 590 LNG city buses. In 2013, the Group will purchase 3155 more LNG city buses, making its total fleet of natural gas buses growing to 5681 units...

Labels: buses sales

STUDY * UK

* UK - Project launch to improve effectiveness of SCR systems for heavy-duty vehicles

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Holywell Park,Loughborough,UK -Busworld -16 Jan 2013: -- The UK public-private partnership Energy Technologies Institute (ETI), Loughborough University, Johnson Matthey and Caterpillar have launched a new £4.5-million (€5.4 million) technology project to improve the effectiveness of Selective Catalytic Reaction (SCR) aftertreatment systems for NOx reduction in heavy duty vehicles (HDVs). The project aims to help HDV fuel efficiency by developing a more efficient exhaust aftertreatment system. Often diesel engine fuel efficiency is reduced by having to comply with exhaust emission standards. It is hoped that the new exhaust system developed by this project will effectively remove this constraint. The project aims to deliver fuel efficiency and CO2 benefits of between 3%-4%...

Labels: studies

BUSMAKERS NEWS * WORLDWIDE

* Switzerland - Fuel Cell Buses With Hybrid Technology Provide Shuttle Service At Davos

(Photo: Mercedes-Benz Citaro FuelCELL Hybrid) Davos,Switzerland -Automotive World -23 Jan 2012: -- Two Mercedes‑Benz Citaro FuelCELL Hybrid buses with fuel cell technology will be providing both shuttle and regular services from 23 to 27 January 2013 at the prestigious “World Economic Forum” in Davos... With this in mind the Mercedes‑Benz Citaro FuelCELL Hybrid buses are an ideal means of transport... PostAuto Schweiz AG will be providing the vehicles for transporting participants... The fuel cell Postbuses use only environmentally-friendly and sustainably produced hydrogen as a fuel. PostAuto estimates that 2000 tonnes of CO2 will be saved during the five-year test phase...

* Germany - Electric Vehicles: Daimler, Ford and Nissan signed an agreement to develop a common fuel cell

Stuttgart,Germany -Autocar and Bus Infos, 19218 (France) -29 Jan 2013: -- We know the determination of the Daimler Group to develop fuel cell to produce electric vehicles. For over 20 years, Daimler develops cell energy in the bus, including the Citaro, some copies run in Europe. He even presented last year a Freightliner truck with a battery charged energy to provide electricity to the entire vehicle. Only problem with its current use: the cost is exorbitant. To get to make these devices more affordable, Daimler has united around him Ford and Nissan in order to equip their future vehicles ... It is very likely that the device in the joint is quickly applied to utilities...

* China - ZF wins major order from Beijing

(Photo: Huanghai Bus in Beijing Bus Route 1)
Beijing,China -Automotive World -Jan 2013: -- The Beijing Public Transport Corporation (BPTC) placed a major order for low-floor axles with ZF: About 2 200 buses from Chinese production will be equipped with ZF technology and delivered to Beijing in 2013...

Labels: busmakers news worldwide

MARKETS PROGNOSIS * WORLDWIDE

* Connecticut / USA - Study: Nearly 1 Million Natural Gas Trucks and Buses Will be Sold Worldwide From 2012 to 2019

(Photo_ Busy buses on Myanmar)
Farmington,CT,USA -Global Information -January 18, 2013: ... New market research report, "Natural Gas Trucks and Buses - Heavy Duty and Medium Duty Trucks and Buses, Refueling Stations, Demand Drivers, Policy Factors, Technology Issues, Key Industry Players, and Global Market Forecasts" by Pike Research... Because trucks and buses use significant amounts of fuel and tend to emit high levels of greenhouse gases (GHGs), diesel and natural gas (NG) vehicles are increasingly attractive options in these commercial markets. At the same time, the rebounding construction industry is pushing growth in the overall truck market while cities and municipalities look to expand their public transit systems. According to a recent report from Pike Research, a part of Navigants Energy Practice, sales of natural gas trucks and buses will expand steadily over the remainder of the decade. More than 930,000 of these vehicles will be sold worldwide from 2012 to 2019, the study concludes...

Labels: market prognosis

BUSES' MAINTENANCE * UK

* UK - First employee’s maintenance invention saves thousands

London,EN,UK -Transport Engineer -21 Jan 2013: -- First Aberdeen engineer, Denis Noble, has saved the bus operator thousands of pounds, having invented equipment that helps maintain the company's 32 bendy buses... Until Noble's invention – essentially, an oil storage tank with a pump – First used a contractor to repair and maintain the turntable rams in the middle section of a bendy bus, which keep the vehicle aligned... However, the cost of taking the buses out of service, transporting them off-site and paying for repairs was proving expensive, he explains... Duncan Cameron, First Aberdeen's director and general manager, predicts that Noble's invention will save the company more than £15,000 a year...

Labels: buses' maintenance

RULES and REGULATIONS * China

* China - Shoves Beidou intro tractors, trucks and buses. Latest decree from on high turns up heat on GPS

Beijing,China -The Register/Networks, by Phil Muncaster -16 January 2013: -- The Chinese government has mandated the use of its new satellite navigation system Beidou (BDS) in several classes of vehicle across nine provinces, as the sat nav war between it and the United States' GPS heats up... The Ministry of Transport made the decree on Tuesday – covering Jiangsu, Anhui, Hebei, Shaanxi, Shandong, Hunan and Guizhou provinces, along with Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region and Tianjin Municipality... The order comes after last year's 100,000+ vehicle trial of Beidu across the nine regions. Now, all passenger buses and vehicles used for transporting “dangerous articles” must install BDS when it’s time to renew their on-board sat nav, while heavy-duty trucks and trailers need to be retrofitted with the same... The Ministry wants to have 80 per cent of such vehicles fitted with Beidou before March 2013 and all new vehicles in these categories to leave the factory with on-board Beidou terminals...

Labels: rules and regulations

BUSMAKERS NEWS * WORLDWIDE

* South Africa - MAN looks to source more parts in SA as new legislation looms

Olifantsfontein,Gauteng,SA -Engineering News, by Irma Venter -10 January 2013: -- MAN Truck and Bus South Africa has kickstarted a project to increase the local content on its South African assembled buses and trucks... On buses, local content is somewhat higher, as the bus body sports 80%-plus local content – the minimum required by current legislation for government and municipal tenders. The bus body includes parts such as the dashboard console, glass, seats, roof, body shell and flooring... For the more mechanically intricate bus chassis, local content is between 5% and 7%, with 10% the target in the short term... While imperatives such as job creation and being a good corporate citizen are driving the MAN initiative, he adds, more pending changes in legislation is also a powerful motivator...

Labels: busmakers news worldwide

RULES & REGULATIONS * USA

* DC - Feds finalizing new rules that include bus seat belts
Washington,DC,USA -The Detroit News, by DAVID SHEPARDSON -14 June 2012:: -- Requirement would take effect in 3 years, according to NHTSA. National Highway Traffic Safety Administrator David Strickland says the auto safety agency hopes to finalize several key regulations by the end of 2013, including a long-delayed proposal to require safety belts on commercial buses... In an interview at the North American International Auto Show, Strickland said the agency expects to issue the rule "very soon" ... NHTSA, which has been debating requiring seat belts on motor coaches since 1977, has said the requirement would take effect three years after a final version is published... The agency won't require the nation's current fleet of 29,000 commercial buses to be retrofitted with seat belts because that may not be "economically feasible" for many small carriers. But NHTSA isn't ruling out taking the action at a later date... NHTSA said its seat belt proposal will cost $25 million annually — or about $13,000 per bus — and will save as many as eight lives a year, depending on the rate of seat belt usage...

Labels: rules and regulations

BUSMAKERS NEWS * USA

* Nebraska - 400+ Roush Blue Birds for Student Transportation, Inc. The largest contract ever

Omaha,NEB,USA -Fleet and Fuels -December 18, 2012: -- Roush CleanTech and Blue Bird Bus are expected to announce an order for more than 400 propane auto-gas-fueled buses for the Omaha and Millard Public Schools in Nebraska on Wednesday... Under the contract with the Metropolitan Omaha Education Consortium (MOEC) Interlocal Transportation Association, STI and its Student Transportation of America subsidiary will provide approximately 530 vehicles...

The Blue Bird Vision bus is powered by a 6.8-liter Ford V-10 engine modified for 100% propane autogas operation with a Roush CleanTech liquid injection system...

Labels: busmakers news Canada and USA

PUBLIC TRANSPORT POLICIES * WORLDWIDE

* India - Bus-makers’ hopes ride on 12th plan

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Mumbai,India -The Hindustan Times, by Manu P. Toms -January 1, 2013: -- Massive planned investment in public transport, incentives to civic bodies to purchase buses under JNNURM-II and public-private partnership model for city transport, as proposed in the draft 12th Five Year Plan document, are likely to bring cheer to bus makers who have been going through a lull for the past two years... The second phase of the Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) envisages R200,000 crore investment to improve amenities in 65 cities. A significant portion of this will go into public transport... In the first phase of JNNURM, civic bodies had purchased 15,260 low floor and semi-low floor buses... This time the purchase order could be significantly higher. Sources say close to Rs. 50,000 crore may be used to create rapid bus transit systems in several cities...

* USA - FMCSA shuts down Georgia bus carrier over safety violations

Atlanta,GA,USA -Land Line, by Charlie Morasch -28 Dec 2012: -- A thorough safety review has led the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to shut down an interstate bus company over a long list of safety, substance testing and maintenance violations... Atlanta-based Aglemoarge Services was investigated by FMCSA on Dec. 17 after the carrier was above FMCSA BASIC thresholds for unsafe driving and hours-of-service categories. The company also had multiple drivers and vehicles placed out of service during a two-day FMCSA enforcement blitz, including a 50 percent driver out-of-service rate...

Labels: public transport solutions

BATTERY MAKERS NEWS * USA

* New York - GE unveils Durathon battery for zero-emission buses

Niskayuna,NY,USA -Gizmag, by Antonio Pasolini -December 21, 2012: -- General Electric’s research team has unveiled its new Durathon battery, which the company says makes it cheaper to power buses using clean energy. It is used in tandem with a lithium battery and a hydrogen fuel cell, a combination that the researchers say makes it possible for the vehicle to achieve full performance with a much smaller fuel cell than previously possible... The battery builds on previous tests with a dual-battery system on a clean fuel hybrid transit bus, combining a high-energy density sodium battery with a high-power lithium battery. This echoes a previous attempt by Harvard scientists to create a fuel cell that produces and stores energy. The idea is to combine the power of acceleration made possible by lithium batteries, with the storage capacity of sodium batteries such as the Durathon...

Labels: battery makers