Buses World News

In brief: Worldwide montly news & informations about Buses, Busmakers, Passengers' and the Transport Industry

17.3.17

"BANDONEON" VEHICLES: BUSES or TRAMS ? * Europe: Belgium / Italy

* Belgium - Bi-articulated buses for Brisbane

--- Van Hool NV from Belgium, or Carrosserie Hess AG from Switzerland, electric-powered buses almost 30 metres long, could move Brisbane commuters in the new "metro" service announced by Brisbane City Council recently. "It is new-generation buses that would shift the people"... They are called "bi-articulated" buses and are common throughout Europe and South America (wheter are known as "bandoneon-buses")... The plans are to have a bus available every three minutes on two new routes which are particularly created for these buses... They would look like modern "bi-articulated buses" with three passenger sections and two rubber-lined joints, with the driver sitting in the front section. The Council is still reluctant to call them buses, arguing that while they would have rubber tyres, they would operate more like trams...
(Photo: Van Hool NV Carrosserie Hess AG Electric-powered buses) -- Koningshooikt, Belgium / Brisbane, Queensland, Australia - Busworld - 10 MAR 2017

* Italy - IVECO to supply 120 hybrid articulated buses to Milan

--- Italian bus and truck manufacturer Iveco will be supplying 120 new 18-metre articulated hybrid buses to Milan public transport operator ATM... The model auppled by Iveco is the Urbanway Hybrid, which was developed by the company to significantly reduce emissions and fuel consumption while ensuring increasingly-sustainable mobility for the community it serves. The Urbanway Hybrid consumes up to 30% less fuel than conventional buses, with reductions of 33% and 40% in CO2 and nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions per kilometre respectively, compared with diesel buses... According to Iveco, the new vehicle combines an electric traction system with a Euro VI internal combustion engine and a latest-generation lithium-ion battery pack. The “Arrive & Go” function (a smart power management system) permits 100% electric operation with zero emissions when approaching and leaving bus stops, even where significant distances are involved... Another advantage of the Urbanway Hybrid is its complete silence, said the statement... All vehicles included in the contract are equipped with series-hybrid systems comprising a 175 (peak)/120 kW (continuous mode) electric motor and a 210kW Tector internal combustion engine...
(Photo An Iveco Bus) -- Milan, Italy - Busworld - 2 March 2017

Labels: articulated buses, busmakers news Europe, metro style bus systems, public transport Australia

10.2.16

ELECTRIC BUSES trial runs in * Australia

* Queensland - Charging on with electric bus trial runs in Noosa

-- Noosa Council will be asked at the next general meeting to support the calling and awarding of tenders this month to make way for a bus trial... A report to council said the electric bus lease agreement with Patico Automotive Pty Ltd was terminated in November due to the contractor being unable to meet the required delivery date... "The buses were manufactured in the UK however, following testing, delays occurred as a result of technical issues with the air-conditioning system," the report said... TransLink remains committed to the electric bus trial... The proposal to "test the market on a satellite depot operation, based either at the council depot or a suitable site elsewhere in the Noosa area" is subject to the support of bus company Sunbus... The one proviso for TransLink is that the trial does not result in higher costs to the state...
(Photo: Electric buses will hit the streets of Noosa towards the end of this year, in a six month trial given the green light by the Noosa Council and TransLink) -- Noosa Heads, QLD, Australia - Noosa News - 1st Feb 2016

Labels: electric buses services, public transport Australia

4.6.14

PUBLIC TRANSPORT * Australia: Opal Card's

* New South Wales - Opal electronic ticketing on 100 more buses

(Photo: OPAL card)
Sydney,NWS,Australia -OPAL -4 June 2014: -- Opal will be rolled out to almost 100 more buses on 10 June 2014 on the Forest Coach Lines routes in Sydney’s north... From next Tuesday June 10, 2014 customers using 96 Forest Coach Lines buses including 2 double decker buses serving the Terrey Hills, Frenchs Forest, Gordon, Davidson, Warringah, Pittwater, Chatswood and CBD areas will be able to use Opal electronic ticketing... Opal provides cheaper bus fares and by setting their card to auto-top-up, customers never have to worry about queuing for a ticket again... Most customers will pay the same or save money using Opal on their bus...

Labels: public transport Australia