Buses World News
In brief: Worldwide montly news & informations about Buses, Busmakers, Passengers' and the Transport Industry
BUSES OUT OF SERVICE * USA
* DC - FMCSA orders carrier's 28 buses out of service
Washington,DC,USA -Land Line, by Charlie Morasch -27 Feb 2013: -- The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has ordered a motor carrier with a large bus fleet to cease operating its fleet over multiple major safety issues.
Fung Wah Bus Transportation, which provides service from New York to Boston, was ordered out of service by FMCSA Feb. 25. The federal safety agency cited the company’s failure to “systematically inspect, repair and maintain its bus fleet.
In an imminent hazard out-of-service order, FMCSA said the company voluntarily placed 21 of its buses out of service Feb. 21 in order to be inspected in accordance with an agreement with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities. Those inspections found several cracked bus frames in pre-2005 bus models, and the order says Fung Wah performed little vehicle maintenance and didn’t keep up with technical service bulletins posted by manufacturers of its buses.Labels: dangerous buses
WIRELESS CHARGING * Germany
* Germany - Wireless charging of electric buses to be put to real world test in
Mannheim,Germany -Gizmag, by Antonio Pasolini -February 25, 2013: -- German transport operator RNV will run a trial of Bombardier's PRIMOVE technology that enables the wireless charging of electric buses... Regional German transport operator Rhein-Neckar-Verkehr GmbH (RNV) is set to carry out a pilot project to test the viability of wireless inductive charging technology of electric buses. The trial will see two electric buses fitted with Canadian transportation manufacturer Bombardier's PRIMOVE inductive charging technology, which will enable them to be recharged wirelessly as they let passengers on and off at bus stops along the inner city route 63 in Mannheim, Germany... Labels: electric buses, wireless charging
WINTER STORM * USA
* Georgia - Second Midwest Winter Storm Closes Roads, Brings ‘Crippling’ Conditions
Atlanta,GA,USA -CNN/Transport Topics -25 Feb 2013: -- Days after a winter storm closed roads throughout the Midwest, the National Weather Service said another storm is expected to bring “crippling” blizzard conditions... The storm brought blizzard conditions with freezing temperatures to portions of south Kansas, northwest Oklahoma and the Texas panhandle overnight, and is on track to move into eastern Kansas and northern Missouri, according to CNN... The Texas Department of Public Safety closed portions of U.S. Highways 87 and 187 because of whiteout conditions expected to continue through Monday afternoon... The Oklahoma Highway Patrol said it was in the process of closing all highways in the state’s panhandle region... The storm follows blizzard conditions last week that closed roads that had also prompted authorities to warn drivers to stay off the roads...
Labels: weather troubles
BUSMAKERS NEWS * WORLDWIDE
* Germany - Mercedes Benz Integro with Euro VI engines
Stuttgart,Germany -Busworld (Belgium) -14 Feb 2013: -- The new generation of BlueEfficiency Power engines and the transition to the Euro VI emissions standard are the focus of the Mercedes-Benz Integro in 2013. The company claims a considerably lower fuel consumption and further reduced exhaust emissions as a result... The Euro-VI-compliant Blue Efficiency Power engines of the Integro are vertically installed in-line six-cylinder engines. The new, particularly compact Mercedes-Benz OM 936 series with 7.7 l displacement is used in the two-axle vehicles. The output amounts to 220 kW (299 hp) or 260 kW (354 hp), both at 2200 rpm. Torque is 1200 or 1400 Nm respectively...Labels: busmakers news worldwide
BUSES SALES * WORLDWIDE
* Minnesota / USA - Daimler Buses North America, assigns orders to New Flyer
(Photo)
St. Cloud,MINN,USA -Busworld (Belgium) -21 Feb 2013: -- Daimler’s American bus subsidiary has assigned a contract with Seattle’s King County Metro Transit for citybuses to New Flyer. She is to build up to 381 Xcelsior heavy-duty 35- and 40-foot diesel-electric hybrid buses... The assignment of this contract is a result of DBNA's decision announced on April 25, 2012 to exit production of Orion heavy-duty transit buses in the U.S. and Canadian markets... This order is additional to New Flyer's existing contract with King County Metro for 43 60-foot buses currently in production with an anticipated delivery in the second quarter of 2013...
* Belgium - IVECO wins first major Euro VI order with De Lijn in
(Photo)
Mechelen,Flemish Region,Belgium -Busworld -13 Feb 2013: -- Iveco has received a record tender with Belgian Flemish public transport operator. The delivery of 160 Crossway Low Entry Euro IV will begin in early 2014... The Belgian Flemish operator quoted Iveco’s Crossway Low Entry Euro VI offer as the best in terms of economic and technical value. The Crossway Low Entry buses ordered by De Lijn will feature Euro VI, Cursor 9 engines with High Efficiency SCR (HI-eSCR), a fully patented advanced catalytic reduction system by FPT Industrial, which functions without the use of EGR (Exhaust Gas Recirculation) and guarantees reduced emissions and lower TCO (Total Cost of Ownership)... De Lijn has a running fleet of more than 2,300 buses, transporting an estimated 500 million passengers each year across more than 225 million kilometres in total...
* Turkey - Otokar delivers 750 Kent citybuses to Istanbul
(Photo)
Istanbul,Turkey -Busworld (Belgium) -15 Feb 2013: -- Otokar recently received an order for 500 Kent buses from the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality after winning two tenders which were issued by the city, which wants to offer its citizens and visitors world standards in terms of public transportation... Otokar will also be responsible for supplying spare parts, support and maintenance for the vehicles for a period of 5 years... Meanwhile, Otokar also won a third tender of 250 buses, making a total number of 750 Kent buses to be delivered to Istanbul...
* India - Eagle Corp. orders extreme luxury buses
Rajkot,India -Busworld (Belgium) -17 Feb 2013: -- Eagle Corporation Private Limited, a private travel operator has asked noted Indian automobile designer, Dilip Chhabria for the designing of its special coaches, under the special service called 'Club One'. The premium luxury bus service will cater to high-end customers and will be launched on the Rajkot-Ahmedabad route, starting with two buses, which have an interior that can be compared with the business class interior of airplanes... Eagle Corporation has planned to invest Rs 40 crore in the coming year, on the design and purchase of 20 Volvo B-9 R buses adapted specially by DC Designs, a famous Indian automotive design-house...
* Turkey - TCV provides 24 CNG powered full low-floor buses to Otobüs Istanbul
(Photo)
Istanbul,Turkey -Busworld (Belgium) -19 Feb 2013: -- TCV, Turkey's domestically-owned bus manufacturer, has started production of its new Karat full low-floor, CNG-fuelled, 12-meter bus. The first 24 Karat buses were delivered to Istanbul Buses Corporation and highlighted during an exclusive ceremony... The Turkish designed TCV Karat has aroused significant interest from local authorities and private bus fleets due to its environmental credentials. A 206 kW compressed natural gas (CNG) engine from MAN is combined with an Allison T310R fully automatic transmission. This powertrain is quiet and efficient...Labels: buses sales
NEW BUSES INTRODUCED * India
* India - Tata Motors to launch MCV Buses for intercity and staff transportation
(Photo)
Mumbai,Maharashtra,India -Automotive World (UK) -15 Feb 2013: -- Tata Motors has developed a line-up of world-class buses for the MCV market. The company today showcased two new exciting applications for intercity transportation and staff transportation at the SIAM International Bus and Utility Vehicles Show, at Greater Noida. Other new technologies on display included the luxurious Divo Coach, Semi Deluxe Starbus Ultra Contract Bus, the all new Starbus Ultra for school application and an ambulance based on the Tata Venture platform...
* India - Ashok Leyland showcases ‘Janbus’ and ‘Janbus Midi’
(Photos from A.L.: The Jan Bus midi)
Chennai,Tamil Nadu,India -Automotive World (UK) -15 Feb 2013: -- Ashok Leyland, the Hinduja Group flagship, showcased the ‘Janbus’ and the ‘Janbus Midi’, the world’s ‘first’, front-engine, fully flat floor buses at the International Bus and Utility Vehicle Show, being held at Greater Noida. Feature-rich and technologically advanced, both these vehicles are innovative transport solutions addressing urban transportation needs. While the ‘Janbus’ is ideal for easy, comfortable and affordable city travel, the ‘Janbus Midi’ will serve as a feeder bus...
(Photo: The Janbus)
Both ‘Janbus’ and ‘Janbus Midi’ are also available in BS 4 Diesel and CNG variants...Labels: busmakers news worldwide
BUSMAKERS NEWS * WORLDWIDE
* India - Mahindra Takes Complete Ownership Of Navistar Operations In
Mumbai,India -Automotive Horizon, by Jayashankar Menon -12 Feb 2013: -- Homegrown auto major, Mahindra and Mahindra and the US truck and bus maker Navistar International Corporation announced this morning that the former had completed its acquisition of the latter's stake in Indian joint venture, Mahindra Navistar Automotives Limited and Mahindra Navistar Engines Limited... With the acquisition procedure over, Mahindra has now taken complete ownership of operations in India... According to the report, the deal has received regulatory approval in India and Mahindra continues to sell MNAL and MNEPL products... It may be recalled that in December 2012, Navistar announced its intention to exit the joint venture, as part of its strategy to focus on strengthening its North American core businesses and pursuing near term initiatives to improve the company's return on invested capital performance...Labels: busmakers news worldwide
TECHNOLOGIES * USA
* North Carolina - AC Kinectics can eliminate 26 million Tons of CO2, reducing 104B KWH of electricity usage
Raleigh,NC,USA -Busworld (Belgium) -6 Feb 2013: -- A new green technology developed by startup company AC Kinetics, Inc. will help eliminate as much as 26 million tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) annually from the air, while also reducing electricity usage by about 104 billion KwH. This next generation motor control is compatible with existing AC induction motor drive hardware and is now available for licensing... The advanced AC Kinetics software, supported by real-time adaptive algorithms, runs on standard drive hardware for motorized equipment in the consumer, industrial, and transportation markets. The drive software controls the motor to optimally generate torque on demand in a maximally efficient manner. The software automatically configures itself to achieve a level of motor performance and energy efficiency unreachable even by hand tuning present day drives with costly instrumentation...Labels: technonews
RULES & REGULATIONS * India
* India - New norms issued for bus body building accreditation
(Ashkok Leyland bus factory, India)
New Delhi,India -Busworld (Belgium) -2 Feb 2013: -- In exercise of the powers conferred under the Motor Vehicles Act 1988 a revised order has been issued to specify norms in respect of accreditation of bus body builders. The new Order has come into force on December 31, 2012... Accreditation implies evaluating, assessing and approving the capacities of a bus body builder to consistently ensure the specified quality of bus bodies. The Order applies to all companies and individuals engaged in bus manufacturing or bus body building of M2 and M3 type of vehicles having seating capacity of 13 or more passengers and all bus types covered under the Bus Code... Testing agencies are responsible to plan, conduct and control the audit based on the request submitted by the bus body builder, generate the audit report and to release the accreditation certificate. Overall supervision and control of the accreditation system is also their responsibility...Labels: rules and regulations
BUSES SALES * WORLDWIDE
* Canada - Volvo Buses receives order for 475 hybrid buses from Quebec
Saint-Eustache,QUE,CAN -Busworld (Belgium) -12 Feb 2013: -- Volvo Buses’ North American subsidiary, Nova Bus, has received an order for 475 hybrid buses from Quebec in Canada. This is the single largest order for hybrid vehicles that the Volvo Group has ever signed to date... Delivery of the 475 LFS HEV (Hybrid Electric Vehicle) buses will start in 2014. The order also encompasses an option for a further 1200 vehicles... The customer, ATUQ, is a consortium consisting of the province’s nine transit authorities...
Compared with conventional diesel-powered buses, the Nova LFS HEV offers approximately 30% lower fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions...
* Germany - Rheinbahn orders 60 VDL Citea LLE Buses
(Photo: the LLE bus, the "Ambassador" model)
Düsseldorf,Germany -Busworld (Belgium) -5 Feb 2013: -- An excellent start to 2013 for VDL Bus and Coach Deutschland. On 2 January 2013 Rheinbahn of Düsseldorf officially awarded the contract for 60 low-entry buses to VDL Bus and Coach... With innovative lightweight concept the bus construction focus is on improving fuel economy and thereby reducing emissions. Needless to say, the buses continue to meet the highest safety standards. The Citea LLE has a net weight of around 9 tonnes and, based on Rheinbahn’s own experiences, uses 25% less diesel than comparable products... Rheinbahn AG provides the public transport in Düsseldorf, Meerbusch and substantial parts of the district of Mettmann. Currently 400 buses, 91 bus lines, 7 sprinter lines (partly underground) and 11 tram lines are in use... Rheinbahn carries about 216 million passengers a year...
* India - Parveen launches eco-friendly Go Green Bus
India -Busworld (Belgium) -1 Feb 2013: -- Parveen Travels of the AB Group has launched its latest initiative – the Go Green Bus – as its contribution towards the Green Kalam project... The Go Green Bus has been brought out with a view to contributing to the betterment of environment and also spread awareness about the growing levels of pollution in the country. Initially, two such vehicles will ply on the Chennai-Coimbatore route during nights, with the company exploring the possibility of running day buses, especially during weekends... The Go Green Bus would also use biodegradable instead of regular materials like plastics, with a view to spreading awareness about environmental pollution...Labels: buses sales
BUSMAKERS NEWS * WORLWIDE
* Russia - Scania, Deripaska’s GAZ to supply 709 buses for Winter Olympics
Moscow,Russia -Bloomberg, by Anatoly Temkin -Feb 4, 2013: -- Scania AB won an order for 709 buses for the Winter Olympic games in Sochi next year, more than half the amount the Swedish truckmaker, controlled by Volkswagen AG, delivered in Europe last year... GAZ, will produce the buses using Scania chassis at its plant near Moscow, the companies said today in a statement... The contract has a value of about 6 billion rubles ($200 million), GAZ said...Labels: busmakers news worldwide
BUSMAKERS NEWS * WORLDWIDE
* India - Scania launches new range of heavy vehicle
Mumbai,India -Hindustan Times -4 Feb 2013: -- Scania Commercial Vehicle (SCV), manufacturers of trucks and buses for heavy transport, today launched its new range of buses and coaches for the first time in the country... First deliveries to customers by Scania will take place in mid-2013 and assembly of complete coaches will start at Scania's new facility in Bengaluru in early 2014... Scania will invest Rs. 2.5 bn in India... Scania's target is to sell about 2,000 trucks, 1000 coaches per year in the Indian market within next few years... Scania Metrolink bus is offered in two and three-axle, based on modular bodywork in the Indian market, with styling, parallel opening doors that provide easy acces. Metrolink model have 45-seater, 49-seater and 53 seater with full comfort...Labels: busmakers news worldwide
Washington,DC,USA -Land Line, by Charlie Morasch -27 Feb 2013: -- The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has ordered a motor carrier with a large bus fleet to cease operating its fleet over multiple major safety issues.
Fung Wah Bus Transportation, which provides service from New York to Boston, was ordered out of service by FMCSA Feb. 25. The federal safety agency cited the company’s failure to “systematically inspect, repair and maintain its bus fleet.
In an imminent hazard out-of-service order, FMCSA said the company voluntarily placed 21 of its buses out of service Feb. 21 in order to be inspected in accordance with an agreement with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities. Those inspections found several cracked bus frames in pre-2005 bus models, and the order says Fung Wah performed little vehicle maintenance and didn’t keep up with technical service bulletins posted by manufacturers of its buses.
