More and more stories of trials and new releases are helping make the industry safer and more innovative than ever
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Compared to its older siblings in the truck and heavy vehicle industries, the bus and coach sector is relatively small in Australia. Its family feel and welcoming nature is a sticking point for those who are fortunate to meet the fraternity.
Yet this also means the bus and coach industry has been harder to reach for new technology and international developments. After slowly growing its zero-emissions vehicles capabilities, the Australian market is now beginning to see the many helpful ways that other systems and products can streamline operations and lower costs.
This very full September edition of ABC is jam-packed with technological developments and solutions that Australian operators may not have even heard of and considered. In the lead-up to the looming Australasian Bus & Coach Expo in Sydney, many different companies are putting forward their best technological breakthroughs to give an enticing insight into what the industry could evolve to in the coming years.
When it comes to safety, more advances are being made before our very eyes. Yutong and its Australian VDI distributors are focusing heavily on this, as can be seen in its new C12e electric model. Following the success of its D7 minibus earlier this year, Yutong’s discussion on the new product’s capabilities unveils some new safety innovations that may soon proliferate the entire Australian market.
While the electric side of new energy buses is receiving these benefits, the hydrogen option hasn’t been left alone. Foton Mobility may be new to the game in Australia, but our test drive of its latest hydrogen model resulted in an interesting deep dive into the role hydrogen can play in a zero-emissions future.
In between these major developments too much technology to completely cover here. In a snapshot, fabric producers like Camira are finding ways to protect passengers and operators against disease transmission, using the COVID-19 outbreak to its advantage. New technology groups like Sepura are seeping across to the bus and coach market and enjoying its reception. While it’s there, it’s also introducing fascinating technology for fleet owners to consider, as can be seen.
While manufacturers and companies work hard behind the scenes to quickly advance our local industry, operators are joining for the ride. Some customers like Red Bus Services on New South Wales’s Central Coast have taken massive risks to support the new technology being introduced by OEMs. Red Bus is proving that risks can reap rich rewards, as its new hydrogen depot makes it an early hydrogen trailblazer in Australia.
Businesses on all sides of the sector are finding that now is the time for change. Whether it be through technology or structural shuffles, Australia’s bus and coach industry is moving faster than it has in a long time. For some, like BCI, new rebranding is needed to signify its changing intentions to the market. For operators like the PTAANZ, an emerging wave of leaders with new-energy ideas are now steering the ship towards a greener future.
It’s not just global either. It was just as fun chatting with England’s Reading Buses for our Back Seat article, where we discussed how important livery can be to spreading the sustainable message.
With all of these developments occurring rapidly, I hope you enjoy catching up with it before heading to this year’s Expo. It’s the prime time for our industry to evolve, and this edition reflects that.
Check out the online edition of the September ABC magazine here.