Buses World News
In brief: Worldwide montly news & informations about Buses, Busmakers, Passengers' and the Transport Industry
VOLVO BUSES * Sweden: Sold to Panama City
* Stockholm - Volvo sells 203 city buses to Panama City
--- Volvo Bus Corporation has sold 203 city bus chassis to the urban public transportation system of Panama City. After the delivery, nearly 1,500 Volvo buses will be running in the capital of Panama. The purchase is a continuation of the delivery made in 2010 of over one thousand Volvo vehicles to Panama... Volvo’s low-floor chassis model is 13.2 m long and equipped with high technology. In addition to EBS brake systems, they are equipped with ESP, the electronic stability program which significantly reduces the possibility of skidding or tipping over... The buses will have air conditioning, Wi-Fi and seats with seatbelts. They will also feature the Fleet Manager, Volvo’s fleet management software that enables operators to control a number of functionalities in the vehicle: fuel consumption and type of driving used by the driver, on-line reports on the vehicle’s position, average speed for the fleet, engine rpms, etc. ...
Stockholm, Sweden - Busworld.org - 22 April 2017Labels: buses sales, busmakers news Sweden
BUSES SALES USA * Pennsylvania: 525 units - ** Phoenix: 120 new ones - *** 15 special buses for Tampa
* Pennsylvania - SEPTA's $548.6M capital budget includes 525 new buses
-- Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority's capital budget for the coming fiscal year includes money for more accurate travel information, improved stations, and more than 500 new buses, all part of a long-term plan to update a system that for years went without needed upgrades... SEPTA's overall budget for the coming year is about $1.4 billion... New vehicles are the single biggest capital expense this year, with $168 million set aside. The budget includes $60 million for 525 new 40-foot buses expected to be delivered between 2017 and 2021 at a total cost of $415 million...
(Photo: Philly's oldest bus) -- Philadelphia, PENN, USA - phillynews, by Jason Laughlin - April 03, 2016
** Arizona - City of Phoenix buys 120 new buses
... The Phoenix Public Transit Department has ordered 120 new buses to serve the city's local routes, the first order for new 40-foot buses since late 2013... The new buses replace existing liquefied natural gas (LNG) buses that average 12 years and 500,000 miles of service, some as old as 18 years with nearly 1 million miles. The buses, built in California by the Gillig Corporation, use compressed natural gas (CNG) and have a fuel range of at least 400 miles, which means most of the new buses would not require daily refueling. The new city wheels also have an enhanced air conditioning system... Each new bus costs $520,000 and is paid for with both federal and county funds...
(Source: KPHO/KTVK - Some of the older buses have almost a million miles on them) -- Phoenix, AZ, USA - KPHO/KTVK - Apr 01, 2016
*** Florida - HART bringing riders new buses soon, wireless service now
-- Hillsborough County bus riders will have access to 15 new 40-foot buses next year and 13 new special needs vehicles to keep up with growing ridership demands... And as of Monday, all riders have free wireless internet access on Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority buses... The HART board voted Monday to purchase the buses, all replacement vehicles, for a total cost of $8.2 million... The 15 buses are HART’s third order, replacing older vehicles in its 189-bus fleet. Buses like these need to be replaced about every 12 years, HART CEO Katharine Eagan said...
(Photo: HART's new bus) -- Hillsborough County, FL, USA - The Tampa Tribune, by Yvette C. Hammett - April 4, 2016Labels: buses sales, public transport USA
BUS SALES * India: 658 new buses for Bangalore
* Karnataka - BMTC to purchase 658 buses this year
-- The city will see the addition of 658 buses in 2016, in what will be the biggest purchase for the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation since 2013-14, when the corporation added 838 buses to its fleet... With the State government promising assistance by means of interest subvention for 1000 more buses, it seems likely that 1658 buses will be added by March 2017... Tenders have already been floated for procuring 658 buses and the process is in its final stage, officials say. All of these vehicles will be normal buses which will be used to replace vehicles that have crossed their maximum mileage...
(Photo: BMTC to get 600 new buses by July) -- Bangalore, Karnataka, India - The Hindu - 1 April 2016Labels: buses sales
BUSES SALES * Africa / Sierra Leone: Zhongtong Buses'
* Shadong Province - China Poly Group Corporation to deliver 100 buses to SLRTC
-- The Ministry of Transport and Aviation, Sierra Leone Government, is finalizing arrangement for the shipment of 100 buses to Sierra Leone, following last year’s signing of a contract between the ministry and China Poly Group Corporation for the supply of the said buses. The buses, which have been manufactured by Zhongtong Buses, in the People’s Republic of China, are expected in Sierra Leone at anytime from now... A three man delegation from Sierra Leone, is presently in Liaocheng City, Shandong Province, People’s Republic of China, conducting a Pre-Delivery Assessment of the manufactured buses, with specific attention to materials, components and construction procedures of the buses...
Liaocheng City, Shandong Province, China - The Salone Monitor (Sierra Leone), by John Baimba Sesay - March 21, 2015Labels: buses sales
BUSMAKERS SALES * UK: Stagecoach to invest £80m in 470 new buses - * Singapore: 450 new buses
* Scotland / UK - Investment is to be made in both regional routes and Megabus services across the UK and Europe
--
Scottish transport firm Stagecoach is to invest more than £80m in a fleet of new buses for its routes across the UK and Europe... The Perth-based coach company has commissioned almost 470 new vehicles, most of which will be built in Britain, for its regional and Megabus services... All of the new buses will come fitted with CCTV, and many will feature free wi-fi access... The first of the new Stagecoach vehicles will be delivered this spring... More than £75m is to be spent on 412 buses for the firm's local networks in England, Scotland and Wales... The company is also expanding its Megabus service in the UK and mainland Europe, with £6.9m spent on 22 new coaches, while a further 34 coaches are to be built for the Stagecoach Express operation...
(Photo: A Stagecoach bus) -- Perth, Scotland, UK - BBC News - 10 March 2015
* Singapore - Another 450 buses to ply streets by 2017
--
The additional 450 buses comes on the heels of the 550 Government-funded buses added under the original Bus Service Enhancement Programme - completed two years ahead of schedule, says the Transport Minister, who will further expand the BSEP by adding another 450 buses by 2017, Transport Minister, Lui Tuck Yew, announced in Parliament on Wednesday... Together with the buses provided by public transport operators and use of private bus operators to provide additional capacity via City Direct Services and Peak Period Short Services, the bus fleet would have increased by about 35 per cent since the start of BSEP in 2012, Mr Lui at the 2015 Committee of Supply debates...
(Photo: Passengers boarding a bus at Toa Payoh Bus Interchange, Singapore) -- Singapore - The Channel News Asia -11 Mar 2015Labels: buses sales
BUSES SALES * China / Jamaica: Golden Dragon's
* Jamaica - JUTC testing Chinese-made smaller bus for hill routes
-- John Von Strolley (second right) of Von's Motor and Company, presents the key to a 39-seater bus manufactured in China to Transport Minister Dr Omar Davies... The bus, which is being put through an eight-week test run, began operating on February 11 on the Jamaica Urban Transit Company's (JUTC's) number 53 route, which terminates at Above Rocks in St Andrew... "What we wanted was a bus to fit the operating conditions of the hilly areas. These buses can traverse these areas in a much better way than our larger units. So far the bus is performing well with a full load and the feedback from passengers is good," the JUTC Managing Director Colin Campbell (shown at left) said... The JUTC said it plans to put the Golden Dragon bus on routes 53, 54, 97 and 61, once it passes the test... (Photo: JUTC testing Chinese-made smaller bus for hill routes) - Kingston, Jamaica -The Jamaica Observer -February 19, 2015 Labels: buses sales
BUSES SALES * UK: Optare Solo's
* England - Euro 5 Optare Solo buses for Gateshead
-- Bus manufacturer Optare has supplied five of its Euro 5 emission standard Optare Solo single decker buses to serve multiple routes around Gateshead on behalf of the Tyne and Wear passenger transport authority Nexus... The 9m long Solo SR buses, which can each seat up to 31 people, will be added to transport firm Gateshead Central Taxi’s first service bus fleet. The company has more than 200 vehicles, including a 24 hour taxi fleet... (Photo: Gateshead Central Taxi’s five new Optare Solo buses) - Gateshead,EN,UK -Air Quality News -19 Feb 2015Labels: buses sales
BUSES SALES * India: New buses to Cuba
* Modi catches Cuba bus a chance to deliver on
-- Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is promising to turn around the deliver in five months, on an assurance the preceding UPA administration made but failed to implement... The Modi government has resurrected a proposal to gift Cuba 25 buses for public transport in Havana, originally pitched by the Manmohan Singh government, with a rare emphasis on delivering the vehicles quickly, senior officials confirmed... The US-Cuba thaw - though the embargo stands - has handed the Modi government a moment when it is likelier than ever before to be able to deliver on the bus promise through negotiations already under way with Washington... New Delhi,India -The Telegraph, by Charu Sudan Kasturi -Feb. 12, 2015Labels: buses sales
BUSES SALES * Europe / Germany: Mercedes' Citaro
* France - Mercedes Citaro articulated bus entered to Paris
(Photo Gilbert: Mercedes Citaro articulated ride on the lines of the RATP in Paris) Paris,France -Autocar and Bus -31 Oct 2014: -- RATP users will be transported shortly by Mercedes Citaro articulated buses... To date, the manufacturer has delivered 228 Citaro Euro 5 and 34 meet the new emission standards in the colors of the RATP Group. The new Citaro articulated 18.10 m, tested by our colleague, has a capacity of 32 seats + driver and 119 standing. Four double doors opening to facilitate the type of underground ascents and descents. It is powered by the Mercedes engine OM 470 10.6 developing the 394 hp, coupled with ZF Ecolife automatic transmission 6-speed...Labels: buses sales
BUSES SALES * UK/Germany: Iveco Buses' - France/Bulgaria: MAN's
* Essex - CNH Industrial brand Iveco Bus to supply Deutsche Bahn with up to 710 buses
Video by Kanal von bgmwindgasse -12/5/2014: -- The Crossway series from Iveco Bus. The first vehicle of its kind makes its debut at the IAA Motor Show in Hanover, Germany.
Basildon,Essex,UK -PRNewswire/MarketWatch -Sept. 24, 2014: -- CNH Industrial's leading European bus brand, Iveco Bus, has signed a framework agreement with Germany's largest bus transport company, DB Fuhrpark Service GmbH, for the supply of suburban buses. Under this agreement, DB Regio has commissioned 400 Crossway and Crossway LE (Low Entry) buses, which will be delivered in 2015 and 2016. In addition to this, there is the option for a further supply of 310 vehicles to be delivered in 2017 and 2018... The vehicles will be designed according to EBSF (European Bus System of the Future) standards and are fully compliant with guidelines outlined by the VDV (Association of German Transport Companies)... These vehicles demonstrate the brand's innovative strengths in terms of sustainable mobility, technological excellence, reducing total cost of ownership, and high added value for the customer in terms of quality, comfort, design and profitability... Determining factors in favour of this most recent order included the advantageous total cost of ownership (TCO) and reliability of the Crossway vehicles which are already a part of the current DB fleet... The entire Crossway range benefits from fuel efficient engines with HI-SCR. This after treatment system functions without the use of EGR (exhaust gas recirculation), carries a significant advantage in weight reduction and compactness for easy maintenance... As a result, customers, drivers and passengers will benefit from the new model's improved visibility, lower internal noise levels, storage space and a more comfortable environment...
* France - MAN CNG Buses for Paris and Sofia
Paris,France -NGV Global -September 26, 2014: -- MAN Lions City has secured major orders for natural gas powered buses from France and Bulgaria. Paris-based Régie Autonome des Transports Parisiens (RATP) has purchased 103 MAN Lion’s City buses, half of which are powered by Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), and Bulgaria’s city of Sofia has acquired 126 Lion’s City buses, all CNG-powered. The buses for Sofia use 310 HP, 6-cylinder natural gas, Euro 6 engines... The volume of the order is around EUR 30 million (USD 38 million). The units are expected to be delivered in 2015. The units have particularly high seating and standing capacities of around 100 persons... MAN has received an order from the City of Sofia for 126 Lion’s City G CNG type articulated buses intended for public transport. The 18-metre long Lion’s City G CNG seats up to 150 passengers comfortably. The first 20 buses have already been handed over... Using concentrated biogas (biomethane) or e-gas, MAN CNG buses can be operated as CO2-neutral, offering emission levels comparable to that of fully electric vehicles... Due to the very smooth fuel combustion, CNG buses are especially quiet when under way...Labels: buses sales
BUSES SALES * Canada: Blue Bird's ones / USA: Federal Grant for
* Alberta - Southland Transportation adds 101 Blue Bird Propane Vision buses to districts in
(Photo: Vision-propane-cover2)
Calgary,Alberta, Canada -Green Car Congress -23 September 2014: -- Southland Transportation recently added 101 Blue Bird Propane Vision buses to its propane autogas school bus fleet. Districts in Canada are specifying the technology due to the superior cold weather operation, reduced maintenance and clean emissions, the company said. Southland Transportation is a subsidiary of the largest family-owned pupil transportation provider in Canada with operations in school, motor coach and public transportation... The buses, which are fully customizable, feature 60% less carbon monoxide, 12% less carbon dioxide, 20% less nitrogen oxide and up to 25% less greenhouse gases than gasoline. Propane autogas also costs about 35 to 40% less than gasoline and 50% less than diesel, and installing a propane autogas refueling station costs less than any other transportation fuel...
* Michigan - Stabenow, Levin: US giving Detroit $25.9 million to buy 50 buses, improve mobility for needy
(Video from Youtube: DDOT gets $25.9 million for new buses, more drivers)
Detroit,MICH,USA -Click on Detroit -Sep 23 2014: -- U.S. Sens. Debbie Stabenow and Carl Levin say Detroit's transportation system is getting a $25.9 million federal grant to help buy 50 new buses.
The Democratic lawmakers said that the grant comes from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Transit Administration.
Levin and Stabenow say the aid is part of the Ladders of Opportunity Initiative Grant program and seeks to help disadvantaged and low-income people, veterans, seniors and young people gain mobility and job opportunities...Labels: buses sales
BUSMAKERS WORLDWIDE * China - Japan
* China - 1,100 Ankai Buses shipped to Algeria
Hefei,Anhui,China -Chinabuses.org -14 July 2014: -- In Jun. This year, Ankia Bus stroke a deal with CIMA MOTORS based in Algeria. According to the sales contract, the bus maker is expected to export 1,100 units of buses to the African nation with a total value of 224 million RMB (about 36 million USD). According to the company, this is also the largest overseas deal made by the company in the early half of 2014...
* China - Ankai School Bus on display at Beijing Traffic Safety Product Exhibition
Hefei,Anhui,China -Chinabuses/Anhui News -20 Aug 2014: -- On Aug. 20, the Sixth China International Road Traffic Safety Product Exhibition kicked off in Beijing International Exhibition Center. Ankai brought its 6-meter school bus, its 12-meter American-style school bus and its Best bus on display, all of which fully represent the company's bus manufacturing strength... As one of the leading bus manufacturers in China, Ankai always attaches great importance to the bus safety. It is among the first batch of enterprises in China as a qualified producer of professional school buses and is able to make the special school buses with long head. In 2012, the company joined hands with US-based Navistar, a well-renowned bus maker for a series of technological cooperation...
* Japan - Showa monocoque buses draw tourists
(Photo: A Shibetsu Kido monocoque bus that attracts antique bus fans)
Shibetsu, northern Hokkaido,Japan -The Yomiuri Shimbun -23 Aug 2014: -- Rare “monocoque” bus models manufactured during the Showa era (1926-1989) have been drawing attention around the nation... Word about the operation of such buses has spread quickly via the Internet, and antique bus lovers are visiting different areas just to see them in person... After World War II, the monocoque method was used by bus manufacturers who had formerly been in the aviation industry. Many of these buses have a very distinctive look due to the many rivets visible on their surface... Most modern buses use skeleton frames... Shibetsu Kido, a bus company located in
Shibetsu, northern Hokkaido, operates a RC series bus manufactured in 1982 by Hino Motors, making one trip on weekday mornings. The monocoque bus is known for its loud engine noise as well as the visible rivets along the body...Labels: buses sales, busmakers news China, busmakers news worldwide
BUSES SALES * India -
* India - DTC to get 1,380 new buses: LG
(Photo: A DTC bus, India)
New Delhi, India -PTI -Aug 15, 2014: -- Delhi government will add 1,380 new buses to the existing fleet of Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) in its bid to strengthen the transport service in the national capital... The comfort of women passengers, 26 Ladies Special Buses have been deployed in the national capital... Apart from 1,380 DTC buses, Delhi would also get an additional 400 cluster buses in the current fiscal year... In the Delhi Budget, Union finance minister Arun Jaitely had allocated Rs 3,702 crore for the transport sector in Delhi during 2014-15...
* Indonesia - TransJakarta to spend Rp 400 Billion on 100 Double-Decker buses
(Antara Photo, by Vitalis Yoga Trisna: Jakarta's free double-decker city tour bus)
Jakarta,Indonesia -The Jakarta Globe, by Lenny Tristia Tambun -Aug 16, 2014: -- City-wide bus operator TransJakarta will soon spend Rp 400 billion ($34 million) on 100 double-decker buses to serve on the capital’s free tour route, a company executive said on Saturday... The current Central Jakarta route is currently served by only five buses, but TransJakarta has been handed an additional Rp 700 billion rupiah of government funding through a transport bylaw enacted this year... Kosasih said the new buses will only serve short routes across the capital and will not utilize the city’s busway lanes...Labels: buses sales
BUS SALES * USA: Blue Bird's
* Virginia - City getting 78 new school buses
(Photo)
Richmond,VA,USA -The Richmnd Times Dispatch, by ZACHARY REID -17 July 2014: -- Richmond Public Schools is going to replace more than a third of its school buses, beginning the modernization of a fleet that in recent years has grown old, unreliable and expensive to maintain... The School Board this week approved a seven-year, $7 million plan to buy 60 regular education and 18 special education buses from Blue Bird... The new 77-seat regular education buses cost $82,425 each. The 53-seat special education buses cost $89,517 each... The buses are equipped with four camera slots. Three will be used to record the driver and students. A fourth, on the exterior arm, will be vacant for the time being, but school officials are negotiating with a company that specializes in recording the license plates of cars who ignore the blinking stop signs already attached to the busses...Labels: buses sales
BUSES SALES * USA
* Texas - Board approves 4 new buses for Sanger ISD
(Photo: Purple Bus Project)
Denton,TXS,USA -Denton R.C., by Britney Tabor -18 June 2014: -- The Sanger school district will soon add four new school buses to its fleet... At a school board meeting last week, trustees gave their approval for the district to purchase two 71-passenger buses and two 14-passenger buses, according to Eric Beam, Sanger’s deputy superintendent... One 71-passenger bus will be powered by propane and one by diesel, and one of the 14-passenger buses will be equipped with a wheelchair lift, Beam said. Costs total $328,000... The purchase of additional buses was among the top priorities included in an estimated $2.5 million capital improvement project list Superintendent Kent Crutsinger presented to the school board last fall...
* Missouri - BOE approves nine new buses
Morgan,MO,USA -Hartselle Enquirer -June 18, 2014: -- Morgan County School Board approved the purchase of nine new school buses at a cost of $757,943.60 at its regular monthly meeting Thursday night... Two of the buses ($83,755.08) are equipped to accommodate special needs students while the other seven ($73,804.18 each) are full size with the capacity to accommodate 72 students...The buses will be purchased using Fleet Renewal funds...
* New Jersey - Freehold Regional board will buy six school buses
Manalapan,NJ,USA -Tri Town News, by JACK MURTHA -19 June 2014: -- The Freehold Regional High School District should roll out several new school buses in the 2014-15 school year... At its June 9 meeting, the Board of Education approved the purchase of six 29- passenger buses from Wolfington Body Co., Mount Holly... Each bus will cost just under $55,183, for a total price of $331,100, according to the district... The board completed the purchase through the Middlesex Regional Educational...Labels: buses sales
BUSES SALES * USA
* Louisiana - St. Landry Parish School System to buy 35 new buses
(Photo by Freddie Herpin, Daily World: Francis Henry, St. Landry Parish School Board bus technician, performs preventive maintenance on one of the many school buses housed at the maintenance garage located at the central office)
Opelousas,LOU,USA -The Advertiser, by William Johnson -June 6, 2014: -- The St. Landry Parish School Board will spend $2.5 million to purchase 35 new buses. They’ll include the basics — engines, seats and tires — but they won’t have air conditioning... At this week’s meeting, the board raised no objections to the $2,528,710 contract. Several members, though, argued that the buses need to be air conditioned...Labels: buses sales
* China's buses sold to Los Angeles
* California - LA Metro to buy BYD's all-electric buses
(Photo: BYD Sells Electric Buses to LA Metro)
Los Angeles,CAL,USA -China Daily -28 June 2013: -- Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) on Thursday announced a contract for the manufacture and delivery of up to 25 all-electric buses from China's BYD Motors... The contract with BYD is part of the County's $30-million clean air bus technology pilot project... It was the first time in Metro's history that all-electric, zero-emission transit buses will be purchased and placed into service as the agency evaluates electric bus technologies and their applicability to meet the region's transit needs, officials said.
Under the contract, Metro will initially purchase five low-floor, 40-foot all-electric buses. After testing and evaluation, the transit agency could then choose to buy up to 20 additional buses...Labels: buses sales
BUSES SALES * WORLDWIDE
* Brazil - Volvo Buses sells 310 Coaches to JCA Group
Curitiba,PR,Brazil -Busworld -12 April 2013: -- Volvo Buses has sold 310 coach chassis to the JCA Group, one of Brazil's largest passenger transport companies. This is the biggest deal closed to date in Brazil by Volvo in the coach chassis segment... The buses, which will be delivered in May, are all the B340R model, version 4x2, with 340 hp. The vehicles will be used in interstate and intrastate medium and short distance routes, as well as in charter operations. The coach bodies will be built by Marcopolo... The B340R is factory equipped with the intelligent ABS/EBS brake system, which increases braking performance and prevents the vehicle from skidding, and with the Volvo 390 hp engine brake, which ensures increased safety on downhill stretches. Another differential of this vehicle is the renowned I-Shift gearbox, which reduces fuel consumption by up to 5 percent, as well as driving vehicle safety... In order to ensure even more safety for transports, the JCA Group’s vehicles are also equipped with ESP (Electronic Stability Program), a modern active safety system that contributes to preventing the risk of tipping over or skidding on curves...
* Turkey - 490 BredaMenarini CNG buses for Istanbul
(Photo: A "VivaCity" model, BredaMenarini bus)
Istanbul,Turkey -Busworld -6 April 2013: -- The Turkish vehicle manufacturer Karsan, who produces among others the BredaMenarini buses under licence, last year received an order to deliver 490 buses to the Istanbul public transport operator IETT (Istanbul Electricity Tramway and Tunnel General Management)... The models ordered by IETT are the 12-metre Avancity+ L with CNG engine and the articulated 18-metre Avancity+ S... Both feature EEV engines, full length low floor, air conditioning system, wheelchair area and boarding ramp. IETT specifically requested the use of low energy consumption LED interior lighting, on-board computer and electronic tickets validation. The 12-metre vehicle has a capacity of 88 passengers whilst the articulated model transports up to 156 travellers. The buses are entirely manufactured in the Karsan plant in Bursa. The engines were sypplied by Mercedes-Benz and MAN...
* Germany - Citaro Euro VI – a milestone in development
(Photo: Mercedes-Benz Citaro Euro VI for BLT Baselland Transport AG)
Stuttgart/Kloten,Schleswig-Holstein,Germany –Daimler (PR) -Apr 8, 2013: -- On 4 April, BLT Baselland Transport AG in Switzerland took delivery of nine Mercedes-Benz Citaro buses meeting the requirements of the future Euro VI emissions standard. These are the first standard-production regular-service solo buses featuring this clean technology to go into service with BLT in Switzerland... Emission control system comprising SCR technology plus exhaust gas recirculation... The new Citaro meeting Euro VI is currently the cleanest diesel-driven regular-service bus on the market. An optimised combustion process and a sophisticated emission control system reduce particulate emissions to just three percent of the level specified by Euro I twenty years ago, while nitrogen oxide emissions have been cut to five percent... Mercedes-Benz has implemented a number of measures to compensate for the additional weight of the Euro VI components, including a lightweight fibreglass-reinforced-plastic (FRP) roof and a weight-optimised rear axle. The Citaro is therefore able to boast the same high payload and passenger-carrying capacity as before...
* Germany - Great comfort for small groups
(Photo: One of the two S 416 HDH coaches)
Stuttgart/Kiel,Kiel,Schleswig-Holstein,Germany –Daimler PR -28 March 2013: -- The company "AK Touristik GmbH" is expanding its "2+1 Panoramabus®" concept with two new Setra S 416 HDH coaches. The Kiel-based travel operator took delivery of its first Setra TopClass 400 coach of this type last year and has now increased its fleet to include three of these luxury glass-roofed vehicles, each of which seats up to 30 passengers in comfort on Setra "Ambassador" seats arranged in a 2+1 configuration... The touring coaches are equipped with, amongst other features, a practical galley kitchen with a 40-cup coffee machine, flat-screen monitors, a leather steering wheel, a reversing camera and a sophisticated audio/video system. Loudspeakers above each passenger seat ensure excellent quality of sound. Along with the Front Collision Guard (FCG), Lane Assistant (SPA), adaptive cruise control (ART) and Active Brake Assist (ABA), a determining factor in purchasing decision was the widespread coverage offered by the European service network of the EvoBus service brand Omniplus...
* Germany - SCI Report: Chinese bus manufacturers leading the global topo 10 list
(Photo: A Yutong bus)
Berlin,Germany -Busworld -25 March 2013: ... According to a report by SCI Verkehr at Berlin, Germany, among the TOP 10 bus manufacturers, 3 are from China:
(1) Yutong -China-
(2) King Long -China-
(3) Daimler buses -Germany-
(4) Tata Motors -India-
(5) Ashok Leyland -India-
(9) Ankai -China-
According to this report Daimler, which for many years was the largest global bus manufacturer, descended to the third place. The main reason is that the cost-sensitive approach is increasing pressure on established manufacturers even in Europe... This trend can to a large extent be traced back to the positive market dynamics in China and India. As a consequence, Asian, and especially Chinese, manufacturers are gaining increasing market shares at the expense of Western bus manufacturers...
* Poland - Solaris to deliver 200 buses to Belgrade
(Photo: A Solaris Urbino bus)
Bolechowo,Poland -Busworld -13 March 2013: -- Representatives of Solaris Bus and Coach signed the contract for the delivery of 200 Urbino 18 articulated low-floor city buses to the municipal transport operator of Belgrade, Serbia. The order is the result of a competitive tender process won by Solaris, which called for the delivery of 180 buses with an option to increase the number by up to 15%. The operator exercised this possibility and the €64 million contract covers the delivery of 200 articulated city buses as well as the supply of spare parts during the two-year warranty period... The 200 articulated Urbino 18 for Belgrade will offer a low floor throughout the entire bus and will be fully air-conditioned. Their diesel engines will meet the Euro 5 emissions standard. For the safety of passengers, each bus will have a CCTV monitoring system with seven cameras...
* UK - Arriva places a large order with VDL
London,EN,UK -Busworld -14 March 2013: -- Arriva has placed an order for more than 80 VDL right-hand drive SB-200 chassis for delivery in 2013 through VDL’s UK dealership, Arriva Bus and Coach. This order follows an order for a similar number of VDL DB-300 double-deck chassis which are currently in build for Arriva. The single deck SB-200 chassis is a mature chassis concept, which has been delivering real benefit to Arriva over the years through a combination of low fuel consumption, proven reliability and reduced whole life costs... The SB-200 for Arriva is equipped with a Euro 5 Cummins ISBe 6-cylinder diesel engine in combination with a Voith gearbox. The low-floor SB-200 chassis provides space for wheelchairs and buggies as well as ample seating capacity... The DB-300 chassis is the chassis platform for a 10 m double deck city bus. Like the SB-200, this chassis delivers proven low fuel consumption and reliability and benefits from an excellent rear end design with a split cooling system...Labels: buses sales
BUSES February REGISTRATION SLIDE * UK
* England - Bus And Coach market hits bump in the road as February registrations slide
London,EN,UK -Automotive World -6 Mar 2013: -- Bus and coach registrations fell 22% to 405 units in February with year-to-date registrations down 10%... Purpose-built bus and coach registrations declined 24.2% to 232 units for the month... Converted bus registrations also fell in February, 18.8% to 173 units... “The bus and coach market is showing a mixed picture in February. Following a positive start to the year, registrations dropped 22% in the month compared to 2012,” said Wendy Williamson, SMMT Bus and Coach Manager. “Last year, registrations were boosted by the London 2012 Games, so more modest growth is forecast for 2013. That said, government incentives, including the Green Bus Fund, will aid market demand, as will local authorities’ increasing focus on super efficient, low-carbon public transport” ... Labels: buses sales
Curitiba,PR,Brazil -Busworld -12 April 2013: -- Volvo Buses has sold 310 coach chassis to the JCA Group, one of Brazil's largest passenger transport companies. This is the biggest deal closed to date in Brazil by Volvo in the coach chassis segment... The buses, which will be delivered in May, are all the B340R model, version 4x2, with 340 hp. The vehicles will be used in interstate and intrastate medium and short distance routes, as well as in charter operations. The coach bodies will be built by Marcopolo... The B340R is factory equipped with the intelligent ABS/EBS brake system, which increases braking performance and prevents the vehicle from skidding, and with the Volvo 390 hp engine brake, which ensures increased safety on downhill stretches. Another differential of this vehicle is the renowned I-Shift gearbox, which reduces fuel consumption by up to 5 percent, as well as driving vehicle safety... In order to ensure even more safety for transports, the JCA Group’s vehicles are also equipped with ESP (Electronic Stability Program), a modern active safety system that contributes to preventing the risk of tipping over or skidding on curves...
(Photo: A "VivaCity" model, BredaMenarini bus) 
(Photo: Mercedes-Benz Citaro Euro VI for BLT Baselland Transport AG)
