When it comes to remarkable milestones in business, achieving 45 years of customer service has to be high on the list.
For the team at Volgren, who we feature in this month’s cover story, the journey from that first bus delivery, way back in 1979, to now, has been one of growth, innovation and good business sense.
What started out as a route bus service in Dandenong has evolved to become a nationwide manufacturer of buses, supplying public transport fleets throughout the country.
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More recently, Volgren has been focused on the next big thing in the transport sector, stepping into the zero-emission challenge and meeting it head on. Its carefully planned approach will see the company have more than 150 of the new age buses on the road by the end of this year. Read more about their journey from page 20.
The Volgren journey is reflected, in a way, by that of fire suppression experts KlineFire.
As one of the world’s leading businesses in an industry dedicated to keeping people safe from fires in vehicles and machinery, KlineFire has had to evolve its offerings to match the revolution of the transport industry.
While fighting fires that may have eventuated from unforeseen accidents or malfunctions in petrol and diesel vehicles has been the core element of KlineFire’s business for many years, the company has recently turned its focus to the electric bus revolution.
Testamount to the skills of the KlineFire engineers, the company has developed a range of industry-leading products that can be fitted to buses, trucks and machines to ensure any fires can be dealt with quickly, cleanly and safely in electric vehicles using the very latest in suppressant and sensor-based technology (see page 24).
Playing in a similar space is automotive supplier Webasto. The company has put safety at the forefront of its design task, creating a new model of battery that has been built to exceed all current safety standards while maximising its usability in terms of battery size and weight (see page 28).
Two of our regular ABC columns, from QBIC and BIC, are this month focused on safety.
Our friends at BIC have shone the spotlight on safety for school children and a commendable awareness program being rolled out in some states that highlights the importance of seat belts on school buses (page 19).
On the back of 15 serious bus crashes in the past 12 months, including a horror crash at Gumlu in Queensland on June 30 that saw three passengers lose their lives, QBIC’s Jason O’Dwyer shines a light on the steps currently being taken in his state to address safety and the challenges involved in terms of enforcement and funding (page 48).
As winter arrives, the temperatures drop and the roads become icy, at least in the southern parts of Australia and New Zealand, we hope for a safe season for everyone involved in our industry.
To help pass the winter days, there’s plenty of other great stories to dip into in this issue of your magazine. I hope you enjoy the read.