Volume 9. No. 2. Summer 2012

OFFICIAL IRISH JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL BUS/COACH AWARDS

New Mercedes-BenzNew Mercedes-BenzCitaro Euro 6Citaro Euro 6 - exclusive f irst drive - exclusive f irst drive

LAUNCH PAD: Setra ComfortClass 500

PROFILE: IVECO Irisbus

REVIEW: Busworld Turkey

TIMES PAST: Kells Transport Museum An

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Westward ScaniaStrokestown, Co. RoscommonIrelandtel. +353 (0)71 9634 500fax +353 (0)71 9634 546

Cronin’s CoachesShannon Buildings, Mallow Road, CorkIrelandtel. +353 (0)21 4309 090fax +353 (0)21 4305 508mail cork@cronincoaches.comweb www.croninscoaches.com

welcome to the world of Van Hoolelegance in transport

The next step.

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FLEETBUS&COACH | Summer 2012 3

www.fl eet.ie

4 News• Bus Market buoyant across EU • Diffi cult market conditions impact on Volvo Buses • Ennis Coach Tourism Plan • First Meeting of Integrated Rural Transport Committee plus BUS LANES

6 Fleeting Shots• Van Eck Chevrolet Bus • Volkswagen upgrades Passenger Carriers • Conti Euro 12

8 Launch Pad IAll new Setra ComfortClass 500

9 Profi leIveco Irisbus to Europe and beyond

10 Review IBusworld Turkey, Istanbul Expo Centre

12 CoverMercedes-Benz Citaro @ Euro 6 – First Drive

14 Global• Allison Transmission at speed in Japan • Scania delivers City Buses to Santiago • ZF Bus Technology – popular in Turkey • World’s biggest fl eet of CNG buses in Ankara • Optare supplies 39 hybrid School Buses to TfGM • 77 VDL Citeas for Arriva in Sweden

18 Preview• 2012 Coach & Bus Show @ RDS • Euro Bus Expo 2012 • FIAA 2012

19 ReportMAN Bus & Coach to focus on Natural Gas Power

20 Times PastKells Transport Museum – a Busman’s holiday!

22 Conductors StandSerious brightness with great potential

contents Summer 2012

Fleet Bus & Coach Magazine

D’Alton Street, Claremorris,

Co. Mayo, Ireland.

Tel: +353 (0)94 9372819/ 9372826

Fax: +353 (0)94 9373571

Email: enquiries@fl eet.ie

ISSN: 1649-9433

Managing Editor: Jarlath Sweeney.

Editor: Sean Murtagh.

Contributors: Paul White, Rob Van Dieten, Donal

Dempsey.

Photography: Jarlath Sweeney, Sean Murtagh,

Cathal Doyle, Paul White, Donal Dempsey.

Administration:

Orla Sweeney, Denise Vahey.

Advertising:

Mary Morrissey, Orla Sweeney.

Design: Eamon Wynne.

Printed in Ireland

Fleet Transport/ Fleet Car/ Green Fleet

Management/ Fleet Van & Utility/ Fleet

Bus & Coach/ Fleet Trailer & Body Builder/

Fleet Maritime & Caravan Cruise Ireland

are published by JJDS Publications

Ltd. Registered Offi ce: D’Alton Street,

Claremorris, Co. Mayo. Co. Reg. 368767

Directors: Jarlath Sweeney, Sean Murtagh.

Disclaimer: Fleet Transport Magazine management can accept no responsibility for the accuracy of contributed articles or statements appearing in this magazine and any views or opinions expressed are not necessarily those of Fleet Transport management, save where otherwise indicated. No responsibility for loss or distress occasioned to any person acting or refraining from acting as a result of the material in this publication can be accepted by the authors, contributors, Editors or publishers.The Editor reserves the right to make publishing decisions on any advertisements or editorial article submitted to the magazine and to refuse publication or to edit any editorial material as seems appropriate to him. Professional legal advice should always be sought in relation to any specifi c matter.

Fleet Bus & Coach- the offi cial Irish

journal of the

International

Bus/Coach

of the Year Awards.

RDS, Dublin -

RDS, Dublin -

Saturday 24th

Saturday 24th & & Sunday 25th

Sunday 25th

November 2012

November 2012

• Ireland’s largest event in the Coach & Bus industry.• The greatest gathering of eet owners, drivers, transport managers,

mechanics and support staff under one roof.• Your chance to meet the decision makers!• Your chance toYour anc ision maker !eci i n mm k rs!

To reserve your stand, visit: www.coachandbusshow.ie

The Coach & Bus Show has been organised by the Coach Tourism & Transport Council (CTTC) since 2000 The CTTC is the voice of Ireland’s coach tourism and independent bus companies

NEWS 1

According to ACEA, the association for the European Automotive industry, new

commercial vehicle registrations for the month of March 2012 dropped by 11.8%, totaling 184,235 units in the European Union. With the exception of Germany (+0.3%), all other signifi cant markets shrank, from -7.0% in the UK to -11.2% in France, -22.1% in Spain and -45.4% in Italy. Over the fi rst quarter of 2012, demand was down 9.6%, compared to the same quarter a year earlier. Downturn prevailed across countries as new registrations fell by 1.0% in Germany,

5.8% in France, 8.9% in the UK, 22.6% in Spain and 36.1% in Italy. In total, the EU recorded 451,244 new commercial vehicles.

However, in March, buses and coaches were the only segment to post growth (+17.9%), sustained by the strong demand in the UK (+86.7%) and Germany (+22.6%). From January to March, the UK (+70.1%) and Germany (+18.8%) remained the largest markets, followed by France (-11.5%). In total, 7,779 new buses and coaches were registered in the EU, or 6.2% more than in the same period last year.

At Volvo Bus, operating income was negatively aff ected by pricing pressure

in Europe as well as low capacity utilization in the manufacturing system in Europe and Brazil. Net sales increased by 10% and were driven by signifi cantly higher deliveries in Brazil in connection to the new, stricter emission regulation. Th e global bus market is recovering in varying degrees. In Europe, volumes are lower compared to 2011. Th e number of registrations in southern Europe has declined significantly. Th e market is characterized by tough competition in all tenders. In North America, the overall bus market remained weak and operators are restrictive with their investments. Th e South American market displayed a decline following the pre-buy of buses in 2011 prior to the introduction of the Euro 5 emission regulations at the end of the year. Th e bus market in Mexico remained weak and largely refl ects the trend in the United States. In Asia and the Pacifi c area, dampened demand for new buses was reported. China continued to grow in all segments. In India the market for heavy buses increased 38% during the fi rst quarter of 2012. Lower order intakeDeliveries during the fi rst quarter of 2012 amounted to 2,800 buses, compared with 2,533 in the year-earlier period, up 11%. South America also accounts for the largest increase in this quarter. One of the reasons is higher deliveries of the front-engine

buses that were introduced in 2011. Th e order intake for the fi rst quarter amounted to 2,256 buses, compared with 2,369 in the year-earlier period, down 5%. During the fi rst quarter, 184 hybrid orders were signed in the UK, of which the largest order to date is 77 double-decker buses for Arriva in London. Higher sales but lower operating incomeIn the fi rst quarter, net sales increased by 10% to SEK 5,224 million (4,742, Q1 2011). Adjusted for currency fl uctuations, net sales increased by 7%. Th e increase was driven by signifi cantly higher deliveries in Brazil. Operating income declined to SEK 62m (303). Operating income was negatively aff ected by pricing pressure in Europe as well as low capacity utilization in the manufacturing system in Europe and Brazil. Compared with the fi rst quarter of 2011, currency fl uctuations had a positive impact on operating income in an amount of SEK 101m. The operating margin declined to 1.2% (6.4).

Bus Market Buoyant as New CV Sales drop across EU

Diffi cult market conditions impacted profi tability in Volvo Buses

JJ Kavanagh & Sons add more Setras

JJ Kavanagh & Sons has upgraded its Setra fl eet for 2012 with four new ComfortClass coaches built to exacting specifi cations. Bob McGarry, Area Sales Manager Setra Sales, recognises the signifi cance of the 2012 order: “I am delighted that JJ Kavanagh & Sons is adding further ComfortClass Setras, maintaining its Setra fl eet as the largest in Ireland and building on the success of the vehicles delivered 2011.”

JJ Kavanagh and Sons’ 2012 Setras are four two axle S415 GT HD ComfortClass models featuring Euro5 Mercedes-Benz OM 457 LA 428hp BlueTec SCR engines mated with the Mercedes-Benz Go240-8 Powershift automated gearbox. Drivers benefi t from the specifi cation of cruise control and are supported by a range of safety features including ESP, Brake Assist and EBS.

Th e fully integral S415 GT HD double glazed vehicles feature 51 Nimbus reclining seats. Customers will appreciate the centre sunken toilet, Webasto heating, ComAir roof-mounted air conditioning, a servery area, and a Coach 2000 professional multi-media system with DVD/CD/public address and two 19inch fl atscreen monitors.

Another Volvo Sunsundegui Sideral 10 coach for Logans in 2012 County Antrim based coach operator, Logans Travel has taken delivery of a second Volvo B7R Sideral 10 Sunsundegui, just three months aft er purchasing their fi rst. “We’ve been buying new Volvo coaches since 1995,” explained Logans Travel Managing Director, Sean Logan. “Th e reason being, that they are quite simply the best product on the market. Not only that, the back-up and support you get with Volvo is second to none.” Established for over 40 years, Logans Travel operates 25 Volvo coaches on private hire contracts and tour work throughout Northern Ireland and Europe. “Th e new coach is the perfect size and capacity to fi t into a niche that isn’t currently serviced by other models in our operation,” continued Sean. “We were absolutely delighted with the B7R Sunsundegui we took earlier in the year; it’s a perfect mid-range vehicle, complementing our existing fl eet and we also really like the styling.” Logans Travel’s new 10.3 metre coach is fi tt ed with 38 passenger seats, and features an onboard toilet, a TV monitor, DVD player and a reversing camera. It is powered by a 7.1 litre Volvo/Duetz D7E 290hp diesel. “Logans Travel took one of our B7R Sideral 10 coaches earlier this year and that was the fi rst time they’d specifi ed the Volvo Sunsundegui combination,” commented Volvo Bus Regional Sales Manager, Duncan Crosby. “It’s therefore particularly pleasing to see them return so quickly to specify another.” (See photo on front cover).

BUS LANE

4 FLEETBUS&COACH | Summer 2012

The provision of five additional coach parking spaces at Friars Walk (adjacent to Clare Museum) is the

fi rst in a two-phase tourism strategy by Ennis Town Council to att ract new coach visitor business to Ennis. Th e Council also is investigating a number of other capital projects, including the development of a dedicated bus park equipped with maintenance facilities for tour operators. Welcoming the initiative, Mayor of Ennis Councillor Michael Guilfoyle said: “Ever since the completion of the N18 Ennis Bypass we have witnessed a decline in the number of bus and coach operators visiting the town. Coach Tourism remains very important for Ennis businesses and therefore, the Council and its Elected Members along with members of the local business community must continue to examine ways of facilitating operators with easier access to the town centre.” According to Town Clerk Leonard Cleary: “In a recent submission from the business community to Ennis Town Council, it was estimated that a coach of visitors can spend up to €3,000 on a short day trip of shopping in Ennis’ att ractive shops, boutiques and restaurants. Ennis Town Council

has consulted various bus tour operators and is currently in the early stages of researching and planning a larger bus /coach park close to the town centre.” Mr. Cleary continued: “Th is is the fi rst phase of the improvement in facilities for coach parking. We are currently consulting with coach operators on their requirements and would hope to table a formal proposal at the next meeting of Ennis Town Council for an extension and a signifi cant enhancement of current facilities.” Jackie Cronin, Director of Ennis-based Glynn’s Coaches commented: “Th e lack of ample coach parking in Ennis town centre has always been a major issue for coach and bus operators. Until now, some operators have opted to bypass the town due to the lack of such parking facilities. As a member of the Coach Tourism & Transport

Council of Ireland (CTT C), I warmly welcome the Council’s proactive measures to rectify this longstanding issue and help to deliver a welcome boost to businesses in the town.”

Ennis Coach Tourism Plan Gets Into Gear

The fi rst meeting of the Government’s high-level Integrated Rural Transport Committee, chaired

by Minister for Public and Commuter Transport, Alan Kelly T.D., took place at the Department’s Headquarters in Dublin. Th e Committ ee was established by Government following a decision to examine the integration of transport services in rural areas. Currently, upwards of €200 million is spent on various transport services in rural areas. A Value for Money and Policy Review of the Rural Transport Programme was published in February 2012 and highlighted a number of key issues with services as they currently operate, which include;

Services are operated by a range of state • agencies with litt le or no link up between those services. Value for Money is not being achieved.• Lack of transparency in allocation of • costs and fi nancial reporting

Litt le or no reporting of any income • earned through fares by Rural Transport Programmes, and so on.

Following the announcement of the Government’s new plans to integrate rural transport, Minister Kelly established a high-level Committ ee to oversee the initiative. Membership of the Committee consists of senior representatives of the National Transport Authority, the Department of Education and Science, the Department of Environment, Community & Local Government, the HSE, the Rural Transport

Network, Pobal, Irish Rural Link, the City and County Managers Association and Bus Eireann. “Th is is new territory for the Government; but what we are doing here is examining how we can work smarter with existing resources, reduce duplication, waste and to preserve and build on existing services. We need to change our mind-set; public transport isn’t just an urban issue it’s also a very real issue in rural Ireland. Th e purpose of the Committ ee is to establish and implement a policy that will see the full integration of state transport services and eliminate duplication and provide some saving for the taxpayer while improving and enhancing services,” stated Minister Kelly. “Th is is a new policy approach from the Government and there will be obstacles in the way. However given the strained fi nancial situation and the urgent appetite for reform among the public, now is the time to try to drive this agenda forward” he concluded.

First Meeting of Integrated Rural Transport Committee Convened

NEWS 11

FLEETBUS&COACH | Summer 2012 5

Mercedes-Benz Travego Edition 1: First Series Production Euro 6 Bus

Mercedes-Benz Buses once again demonstrated its technological leadership as the premium high-decker Travego Edition 1 becomes the fi rst touring coach and the world’s fi rst production bus to meet the Euro 6 emissions standard. Already, the fi rst examples of the top-of-the-range model have been delivered. Th e Travego Edition 1 comes with a new BlueEfficiency Power SCR/EGR/DPF engine, a new transmission and cockpit, and unique safety features such as Active Brake Assist 2.

6 FLEETBUS&COACH | Summer 2012 Text: Jarlath Sweeney - editor@fl eet.ie

FLEETING SHOTS

P roudly displayed at the Van Eck stand alongside its new Double-Deck semi-trailer at the RA I Amsterdam was this

1923 Chevrolet Bus. Th e Dutch company (which celebrates its centenary this year) once specialised in coachworks for both Chevrolet and Ford. “Th is type of bus was built by my forefathers Carrosseriefabriek Fa. J. Van Eck and Zoner in the thirties upon instruction from bus company De Twee Provincien in Jutphaas, now know as Nieuwegeinn,” explained Martine Van Eck, Commercial Director. “Th is bus was used for liner services between Utrecht and Vreeswijk,” she added.

Continental Tyres, as the Offi cial Sponsor and exclusive supply partner for UEFA EURO 2012, will be equipping team coaches with its HSR2 premium tyre for the safe and comfortable transport of players during the Euros. In addition, 40

‘Conti’ buses will be operating in the four Polish host cities of Warsaw, Poznan, Gdansk and Wroclaw for the duration of the European Championships.

On match days the buses will be used to transfer visitors from the fan zones to the stadiums, while on days when there are no fi xtures, the vehicles will operate in the cities as free buses to supplement public transport services. Th e city buses are fi tt ed with the EURO 2012 edition of Continental’s HSU1 tyre. Th is version has its own special sidewall design featuring footballs and the Continental logo in yellow. Th e buses will stop at special bus stops (resembling substitute benches) where hostesses will be available on all match days to assist football fans.

Service technicians from the Conti360 0 network will be on hand to check the tyres every day to safeguard passengers and ensure the availability of the vehicles at all times. Fu r t her more t wo service vehicles will be on standby at each venue to prov ide technical assistance whenever necessary.

Wi t h i n t h e Vo l k s w a g e n C o m m e r c i a l V e h i c l e Tra nspor ter fam i ly, t wo

versions, namely the Shutt le and Caravelle, are specifi c to passenger carriage. Together they cater for two levels of people transport and both have been upgraded for 2012. Th e Shutt le off ers excellent functionality for those involved in the Taxi/Chauff eur/Private Hire business.

Priced from €43,215 it comes in either short wheelbase or long wheelbase form with 8 or 9 seat confi guration. It is also designed for the

fi tt ing of a wheelchair ramp. Power options from the 2.0 litre TDI diesel range from 84hp, 102hp, 140hp and 180hp with manual or DSG auto transmissions. Volkswagen’s 4MOTION four-wheel drive system can also be ordered.

For a more luxurious drive, the Caravelle 7 seater best suits Executive Chauffeur services. Prices start from €52,315. Again the 2.0 TDI diesel is off ered with power levels from 114hp (BlueMotion) to 180hp.

As per the Shutt le, all drivetrains come under

Tax Band B. Caravelle is available only in short wheelbase form but has two trim levels – Comfortline and Highline. Th e 7 speed DSG box is an option as is 4MOTION.

In addition to improvements all round, Volkswagen’s Commercia l Vehicles Aft ersales programme has been enhanced with extended warranty and repair and maintenance packages. Not to mention its att ractive fi nancial services contracts.

Van Eck Chevrolet Bus

'Conti' buses for UEFA EURO 2012

Volkswagen upgrades Passenger carriers

Here’s one diary date you can’t aff ord to miss!

Euro Bus Expo 20126-8 November 2012, NEC, Birmingham

Be effi cient and join other forward thinking companies.

Registration goes live at the of end May - let us know you’re coming!

See you soon!

t: +44 (0) 1926 834790 f: +44 (0) 1926 888004 e: info@eurobusxpo.comEuro Bus Expo, Expo Management, Olympus Avenue, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire CV34 6BF, United Kingdom

www.eurobusxpo.com

Savethe date!

LAUNCH PAD 1

8 FLEETBUS&COACH | Summer 2012 Text: Sean Murtagh - sean@fl eet.ie

E arly last month Daimler’s luxury coach brand Setra invited a small group of journalists to its Customer Service Centre at Ulm,

near Munich for a sneak preview of the new Setra 500 ComfortClass, which will be launched later in the year. Described as a new generation coach for the next decade, Setra Brand Manager, Lothar Holder said that they wanted to do more than prepare their customers for the challenges of the next few years. “We will give them a coach that makes the future tangible today.” At Setra, the Design Engineers have taken the classic values from the brand of innovation, comfort, effi ciency and safety and reworked them in a new style.

New Look SetraWhen you see the new 500 Series you will notice the obvious but subtle changes from the 400 Series. With a deeper windscreen it is much more rounded. A new design for the mirrors compliments the curvature of the widescreen and in turn improves driver visibility. Just below the windscreen the ‘Setra’ name is more defi ned and almost looks like it was sculptured. One feature that will be a talking point is the sideline on the body. Over the back wheel it curves downward. A decorative feature has been added to the B-Pillar giving it some distinctiveness. Some changes at the back have rounded the bus’ rear end and this gives improved aerodynamic performance. At the front of the coach some changes in the headlight design and a longer indicator lenses give a more pronounced look. None of the changes have taken away from the Setra’s familiar family appearance. Th ere will be enough to keep the traditionalist and innovators happy.

EnginePower for the new Setra Comfort Class 500 will

be provided by the new BlueEffi ciency (Euro 6) engine range. For the fi rst coaches in serial production, the OM 470 10.7 litre (428hp Euro 6) will be used. At Setra it is confi dent that there will be improved fuel effi ciencies, which will be achieved by improved aerodynamics and reduced body weight together with the improved drivetrain. All we were told was that there was signifi cant weight reduction with the new body, more details on where these reductions were achieved will have to be obtained later.

Body DesignOne of the key drivers in the design of the new body is new European Regulations due to come into force between 2015-2017. In particular stricter roll-over standards will be required. As diffi cult as it seems Setra has improved the strength of the body and at the same time reduced the overall weight. Greater

rigidity has been achieved also. A considerable reduction in drag has also been achieved and while litt le detail was given, the confi dence in which the presentation was delivered left me in no doubt that they were pleased about what has been achieved.

VerdictIt is likely that Setra will launch the 500 Series at the IAA Commercial Vehicle Show in Hanover in September. It is diffi cult to come up with a new modern design and still keep the character of the older vehicle. Setra has done it and is confi dent from its tests so far that there will be a more signifi cant improvement in performance and profi tability for the operator. Whatever the coach operator’s opinion will be on the look of the vehicle he or she will be very pleased with any improvement to the bott om line.

All new All new Setra ComfortClass 500Setra ComfortClass 500

Sneak PreviewSneak Preview

Text: Sean Murtagh – sean@fl eet.ie FLEETBUS&COACH | Summer 2012 9

PROFILE

M ajor restructuring of the Fiat Auto Group has paid dividends for Iveco. With the establishment of new parent Fiat Industrial, Iveco is present in 160 countries through various brands, Fiat Powertrain

Technologies (engine manufacturers), Case New Holland (Plant & Agriculture) and Iveco Commercial Vehicles (which includes Irisbus, its bus/coach division). With Group sales in 2011 of €24 billion, an overall trading profi t of €1.7 billion profi t was achieved. Worldwide there are 62,000 employees. Irisbus accounts for 12% of its sales. Last year the Iveco had a turnover of €9.5 billion with 25,000 employees. 2011 was a good year for Irisbus which sold 7500 units (including chassis).

In Ireland we are very familiar with the Iveco Daily in the integrated form and some chassis with independent body builders. Also quite popular is the Euro Rider chassis in 12m design, again with an independent coachworks. Having closed its plant at Valle Ufi ta (Southern Italy) and Barcelona (Spain), most of this production was moved to the plant at Annonay near Lyon in France. For the big bus market (as it’s called) Irisbus produce the Magelys coach and Citelis City bus. A variant of the Citelis, the Crealis has been developed as a BRT (Bus Rapid Transit) model. Irisbus like all other manufacturers off ers various alternative diesel, CNG (Natural Gas) and hybrid (Diesel/Electric) versions. Last year 1100 Citelis (City Bus) were manufactured which comprised of 75% diesel, 20% CNG, 4% electric (Trolley bus model) and 1% hybrid.

Since the introduction of the Citelis model over 10,000 have been manufactured. Across the Daily and Citelis range 3000 CNG buses have been delivered since 2005. Th e Italian manufacturer is confi dent that there will be no EGR (Exhaust Gas Recirculation) when it comes to Euro 6, just SCR (Selective Catalytic Regeneration). While there will be an increase in the use of AdBlue Irisbus is assured that the increase will be minimal. A successor to the Cursor 8 and Cursor 9 is due to be delivered soon and it will have the SCR (Euro 6) Technology only. Coach manufacturing in Annonay is confi ned to four models, all fi tt ed with the Cursor 10 engine (380hp Euro 5) comprising three variations of the Magely and the Evadys H.D. When the plant in Barcelona closed the chassis production was moved to Annonay. Irisbus states that the chassis business in Europe and particularly in Spain has collapsed. However, in the future the main demand for EuroRider chassis is expected to be Africa. In Europe the emphasis will still be to sell complete Irisbus vehicles.

Annonay PlantAnnonay is a lovely town built on a hillside south west of Lyon in the South of France. In its 100-year history the production facility there has had four owners. Local coach builder Th ierry Besset moved to the facility in 1925. He operated building buses on truck chassis until 1938. When he built the fi rst integral body. Besset sold his business to Sylvian Floirat in 1951, which in turn sold it to Saviem (part of the Renault Group) and then in 1999 it came into Irisbus control (when Volvo AB took over Renault Trucks). It is estimated that in its history almost 30,000 buses have rolled out of this facility. Almost 1,000 people work in the plant which is not like the layout of any other production centre. Being built on hillside all of the various production units are on diff erent levels.

All new Setra ComfortClass 500

Iveco Irisbus travels on acrossels on across Europe & beyond

Irisbus Crealis

Irisbus Citelis and EuroRider Chassis

REVIEW 1

10 FLEETBUS&COACH | Summer 2012

Coach operations in TurkeyTurkish bus companies transport 200 million passengers every year in a country where the road is the dominant mode of transport. Straddling the Continents of Europe and Asia and bordered by eight countries, Turkey is the largest manufacturer of buses and coaches in Europe. Over 70% of all production is exported. Had the booming economics of Europe been sustained Turkey would have been ripe for the development of a budget airline. In the current economic climate it is unlikely that there will be any threat to coach operators from the airlines. So coach operators have some more years of the marketplace to themselves. It is a potential challenge that most Turkish operators are keenly aware of and they are not sitt ing back. Long distance Intercity operators are improving as is the quality of their buses and in particular the comfort levels off ered. A considerable increase in the number of long distance coaches with the 2+1 seating lay out is noticeable at Bus Terminals. Improvements at Bus Terminals is also taking place. Some of the newer Terminals are close to the standard of airports. Sean Murtagh spoke to one operator at the Busworld Show in Istanbul about the threat to his company from budget airlines. He agreed that it could not be ignored but he felt that the cultural change could take a generation. It would be interesting to hear what Michael O’Leary’s reaction to that would be.

2012 was the fourth staging of Busworld Turkey and in spite of turbulence in nearly every European economy, bus manufacturing in Turkey was up 9% in 2011 over 2010 with all the indicators of a similar improvement this year. Mieke Glorieux, Managing Director of Busworld, said in 2010 that it was their intention to make the Turkish Show as important a platform for manufacturers and suppliers in the Turkish market as their mother Show in Kortrijk. In keeping with the established tradition of the Kortrijk Show, Busworld Turkey has a big input from operators. TOFED (Coach operators Association) has been involved since the fi rst Show and this year the fi rst annual awards for the industry were presented. Over the three days of the Exhibition over 150,000 visitors att ended, with almost 200 exhibitors. Busworld Turkey is certainly a place to do business whether you are an operator, supplier or manufacturer. Fleet Bus & Coach’s Sean Murtagh, Irish Jury member for International Bus/Coach of the Year Award was present.

ALLISONOne of the World’s largest manufacturer of automatic transmission is Allison, which has facilities globally. Based in Indianapolis (USA) the group employs 2,800 people with 1,500 dealers worldwide.

ASHOK LEYLANDSet up in 1943 Ashok Leyland is now owned by the Hinduja Group (India). Being one of the largest commercial vehicle manufacturers in the world it estimates that its vehicles move up to 70 million people per day. Europe is seen as a big growth area by them possibly through a Turkish manufacturing base. British brand Optare is controlled by the Group as is Czech truck brand Avia and the company employs over 40,000 people worldwide. Certainly a name to watch in the future.

Busworld Turkey

Istanbul Expo Centre 17-19 April 2012

BM

C

AUTOSANPolish manufacturer Autosan has in the last few years increased its export business. Established in 1950 aft er World War II Autosan has manufactured over 100,000 vehicles with its main emphasis on the city bus commuter market.

BMCExporting to 80 countries from its Turkish manufacturing base BMC is the largest commercial vehicle manufacturer in Turkey, off ering a full range of buses from 7.5m to 18m all of which can be supplied as Diesel, CNG or Hybrid. An order of 280 Procity buses has just been fulfi lled for the Local Authority in Istanbul.

CUMMINSCummins estimates that there are 1 million buses operating around the world with its powertrains. In the Turkish market it supplies Autocar, Temsa and BMC. No exclusivity is off ered to any manufacturer. Last year 500 engines were delivered to Turkey including those for export vehicles.

FIRE DIRECTGerman fi re detection company, Fire Direct claims that since wide spread use of its own and similar systems have been fi tt ed to engine compartments, no serious injuries have been infl icted on passengers. It surprised me to hear that according to fi gures released by insurance companies there were 400 incidents of engine fi re reported in Europe in 2011.

MERCEDES-BENZMercedes-Benz Turkey manufactured 3,000 buses in 2011 of which 2,000 were exported. Employing almost 5,000 people in manufacturing and a further 2,500 people through its dealer network Mercedes-Benz has over 20% of the Turkish bus market. On its stand the centre piece was the 2+1 seating layout Travego.

OTOKA RLocal manufacturer Otokar launched the fi rst all electric bus to go into service in Turkey. Otokar has been the leader in the Turkish market in all segments for the past two years. Although it has some buses in right hand drive, a network for distribution has not been put in place for Ireland and the U.K. as yet, but it is in the company’s short-term plan.

TEMSATurkish manufacturer Temsa has consolidated its operations in the past year or so. So far its impact on the Irish and UK market has been limited but Business Development Manager, Omer Sozutek says they have not given up yet and see the right hand drive market as great potential. On stand was a 2+1 seat layout Safi r on a DAF chassis.

Text& Photos: Sean Murtagh – sean@fl eet.ie FLEETBUS&COACH | Summer 2012 11

REVIEW 1C

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12 FLEETBUS&COACH | Summer 2012

COVER

W ith world-wide sales topping 33,000 units since 1997, the Mercedes-Benz Citaro has become the best selling

City-bus in history. It stands to reason that to achieve high volume sales against stiff competition, Citaro must have qualities that distinguish it from its competitors in the price sensitive marketplace of public transport.

Head of Sales at Mercedes-Benz Bus & Coach, Roman Biondi stated “It is simply that Citaro is always a step ahead of its time,” and Roman is certainly correct with the latest version of Citaro, which is well ahead of the 2014

deadline as Europe’s fi rst Euro 6 City-bus entered into service with the ESWE bus company in Wiesbaden (D).

As with many vehicles the nature of operation governs what designers can do, and limits what changes they can make. High volume passenger transport is limited more than most, allowing litt le room to radically change the design. Nevertheless this does not mean the bus should appear unatt ractive to the customers. Th e 2011 revamp of Citaro delivered many improvements for passengers and the drivers.

Late in 2011 Citaro’s safety features were

enhanced when it became the fi rst city bus with Electronic Stability Programme (ESP), it also meets the R66.01 and R.29 standards. All of which supports Roman Biondi’s premise that Citaro is always one step ahead. Now in 2012 Citaro becomes the fi rst in-service Euro 6 City-bus, again continuing the one step ahead ethos.

Th ere has been much debate about the cost benefi ts of Euro 6, and that debate will continue. For the most part we are aware of the initial costs, which are approximately €10,000 - for vehicles with SCR, EGR, and DPF. Diff erent OEMs are making diff erent claims regarding fuel consumption, which have yet to be independently established. In addition, how reliable the Euro 6 technology is long-term, has yet to be proven. While this applies to all commercial vehicle manufacturers, Daimler has conducted extensive testing of Euro 6 engines across its product range, and it would be expected that any potential issues have at this stage been realised and addressed.

Available drivelines off er clear options, two power units the OM936 and OM470, with either a ZF EcoLife or Voith DIWA 6, fully automatic transmissions. Both engines are vertically mounted in-line sixes’ with displacements of 7.7 and 10.7 litres respectively, though the OM936 can be mounted horizontally. Euro 6 regulations are met through SCR, EGR and a sealed Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF), located at the right hand side of the engine bay. A large storage capacity for ash deposits allows the DPF

Mercedes-Benz Citaro @ Euro 6• Fleet Bus & Coach Test Drive Exclusive • Europe’s First Euro 6 City-Bus In Service

COVER

Text & Photos: Paul White - paul@fl eet.ie FLEETBUS&COACH | Summer 2012 13

to be passively cleaned throughout its estimated service life of 120,000 kms. Forced regeneration of the DPF would be impractical for an urban passenger transport unit. Regardless of how it has been done, what has been achieved is quite remarkable and deserves recognition. Engineers have reduced Particulate Emissions by 99% and NOx Emissions by 97% over Euro 3 engines, and Roman Biondi believes “We are almost at the detection threshold.”

Mercedes-Benz appears to have solved the problem of temperature control and heat dissipation for Euro 6 vehicles operating in cities. A redesigned airfl ow management channels air to and from the engine bay, and works well. On our day in Wiesbaden the outside temperature was touching 30°C, and sitt ing at the back beside the engine there was no residual heat into the passenger area.

Th e extra components needed to achieve Euro 6, created additional problems for manufacturers - extra components mean extra weight. Mercedes-Benz began addressing this issue with the last redesign of Citaro, and has now completed the process. Th e Euro 6 version compensates for the extra kilos with a number of features to balance out the weight gain. One being a full length GRP plastic roof panel which saves approximately twenty kilos. A further sixty were saved by modifying the rear axle, and relocating the batt ery carrier to the front axle, shift ing the weight forward by 171 kgs. New aluminium engine mountings knock off 40 kgs, and as AdBlue consumption has been reduced by 40%, a smaller AdBlue tank is fi tt ed again shaving off a few kilos. No added weight penalty will help allay operators concerns over increasing fuel consumption, which Mercedes-Benz has also taken a serious look at, and claims the Euro 6 Citaro is up to 5% more fuel effi cient than it’s predecessor.

Th e 5% saving has been achieved with a series of minor changes to diff erent systems and components, rather than the engine itself. Improvements in air management realised a reduction of 20% in the amount of compressed air required when kneeling. Airless dosing of AdBlue, and decreasing the load on the Alternator with LED lighting throughout all help to reduce the load on the engine. Possibly the most important change is the use of 6kW ‘Supercaps’ to store energy recuperated from vehicle overrun and braking, which is then reused when under load, and to drive ancillaries providing an estimated 2% reduction in fuel consumption.

Is the Euro 6 a diff erent drive to it’s Euro V predecessor? Well, to try it out, Wiesbaden’s public transport company ESWE granted permission to test their latest addition, and the fi rst Euro 6 City-bus in Europe, on their ‘Number 4 Route’ through and around the city, allowing us experience Citaro in its working environment, meeting all the situations drivers experience in the normal day's work.

As a typical urban route starting from the City Centre, Route 4 is a standard drive for a rigid bus, with some extra care needed when bringing the 360hp - 18.1 metre ‘bendy bus’ around some of the corners. Most public transport customers are largely unaware of what vehicle they are travelling in - and are not too concerned. Th ey just require the experience to be comfortable, quiet, and not unpleasant - Citaro provides that.

Th e driver cockpit in Citaro is comfortable and well designed, good ergonomics lend to switchgear being well placed and overall the area gives the driver a sense of personal space without being isolated from the passengers. Mercedes-Benz has also addressed the increasing issue of driver safety, by raising the cockpit fl oor, and allowing the cockpit door and safety screen to provide more protection.

Oft en with Euro 6 the driving experience is litt le diff erent from a similar spec Euro 5 model. However driving the Euro 6 Citaro is noticeably diff erent, not because of its Euro 6 BlueTec badge, but because of the newly designed engine. We found the bus exceptionally quiet, smooth and very relaxing to drive. High torque at low rpm makes the bus easy to work with in the urban jungle, and the bus accelerates quickly, and stops smoothly with well balanced even braking. Both the rigid and articulated models were fi tt ed with powerful retarders, and we only found one occasion when it was required to engage second level, the fi rst being more than adequate for most city work. In a similar fashion we engaged the kick-down function which reacted instantly, swift ly accelerating the bus forward without lurching. If desired kick-down can be disengaged, and for high density city driving kick-down has arguably a limited value.

Roman Biondi readily admits that the “Citaro is not the bus with the lowest price, but effi ciencies come with life cycle costs.” On the additional cost for Euro 6 he feels “pre-compliance will benefi t because older vehicles will lose in resale value.”

It is hard to fi nd fault with what is an improved version of a comfortable, well appointed and competent public transport unit, that is highly manoeuvrable, quiet, and enjoyable to drive. Many of the improvements were introduced

with Step I, and Step II is primarily about introducing the Euro 6 power units. With Steps I and II successfully completed - one wonders what Step III may bring.

Mercedes-Benz Citaro Euro VIEngine/s Capacity Cylinders Power Torque

OM 936 7.7 Litres6 In-line 650 kgs

220 kW - (299 hp) 1200 Nm @1200 rpm260 kW - (354 hp) 1400 Nm @1200 rpm

OM 470 10.7 Litres6 In-line

990 kgs

265 kW - (360 hp) 1700 Nm @1100 rpm290 kW - (394 hp) 1900 Nm @1100 rpm

Dimensions Height Width O’hang F O’hang R W’base LengthRigid 3,120 2,550 2,805 3,430 5,900 12,135Articulated 3,120 2,550 2,805 3,430 1-2 / 5,990

2-3 / 5,99018,125

14 FLEETBUS&COACH | Summer 2012 Text: Rob Van Dieten - rob@fl eet.ie

ZF is strongly represented on the Turkish domestic and export market for buses. In total, eleven bus

manufacturers have production locations there, Mercedes-Benz, MAN, Temsa, BMC, Otokar, Güleryüz, Karsan (in co-operation with BredaMenarini Bus), TCV, Tezauto, Isoto and Isuzu - all of them are ZF customers. For 2012, orders have already been placed for 900 buses by diff erent manufacturers with fi nal destination Turkey; these are equipped with the fuel-saving EcoLife 6-speed automatic transmission, ZF axles, and steering technology by ZF Steering Systems.

With orders from Istanbul, Izmir, and Ankara, IETT , Istanbul’s largest transport operator, has the biggest fl eet in Turkey with 2,700 buses - 98 percent of which are equipped with ZF transmissions. In 2007, IETT introduced a Bus Rapid Transit system (BRT) for faster passenger transit. Each day, Metrobus Istanbul transfers about one million passengers on a

route network of 43 kilometers. Since then, IETT is continuously converting vehicles into low-fl oor buses because they make it possible to get on and off the buses much quicker. For 2012, the transport operator has ordered 221 low-fl oor articulated buses of the “Conecto” type with Mercedes- Benz Türk. Matching BRT technology is provided by ZF. A number of low-fl oor solo Procity buses by the manufacturer BMC have been included in the order.

For its fl eet renewal programme, another 150 buses of the Procity type (12 meter long) were ordered by Eshot, the transport operator of Izmi again equipped with ZF transmissions.

Ankara’s city transport operator has ordered 250 MAN buses of the Lion’s City model: Th e articulated buses with natural gas drives are equipped with the EcoLife transmission and ZF low-fl oor axles.

GLOBAL 1

The fi rst adoption in Japan of an automatic transmission in a Mitsubishi Fuso Aero Star bus for

use on a high-speed route, is in operation by Tohnoh Tetsudou Co., Ltd., on its busy commuter route from Nagoya to Kani. Th e population of Kani began increasing rapidly around 1970 when the town became known as a commuter city of Nagoya, and has grown ever since as the main town for the neighboring area. Th e Kani-Nagoya route which provides service to roughly 1,100 passengers each day, covers a distance of 55 km, with over 70% of the route is spent travelling on highways.

Keiichi Sato, Manager of the Kani Offi ce that is in charge of operating this route, commented on the introduction of the

automatic transmission buses and gave the new buses high marks. “Th e biggest reason for introducing the automatic transmission buses as high-speed buses was to improve riding comfort. If you actually operate the automatic transmission bus, you’ll fi nd that it’s easier to drive because there’s no need to operate a clutch. As a result, driver fatigue is

reduced, and we’re able to provide a safe, comfortable ride. I look forward to automatic transmission buses playing an active role in the future as well,” he stated.

Naoyuki Miura, a supervisor at the Kani Offi ce, also commented on the anticipated improvements in service and safety and stated, “When you accelerate on a f lat road, the Allison automatic transmission automatically shift s up to 6th gear at the

same time that the driver presses on the accelerator, and during that time, no shock is generated from shift ing, so I expect that the riding comfort of passengers will be further improved. I could tell that the driving performance of the automatic transmission bus is highly predictable.”

Allison Automatic Transmission on High-Speed Route Bus in Japan

ZF Bus Technology - Highly Popular in Turkey

Scania will supply 231 city buses to the Chilean capital Santiago, through Brazilian bus bodybuilder

Marcopolo. W ith this sa le, Scania begins operation in the Transantiago integrated public transport system, connecting bus lines and the Metro network. The vehicles will begin to run in September and will be operated by Alsacia Express.

“Besides providing training for employees and bus management, including maintenance and repair, the package also includes Scania’s own GPRS monitoring system,” said Silvio Munhoz,

Managing Director of Scania Chile.

With 230 hp engines, the low-fl oor model K 230 4x2 buses meet the European

Euro 5 emission standard and the even stricter EEV standard

(Enhanced Environmentally Friendly Vehicles). Launched in 2007, the Transantiago integrated public transport system connects the entire city

bus fl eet of the Chilean capital and more than 100 kilometers

of the Metro network. Th e system comprises local routes, with buses

operating within a single zone, and routes that connect diff erent areas of the city.

Scania to deliver 231 City buses to Santiago

IETT , the Istanbul transport operator, introduced a modern Bus Rapid Transit system in 2007. Th ere, many of the lowfl oor buses used are equipped with technology by ZF.

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16 FLEETBUS&COACH | Summer 2012 Text: Rob Van Dieten - rob@fl eet.ie

Arriva has signed a major contract with VDL Bus & Coach for the delivery of 77 Citeas XLE (Low Entry) for the

city of Stockholm in Sweden. Th is order is the largest in the history of VDL Bus & Coach for the Swedish market. In addition, VDL has received an order to refurbish 85 articulated buses. Th e new Citeas will be put in service as of January 2013. Half of the articulated buses will begin scheduled service as of August 2012 and the other half as of January 2013.

Th e order for Arriva consists of 21 Citeas of type XLE-137 with a length of 13.7 metres and 56 Citeas of type XLE-145 with a length of 14.5 metres. Th ese will be constructed as class 2 buses. All the buses will be used for public transport in the greater Stockholm area.

“Th is new, large order once again confi rms our strategy for lightweight concepts, with a focus on the European public transport segment. Our Citea range, with the SLF as Bus of the Year 2011,

demonstrates that with our public transport buses we belong to the top tier in Europe. We are especially proud that our knowledge and skill in this fi eld are being recognized by more and more passenger transport companies.

Moreover, the order for 77 new Citeas in combination with the conversion order for 85 articulated buses is also a fi ne example of ‘Strength through co-operation’.

Aft er all, the articulated buses that are to be converted come from Arriva in the Netherlands. With the modifi cations that we will carry out, these buses will then be perfectly suited for public transport in Stockholm. In this manner both Arriva and VDL demonstrate the benefi ts off ered by larger international companies and the strength of true co-operation”, explains Rémi Henkemans, Managing Director VDL Bus & Coach.

Arriva is one of the largest transport service organisations in Europe. Th e company is active in the area of passenger transport in Czech Republic, Denmark, Italy, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Malta and United Kingdom. By winning the E20 tender in Stockholm, Arriva in Sweden is currently undergoing signifi cant growth. Th e company’s passenger transport activities, which until now have been concentrated in the province of Skåne and particularly in the city of Malmö, will double as a result of this contract.

GLOBAL 11

MAN will deliver 250 MAN Lion’s City G buses with Natural Gas (CNG) power to the EGO-Ankara

by 2013, the fi rst articulated buses of this type to go into service in Turkey. 50 units will be delivered by September 2012, to be followed by 25 vehicles every month, so that all the buses ordered will be in Ankara by summer 2013. EGO-Ankara also has an option on another 50 buses.

At the beginning of the nineties, EGO-Ankara started converting a large part of its fl eet to compressed natural gas in order to improve the city’s air quality. Today, with 1,090 MAN

Lion’s Classic vehicles, the company runs the world’s biggest fl eet of gas-powered buses. Th e 18-metre long articulated buses that have now been ordered are equipped with four doors and a fold-out ramp for baby carriages

and persons in wheelchairs at Door 2. Th e vehicles have 36 seats and standing room for 116 passengers. Th ey are propelled by the E28 engine, a particularly eco-friendly 310-hp six-cylinder unit powered by natural gas. To take some of the load off the driver, the customer chose the ZF EcoLife six-speed automatic transmission.

Nine aluminium gas-storage tanks, each with a capacity of 205 litres, are located on the roof. Th e buses are being produced in MAN’s Turkish plant in Ankara.

World’s biggest fl eet of CNG buses in Ankara

77 VDL Citeas for Arriva in Sweden

39 Optare Versa hybrid vehicles designed specifi cally for use as school buses, and which are thought to be

the fi rst hybrids dedicated solely to this type of operation, are now in operation by several bus companies in the Greater Manchester area.

Th ey are also believed to be the fi rst buses built specifi cally for this application that fully meet R66 roll-over regulations.

Produced at Optare‘s new plant at Sherburn in Elmet in Yorkshire, the Versa hybrids represent an investment by Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) of around £9 million under its ‚Yellow School Bus‘ scheme and are part-funded through the Government‘s Green Bus Initiative.

A total passenger capacity of 57, is achieved by using a 3 + 2 seating confi guration, with

all passengers on Rescroft CT Lite seats fi tt ed with full 3-point safety belts.

Power is provided by a Mercedes-Benz OM904LA 130kW, Euro 5 diesel engine. Th is drives a generator and resultant energy is stored in roof mounted super capacitors. Th ere is no physical connection between the engine and the rear axle. Propulsion is provided through twin electric motors and a summation gearbox connected to the axle. During deceleration

the drive motors regenerate brake energy which is used to top-up the super capacitors. When the vehicle pulls away, stored energy is used to accelerate, and engine rpm does not need to increase. Th is combination is expected to achieve fuel savings of up to one third when compared to a conventional diesel driveline.

John Horn, Sales Director at Optare, commented on the supply deal: "We are very pleased with the outcome of our close collaboration with TfGM, which has resulted in these high quality school buses, built at a very competitive price, and which are cost eff ective to operate. Th e young people travelling in these vehicles will be doing so in considerable comfort and safety while the use of hybrid technology is contributing to a cleaner and quieter environment in their local communities.“

Optare supplies 39 hybrid school buses to TfGM

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The high reliability and durability of Allison transmissionstranslate to greater vehicle uptime so more work can bedone with fewer vehicles in your fl eet.

Effi cient. Reliable. Robust.There are reasons why Allison Transmission is the world leader in commercial duty automatic transmissions.

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18 FLEETBUS&COACH | Summer 2012 Text: Jarlath Sweeney - jarlath@fl eet.ie

PREVIEW

Campion Insurance is to sponsor this year’s Coach & Bus Show,

following an agreement signed with the Coach Tourism & Transport Council (CTTC) recently. Th is year’s show will be called the Campion Insurance Coach & Bus Show 2012. Th e CTT C exhibition is Ireland’s largest passenger transport event, and has run every second year at Dublin’s RDS since 2000. For 2012, the Show moves to the RDS Main Hall on Merrion Road, a larger space than that used in 2010. It has also switched from a Friday/Saturday event to a Saturday/Sunday one, following feedback from exhibitors. Th e Director of Campion Insurance Coach & Bus Show 2012 Gerry Mullins commented on the new title sponsors for the event: “We were delighted to reach a deal with Campion

Insurance because it has assured the success of this year’s event six months before the Show opens. Also it will help us provide bett er services to our members at the CTT C over the next two years.” Campion Insurance Chief Executive Jim Campion said: “Campion Insurance is already

very committ ed to the coach and bus sectors and the opportunity to sponsor the Coach & Bus Show presented a way to solidify this position. We are happy to enhance our relationship with the CTT C, which is one we have enjoyed over many years.” The 2012 Show will again feature the Tourism Village, a trade show aimed at promoting domestic touring by Irish people by bringing tourist att ractions, coach companies, clubs and societies together with vehicle manufacturers and component suppliers under the one roof. The Tourism Village will be supported again by Fáilte Ireland.

The Campion Insurance Coach & Bus Show takes place on Saturday 24th and Sunday 25th of November in Dublin’s RDS. For more information, please see www.coachandbusshow.ie

With a litt le more than fi ve months remaining until the doors open

to the fourth edition of Euro Bus Expo, this year’s key European exhibition for the bus and coach industry in 2012, will be held in Hall 5 of the NEC, Birmingham on 6/8 November 9.

Show organisers report that the industry has responded well for the 2012 event. Mark Griffi n, Show Director, commented: “We have seen a high level of demand for space within the exhibition, with more than 200 companies already committ ing to exhibit at the show. Even this far out, we are already receiving news of major product launches planned for the November showcase, alongside companies exhibiting for the fi rst time.”

Th e expected number of att endees is 10,000. New exhibitors include Williams Hybrid Power, Altas Commercial Vehicles, and Volant PVS. Euro Bus Expo 2012 sees the introduction of a dedicated Environmental Zone, featuring the Live Environmental

Stage. Supported by BAE Systems, a series of supplier presentations are planned that will focus on the drive towards cleaner, more effi cient vehicles.For latest news follow twitt er: @eurobusexpo. Website: www.eurobusxpo.com

Campion Insurance to sponsor 2012 Coach & Bus Show @ RDS

Euro Bus Expo 2012 - Autumn Coach & Bus ShowcaseAutumn Coach & Bus Showcase

Top Marques for FIAA 2012! IVECO, MERCEDES-BENZ, SETRA and MAN, among others, will participate in the eleventh edition of FIAA, the International Motorbus and Coach Fair, which takes place in Madrid, from October 23rd to the 26th, 2012. Joining them, with the support of ASCABUS for the Exhibition, will be the main coachwork builders that operate in Spain, while east-European companies such as OTOKA R and BMC, will also participate. In developing the marketing campaign for the Fair, the FIAA organization is promoting activities such as the sett ing-up of an International Media Partners programme (which includes Fleet Bus & Coach) focused on encouraging more professional visits. Th is inititive is aimed to att ract more international journalists to visit the Fair and create a bigger impact of FIAA and its exhibitors on the media.

Text: SeanMurtagh - sean@fl eet.ie FLEETBUS&COACH | Summer 2012 19

REPORT

MAN’s Bus & Coach division hosted its second ‘Bus Day’ at its headquarters in Munich this spring. Displaying both MAN and Neoplan buses and coaches, the company increased its market share during 2011 in spite

of litt le or no increase in the overall market. Th e City bus market was down a litt le last year with a slight increase in the tour bus and inter-city commuter business. In spite of this uncertainty development of alternative drive-lines continues to be a priority. MAN’s Lion’s City launched in 2010, continues to gain in popularity. With over seventy now in operation the ‘Serial Hybrid’ Drive ISystem is achieving up to 30% fuel savings. MAN also off ers a CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) bus as a right hand drive, and will be available to the Irish market later in the year.

With 14% of the European Market in 2011 between both brands representing 5700 unit sales, MAN is confi dent that 2012 will see some moderate growth. For the record MAN has been manufacturing gas powered buses for over 40 years. One of the fi rst occasions gas buses took to the streets was to ferry Olympic athletes to the Games when they were hosted by MAN’s home City of Munich. Currently as many as 10,000 MAN city buses are operating throughout the world. Since last December two gas powered buses are operating in Oxford and Reading in the UK, and are achieving fuel savings of up to 30% over their diesel counterparts. Using a MAN chassis with a Caentano body, the passenger vehicle is fully supported by MAN. As the price of diesel continues to rise, the competitive advantages of a Natural gas powered (CNG) bus is more noticeable. Although this vehicle will be available in Ireland, the gas infrastructure network will need to be improved. In environmental terms the CNG bus meets EEV – Enhanced Environmentally friendly vehicle standards and even exceeds the Euro 6 requirements.

MAN Bus & Coach to focus on Natural Gas Power

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20 FLEETBUS&COACH | Summer 2012

TIMES PAST

T he Kells Transport Museum in Glanmire, County Cork was founded in 2002 by Dr. Michael Grimes. It was originally

destined for Kells in County Kerry – hence the name - but due to the lack of suitable accommodation together with the highly corrosive eff ect of the sea, he started it in Cork. Th e tremendous growth meant that it would be impossible to move now.

Visitors are welcomed anytime but it is best to call 021-482-8046 fi rst. Th e Kells Transport Museum has been described as having the largest vintage bus collection in the world.

A rough breakdown of the 350 vehicles shows 27 Bedford, 22 Bombardier, 1 Bova, 13 Bristol, 4 DAF, 5 Daimler, 10 Dennis, 4 Dodge, 1 ERF, 1 Foden, 15 Ford, 3 Iveco, 21 Leyland Atlantean, 75 Leyland Leopard, 21 Leyland National, 8 Leyland Lynx, 55 Leyland Tiger, 2 Leyland Olympian, 1 Leyland Titan, 2 Leyland PD3, 1 Leyland Swift , 1 Scania, 2 Setra, 12 Van Hool, 15 Volvo and 1 Volvo Ailsa.

It specialises in Ulsterbus vehicles and has some 23 Ulsterbus N type and 5 Q type Leyland Tigers, as well as 14 Ulsterbus Leopards which comprise seven baby Leopards which are cut short and converted to engineering vehicles. Th e museum also has eleven fi re engines.

Th e oldest and most interesting vehicle is a CIE PD3 R913 which was a new body placed on a 1948 P type chassis. Only 21 were built. With man-powered heavy steering and a diffi cult gearchange they were not liked by drivers.

Two engine types stand out, the Gardner 180 and the Leyland 680. Th ey did not even need batt eries to run but once jump started would get you home. Th e Gardner, in particular was a fantastic starter but belched such clouds

of smoke that one would think the engine had blown up. It always cleared aft er a few minutes – thankfully!

On being asked about his favourite bus, Dr. Grimes answered “Th e M type CIE Leopard PSU3/5R.”

Th e plan is to have 1,000 vehicles on display by 2015. Th ere is litt le support for the museum in Ireland and Dr. Grimes says, “If I could only

persuade Bus Eireann to work with us to save historic vehicles it would be fantastic but they have a policy of scrapping everything which to me is unpatriotic and short sighted. In fact, the County Council wrote saying that as we had vehicles over twenty fi ve years old, they were end of life and should be scrapped and the receipts sent to the Council. I wrote “Go to Hell” on the lett er and sent it back and heard no more! But it illustrates the att itude of Irish offi cialdom to tourist att ractions.”

Kells Transport Museum – a Busman’s holiday!

3 Baby Leopards fr om Ulsterbus Engineering.

Multiple Towtrucks.

TIMES PAST

FLEETBUS&COACH | Summer 2012 21

Th e museum suff ered a severe setback in 2011 when three bombs were exploded, two destroying eleven N type Tigers, and the third the Museum’s offi ces. Over €250,000 in damage was caused. What survived, which included a priceless collection of photographs has to be cleaned, copied and preserved and there is a vast amount of work involved. All the museums vehicle manuals were badly damaged although not irretrievably. One of the vehicles lost was the fi rst Alexander N Tiger 340, which is irreplaceable. All eleven were totally destroyed.

Another major tragedy was the theft last winter of the only CIE built Bedford Schoolbus SS 702 shown in the photograph during its restoration. If anyone knows anything about it or where it might be found please contact the museum. It is irreplaceable and a reward is off ered for any information leading to its return. Dr. Grimes asks readers to help fi nd it. Th e stolen Bedford Schoolbus.

Michael Grimes between Q type Tiger 2643 and Leopard 1981.

E 106 a 1960 Leyland Leopard L4.

Th e oldest 1948 Dublin Bus. Tiger Multiple. A line of Ulsterbus N type Tigers.

22 FLEETBUS&COACH | Summer 2012 Text: Sean Murtagh – sean@fl eet.ie

CONDUCTOR'S STAND

M ost of you are familiar with the Busworld organisation. Based in Kortrijk, which is 50km west of Brussels in Belgium, Busworld organise a Show for bus operators, manufacturers and suppliers. Since the early 1970’s

the Kortrijk Exhibition is staged every second year usually in the Autumn. In recent years the Busworld brand has expanded to China, Russia, India and Turkey. Last month Busworld Turkey was held in Istanbul. Busworld is owned by the Trade Association that represents Bus and Coach operators in Belgium and to keep the ethos of the group it always teams up with the National Trade Associations when it arranges shows in other countries. TOFED is the name of the Trade Association that represents coach operators in Turkey. Busworld has been organising its event in Turkey for over ten years and in that time it has nurtured a strong working relationship with TOFED. It is interesting to see some of the parallels between Turkish Bus/Coach operators and Irish operators.

Turkey covers a large area with roughly 8 large cities located around the country. All of these cities are roughly 9 hours apart by road or 1 hour by air. Long distance coach travel is very popular in that links two Continents even though the road infrastructure is not great. Rail services are very limited. Turkish operators on the long distance intercity routes are fearful of competition from budget airlines. Aft er a pre-empted strike Turkish operators are improving service by introducing 2+1 seating arrangements and improved on board service. Given the current economic climate it is unlikely that there will be any expansion by the budget airlines in the coming year or so.

At the opening of Busworld Turkey, the President of TOFED Mehmet Erdogtan asked his Government to recognise the importance of the bus and coach industry to the Turkish economy in terms of the manufacturer of coaches and the operations of his members. Sound familiar? Yes a bit, so you can imagine that the att endance of the Turkish Transport Minister was much anticipated. As in Ireland there is strong shared connections to transport. One of the other peculiarities of the Turkish market is the number of factories and businesses that provide transport for their employees to and from work. It is clear that most of these factories would prefer to hand over the transport of their workers to the private operators. However, the lack of legal framework will not allow this, something that Turkish operators have campaigned for over the years.

Before informing you about the Turkish Transport Minister’s visit to Busworld, outlined is a few fi gures and statistics compiled by the IRU (International Road Transport Union) in relation to the bus and coach industry in Europe.

50% of elderly people do not have a car or cannot drive (over • 65).40% of European householders do not own a car.• In Europe over 2 million people are directly involved in Coach • operations. Almost 750,000 people are directly employed by European • Coach manufacturers. In Europe there are almost 7.5 million people in employment • that are dependant on bus and coach operators. It is estimated that passenger numbers using buses is increasing • by 1% to 2% per year (in spite of the economic situation). A tour bus spending a night in a town or city is worth an average • of €10,000 to that community.

So this is a serious business we are in with great potential. Although the fi gures quoted are average and in relation to the Irish percentages

and fi gures may be lower, it is clear we are in a growth industry. Back to the Turkish Transport Minister, well fi rst of all he did not turn up, a Civil Servant was deputised to read his speech. Aft er the usual apologies for his political Master’s absence he continued by welcoming everybody before gett ing into his stride. When he started to read from the prepared script it became a litt le more diffi cult to understand him. However, in the two minute presentation I heard the word railways mentioned several times. Operators were, by the look on their faces, furious. Aft erwards one operator told me that he paid lip service to the Bus and Coach industry and highlighted the Government plans to put extra investment into Rail Travel.

So it seems that whether you are on an Island on the West Coast of Europe as we are or on the Eastern side of Europe as Turkey is, politicians seem to have the same view of your industry.

In the background a case continues to batt le its way through the Courts to allow private operators tender for school transport services. What does it take for a Minister for Transport to realise that Bus and Coach operators are a growth business that are capable of bringing value to the economy. It is good to see An Taoiseach going abroad drumming up support and good will for the country but there are growth possibilities at home as well. Minister Varakar, An Taoiseach is behind you! Right under your nose! Release the buses.

Serious business with greatpotential Back Seat Driver by Sean Murtagh

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