Delivery numbers remain low but show some improvement, exclusive ABC data reveals.
While the second quarter of the 2021-22 financial year opened to Australian bus and coach deliveries remaining downbeat, there was a welcome increase on September’s 56 deliveries to reach a total of 66 for October.
Though a welcome upward turn, this is also the fourth month of lower delivery numbers, following July’s 69 and August’s 68.
In the chassis sector, Volvo led the way in October with 16 deliveries – up five on the previous month – followed by Mercedes-Benz on 10, also up on September. BCI, Hino and MAN were neck-and-neck with eight deliveries each – with Hino showing the greatest improvement from September’s three – while the remaining four delivered 16 between them.
In the body-building sector, Volgren once again showed a commanding lead with 18, though this also represents its lowest figure recorded since July.
BCI maintained its second-place position from September, recording 10 deliveries, while JBus (six deliveries), Irizar (six) and Coach Design (five) filled out the middle of the pack, followed by nine other manufacturers.
Thermo King remains dominant in the air con market, snaring nearly half of all deliveries with 31 units. In joint second place, MCC and Denso both had eight. Hispacold saw a small decrease of two units from September’s eight to record six in October, whereas Coachair dipped to four from September’s 10 deliveries.
Victoria and Western Australia continue to be the busiest states in terms of bus deliveries, with Victoria having 22 new units – up four on September – and WA recording 16. NSW was up three on September, recording a total of 14, while Queensland increased to 10 deliveries in October. South Australia saw three and there was a rare appearance of the Northern Territory with one.
Click here for comprehensive bus and coach delivery information for October. Please note all data is as supplied from manufacturers, at their discretion.
Photography: Paul Aldridge