FlixBus acquires megabus.com Euro operations

01 July 2016
live
Issue 367
driving towards a greener future
FlixBus acquires
megabus.com
Euro operations
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contents
comment
06-15 news
FlixBus acquires megabus
continental operations.
32-36 product
TEK Group opens new
facility in Rearsby,
Leicestershire.
06-15 news
Contactless phone charging
system launched by
Reading.
38 glass
Special assistance on hand
from Autoglass.
16-17 analysis
The Bus Services Bill starts
its parliamentary process
as industry lobbying kicks
into top gear.
40-48 software
New technologies help
operators and employees
increase efficiency.
18-22 international
50-53 who buys what
Fourth new B8R SC5 for
James E McNee Coaches.
23-27 people
50-53 who buys what
Two Enviro200s for
Lanarkshire operator.
28-31 diary
54-57
Wrights launch
demonstration tour for
electric bus in Switzerland.
MD appointed for newly
formed Transport for West
Midlands.
Volvo charity golf day
supports Teenage Cancer
Trust.
4 tourism
CPT and Go-Ahead launch
trial of depot spaces for
coach parking in capital.
June 2016
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June 2016
www.alcoawheelseurope.com
5
news
FlixBus acquires megabus
continental operations
FlixBus takes on megabus continental operation.
Stagecoach has sold its continental megabus.com retail operation to German technology start-up
FlixBus. The deal includes the retail
and operations of the recentlyestablished megabus business in
continental Europe, and will see
Stagecoach continue as a contractor
to FlixBus for at least three years.
The price is not disclosed, but
Stagecoach says that it expects to
make a profit on the deal.
The FlixBus sale was announced
as Stagecoach reported its fullyear results to 30 April 2016 which
showed group revenue and operating profit up by 20 per cent and 0.7
per cent respectively. Stagecoach’s
UK regional bus business reported
a reduced profit of £137.3million on
static revenue of £1,032.8million,
while its London bus business generated £20.2million profit on turnover of £267.1million.
6 For the first time, the group
reported separate financial data
for its megabus Europe business which showed a loss of
£24.1million on turnover of
£18.4million in 2016, compared
to a £4.2million loss on turnover
of £9.2million in 2015.
The FlixBus deal was signed on
28 June, just five days after the
UK’s referendum, and includes
the megabus retailing business
in Germany, Italy, France, Spain
and Benelux as well as cross-border services to London. Tickets
for megabus connections will be
available on FlixBus’ website and
app.
The number of journeys
between London and continental Europe will increase by up to
six times per day, according to
André Schwämmlein, FlixBus
founder and managing director:
“Our aim is to integrate existing
megabus routes into our network
until the end of this summer. Our
customers will then have easy
access to an even better offer.”
The sale of the megabus Europe
retail operations will complete on
or around 1 July 2016. In addition,
Stagecoach has agreed that it will
dispose of a number of vehicles to
FlixBus or its nominee at a future
date.
Stagecoach says the agreed
amount for the sale of the retail
operations will be satisfied by the
issue of a loan note from FlixBus at
completion later this week. Stagecoach expects the loan note to be
fully settled by the end of 2017. Payment of the loan note is not subject
to any conditions or performance
criteria which need to be fulfilled.
www.flixbus.com
www.stagecoachgroup.com
June 2016
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June 2016
7
news
Striking Lakeland livery
for new 555 service
Stag ecoach Cumb r ia
& Nor th Lancashire will
launch a new fleet of 12
high-spec buses on the 555
route between Keswick and
Lancaster next month. The
launch will coincide with an
increased timetable with
more frequent ser vices
which start on 3 July 2016
and represents an investment of £2.5 million. The
new fleet will operate on the
A591, promoted as ‘Britain’s
Best Drive’ taking in some of
the most picturesque scenery in the Lake District.
The new ADL Enviro400s
have a unique livery and
internal design provided
by Best Impressions which
includes murals of Lakeland
scenes and ceiling cove
illustrations of some of the
area’s wildlife.
“We are really excited
about launching our new
New buses for Stagecoach 555 Lakeland route.
and enhanced vehicles which
will continue to provide an
essential service for the many
visitors who use public transport during their holiday,” says
Matthew Cranwell, managing
director, Stagecoach Cumbria
and North Lancashire. “As
many will appreciate this is a
Interior graphics on the new route 555 buses.
8 journey, which can only truly
be savoured when you’re not
stuck behind the wheel yourself – so those who travel on
the new ‘555 Lakes Connection’ service are in for a real
treat with this truly first class
experience.”
Ray Stenning, design
director, Best Impressions,
adds: “My team pulled out
all the stops to make this
route through the spine of
the Lake District really resonate with the area it serves
and promote the bus as
the best way to experience
these gorgeous landscapes
and attractions. It oozes
Lake District style and class
and will look magnificent in
that magnificent scenery.”
Stagecoach is introducing
the buses to passengers in
the area this week with displays in Kendal, Ambleside
and Keswick.
www.golakes.co.uk
June 2016
news
Contactless phone charging
system launched by Reading
Reading Buses claim to have
launched the world’s first deployment of an Aircharge mobile
phone and tablet charger on public transport with an installation
on one of its double-decks.
The new system removes the
need for bus customers to carry
a charging lead with them.
“This follows our earlier work
to deploy wireless mobile phone
charging pads,” says Martijn Gilbert, Reading Buses chief executive officer.
“Aircharge makes use of Qi
wireless charging for enabled
phones and also provides a lead
affixed to a steel cord which
of fers three adaptor sockets
covering other popular mobile
phone makes. It also builds upon
our widespread adoption of USB
charging points on other Reading Buses routes.
“The initial unit is being trialled in a refurbished bus that
will also demonstrate other possible new concepts for the future,
including seating layouts.”
If the trial is successful, Reading plans to fit more Aircharge
units later in the year.
“Adoption of wireless charging
is growing rapidly and transport
is a key sector,” says Barry Grant,
sales director, Aircharge. “Over
40 models of cars globally now
offer Qi wireless charging technology and it’s great to see Aircharge and Reading Buses being
the first to bring this to a UK
public transport service.”
www.reading-buses.co.uk
New Aircharge device trialled on
Reading double-deck.
June 2016
9
news
industry data
Market prices
Operator
FirstGroup
Go-Ahead
Price
100
1956
High
122
2758
Low
80
1788
National Exp.
Rotala
295
61
353
76
252
60
Stagecoach
231
406
195
Continue devolution agenda
says Urban Transport Group
Closing prices on 30/06/16
plus 12 months high and low.
UK diesel price update pence per litre
Northern Ireland
Scotland
Wales
North
North West
Yorks & Humbs
West Midlands
East Midlands
East Anglia
South East
South West
107.5
109.0
108.6
108.7
109.0
108.7
109.2
109.0
109.2
109.7
109.1
Average weekly fuel prices for the UK by
region, May 2016. Source: AA
European diesel price update
pence per litre equivalent
Austria
Belgium
Czech Rep
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Netherlands
Hungary
Ireland
Italy
Luxembourg
Malta
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
77.7
88.4
78.6
89.0
73.9
89.9
87.6
81.5
82.3
91.4
78.1
84.5
103.6
70.1
88.4
103.6
67.2
82.3
76.9
103.6
98.6
European diesel pump price sample
May 2016. Source: AA
10 Jon Lamonte, Urban Transport Group
The Urban Transport Group
which represents the major
metropolitan areas is calling for
a continuation of the government’s devolution agenda in the
wake of the referendum result.
“In the aftermath of the EU
Referendum it is more important than ever that the momentum behind investment in our
urban and inter-urban transport networks is maintained,”
says Jon Lamonte, Urban Transport Group chair. “The evidence
clearly shows that if we want a
resilient economy we need to
continue to invest in transport
networks of the quality and
capacity needed to meet the
demands of our cities’ growing
economies - as well as improving their connectivity with each
other and the wider world.
“Devolution of responsibilities
over transport to cities and city
regions has also brought major
benefits - as can be seen not just
in London but now increasingly
in other cities too.
“There should be no slowing in this process of devolving
more decision-making on transport to our major urban centres
as it offers the prospect of better
integrated transport services and
networks with smart and simple
ticketing, as well as more locally
accountable decision making
which is better able to focus
investment on where it can make
most impact.
“As the voice of urban transport for the UK we will continue
to work with the global public
transport body, UITP, as well
as with our counterpart cities and city regions in Europe
and the wider world, in order
to continue to drive the agenda
and learn from each other about
what works best in tackling the
common challenges that urban
transport authorities face.”
www.urbantransportgroup.org
June 2016
news
Cardiff aims to reverse increase
in bus lane infractions
A new clampdown on car drivers using bus lanes has been
launched in Cardiff following
an increase in Fixed Penalty
Notices issued to motorists
for the offence in the last two
months.
Until April 2016, there had
been a steady decline for more
than six months in the number
of penalty notices issued for
bus lane violations, with 5,955
tickets issued in March. In April
this increased to 6,389 tickets
being issued and May’s figure
shows a further increase to
6,855 tickets being issued.
“After a steady decline in
the number of tickets issued
up until this March this year
for the illegal use of bus lanes,
it is disappointing that the
trend hasn’t continued,” says
Ramesh Patel, cabinet member for transport, planning
and sustainability. “Everyone
should now know where the
cameras are placed, as the
locations have been widely
publicised.
“Recently it has been publicised that the council has
generated £10 million pounds
in income from Moving Traffic Offences, parking revenue and parking fines. What
this figure doesn’t take into
account is the cost of these
schemes which is in excess
of £5 million pounds,” adds
Patel.
“After the costs are paid,
all remaining income is ring
fenced in law for transport
and highway improvements.
“Recent schemes which
have benefited from this
income include the Cardiff
East Park & Ride facility,
upgrades to car parks, the
city centre mobility assistance scheme, installation of
disabled bays and the works
required for the implementation of the Moving Traffic
Offences Scheme.”
www.cardiff.gov.uk
Chalkwell scales back
commuter services because
of London traffic issues
The challenges of operating
commuter coaches in London
has led to a decision by Chalkwell to scale back some of its
Kent to London commuter
coach services in the wake of
reduced demand caused by
service delays. Chalkwell currently operates a nine-vehicle
service with four coaches a
day to the capital from Swale
and the Medway Towns, and
a further five from Maidstone
and Malling.
From 4 July the service
from the Medway towns will
remain at four coaches with
the Maidstone and Malling
services reducing to three in
the morning and four returning in the afternoon.
June 2016
“Operating coaches in London, particularly commuter
services, has become a very
difficult environment,” says
Roland Eglinton, Chalkwell
commercial director.
“We are competing with
different modes of transport,
plus other coach operators.
We’ve also seen increased
traffic and massive delays
associated with the Cycle
SuperHighway.
“We hoped that once the
roadworks had finished
and Aldgate re-opened that
we would see an improvement. Despite lobbying TfL
for much needed changes
to traffic light phasing, particularly along Upper Thames
Roland Eglinton, Chalkwell.
Street, we have not seen any
substantial improvement or
interest from them.
“While cyclists have been
given priority, there is a
lack of interest in commuter
coaches from the authorities.
The forthcoming closure of
Tower Bridge is going to be
yet another obstruction.
“All of these factors make it
difficult to get people to and
from work in a timely fashion, and as such we’ve seen
noticeable decline in patronage on some departures.”
www.chalkwell.co.uk
11
news
Oxford Bus extends airline
service to Birmingham
Ox for d Bus Company has
launched an additional new route
for its express coach service, the airline. The new service “BHX” starts
on 2 July 2016 and will operate 10
round trips a day, 7 days per week.
After leaving Gloucester Green
coach station, coaches will call at
Oxford Parkway Park & Ride, Banbury Stroud Park, Warwick Castle,
Warwick Bus Station and Warwick
University, before arriving at Birmingham Airport and rail station.
The service will terminate at the
new Resorts World Birmingham
complex, which is located close to
the Genting Arena and the NEC.
The Resort includes a large outlet
shopping mall with brands such as
Gap, Next, H&M and Nike, a luxury
hotel, spa and 24 hour casino, as
well as a large number of fantastic
bars and restaurants.
“The airline is already the best
way to get to Heathrow and Gatwick
airports from Oxford, and for many
years our customers have asked us
to look at the possibility of starting a
route to Birmingham,” says Oxford
Bus Company managing director
Phil Southall. “Birmingham airport
is currently going through a period
of rapid growth - with many new
destinations recently being added
to its network – but connectivity
to the airport from both Oxford
and Warwick still has some room
for improvement, and so we felt
that the time was right to give
our customers the opportunity
to take advantage of these new
journey possibilities.
“However the new route isn’t
just for those visiting the airport
– there are a number of great
leisure destinations along the
route, both at the Resorts World
and NEC campus, and in Warwick where customers can visit
the magnificent castle and enjoy
the many independent shops and
restaurants located in the historic town. There are also strong
academic links between Oxford
and Warwick University and we
hope the new service, with its
Park & Ride connection will help
facilitate further development of
these. We also expect the new
North Banbury stop will be welcomed by commuters, and will
give improved connections for
visitors to the Banbury Gateway
shopping park.”
The company will introduce
through tickets from the new
service onto its existing airline and X90 routes to London,
Heathrow and Gatwick, and will
also offer a new “Passport” ticket,
which will give customers the ability to make unlimited journeys on
any of its buses and coaches for a
24, 48 or 72 hour period. There
will also be add-on tickets for
onward travel from the airport
to Birmingham City Centre with
both National Express buses and
London Midland trains, and from
Warwick University to Leamington Spa using National Express
buses.
Robert Eaton, head of planning,
development and infrastructure at
Birmingham Airport adds: “This
new service linking Oxford to Birmingham Airport is great news for
both regions. There was a gap in
the ease of travel from Oxfordshire
and this new service will mean that
passengers along the route can now
access the Airport’s extensive flight
network to 150 direct global destinations conveniently.
“Increasing access by public
transport is a priority for Birmingham Airport so we thank the
Oxford Bus Company for seeing
the opportunity in Birmingham
and look forward to welcoming
passengers using the new service.”
www.oxfordbus.co.uk
New Birmingham link for airline service.
12 June 2016
news
Thamesdown doubles the
number of buses with wi-fi
Additional funding from
Swindon borough council
has enabled Thamesdown to
double the number of buses
in the town fitted with wi-fi.
Reporting that free wi-fi has
already resulted in a boost
in passenger number s,
Thamesdown has fitted it to
a further 29 buses on services 1/1A, 13, 14, 17 and 27,
while double-deck buses on
service 27 have also been
fitted with the technology, in
addition to those on services
11, 12 and 15 which already
offered wi-fi.
“Last year’s customer
satisfaction survey showed
that free wi-fi was highly
valued by our customers
and so thanks to Swindon
Travel Choices we can now
offer this service to more
passengers,” says Paul
Jenkins, managing director,
Thamesdown. “Since wi-fi
has been available on these
extra vehicles we have seen
a 150 per cent increase in
the use of wi-fi, with a 50 per
cent increase in the number
of users.
“The latest wi-fi units
funded by Swindon Travel
Choices are 4G-enabled, so
in some cases you may get
a faster internet connection
when travelling on the bus
than at home.”
Dale Heenan, Swindon
cabinet member for sustainability and transport, adds:
“Ninety-five per cent of the
Swindon bus network is run
commercially with no council subsidy, but investment
June 2016
Paul Jenkins, Thamesdown Transport and Dale Heenan, Swindon borough council.
still occurs and this one-off
government money provides
another small reason to help
encourage people out of their
cars and onto buses.
“Swindon is two years into
a five-year programme of
improving the borough’s road
network in order to cope with
future traffic levels but ultimately, if we are serious
about reducing congestion, we need to reduce the
number of cars on the road,
and that number is increasing by two per cent every
year.”
www.thamesdownbus.com
13
news
Lucketts assessors receive
RoSPA accreditation
Lucketts Travel Group has
enhanced its driver training programme by putting senior staff
through an accredited training
from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA).
Three members of the Lucketts’
team completed the accredited
training with the charity which is
designed as a formal recognition of
a company’s driver training courses
and confirms that a company has
the required content to educate and
train delegates on the best ways to
reduce road risks.
The RoSPA training was undertaken by compliance and standards
controller Dave Reid, driver training instructor Neil Kerslake, and
Mark Pitter, general manager of
sister company Coliseum Coaches.
RoSPA’s training has provided
Lucketts’ driving assessors with the
skills to assess the firm’s coach drivers to an accepted standard with
the knowledge that, should there
be an accident, they will be able to
investigate the incident as well as
be able to take steps to prevent any
potential future accidents.
“Lucketts was interested in this
training because of the company’s
focus on safety as a key value, and
its commitment to the development
of its staff,” says Ian Luckett, joint
managing director.
“The RoSPA programme is a
great way for members of staff to
receive feedback on their development thanks to online tools which
allow them to be assessed on areas
such as driving style and skills.
“We’re hoping to put more
staff through this training in the
future.”
Lucketts has been awarded
CPT’s Workshop Accreditation
following an earlier assessment.
“We aim to support staff as
much as possible – we don’t want
them to feel unprepared or alone
when they leave our gates, and do
everything we can to continually
develop their skills and prepare
them for any situation,” adds
Luckett.
www.lucketts.co.uk
Neil Kerslake, Mark Pitter and Dave Reid.
14 June 2016
news
Green light for Wolverhampton
city centre tram extension
Computer-generated image of Metro trams at Pipers Row, Wolverhampton.
Plans to extend the Midland Metro in Wolverhampton have been formally
approved by transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin
following a Transport and
Works Act Order public
inquiry last summer. The
go-ahead means preparatory work on the £18million
extension can start later this
year with completion scheduled for 2019.
The route will take trams
along Pipers Row, stopping
directly outside the bus station before continuing on to
the railway station which will
also be redeveloped as part
of the Wolverhampton Interchange Project.
The Metro scheme is being
carried out by Transport for
West Midlands (TfWM), the
transport arm of the West
Midlands Combined Author-
June 2016
ity, in partnership with the City
of Wolverhampton Council and
Neptune Developments.
The tram extension aims to
improve passenger connections between bus, train and
tram services and also support ongoing redevelopment
of land next to the railway station which it is claimed could
see £120million of investment
and 1,400 new jobs.
“Today’s approval is excellent news because the extension can play a key role in
unlocking further investment
and jobs - not just in Wolverhampton but also other parts
of the Black Country,” says
Roger Lawrence, leader of City
of Wolverhampton Council and
the West Midlands lead on
transport.
“If we are to succeed in revitalising our city then we must
have the right transport infra-
structure in place to open
up new areas for redevelopment and underpin our long
term ambitions.”
Lawrence said the extension would provide improved
Metro links to the wider West
Midlands including a route
through to the proposed
high speed rail station and
the Broad Street area in Birmingham city centre.
Following a six-week legal
challenge period the Transport and Works Act Order
will come into force and allow
work to start on advanced
utility diversions. This will
be followed by works to the
Pipers Row car park that in
turn will create the space
needed to divert the underground pipes and cables
buried along the route of the
tram extension.
www.centro.org.uk
15
Analysis
Steve Rooney reports
As the parliamentary process gets underway the
lobbying on the Bus Services Bill gets serious.
Franchising and new
Enhanced Partnerships
set to change the face
of UK bus industry
The Bus Services Bill has been welcomed by
groups that have long campaigned for an alternative to the deregulated structure outside London.
The bill includes a clear commitment to give combined authorities with elected mayors the powers to
introduce franchising, based loosely on the London
model, and also opens the door for other authorities
without elected mayors to introduce franchising,
subject to obtaining consent from the secretary of
state.
As the parliamentary process gets underway, the
County Councils Network has written to ministers
to argue that all councils should be given the powers
for franchising, "otherwise large swathes of England
could face a postcode lottery on whether their bus
services will improve, with shire county councils
struggling to maintain existing routes due to funding reductions".
Anne Western, CCN Economic growth spokeswoman, says: “There is a lot to be welcomed in the
Bus Services Bill, which has the power to reform
public transport in both rural and urban areas.
“Due to austerity, cutbacks to bus services have
had an impact on isolated communities that truly do
see public transport as a lifeline.
“That’s why it is crucial for the government to pass
on franchising powers to all councils, not simply
areas that have chosen to be governed by a mayor.
16 Rural communities arguably need sustainable bus
services more than their urban counterparts, yet
this policy favours the city, not the shire.”
The partnership approach is also covered extensively in the bill with a new Advanced Quality
Partnership model and an Enhanced Partnership
option.
“Good bus services can help cut congestion and
deliver better journeys for hard-working people,
helping them get around and get on,” says transport minister Andrew Jones. “We are determined to
increase bus usage and these measures are designed
to give councils access to a range of powers to help
deliver regular, reliable services for all.
“We are also looking to end the frustration of not
knowing when the next service will turn up, by giving software developers the data they need to produce new apps. All councils will be able to enter into
new “enhanced partnerships” with bus companies
under the new law.”
Local authority lobbying has won an important
concession on quality partnerships with the new
Advanced Quality Partnership no longer requiring
them to commit to capital spending in support of
such schemes.
The new Enhanced Partnership model is a halfway house to franchising with the power given to
authorities to set standards for vehicle specificaJune 2016
Analysis
The DfT points to the success of The Star in Portsmouth, a partnership between First and two local authorities.
tions, branding, ticketing, frequency and the ability
to set the price of multi-operator ticketing, although
not operator-specific ticket prices. In addition, local
authorities which enter Enhanced Partnerships with
local operators will take over responsibility for bus
registrations from the traffic commissioners.
Enhanced Partnerships will not be able to be
imposed by authorities unless they consult fully
with operators and gain majority support from the
operators involved, although the precise mechanism
for counting objections will be the subject of future
secondary legislation in the form of regulations.
Go-Ahead has given a partial welcome to the bill,
with unsurprisingly a tick in the box for partnerships and a question mark over franchising.
“The Bill’s new Enhanced Partnerships offer the
potential to consolidate the benefits already achieved
through the strong alliances Go-Ahead companies
have forged with local authorities,” says the group.
“Go-Ahead notes the process by which new franchising powers granted to combined authorities
can be exercised and remain to be convinced that
June 2016
their application will deliver better services for our
customers than the existing system of competition
between operators and partnership working with
local transport authorities.
“Measures brought forward in the Bus Services
Bill must ensure that the franchise decision-making
process is transparent and that any franchise proposals will deliver on customer service, value for
money and affordability criteria.”
The Urban Transport Group, formerly pteg and
fervent campaigner against deregulation, has welcomed the bill.
“This new legislation offers the prospect of a ‘fresh
start’ for the bus by giving cities a range of more
effective tools with which to improve bus services,”
says UTG bus lead Frank Rogers. “The Bill includes
a simpler route for city region authorities to franchise networks of bus services in the same way that
London does as well as giving us better ways of making the existing deregulated market deliver greater
benefits for passengers.”
www.gov.uk
17
international
USA
Bus and coach news from around the world
China
Detroit voters asked to back Chinese ‘straddling’ bus rides above congestion
major BRT scheme
A new property tax for Detroit is
being put to the vote in November, and if approved would see
a major expansion of bus rapid
transit and commuter rail
services. The Regional Transit
Authority of Southeast Michigan plans to order 420 buses at
a cost of $576million.
They would service routes
in Oakland, Wayne, Macomb
and Washtenaw counties, and
the BRT units would be used
on four major transit corridors: Woodward, Michigan
and Gratiot avenues, and on
Washtenaw Avenue between
Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti.
The RTA’s plan is to spend
$133million for the initial 60
articulated BRT vehicles, at
around $1.2million each, and
$155 million for up to 150 traditional buses that would be
used for new cross-county connector lines, commuter express
lines and an airport shuttle
service.
The RTA plans to replace all
of the buses on a 12-year cycle.
The BRT system would cost
about $17million annua lly
to operate, according to the
RTA.
Voters in November will be
asked to approve a 20-year,
$2.9billion property tax which
will enable the RTA to seek
$1.7billion in federal and state
funding to pay for its master
plan that includes the BRT
and regular buses, a commuter
train between Detroit and Ann
Arbor, and a universal fare card
system for the region. The total
cost is forecast at $4.6billion.
www.rtamichigan.org
18 Demonstration of Transit Explore Bus concept.
A futuristic ‘straddling’ bus which
covers two lanes of traffic and is
raised up to allow cars to drive
underneath has been proposed by
a Chinese developer. The Transit
Explore Bus (TEB) was demonstrated in model form at a technology show in Beijing last month.
The ‘straddling’ bus is supported by two legs that run along
rails along the roadside which
enable the TEB to glide above the
gridlock at speeds of up to 60km
per hour, according to the designers. Vehicles less than 2m high
would be able to drive underneath
the bus, even when stationary.
“The biggest advantage is that
the bus will save lots of road
space,” says Song Youzhou, the
project’s chief engineer.
The super-wide TEB would
have a capacity of 1,400 commuters and could replace 40
conventional buses, according to Youzhou. A prototype is
promised this summer in Qinhuangdao, a coastal city 300km
east of Beijing.
Chinese media reported that
the latest development echoes
a similar concept bus that was
unveiled at the same technology
exhibition in 2010.
France
Rennes plans full-electric bus fleet by 2020
R ennes in nor t h-western
France is working towards a fullelectric bus fleet by 2020 with its
latest tender requests to manufacturers. The tender calls for
full-electric articulated buses and
12m single-decks.
The city aims to test buses
on several existing lines of the
Rennes network and if successful
there will be a further tender to
replace all buses in the city with
full-electric vehicles.
www.ted.europa.eu
June 2016
CPC
Driver CPC
Driver CPC
Management
CPC
Digital
Tachograph
Digital
Tachograph
Training
Tachograph
Analysis
Drivers’
Hours
Law
Driver LicenceAnalysis
Checks
Tachograph
Tachograph Compliance Products
Tachograph Products
international
France
First all-electric bus route
for Paris region.
By the end of 2016, Line 341
(Charles de Gaulle – Etoile/Porte
de Clignancourt) will be operated with 23 Bluebus 12m fullelectric buses built by Bolloré.
The buses will be recharged at
night at the Belliard bus depot in
the 18th arrondissement, which
the transport authority says will
not drain the electricity grid during peak times.
RATP aims to transform its
bus fleet of 4,500 vehicles by 2025
with a move to 80 per cent electric buses and 20 per cent biogaspowered vehicles.
“Bus 2025 is a challenge that
is both bold and ambitious, and
which calls on all the company’s
expertise in engineering, maintenance and operations,” says
Elisabeth Borne, RATP president and chief executive. “This
is a world-first for a transport
operator and fleet of this size.
The advent of the first 100 per
cent electrically-powered bus is a
key moment in the RATP energy
transition and demonstrates that
there are now long-term, alternative solutions to today’s environmental challenges”.
Valérie Pécresse, president of the
Ile-de-France regional council and
the STIF transport authority, adds:
“This line is an historic first step
towards the industrial and ecological revolution I wish to implement
in public transport for the Grand
Paris project. In the next few weeks,
a 1,000-bus plan in the Paris region
will be launched in which STIF
will invest massively to bolster the
transport offering in poorly covered areas, particularly the outer
suburbs, and to offer a genuine
alternative solution to taking
the car. Wherever possible, these
next-generation vehicles will be
zero-emission vehicles, electric,
biogas, hydrogen or powered by
other low-carbon solutions.”
Manufactured by the Bolloré
group, the Bluebus is a full-electric vehicle designed and built
using French Lithium Metal Polymer batteries. The 12m bus can
carry 91-101 passengers and has a
range of at least 180 km, according to Bolloré.
529265 powered by Euro 5 YMZ
diesel engine.
The 47-seat Cruise is designed
for intercity and tourist operations
and is produced by Likino Bus
Plant. Gas fuel is filled into eight
150l cylinders providing an operating range of 600km. The Cruise
bus features climate control, an
on-board computer, cruise control,
ESP and anti-rollover protection
systems, uphill and downhill assist
systems and a TV/video. Additional
options include digital destination
signs, video system, wi-fi, next
stop announcer, rearview camera,
navigation and communication
terminal, exterior and interior
CCTV, sleeper compartment,
kitchenette and toilet.
The Vector Next is a new
product of Pavlovo Bus Plant
based on GAZon Next chassis.
The new model can carry 43-53
passengers and is the first bus of
a new family, which will range
from lengths of 7 to 9m. The 12m
LIAZ-529265 is designed for city
routes and can carry up to 114
passengers and is fitted with a
Euro-5 YMZ diesel engine.
www.ratp.fr
Russia
GAZ unveils Euro 6 coach
Russian-based GAZ Group
has launched a Cruise coach
equipped with a Euro 6 CNG
engine.
The new Cruise CNG bus is
based on a Scania chassis and
will be produced under the
GAZ brand that is now used for
the new range of buses produced
by GAZ Group companies. The
launch was accompanied by
other new products including
a small bus Vector Next and a
large low-floor city bus LIAZ-
20 www.eng.gazgroup.ru
June 2016
Bus and coach news from around the world
Malta
New Otokar Vectio Cs
for Malta.
Malta Public Transport purchased 143 Otokar Vectio C buses
equipped with Allison fully-automatic transmissions for Malta and
Gozo. The new Otokar Vectio C
9.6m buses have Euro 6 Cummins
250hp engine and Allison T280
Torqmatic transmission, and can
carry up to 62 passengers.
“Automatic transmissions
enhance driving comfort in
urban environments, where
there are continuous stops and
gear shifts,” says David Bermejo, maintenance director,
MPT. “Eliminating the need
to pay attention to gear shifts
increases safety and reliability,
while optimising operating costs
due to automatically enabled
Malta takes 143 Otokar buses.
shift schedules.” Antonio Bautista,
director at Somauto, Otokar dealer
for Spain adds: “This is a totally
new bus that is custom-built for the
client, based on the European version of the Vectio C, and adapted
to be longer with a self-supporting chassis. As an easy-handling
vehicle with a width of 2.35m, it
is very well-suited to downtown
driving.”
www.allisontransmission.com
Ecuador
Volvo delivers 80 biarticulated buses for
Ecuador BRT
Volvo Bus Latin America has
received an order for 80 bi-articulated buses for the BRT system
of Quito, capital of Ecuador.
“The city is investing in
improving its urban transportation system and our high-capacity
passenger vehicles will help them
meet the demand in the BRT
corridors”, says Euclides Castro,
urban bus commercial manager,
Volvo Bus Latin America.
The Volvo buses are 27m-long
B340Ms and can carry 250 passengers. The bi-articulated buses
will be bodied by Superpolo.
The higher capacity vehicles
will reduce the number of vehicles operating in the corridor,
and consequently increase the
June 2016
New bi-articulated Volvos for Quito.
average speed of the system. The
first buses started to operate in
May, in time for the city’s anniversary celebrations.
Volvo has delivered more than
4,000 buses to the BRT-systems of
Curitiba, Bogotá, Guatemala City,
Mexico City, Santiago de Chile and
San Salvador.
“Bi-articulates are the best solu-
tion to increase the efficiency
of urban mass transit systems
in large cities. They reduce displacement time; in addition to
reducing emissions and operating costs, because they reduce the
number of buses on the streets”,
adds Luis Carlos Pimenta, president, Volvo Bus Latin America.
www.volvobuses.com
21
international
Bus and coach news from around the world
Switzerland
Swiss demo for Wrightbus electric bus
School children in Switzerland try out the StreetLite EV.
Wrightbus has kicked off a
European demonstration tour
in Switzerland for its plug-in
electric StreetLite EV to operators and other stakeholders.
T he 9. 5m St reet Lite EV
is fitted with an all-electric
driveline from the Wrightbus ‘Electrocity’ range, which
is now available to order. The
bus has covered more than 600
miles to date including a visit to
the Swiss capital city of Berne,
as well as Zurich, Fribourg, St
Gallen, Basserdorf, Clarens and
Manior. Leading bus operators
and press were given an opportunity to take a test drive.
Wrightbus says its modular
build process enables it to offer
three different vehicle charging
and associated battery configurations on the same platform,
faci litating sta ndardisation
across a vehicle f leet and optimising aftermarket support.
The StreetLite EV demon-
22 strator currently in Switzerland
is a plug-in version, with overnight charging of the Nickel
Manganese Cobalt batteries giving a daily range of 150 miles or
18 hours of service. In its wheel
forward format fitted with 37
seats, the StreetLite EV features
the Siemens ELFA 2 electric drive
system. Inductive Power Transfer
or Conductive Charging options
are also available in the Wrightbus Electrocity range.
With Inductive Power Transfer, Lithium ion batteries give a
range of 135 miles or 17 hours of
service. Power is supplied wirelessly from in-ground charging
coils, with a charging time of less
than 12 minutes. Eight Wrightbus StreetLite EV buses have been
using this charging technology in
Milton Keynes since spring 2014.
Conductive charging w it h
Lithium ion batteries gets power
through on-street Pantograph
systems, fully charging vehicles
in less than seven minutes.
Dependent upon the positioning of charging stations along
a particular route, this can
deliver further extended service range.
“At Wrightbus we have been
pioneering the development of
low emissions solutions for two
decades now and it is extremely
satisfying to see our StreetLite
EV undertaking this demonstration programme in Switzerland,” says William Wright,
who heads up Wrightbus’ alternative driveline business unit.
“As well as showcasing its many
features and benefits to members of the bus industry and the
press, we have also been raising
awareness of this zero emissions product to the general
public, who have all been very
enthusiastic in their reaction to
this bus and the environmental
technologies it offers.”
www.wrightsgroup.com
June 2016
people
For all the latest vacancies visit – www.busandcoach.com
to ease traffic congestion, particularly around Reading town
centre.”
www.reading-buses.co.uk
Laura Shoaf.
Andy Phillips.
Newly-formed Transport
for West Midlands body
appoints MD
Phillips appointed as
new head of commercial
at Reading
Laura Shoaf has been appointed
managing director at Transport
for West Midlands, the body
which will be the transport arm of
the new West Midlands Combined
Authority. Shoaf will be responsible for guiding and delivering the
combined authority’s transport
strategy to develop a network that
integrates the region’s road, rail,
bus and tram systems.
ITA chair Roger Lawrence, who
is also leader of Wolverhampton
council, says: “Laura’s experience and knowledge have already
served the ITA well. We believe
she is the ideal person to lead
Tf WM in its work to deliver the
combined authority’s transport
strategy.”
Shoaf adds: “In forming the new
combined authority the leaders
have set out a very exciting vision
for transport and I’m thrilled to
be given an opportunity to play a
part in that.
“There is a lot of hard work
ahead but with the wider West
Midlands now working together
as a combined authority I believe
we can realise those ambitions for
the benefit of the whole region.”
Andy Phillips has been appointed
as head of commercial at Reading
Buses with responsibility for looking after key commercial areas of
the business and strengthening
long-term commercial strategy.
Phillips has lived in Reading for
most of his life but worked away
from the town including 14 years
in the travel, rail and airline sector. He was most recently pricing
manager at Heathrow Express
where he has worked since 2007
in various operational and commercial roles.
Prior to that he worked for
United Airlines in an operational
capacity and started his career as
a member of the British Midland
cabin crew.
“I’m looking forward to building on what has been achieved
and developing Reading Buses
further to change the perception some people may have about
buses and persuade them to give
up their cars to take journeys into
town by bus,” says Phillips.
“Unlike even London, over 80
per cent of the Reading Buses fleet
offer wi-fi and have USB charging points and if more car drivers
caught the bus they would help
www.centro.org.uk
June 2016
Rob Garrard.
Chief engineer appointed at
RATP Dev London
Rob Garrard has joined RATP Dev
London as chief engineer following the retirement of Andy Morris
after almost 50 years’ service in the
bus industry. Garrard was formerly
fleet engineer for Epsom Coaches
and Tolworth garage (both part of
the RATP Dev group). Before that,
he was engineering manager for
Go-Ahead Group and worked at
New Cross, Bexley, Belvedere and
Peckham garages. Previous roles
outside of the bus industry include
a spell in the army repairing and
maintaining helicopters.
As chief engineer, Garrard will
have overall responsibility for the
technical side of RATP Dev London, including the management
of day-to-day engineering issues,
the bus refurbishment programme
at Stamford Brook and apprentice
training and development. “I am
delighted to join RATP Dev London,” says Garrard. “Chief engineer was the next step up the ladder
for me and I will enjoy meeting
the challenges of this exciting new
role.”
www.ratpdev.com
23
people
will continue the good work, particularly in the area of partnership,
done by Paul Lynch in Yorkshire to
deliver even better bus services for
customers in the area.”
sustainable economic growth.
ww.scptransport.co.uk
www.stagecoachgroup.com
Matt Davies.
New MD for
Stagecoach Yorkshire
S tagec oach a n n o u n c e s
appointment of new managing
director for Yorkshire bus operations
Stagecoach has appointed Matt
Davies as managing director,
Stagecoach Yorkshire.
Currently Stagecoach Manchester operations director, Davies replaces Paul Lynch who was
appointed to the role of Regional
Director North last month.
Davies has 21 years’ experience
in the bus industry, starting his
career as a management trainee
with Lincolnshire RoadCar in 1995
after completing a transport management degree at the University
of Northumbria. He joined Arriva
North West in 1998, becoming
general manager in 2000. From
2006 he held two operations
director posts with First Yorkshire
West and First Manchester before
joining Stagecoach Manchester as
operations director in 2012.
Robert Montgomery, Stagecoach
UK Bus Managing Director, says:
“I would like to congratulate Matt
on his promotion. His experience
as an operations director over the
past 10 years will stand him in
good stead to take on the opportunities and challenges of his new
role and I have no doubt that he
24 Edward Reid.
David Young.
David Young joins SCP
Transport consultancy
Transport planning consultancy SCP has appointed David
Young as a director. Young recently
left South Yorkshire Passenger
Transport Executive where he
worked for 13 years, most recently
as interim director general and
before that director of customer
experience.
His role included the work to
assess the Quality Contract option
to improve buses in Sheffield, leading to the decision to progress
successful bus partnerships in
Sheffield and Rotherham.
Young started his career in the
private sector, working for both a
consultant and an international
construction firm. Before joining
SYPTE, he worked for a number
of Yorkshire local authorities leading highway and transport work,
major road feasibility and junction
design.
Young will be based in SCP’s
Leeds office and will strengthen
the public sector transport work
helping local authorities deliver the
infrastructure essential to support
Reid becomes commercial
manager in South Wales
Edward Reid has been appointed
as commercial manager at Stagecoach in South Wales. Reid joins
Stagecoach having previously held
posts with Wrexham Council as
integrated transport manager, principal consultant at TAS, and implementation specialist with Trapeze.
Reporting to Stagecoach in
South Wales managing director
Nigel Winter, Reid will have overall responsibility for the company’s
network and performance. He will
also oversee vehicle crew scheduling, fares and tickets, digital strategy, local authority and contract
tendering, and customer service
functions.
“We’re very pleased to be welcoming Edward to the team,” says
Nigel Winter. “He’s got a fantastic
range of experience at all levels in
the industry and his public transport pedigree is hard to match. I’m
confident that his varied skillset,
knowledge and experience will be
a great asset to the business and
will help us move forward.”
Current Stagecoach in South
Wa les commercia l manager
Stephen Wren will retire in August
2016 with 50 years service to the
industry.
June 2016
For all the latest vacancies visit – www.busandcoach.com
Winter adds: “I would also like
to pay tribute to Stephen Wren
for the service he has given Stagecoach over many years. Stephen
is a passionate and knowledgeable busman who has shown great
commitment to improving public
transport in South Wales over the
past 15 years.”
on this hugely prestigious role and
I will continue to champion the
causes highlighted in my time as
President: attracting individuals to
the sector and retaining them, and
professionalising the industry.”
www.ciltuk.org.uk
www.stagecoachgroup.com
Wendy Findlay.
Will Whitehorn.
Will Whitehorn takes over as
CILT president in the UK
CILT officially welcomed its new
president Will Whitehorn at its
president’s inauguration lunch last
month.
During his first speech as
CILT(UK) president for 2016/17,
Whitehorn said: “Great change
is upon us. There will be bigger opportunities, and the sector
will become more interesting as
it encourages and embraces this
change. This Institute has a proud
history and its future will be an
exciting one as we move into a new
world.”
Will Whitehorn is director,
Stagecoach Group Plc and has
been a vice-president of CILT for
the past four years. He is a leading
figure in the transport sector and
has worked in the profession all of
his working life.
Immediate past-president Beverley Bell welcomed Will to the
role: “I have been delighted to take
June 2016
The FTA ever y woman in
Transport & Logistics Awards
were launched nine years ago to
raise awareness of the varied and
rewarding careers that the transport and logistics sector offers,
with the aim of increasing the
number of women considering it
as a career choice.
FTA chief executive David
Wells says: “FTA continuously
works hard to raise the profile of
our industry and change the public perception of what is meant by
logistics.
“We recently carried out independent research which showed
that there is definite confusion.
That is why these awards are
important as they illustrate what
logistics involves, inspiring and
encouraging other women into
the industry. Congratulations to
all the winners.”
Bus women recognised at FTA www.fta.co.uk
everywoman awards
New motor sales manager
Rachel Beckett from Brighton
at Gauntlet
& Hove Bus and Coach Company
and Wendy Findlay, First Glasgow,
were among 22 women singled out
for awards at this year’s FTA everywoman Transport & Logistic
Awards which were presented last
month in London.
Beckett was named Rising Star
of the Year, while Findlay won the
Team Leader of the Year award.
Managing Director of First
Glasgow Fiona Kerr says: “Wendy’s
approach to her work is to lead by
example and her technical knowledge is second to none. First actively
recruits leavers from all the Armed
Forces and recognises the talent
and leadership skills that are developed through a military career.
“We are certainly proud to boast
that the only female senior fleet
engineer in the whole of First’s UK
operations works with us and it’s
no small exaggeration to say she is
one of First Glasgow’s key assets in
improving diversity in our workplace.”
Commercial insurance broker
and risk manager Gauntlet Group
has appointed Angela McIver as its
motor sales manager, a new position that sees her co-ordinating
and managing the sales function
within Gauntlet, as well as mentoring other members of the sales
team.
McIver’s promotion comes
approximately 18 months after her
return to Gauntlet, which she first
worked for in 2009 and left for a
short period.
She will be responsible for overseeing all motor fleet sales teams
and managing sales strategies
within each sector.
In addition, Phil Winter has
joined as a new account handler
within the sales team, focusing on
renewals and new business generation.
“Our motor f leet division is
going from strength to strength
and making a major contribution
25
people
to Gauntlet’s overall commercial
insurance business, which covers
a wide variety of business sectors,”
says Gauntlet director Ian McCarron. “Promoting Angela into her
new role allows us to cement the
advances we have made in various
fleet motor markets and lay the
foundations for launches into new
commercial motor-related areas in
the near future.”
www.gauntletgroup.com
Further integration
at Albatross
Following the integration of
Albatross London into Albatross
Travel at the end of last year, the
group’s inbound German coach
wholesaling operation, Albatross
Europa, is now also being merged
into the Albatross Travel business. Denise Bridges will continue as managing director of the
expanded division supported by a
strengthened senior management
team consisting of Tony Flanagan
Tony Flanagan.
who moves from Success Tours
where he was latterly managing
director, to the newly created
position of director of sales. Claire
Duffield has also been promoted
internally to the newly created
position of director of operations
from support manager.
“It makes sense to bring all of
our business-to-business brands
under t he A lbatross Travel
brand,” says Bridges. “We are
Claire Duffield.
confident that these important
changes will enable us to further
develop our product and enhance
our customer service offering to
clients.”
Established nearly 30 years ago,
Albatross Europa specialises in
providing wholesale packages for
inbound coach operators in Germany, Austria and Switzerland to
the UK.
www.albatrosstravel.com
Apprentices recognised at Wrights Group
Annual apprentice awards at Wrights Group.
The sixth annual Wrights Group
Apprenticeship Awards evening
took place last month in Bally-
26 mena, hosted by Mandy Knowles, Wrights Group HR & welfare
director and the keynote speaker
was long-ser v ing company
employee and project manager
David McCaughey.
June 2016
For all the latest vacancies visit – www.busandcoach.com
Senior Directors from Wrights
Group, Seven Towers Training,
the graduates and their parents
and friends gathered to celebrate
the achievement of the Apprenticeship NI engineering qualifications and career development
milestones.
“Design, innovation and technology have placed Wrightbus
at the forefront of the passenger
transport industry,” says Knowles.
“Our latest generation of Wrightbus vehicles are in operation
around the globe, these unique
products stem from our people.
“Every graduate here today
will play a crucial role in creating
future products we can take pride
in - industry experience, a constant strive for new innovations
and the skills obtained on our
apprenticeship training scheme
are the essence of our future leaders. Hard work and manufacturJune 2016
ing competence demonstrated by
those graduating today allows us
to continue to manufacture and
create products Northern Ireland
can take pride in.”
This year 30 Wrights Group
Engineering Apprentices were
recognised for occupationa l
progress, excellent practical and
theoretical application and positive drive as they complete the
four-year Apprenticeship NI in
Engineering, having successfully
completed 12 NVQ units and 12
City & Guilds technical diplomas,
in addition to hands-on experience of bus manufacturing for
domestic and European customers.
The apprentice training is provided through the Wrights Group
in partnership with Seven Towers
Training, and is supported by the
Department for Employment and
Learning.
The apprentices were each presented with a Record of Achievement p or t fol io c ont a i n i ng
certificates marking the completion of their formal Apprenticeship NI qualification.
Speaking at the event, company
director and co-founder William
Wright added: “Apprenticeships
play a vital role in ensuring that
we have a better skilled, modern and dynamic workforce to
drive our economy forward. In
these challenging times, competition for business contracts is
even tougher. It is therefore more
important than ever that business invests in high quality training that helps individuals develop
fulfilling careers, drives competitiveness and fuels economic
growth.”
www.wrightsgroup.com/
brightfutures
27
diary
Reward for loyal Green Line commuter
Green Line issued a special
thank-you to one of its most loyal
customers by presenting legal PA
Jacquelyn Andrews with a bouquet of f lowers and a bottle of
champagne to mark the fact that
she has been commuting on-board
the Luton to London coach for 30
years.
“For those who choose to work
in London, I cannot recommend
the coach enough as a relaxing way
of commuting,” says Andrews who
was born and still lives in Luton.
“You are guaranteed a seat, it’s
cosy enough to have a kip (which
is vital when you work a long day),
and you can get to watch the world
go by too.
“What I don’t know about the
M1 and its traffic patterns is probably not worth knowing. This
service has been reliably and safely
getting me to work all these years I
have made some amazing friends,
there is a little commuting family,
and whether there is snow, flooding, road closures, accidents, come
hell or high water, they will find a
route to get you where you want to
go.”
She initially opted for the coach
as it stopped right outside her
first office on Buckingham Palace Road. She added: “My brother
also started work in London at the
same time and he opted for the
train instead, but it wasn’t for me.
It’s twice the price, there’s rarely
a seat and working in central
London means you need a long,
crowded tube journey too.
“As long as I continue to work in
Westminster, I will commute this
way.”
Giving her the f lexibility she
needs to work the hours required
within her career, she also appreciates the 24/7 nature of the services that allow her to enjoy all the
social aspects that London has to
offer without the worry of getting
home.
28 Dedicated coach commuter Jacquelyn Andrews.
Linsey Frostick, general manager for Arriva, which operates
the Green Line 757 and commuter
755 services, adds: “Jacquelyn is
the perfect passenger, and it continues to be a pleasure having her
on-board. We can’t quite believe
it’s been 30 years since she first
hopped on a Green Line coach,
but we know how much she likes a
celebration, so it seemed only right
we do something to show her our
gratitude.”
www.greenline.co.uk
June 2016
Alexander Pemberton’s Diary
Volvo charity day raises £15,000 for
Teenage Cancer Trust
Nick Page, Volvo Bus UK & Ireland; Emily Cooper and Gita Patel, Teenage Cancer Trust.
Volvo Bus hosted its sixth annual
Charity Golf Day at the Warwickshire Golf and Country Club to
raise funds for Teenage Cancer
Trust.
The event, which attracted more
than 100 golfers, was attended
and supported by Volvo Group
employees, as well as partners and
suppliers from the industry, and
representatives from the charity.
The money raised on the day of
more than £15,000 takes the total
raised by the Volvo golf days to just
under £79,000 since 2009.
“Once again we’ve had a fantastic day,” says Nick Page, managing
June 2016
director, Volvo Bus UK & Ireland.
“We are very grateful to Volvo Bus’
employees and customers as well
as the wider industry for their continued support of this event, which
enables us to contribute to this life
changing charity.”
Emily Cooper, regional fundraiser, Teenage Cancer Trust’s
West Midlands and Oxfordshire
region adds: “Once again this is
such a fantastic effort from Volvo
Bus. We are very grateful to everyone who supported the day. To
continue providing the required
level of help to the teenagers suffering from cancer we are greatly
reliant on income raised by our
fundraising events.
“As in previous years, the money
raised will make sure that young
people living with cancer in the
West Midlands don’t feel so alone.”
Teenage Cancer Trust exists
to improve the quality of life and
chances of survival for the seven
young people aged between 13 and
24 that are diagnosed with cancer
everyday. The charity provides specialist units that bring young people together to be treated by teenage
cancer experts in a place designed
specifically for them.
www.volvo.com
29
diary
Learning at Work Week embraced by First Bus
Nail art and hairdressing were
among the subjects on offer for
bus drivers and engineers as First
Bus launched its latest Learning at
Work Week.
The national annual awareness campaign organised by the
Campaign for Learning is now in
its 17th year and aims to put the
spotlight on the importance and
benefits of workplace learning and
development.
During the week-long event,
all 17,000 First Bus employees
had the opportunity to access a
range of interesting, different and
fun learning opportunities, from
hairdressing, nail art to IT skills,
literacy, numeracy, learning more
about the history of buses, how to
make bread, use twitter and even
how to make a ‘mocktail’.
Most of the activities are centred
around First Bus Learning Centres,
which, in partnership with Unite
the Union, have been established
in most First Bus depots.
First Bus HR director Karen
Doores swapped her desk for a
cab as she learned how to drive a
bus around Leicester depot and
staff from First Manchester were
offered the chance to learn how to
cut hair, nail art and beauty treatments.
A team from Bristol depot
donned leg warmers to learn the
routine to ‘Grease Lightening’,
while employees in Halifax took
part in a Heart Start course.
“Across the UK 80 per cent of
our employees have access to our
Workplace Learning Centres,”
says Doores.
“They provide colleagues with
the opportunity to improve their
skills, help them reach their
potential, and help establish First
Bus as the employer of choice in
the industry, as well as delivering
better customer service and safer
journeys for our passengers.
“Learning at Work Week is a
fantastic means of raising awareness of the Learning Centres and
some of the far reaching opportunities they provide to First Bus
colleagues.”
www.firstgroup.com
Bolton Bus Driver Leah Bracegirdle learns the basics of hairdressing.
30 June 2016
Alexander Pemberton’s Diary
NCT receives VIP visit after fundraising achievement
A VIP – very important pup – visited Nottingham City Transport
last month to say thank you for
setting it on a journey to becoming a guide dog. Staff at NCT
raised £5,000 to name the Guide
Dog puppy George.
The yellow Labrador Golden
Retriever crossbreed is now
five months old and has already
learned many of the basic obedience commands that will be used
when he goes out into the world as
part of a Guide Dog partnership.
“It was really exciting to meet
George,” says Anthony CarverSmith, NCT. “It was also great
to meet Zak and his puppy walkers and to find out all about the
training and what his personality
is like. These little things bring us
closer to the whole process.
“Our staff have really come
June 2016
together to raise the money by
organising raff les, fancy dress
days and collections. NCT’s charity fund has also supported the
activity by contributing to the
sum and we’re already on our way
to raising funds to name our next
puppy.”
Kelly France, Guide Dogs, adds:
“Puppy visits are really special.
People get to witness that all the
time and effort they put into fundraising has borne fruit in the
training of this dog. It makes it
all worthwhile.
“NCT is extremely supportive of
us as a charity and also committed
to help support people with sight
loss. They’re dedicated to providing good customer service, as the
majority of their f leet has audio
visual ‘next stop’ announcements
and their drivers also undertake
George (left) and Zak (right) with
representatives from Guide Dogs,
Nottingham City Transport and puppy
walkers, Graham and Mary.
our My Guide sighted guiding
training. To raise money to name
a puppy is the icing on the cake
and we’re grateful to all the staff
for their support.”
It costs around £50,000 to support a Guide Dog partnership
from the birth to retirement aged
about 10. Guide Dogs does not
receive any government funding for this service. Without the
generosity of public donation,
the charity Guide Dogs would be
unable to support the 4,600 Guide
Dog partnerships in the UK.
www.guidedogs.org.uk
www.nctx.co.uk
31
product
The latest products and services for the bus and coach sector
Official opening of new Rearsby factory for TEK Group
TEK’s Paul Fleming (centre) with Lady Gretton and visitors at the official opening in Rearsby.
TEK Group officially opened its
new facility in Rearsby, Leicestershire last month in a ceremony
headed by Lady Gretton, LordLieutenant of Leicestershire.
The group has its headquarters
in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, and
includes three businesses: TEK
Seating Ltd, TEK Military Seating LLP and SitSmart.
Addit iona l ma nufacturing
capacity was needed to meet growing demand on the military side
so the existing premises at Melton
Mowbray has been replaced with
a larger, purpose-built facility
in the rural location of Rearsby
Industrial Estate, five miles away.
Customers and suppliers from
all three companies attended the
official opening and had a chance
to tour the fully operational
15,000 sq ft plant.
“This new facility marks the
next very important stage in the
growth of TEK Group and its
45 year history”, said CEO Paul
Fleming. “Along with its dedicated staff, it will allow us to reach
32 our full potential, with ample
room for planned expansion and
additional production in the next
12 months.”
Lady Gretton added: “SMEs
such as TEK Group are well and
truly at the forefront of innovation and technology”.
TEK Seating offers bus and
coach seating from suppliers such
as KAB, Isringhausen, Grammer,
USSC and FISA, with its main
product being suspension driver’s
seats. It claims to be the UK’s biggest independent distributor for
the OEM and aftermarket, and
it offers a re-trimming service,
based at the new Rearsby site, as
well as a wide selection of parts
and spares. TEK says that the new,
larger factory will help it to grow
its bus and coach seat business.
“This move represents a major
investment in our company,
allowing us to grow our global
business and open new markets
while bringing in-house some
out-sourced production which
will enable us to become even
more competitive,” added Fleming.
“A good seat is an integral part
of health and safety for all operators.
“A days’ work for a driver consists of sitting in one of these seats
for the majority of their working
day, so it’s crucial they understand
how it works and that it’s correctly
fitted for their height and weight.
“There are no pitfalls to investing in a quality seat. It’s important
to weigh up quality, comfort and
adjustment of product against
what you could end up spending
long term.
“As new seats come onto the
market it’s all about reducing
driver fatigue and making sure
that it’s the seats that take the
vibrations, not the user’s back.
Most body shapes and weights can
be catered for, including a range
for drivers up to 30 stone.”
TEK already provides seats and
trimming services for Optare,
ADL, Plaxton and Wrightbus.
www.tekseating.co.uk
June 2016
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QUEENSBRIDGE (PSV) LTD
Engine, Transmission and Axle Specialists
Stockists of Cummins, Volvo, MAN and Mercedes Engines, ZF, Voith and Allison
Transmissions and a wide ranging selection of ZF AV132 rear axles,
Eaton Spicer, Volvo and Optare differentials
Free technical support for all driveline issues
Comprehensive parts stocked
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Full electronic diagnostics for Cummins – Volvo – ZF – Allison – Voith
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June 2016
33
product
Twintec claims its NOx solution is “cleaner than Euro 6”
In the wake of the Volkswagen
Group emissions scandal, attention
is increasingly turning to portable
emissions measurement systems
(PEMS) to study true emission values during operation. This affects
most diesel engine applications,
including on coaches and buses.
Twintec’s BNOx System aims
to reduce nitrogen oxide (NOx)
and soot at the same time.
The unique feature of this system, according to Twintec, is its
method of delivering the ammonia required for NOx reduction
directly into the exhaust, supplied
by an ammonia generator that produces the gas from AdBlue.
The manufacturer says that this
system has already proved in emis-
sions measurements on city buses,
that the Euro 6 limit for nitrogen
oxide can be significantly higher
under real operating conditions.
However, the NOx emissions from
a Euro 2 bus fitted with a BNOx
system were significantly lower
than the standard Euro 6 values,
according to Twintec.
www.baumot.co.uk
Bushes resolve issues for operators
Polybush reports that its 11J
and 11K bushes are aimed at
relieving some of the problems
faced by Volvo operators. The
front wishbone cone bushes are
well known to anyone with a
Volvo bus, according to Polybush.
The same units have been used
since the days of the Routemaster,
it says, although the iconic bushes
are known to fail.
Through working extensively
and closely with bus f leets the
problem with the OE bushes was
determined to be due to the rubber
either tearing or the bond between
metal and rubber failing, causing
steering, braking and tyre wear
problems.
Polybush 11J and 11K bushes for Volvo models.
Polybush offer a direct replacement for these OE bushes which
uses a polyurethane that does not
deteriorate like rubber, so perishing and splitting are no longer a
factor. Polyurethane has huge tear
strength, says Polybush, resisting
impact with potholes or speedbumps and the bond to metal is
stronger than the material itself.
In direct comparisons on spe-
cific vehicles, Polybush claims its
versions lasted roughly four times
longer than the rubber alternative. Applications include Volvo
B6BLE, B10BLE, B10L and B7TL.
The Small Upper Wishbone is
Polybush Part number 11J; and the
Large Lower wishbone is Polybush
Part number 11K. Prices per bush
from: £48.40 +VAT.
www.polybush.co.uk
Stop-Start technology proves its worth, says Voith
Installed in more than 100
buses in the UK since July 2015,
Voith says its Stop-Start technology has proven its performance
and reliability in service.
During normal operating conditions, at bus stops, red traffic
lights and traffic load, city buses
spend up to 40 per cent of their
time in idling mode. During this
period the Voith DIWA.6 automatic transmission allows the bus
to disengage its driveline in order
to reduce fuel consumption and
emissions.
34 Particularly designed for
urban traffic, the DIWA.6
is capable of stop times
up to 60 seconds without any inf luence on the
start-up readiness of the
bus. Depending on the duty
cycle, this enables fuel savings of 5-10 per cent, according to Voith.
If required by the operator,
Voith offers to analyse operational
data like the amount and duration
of stop-starts in detail. This allows
individual adaptation of the trans-
Voith DIWA.6.
mission management and maximises the benefit of the technology
for a particular route.
www.voith.com
June 2016
The latest products and services for the bus and coach sector
McGill’s opts for Ticketer for fleet-wide replacement of ticket machines
Ralph Roberts, McGill’s managing director.
McGill’s has chosen Ticketer
as its partner for a f leet-wide
upgrade of its ticket machines
following a trial period of several systems currently being used
across the sector.
“Ticketer was able to not only
meet every requirement, but
exceeded a few also,” says Ralph
Rober ts, McGill ’s managing
director. “After an exhaustive
evaluation process it was clear
that Ticketer was simply the best
match for us, and will no doubt
future proof our ticketing platform for years to come. Our plan
is to adopt a retail model of speed
and convenience, to allow our
customers to choose what is most
convenient for them. Ticketer was
the only supplier that could cope
with that approach.”
June 2016
McGill’s has operated the Ticketer system on its flagship ClydeFlyer services for more than two
years and feedback from drivers
and customers has been very positive. The real-time information
and display features of the system
is an integral part of the successful
operation of the company’s ClydeFlyer routes, and the simplicity of
the back office systems –in terms of
ticket updates and reporting– was
reported to be second to none by
the company’s commercial team.
“We are absolutely thrilled
that McGill’s has chosen us as
their long term ticketing partner,
and particularly in light of their
demanding standards,” adds John
Clarfelt, Ticketer managing director. “We are excited at the thought
of working with them to deliver a
raft of innovations over the coming years, and are highly appreciative of all the support we have had
from them over the course of the
trial. This is another extremely
important step in our focus on the
Scottish market.”
The Ticketer system offers
McGill’s a range of features including live fares updates, commercial
smart cards acceptance, barcode
scanning, and eventually, contactless payment. The replacement of
McGill’s existing ticket machines
has already started with the new
Ticketer system in use on its service 23. It is anticipated that installation across the company’s entire
fleet will be completed by the end
of July 2016.
www.mcgillsbuses.co.uk
www.ticketer.co.uk
35
product
The latest products and services for the bus and coach sector
New lightweight wheelchair lift launched by Vapor Ricon
Vapor Ricon has launched a new
Ultra-lite lift for minibuses and
domestic people carriers to meet the
need for a product that copes with
increasing weight restrictions.
“We felt that it was important to
develop a wheelchair lift that was
suitable for smaller domestic and
commercial vehicles yet still delivered the performance and reliability commensurate with the Vapor
Ricon brand,” says Terry Chevens,
sales manager, Vapor Ricon Europe.
“It has all the strength but less of
the weight and comes in at circa
100kg (lift model dependant) making it one of the lightest lifts on the
market and assisting with advanced
fuel economy.”
The S-Series Ultra-lite wheelchair lift has a non-intrusive spacesaving footprint, according to
Vapor Ricon, giving easy interior
access.
“This new lightweight wheelchair vehicle lift is a welcome addition to our existing product range
and will give our customers even
greater choice in finding a vehicle
lift to suit their exact needs and
specification,” adds Chevens. “Its
split platform design and powerful hydraulic pump ensures that
the lift, whilst weighing less, lacks
in no other area of its production
quality and use.”
The K-Series Ultra-lite lift will be
available shortly after the S-Series
and will feature a distinctive colour
scheme.
”There are over 1.2 million
wheelchair users in the UK and
accessing and using vehicles needs
to be a priority to the wellbeing
and satisfaction of everyone,” says
Chevens. “We shall look forward
to welcoming visitors to our stand
where our Ultra-lite wheelchair lift
will be available to view.”
www.vaporricon.co.uk
New lightweight option from Vapor Ricon.
Giti brand to replace GT Radial in European bus and coach sector
Giti Tire has launched its Giti
brand for bus and truck applications into Europe to replace its
GT Radial range with a mixture of
new tyres and relabelling of exist-
Giti brand to be rolled out across
European markets.
36 ing products. The changeover will
begin immediately and be fully
implemented by the end of 2017.
Giti Tire claims to be the fifth
largest producer of truck and bus
tyres globally and operates in over
130 markets with OE contracts in
all continents. The decision to use
the Giti brand is designed to create a single global platform and
streamline its product development.
“The development of truck and
bus tyres is a lengthy process, so to
be able to streamline these efforts
to a reduced number of brands,
while still ensuring the product
meets every operational and legislative requirement for Europe and
other markets, means state-of-theart technologies can be brought to
market much faster,” says Daria
Sala della Cuna, TBR Sales & Marketing Director – Europe at Giti
Tire.
“Giti tyres are now fitted by
OEM manufacturers around the
world in the truck, trailer and passenger vehicle sectors, and as the
export of these vehicles continues
to grow like-for-like replacements
must be available globally.
“We are convinced that this
decision will give our current endusers continuously maximised
products for lowest cost per kilometre in their operations.”
www.giti.com
June 2016
We don’t need any
coaching to make
sure you are.
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Your vehicle is special
that’s why we are.
Call your local experts 0800 413 044
autoglassspecials.co.uk
focus on Glass
Specialist assistance from
Autoglass Specials
Supplying vehicle glass for the coach and
bus market is a complex area and fleet
operators have a duty of care to ensure they
only use an expert windscreen repair and
replacement company to keep their drivers
safe on the road, says specialist Autoglass,
part of Belron, the world’s largest vehicle
glass repair and replacement company.
Autoglass Specials aims to provide the highest standards of service and continues to invest
heavily in training for its 86 national technicians
and to develop safe working practices, including
creating specialist tools and processes for special
vehicles.
Autoglass Specials carries a comprehensive
stock of coach and bus glass, which is another
benefit of being part of Belron, and it has developed a unique product identification database
specifically for the coach and bus market.
Autoglass says this system removes the responsibility for fleet operators to know exactly what
type of glass is needed for each vehicle. It also
reduces the downtime for all repairs and replacements, ensuring technicians have the right glass
available for every job, getting customers back on
the road as soon as possible.
A ‘Repair First Philosophy’ is followed, with all
repairs carried out using Glass Medic, a repair
system developed by Belron’s own research and
development team, ensuring a vehicle’s safety and
structural strength are not compromised.
www.autoglassspecials.co.uk
Autoglass Specials has 86 national technicians.
38 June 2016
Promote your Products & Services
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June 2016
39
Software
Smart technologies
helping operators
and employees
New software and apps are helping staff and
managers and avoiding the problems of
missing or illegible paperwork.
Steve Banner reports
N
early half of all newly-recruited
bus drivers leave within their first 12
weeks of employment, according
to figures cited by Trapeze. That
imposes a major cost burden on the
industry, the passenger transport
software specialist points out, given
that it costs approximately £3,500 to recruit and
train each and every one of them.
So why such a high rate of churn?
All sorts of factors come into play, Trapeze says,
including everything from pay, to the routes they
are obliged to drive on. However a key concern for
drivers it suggests is the ease – or otherwise – with
which they can communicate with the company
they work for and have any employment-related
queries they may wish to raise promptly and fully
addressed.
That is where technology comes in Trapeze
contends; and what it refers to as the self-service
approach.
With Trapeze's DAS-Web drivers can sit at a
computer at home and submit requests for duty
changes – so that they can attend an appointment
at the local hospital for instance – without having to
telephone or visit the traffic office in person. It saves
them time and means that traffic office staff save
time too, because they are not constantly having to
field enquiries.
40 Companies that have embraced this approach
include London's Tower Transit. "It helps eliminate
disputes about lost holiday forms for example," says
forward allocator Samantha Phillips.
Nor do employees necessarily have to wait until
they get home in order to communicate.
Last autumn's Coach & Bus Live show saw
Omnibus launch myDAS Touch, an app which
allows drivers to connect directly to their employer's
depot allocation system by using something almost
all of them carry; a smartphone.
Drivers can use the app to view their upcoming
shifts, review how many hours they have already
worked and see how much holiday they have
already taken and how much they have got left.
They can submit requests for holidays, shift swaps
and overtime as well.
None of this should be taken to imply that myDAS
Touch is a one-way street. Management can use it
in order to tell drivers about shift and route changes
and to offer overtime.
"Not only does it make the lives of allocation
staff a lot easier, it gives drivers a greater level of
control over their own shifts as well as their personal
information," says Omnibus managing director Peter
Crichton. "It enables them to communicate with
their depot from wherever they are."
continued page 42
➜
June 2016
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June 2016
41
Software
Smartphone apps can of course play other roles.
They can be used for instance to aid drivers when
they carry out their daily walk-around check and as
a tool with which to report any defects.
It is an approach that may not function as well as
it ought to however if the driver's depot is unable to
capture the data efficiently.
Earlier this year EP Morris further developed its
Engineering Management System (EMS) to allow
it to import defect data direct from apps. It is a
change that brings all sorts of useful benefits the
company points out.
Defect data can be linked directly to workshop job
cards and the VOR – Vehicle Off Road – log which
in turn means that the traffic office has up-to-date
information on bus availability thanks to a link to its
allocation software.
EMS' reporting and analysis tools can be used to
report repeated defects by type of vehicle, by driver
and by engineer. Furthermore, defect cards can be
reconciled with ticket machine data to ensure that
there are records for all the vehicles that have been
in service.
EP Morris has also developed interfaces that
allow vehicle telematics data to be exported to its
EMS.
Using smartphone apps to file requests for shift
swaps or to report a broken headlight means
that drivers have to spend a lot less time filling in
paperwork; and paperwork can of course be lost,
misfiled, or turn out to be illegible.
42 No matter how much they may wish to, bus
operators cannot banish paperwork entirely, however.
Although they may be able to Software the necessary
information online, many passengers still want to look
at printed timetables posted at bus stops.
That is why Greenock, Inverclyde-based McGill's,
Scotland's largest independent bus operator, has
added OmniSTOP to its existing line-up of Omnibus
packages which includes OmniTIMES, OmniBASE
and Crewplan. It has opted for OmniMAP too.
Using digital mapping to street level and able to
display all UK bus stops using NaPTAN (National
Public Transport Software Nodes), OmniMAP
helps users create and edit routes and calculate
the distance and timing between stops taking
into account low bridges, one-way streets, turn
restrictions and bus lanes.
OmniSTOP allows operators to create individual
bus stop displays in conjunction with existing
OmniTIMES timetable data.
Perhaps not surprisingly, McGill's is now using
OmniMAN file management to centralise all the
Omnibus packages it uses and back up important
data. "We operate from several locations and many
people need Software to our operational information
so OmniMAN simplifies Software across all sites,"
says senior commercial manager Tom Cairns.
He is contemplating adding OmniROTA to improve
rota efficiencies and OmniDAS for driver and vehicle
continued page 44
➜
June 2016
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“Analogue cameras are absolutely
fine. However, if you’ve ever needed
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June 2016
43
Software
allocation. Doing so will give McGill's the complete
Omnibus set.
"We currently use Excel for our depot allocation
which leaves a lot open to interpretation," Cairns
says. "I used OmniDAS in a previous role and found
it to be a useful tool which leaves no grey areas."
Already an Omnibus customer, Leicester-based
Centrebus has gone down the OmniMAP route as
well. It aims to use it to among other things record
route mileages for BSOG claims and new tenders
more accurately.
"Adding it will further improve our efficiencies
and save many hours of work," reckons managing
director, Matt Evans. Centrebus runs services in
locations as far apart as Lincoln and Luton.
Coach operators face somewhat different
challenges, not the least of them being the need to
download and analyse tachograph data; a challenge
that bus companies have to address too on certain
routes. Quite often such businesses are attempting
to do so with tools that were designed primarily to
meet the needs of firms with heavy trucks.
TruTac has however developed TruControlPSV,
an automated, web-based, digital and analogue
tachograph analysis reporting system aimed at the
passenger transport sector. Re-launched at last
year's Coach & Bus Live, it now includes features
such as attestation letters, takes into account
the 12-day rule and can generate ten different
customised reports.
It has been selected by the Confederation of
Passenger Transport as the system of choice for its
CPT Tacho Analysis service.
TruTac has also come up with TruTime, which
replaces its TAS package. It means the driver has
44 to use a digital tachograph card to clock-on and
clock-off, doing away with the need for manual
time sheets – which may not always be completed
accurately – and eliminating more paperwork from
the system.
Tachograph data is validated against time and
attendance records making wage costings more
accurate and potentially eliminating unnecessary
overtime.
Worth noting too is TruTac's introduction of
eSignLive earlier this year. It allows managers to
capture drivers signatures digitally which makes
it easier to gain confirmation that they have been
notified of any Drivers Hours infringements.
Signers are not required to download anything and
can e-sign using a standard web browser. "It gives
operators the ability to manage their compliance
responsibilities proactively while reducing paperbased administration," says TruTac managing
director Terry Ramsey.
Still with coaches, Distinctive Systems has
recently enhanced CHX – Coach Hire Exchange – a
cloud-based passenger recovery and job exchange
service.
Although integrated with Coach Manager,
Distinctive's widely-used booking management
system, it is available free-of-charge as a standalone product. It is designed to enable operators
to get help if a coach breaks down and stranded
passengers need to be picked up and transported
as soon as possible, and to allow coach firms to find
another company to handle a planned job they need
to contract out.
The most recent enhancements enable operators
to post requests for mechanical assistance as well as
June 2016
Software
details of vehicles they have available and empty legs.
Each type of request has a dedicated input form.
CHX has now been integrated with Google Maps.
This means that when a new job is flagged up both
the pick-up point and destination can be located on
a map and automatically geo-coded in a matter of
seconds.
It is designed in such a way that firms that are
only interested in local work can opt to be notified
solely about jobs within a certain distance of their
location.
The CHX website can be used on a browser
running on a desktop or laptop computer, a tablet
or a smartphone and adapts automatically to the
size of the display. Also available as a free app, CHX
is now being used by over 500 coach and minibus
operators says Distinctive.
Many coach operators are involved in tour work
and Roeville's t3 passenger reservations system
has recently been face-lifted with reworked visuals.
Travel agents can book live onto t3 using WebRes.
Nor has Roeville's t3 Routing Application been
neglected. The key change here is the introduction
of live mapping sourced from Here Maps; and the
new version will be released shortly.
June 2016
Contact
In-Car PC
01603 485 153
www.in-carpc.co.uk
Mix Telematics
0121 717 5360
www.mixtelematics.co.uk
Roeville
01302 841333
www.roeville.com
Smartbus
00 353 (0)86 6063235
www.smartbus.ie
Synectics
01253 891222
www.synecticsmobile.com
TruTac
02476 690000
www.trutac.co.uk
45
focus on Software
SmartBus brings Real-Time Passenger
Information to bus customers
Real-Time Passenger Information is a key
component of modern public transport
systems. Specialist supplier Ireland-based
SmartBus says that studies show that knowing when their bus will arrive is a critical
issue for commuters.
SmartBus has been delivering live bus and
timetable information to bus commuters in Ireland
since 2011, and has recently launched its products
in Namibia and South Africa, and is now actively
seeking new customers.
Its simplest product is a mobile-friendly map that
displays bus stops and tracks vehicles in real-time,
so that customers know where their bus is and can
arrive at the stop just in time. For bus companies
who want more, SmartBus also provides mobile
apps for Android and iPhones, and a seat reservation system to help with very busy routes.
SmartBus develops its own software via a
remote technical team, and
aims to be very responsive
to customer requirements.
"We have been working
with SmartBus now since
2011,” says Amy Pettitt, marketing & business
development manager,
Wexford Bus. “They really
understand our business
and have been instrumental in helping us to develop
our product offering for our
Live mapping from SmartBus.
customers during this time.
I look forward to continuing to work with them."
SmartBus is currently offering a free trial of its
tracker map to bus operators which can usually
set this up within a day.
www.smartbus.ie
TruTac unveils latest innovations
TruTac exhibited for the first time at this
year’s Multimodal Show at the NEC last
month and presented its latest range of
tachograph hardware, download tools and
remote data capture devices.
New to its TruControl system is an e-signature
application. Designed by TruTac, eSignLive enables the capture of driver signatures in secure, digital format thus enabling instant online verification
for deliveries and driver debriefing.
And for failsafe clocking of all drivers and employees, TruTime is used by operators throughout the
commercial vehicle industry. The bespoke time,
attendance and HR system is web-based which
provides high security, instant access and reduced
administration handling. All employee movements
can be analysed and full reports, including absenteeism, employee history, digital tacho card data
and real-time attendance can be prepared and
conveyed online in a matter of minutes.
TruChecks is a mobile system which allows driv-
46 ers to complete daily vehicle inspections quickly,
accurately and without the need for manual formfilling. Now available on Android, Apple and Windows operating systems, the new app features
enhanced graphics with easier-to-manage functions, which capture all of the information required
by VOSA inspectors. The app also provides typespecific and configurable check lists for all vehicles
and trailers.
Once a vehicle check has been completed, it is
automatically emailed to the office for data storage
or remedial action, should it be necessary.
Another compliance tool available is TruLicence,
an online checking and validation service which
reduces manual administration and enables companies to demonstrate its duty of care towards drivers.
TruLicence also helps to protect against employees
driving without a valid licence and guards against
potential litigation in the event of accidents where a
driver’s licence is found to be invalid.
www.trutac.co.uk
June 2016
focus on Software
Integration is quick and cost
effective, says Synectics
As surveillance systems become commonplace across fleets, operators are discovering the many uses and business benefits
of on-vehicle systems, according to Dan
Jackson, technical director at Synectics.
On-vehicle CCTV has become an invaluable
asset to the coach & bus industry, according
to Jackson. With the installation of on-board
surveillance systems, operators can now collect masses of important situational and environmental data from each vehicle.
“However, with many disparate on-board technologies pulling in different sets of data, the time
taken to retrieve and analyse this valuable information can be prohibitive and costly – prompting
many to ask, ‘what do we really want and/or
need to know?’ says Jackson.
“Operators want to work smarter, not harder.
Data pulled from vehicles can not only tell them
how the vehicles are running, but can unlock
great potential for time and cost savings, for
example when it comes to challenging false
claims, reducing fuel consumptions, fleet management and maximising driver training.
“By integrating all systems through an intelligently integrated management platform, such as
Synectics’ Synergy 3 Transport, operators can
manage on-vehicle surveillance and passenger
comfort, whilst combining captured communi-
cations, data and video in one easy-to-use back
office system. Operators can quickly gain critical
insight and evidence from CCTV, telematics and
even crack open the CANBus data.”
Data is retrieved wirelessly when a vehicle
returns to the depot and can be combined in
one customer-facing system and overlaid with
each other to give operators a complete picture
of its fleet management.
For example, telematics can be overlaid with
camera footage to counter false claims, or alternatively, help drivers to reduce instances of
sharp breaking to maximise fuel consumption.
“Using an integrated management platform
can also pave the way for more advanced features such as ‘geo-fencing’ to quickly download
relevant footage from vehicles assisting with
providing evidence for a criminal prosecution
or insurance claim, and taking away the need
to trawl through footage vehicle by vehicle to
compile evidence relevant to an event,” adds
Jackson.
“An integrated system gives users access to
downloaded footage, enabling a faster turnaround of claims handling and video footage sharing with the police. The question from operators
shouldn’t be ‘why integrate,’ it should be, ‘what
can integration do for me?’”
www.synecticsmobile.com
Integrated systems deliver improved efficiencies for operators.
June 2016
47
focus on Software
Providing the right platform for
vehicle software
When software is used in a vehicle environment, careful consideration needs to
be given to the hardware on which it runs,
according to specialist supplier In-CarPC, a
division of Bowmonk.
For any software which is either web-based or
runs on Windows, In-CarPC’s in-vehicle computers offer a powerful platform which can run a wide
range of software applications and communicate
with, or control, almost any type of hardware.
In-CarPC’s CQ30 series PC is available with 8 or
16 analogue video channel inputs, allowing standard analogue cameras to be connected to the PC
with the footage recorded locally and/or transmitted over cellular networks, depending on the
software solution chosen. As well as supporting
analogue cameras, the CQ30’s quadruple Gigabit
LAN ports cater for network cameras.
The CQ30 series can also be ordered with
built-in CAN-bus, allowing the PC to record information about the vehicle. Built-in GPS allows the
PC to support location-aware software such as
In-CarPC’s CQ30 series PC.
navigation, tracking or job dispatch software, and
the PC’s built-in wi-fi module can create a hotspot,
providing internet connectivity from the PC’s 4G
modem to passengers’ wi-fi devices. Internet
connectivity can also be shared via the PC’s LAN
ports to other devices.
Courtesy of its dual independent display outputs, digital signage software running on the
CQ30 series PC can display adverts or locationbased information to passengers at the same time
as providing driver-related information on a separate display.
www.in-carpc.co.uk
Pendigo Systems wins gold award at
Technology Innovator Awards 2016
Nottinghamshire-based Pendigo which
specialises in software systems for haulage
and bus and coach operators was named
winner in the Best Digital Fleet Management
Solutions category at the Technology Innovator Awards 2016 this month.
The company has developed a solution that
allows paper forms to work in harmony with digital systems and has applied this to fleet management. An earlier version of the system has been
in use with Hireco, the trailer rental company for a
number of years which says it paid for itself within
less than three months and has delivered cost savings in excess of £1.4million a year.
The system has since been extended to auto-
48 matically take documentation from a scanner at
satellite offices and assign it to a vehicle for rapid
retrieval and drag-and-drop functionality to upload
the documents.
"I was born into HGV and I grew up around heavy
goods vehicles so I understand a lot of the frustrations of hauliers in trying to keep compliant,” says
Pendigo CEO David Colliver. “It became a mission
to create a company that would make it easier for
haulage and passenger operators to automatically
document their fleet, and we have the perfect tool
to do that without having to change the workflow of
the engineers. Becoming the winner of this award
demonstrates our commitment to our mission."
www.pendigo-systems.com
June 2016
Buses & Coaches For Sale
2016 Volvo B11R
Jonckheere, 53 seats
2014 Volvo B11R
Jonckheere, 53 seats
2012 Volvo B9R
Jonckheere, 49 seats
2007 Volvo
Jonckheere, 53 seats
6 x 2010 Optare Versa,
39 seats
2009 Optare 7.1m SE
Solo, 23 sEATS
2001 DAF Van hool,
49 seats
2 X 2014 Volvo B7RLE
MCV, 49 sEATS
2005 Setra 315GT HD
W/C, 49 seats
ALSO AVAILABLE:
2008 MCV Evolution, 49 seats
2006 Plaxton Primo, 28 sEATS
2005 Dart Pointer twin door, 31 sEATSt
2000 Dennis Tridents twin door, 64 sEATS
2015 Volvo B11R Jonckheere, W/C, 49 seats
2008 Scania Irizar PB
W/C, 53 seats
Call Mark for more info oN:
0791 961 2374
who buys what
The latest bus and coach deliveries
Pulham’s Coaches backs Mercedes-Benz again
Having taken five Tourismos
in 2014, Pulham’s Coaches purchased two more in 2015 and a
further three this year, one of
which is the 600th right-handdrive Tourismo delivered to the
UK. Two are Tourismo Ms seating 57 in Travel Star Eco Plus
upholstery with leather headrests,
and the other is a 12m Tourismo
which seats 49 in Luxline upholstery, wood-effect flooring and a
fitted kitchen.
Power is provided to all of the
operator’s new Tourismo coaches
by 290 kW Mercedes-Benz OM
470 engines, paired with 6-speed
ZF EcoLife automatic transmissions.
Entertainment on the operator’s new Tourismo
and Tourismo Ms is provided via dual 19in electric folding LCD monitors paired with a professional BOSCH audio/visual system.
Established in 1880, family-run Pulham’s
Coaches is one of the largest bus & coach operators in the Cotswolds. Today in its fourth generation, it is run by husband and wife team Andy and
Kathryn Pulham.
www.evobus.co.uk
Heading
Weardale’s i6 integral for 90th year in business
Bishop Auckland-basedWeardale Motor Services has taken delivery of a new 12.9m Irizar i6
integral, following the delivery of a 10.8-metre
41-seater last year.
“It’s a fantastic coach and sits well on the road
– a really nice addition to the fleet,” says director
Anthony Gibson.
The i6 coach has 57 Lux seats, wood-effect flooring, extra marker lights and air
horns, reversing camera and
tow hitch. Weardale specified
the higher-rated MX11 435
engine, and ZF’s AS-Tronic
auto-change gearbox.
A DAF-based f leet for
some time, Weardale says the
DAFaid/ITS service and dealer
network are a real boon for its
17-coach front-line fleet, and
the other 40 vehicles which are
engaged in every type of work
from private hire to stage carriage.
A family-run firm, Weardale celebrates 90 years in business in 2016.
www.irizar.co.uk
50 June 2016
who buys what
The latest bus and coach deliveries
Fourth new B8R SC5 this year for James E McNee
Edinburgh operator James E McNee Coaches
has taken delivery of its fourth new Volvo B8R
SC5 in a year.
“Our business is continuing to grow with a varied programme which features work including
continental tours,” says managing director James
E McNee. “Following our purchase of three Volvo
B8R SC5 vehicles last year, we had no hesitation in
going for another of the same type as we
have had such great results so far.
“We have found the Volvo B8R SC5 to
be reliable, with a strong kerb appeal and
a slightly shorter than average wheelbase, which makes it easier to navigate
on narrower roads around the Scottish
capital and in Europe.”
Volvo Retail Bus & Coach Sales Manager, Jim Newman, adds: “The Volvo
B8R Euro 6 chassis combined with the
Sunsundegui SC5 bodywork, offers the
best in fuel efficiency and versatile operation, and comes with a shorter chassis,
but still has a surprisingly spacious interior.”
The B8R SC5 is available with 38/41 seats and
is just over 10 metres in length offering good
manoeuvrability that makes it suitable for both
inner city use as well as in the open countryside and more challenging terrain, according to
Volvo.
www.volvobuses.com
First Tourismo for Easton’s Holidays
Norfolk-based Easton’s Holidays has taken
delivery of its first Mercedes-Benz Tourismo M,
built to Touring Plus specification. The new coach
seats 53 in Luxline upholstery, arm- and foot-rests
and fold-out trays. Entertainment is provided via
dual electric folding 19” monitors paired to a
professional BOSCH audio/visual system. Additional features include wi-fi preparation, pleated
curtains and wood-effect flooring.
Power is provided by a Mercedes-Benz OM 470,
315kW engine, paired with an 8-speed PowerShift
automatic gearbox.
A member of Coachmarque, Eastons operates
Why smart people
buy
Compak Parts
private hire, day excursions and holiday tours
throughout the UK and Europe.
www.evobus.co.uk
• Genuine OEM quality parts, made for purpose
• Compak OEM parts cost less thank you think!
• Unrivalled availability - One-stop-shop
• Optimum delivery times - inc VOR
• Technical expertise & support
• Continuous and rigorous development testing
For complete peace of mind:-
Tel: 020 8858 3781 Email: [email protected]
June 2016
51
who buys what
The latest bus and coach deliveries
Slimline Solo for Runcorn Hospital contract
Anthony’s Travel has
taken delivery of a 7.9m slimline Optare Solo which will
operate on its Runcorn Hospital service contract. The
company was established
in 1985 by Anne, Tony and
Richard Bamber.
Its latest Euro 5 Solo has
Allison 2100 transmission
and seats up to 27.
“The Optare Solo has
proven to be ideal for our
service route,” says Richard
Bamber,, Managing Partner
of Anthony’s Travel. “We
pride ourselves on our commitment to provide a high
quality service to all of our
customers and as part of this commitment this
new vehicle will replace the existing Solo operat-
ing on the Runcorn Hospital service.”
www.optare.com
New Volvo B11R Jonckheere for Saffords Coaches
Cambridgeshire-based Saffords Coaches
has added a new Volvo B11R Jonckheere JHV126
coach for its private hire fleet.
“We needed a new vehicle to add to our fleet,
and the Volvo B11R Euro 6 was particularly
attractive due to the low emissions for our central
London work, as well as reports of excellent fuel
efficiency,” says director Tracey Gillett.
“Of our fleet of 15 vehicles, seven are Volvo.
Our previous experience based on our used Volvo
vehicles, promise quality, great operational costs
and reliability, which meant we had no hesitation
in choosing a Volvo once again,
this time opting for a brand new
coach.
“Passenger well-being and
safety were also important in our
decision-making process and the
Volvo B11R Jonckheere coach provides ample leg room and a range
of features, offering our customers the highest quality and comfort they now expect.”
The B11R is powered by a Volvo
D11K 430hp 10.8-litre Euro 6
engine with Volvo AT2412E
I-Shift fully automated 12-speed
gearbox with integral retarder.
Saffords will receive aftersales
service from local Volvo dealership, Volvo Truck & Bus in Ely.
www.volvobuses.com
52 June 2016
who buys what
The latest bus and coach deliveries
Pair of Volvo B8RLEs for Shetland duty
Two Volvo Bus B8RLEs are entering operation
in Shetland having been purchased by one of
Scotland’s longest established transport firms,
R Robertson & Son.
The two Volvos feature MCV bodywork and
will be used on a variety of work, including
routes 21 Hillswick, 23 Mossbank-Toft and 9
Walls, as well as for school and private hire in
the region.
“We’ve always had good experience with Volvo
and they’ve been our vehicle of choice over the
years, which is why we looked to them again
for our latest purchases,” says Sonia Robertson,
general manager and the third generation of
the family-owned and operated business. “Our main operational centre is here in Yell,
where we also have our own workshop facility
where we carry out all of our own maintenance
and repairs. Our mechanical engineer is a particular fan of the Volvo product, which also had
a major influence on our decision.”
The B8RLE is powered by a Volvo D8K 280hp
7.7-litre Euro 6 engine with ZF Ecolife 6AP1200
B 6-speed automatic gearbox with neutral bus
stopping.
Jim Newman, Retail Bus & Coach Sales Manager for Volvo Bus, adds: “Our B8RLE is going from
strength to strength with many operators around
the UK reporting good feedback on the quality of
the operation, reliability and fuel consumption, as
well as the advanced passenger experience.”
In 2017 Robertsons will be celebrating its 70th
anniversary. The company was started by Sonia’s
grandfather, Robbie Robertson who worked with
his son Tommy, who eventually took over the running of the businesses before passing the mantle
to Sonia.
www.volvobuses.com
Two Enviro200s for Lanarkshire operator
JMB Travel, the fast-growing family business
operating across Lanarkshire, in Scotland, has
taken delivery of two new Enviro200 midibuses.
They join a fleet of 60 vehicles that provide services across Lanark, Carluke, Motherwell, Wishaw,
Shotts and Hamilton.
The business was started in 2009 by husband
and wife team Martin and Jennifer Bell.
“These new vehicles are operating on one of our
busiest routes – Number 41 –
which runs between Lanark
and Hamilton,” says managing director Martin Bell.
“The 39-seat, 10.8m, Euro
5 Enviro200s are proving
highly popular with both
drivers and passengers.
“The great thing about the
Enviro200 is that it combines
style with performance. It is
highly manoeuvrable, fuel
efficient and a work-horse,
June 2016
yet it has a modern look and a real street presence.
Combined with fuel economy and reliability, it is
a welcome addition to our fleet.”
JMB’s new Enviro200s are powered by Cummins 4.5 litre ISBe four-cylinder, 160PS turbocharged and intercooled diesel engines, coupled
with the Allison S2100, five-speed automatic
transmission.
www.alexander-dennis.com
53
Attractions
Free holiday offer to mark
Capability Brown Tercentenary
and Year of the Garden
D
eirdre Brown Travel has launched a
free holiday offer for anyone called
Brown in celebration of Capability
Brown Tercentenary and Year
of the Garden. Yorkshire-based
Deirdre Brown Travel is marking the tercentenary
of Capability Brown with a free holiday for guests
making new bookings with the company whose
name includes Brown.
Garden tours feature heavily in the Deirdre
Brown Travel programme in 2016 including
garden visits in Kent, Sussex, Norfolk, Southern
Ireland, Scotland, the West Country and Cornish
gardens.
Gardening expert Sarah Hopps who writes for
gardening magazines and is a panellist at the
Harrogate Flower Show and other major flower
shows is the expert guide on the tours.
“With the tercentenary of Capability Brown, this
is the Year of the Garden and with my surname
being the same, we decided it would be a good
idea to offer other people with the same name an
advantage price and the chance to win a holiday
in 2017,” says Deirdre Brown.
Guests with the name Brown can apply for a
16 per cent discount off 2016 holidays for new
bookings, and will be entered into a prize draw
to win a free holiday in 2017.
Collection points for the Deirdre Brown
Travel garden tours are all in Yorkshire and the
programme includes a variety of fully escorted
themes including heritage railways, cruises,
resorts, and scenic touring of the UK.
“We are delighted to have Sarah Hopps as our
garden expert and hope that many more people
will come along for our garden tours even if they
are not named Brown,” adds Brown.
www.deirdrebrowntravel.com
Deirdre Brown.
54 coachtourismprofessional.co.uk
June 2016
Coach Parking
CPT trials coach parking slots at
Go Ahead London depots
C
PT members have been encouraged
to take part in a six-week trial of 30
coach parking spaces at Go-Ahead’s
Camberwell and Stockwell bus
depots. The coach parking facilities,
20 at Camberwell and 10 at Stockwell, are close
to many of the capital’s key tourist attractions, and
are open from 0900 – 1700hrs, Monday to Friday
at a charge of £35 per day.
“I am delighted that we have reached an
agreement with Go-Ahead to provide CPT members
with an extra 30 coach parking spaces each day
in London at a time when other facilities are either
being removed or having restrictions placed on
them,” says CPT chief executive Simon Posner.
“Coach parking and the picking-up and settingdown of passengers has long been a contentious
issue for operators visiting the capital, and I hope
this announcement goes some way to addressing
their concerns whilst also ensuring that coaches
can continue to operate in this great city.
“I am confident that a successful 6-week trial will be
the catalyst for further initiatives and we will certainly
CPT chief executive Simon Posner.
be looking to make the arrangement with Go-Ahead
at Camberwell and Stockwell a permanent one.”
The spaces are only on sale to CPT members
and are priced at £35 plus £1.50 admin charge for
a full day’s parking. There are no concessions for
shorts stays or repeat visits and cancellations are
non-refundable. There are no driver facilities at either
location and all vehicles are left at the operator’s risk.
www.cpt-uk.org
Sedgemoor South motorway
services re-opens
R
oadchef has reopened its Sedgemoor
South motorway service area following
a £5million redevelopment with a raft of
new outlets for visitors.
The redevelopment at Sedgemoor
had seen the site partially closed for a number
of months while the main building was extended.
The revamped site features well-known brands
including a new Costa and Fresh Food Café,
together with a McDonald's Restaurant and SPAR
convenience store. The new SPAR store features
an in-store bakery with fresh artisan bread and
pastries baked daily, alongside products sourced
from the local area.
Roadchef says its investment at Sedgemoor
South, which is between junctions 21 and 22 on
June 2016
the M5 southbound, has led to the creation of 70
jobs, and will serve an average of 40,000 customers
every week.
“We’re delighted to have fully reopened Sedgemoor
South,” says Simon Turl, CEO, Roadchef. “The site
is hugely popular among motorists travelling to the
west country, especially during the forthcoming busy
summer holiday period. Our brand new restaurants
and shops, extended seating areas and refurbished
toilet facilities will enable us to provide an even better
service to our customers.
“We believe that the investment we have made
at the site will prove to be hugely popular, hence
why we have introduced 70 new positions at the
site to cater for the increased footfall.”
www.roadchef.com
coachtourismprofessional.co.uk 55
Attractions
Gretna Green Famous
Blacksmiths Shop awarded
Coach Friendly status
G
retna Green Famous Blacksmiths
Shop is the first tourist location in
Scotland to receive CPT’s recentlylaunched Coach Friendly Visitor
Attraction status.
Welcoming over a quarter of a million visitors
each year, the attraction which has stood in Gretna
Green since 1712, offers parking spaces for 60
coaches as well as a coach wash, toilet drop and
group travel welcome area.
Lynda Denton, head of sales & marketing, Gretna
Green Famous Blacksmiths Shop says:
“As an independent family business we very much
value nurturing mutually beneficial relationships
and we have had a long-standing rapport with the
coach industry.
“We appreciate the recognition we have received
over the years from various travel trade associations
who have awarded us top attraction and shopping
destination on a number of occasions. This latest
accolade is further recognition of our commitment
to the coach industry, and the fact that we are the
first in Scotland is a further delight.”
CPT’s Alf Scrimgour adds: “We are delighted
to welcome Gretna Green Famous Blacksmiths
Shop as a Coach Friendly Visitor Attraction. The
status recognises the commitment they have made
to making sure that coach parties receive a very
warm welcome when visiting. “The shop is well
known both nationally and internationally and it has
never wavered in its commitment to making sure
that its offer to coaches, drivers and passengers is
second to none.
“The staff and owners have fully grasped the
importance of the coach industry to its business
and they really do present a true Coach Friendly
face to our industry.”
Other holders of the Coach Friendly Visitor
Attraction status are West Midlands Safari & Leisure
Park, Woburn Abbey & Gardens and Sabrina Boats
(Shrewsbury).
www.cpt-uk.org
Malcolm Roughead chief executive, VisitScotland; and Lynda Denton, Gretna Green Famous Blacksmiths Shop.
56 coachtourismprofessional.co.uk
June 2016
Food & Drink
Celebrity chefs head up Bolton
Food and Drink Festival
G
reat British Bake Off winner Nadiya
Hussain will headline the popular
Bolton Food and Drink Festival which
runs over the bank holiday weekend
from 26-29 August.
The four-day festival in Bolton town centre will
also feature renowned wine authorities Oz Clarke
and Kate Goodman as well as celebrity chefs
James Martin, Michael Caines and John Torode.
All the chefs will be giving live cookery
demonstrations at the festival, which is billed the
biggest in the north.
Michelin-starred chef Michael Caines will open
the festival on Friday 26 August before hosting a
gala dinner that night.
As well as celebrity demos, a speciality food,
drink and crafts market with more than 150 traders,
and live music, organisers have made some key
changes to the festival this year, including wine
tasting sessions with Oz Clarke and Kate Goodman
who will be joined by John Torode at a twilight
session.
As well as a cookery demo, Bake Off winner
Hussain will also host a family brunch for young
food fans on Sunday 28 August 28. “I am so excited
to be coming to this festival,” said Hussain. “It’s
been a whirlwind since I won Bake Off and to now
be invited to festivals like Bolton’s is just amazing. I
will be making some of my favourite recipes and I’m
looking forward to meeting everyone.”
Oz Clarke adds: “I’m looking forward to hosting
the tasting sessions. It doesn’t matter if you’re an
expert, an enthusiast or just
like the odd glass, there
will be something for
everyone.”
More than
200,000 visitors
at tended last
year’s festival,
which is organised
by Bolton council
Great British Bake Off winner
in association with
Nadiya Hussain.
Aldi. Leader of
Bolton council, Cliff Morris, says: “The festival is
our biggest event of the year and we’re delighted
to have another excellent mix of celebrity chefs
signed up.
“There will be a whole world of mouth-watering
food, fun and family entertainment for everyone to
enjoy over four days.”
www.bolton.gov.uk
New: In halls
6+9
RDA-WORKSHOP
Meet the locals –
authentic travel
COLOGNE
Wine expert
Oz Clarke.
5th - 7th July 2016
Cologne Trade Fair, halls 6 + 9
Mutual trust by
personal contact!
O
Trade visitors meet service providers
O
Correct purchase secures your success
O
Establish successful partnerships
O
From our industry for our industry
Registration for trade visitors:
www.rda-workshop.de/en/coach
June 2016
coachtourismprofessional.co.uk 57
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