Building a great bus is a bit like putting on a stage show. You might have a star performer out front in the shiny finished vehicle, but it takes a whole cast and crew behind the scenes to make it all happen.
From the designers sketching the first lines, to the engineers fine-tuning every component, to the sales and support teams keeping customers happy long after the keys are handed over, success in bus manufacturing is always a team effort.
Challenger Bus and Coach has spent the better part of a decade building its team, bringing in industry veterans, technical experts and fresh eyes to its operations.
While it may seem time-consuming and cumbersome to some, Challenger prides itself on its ability to source the very best the industry has to offer. And its newest hire is no exception.
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Kicking off his role in July, Challenger has hired long-time transport stalwart Paul Fagg as its first ever general manager.
“I started out as a mechanic, did my apprenticeship with Subaru, then moved into the truck world with Kenworth, working on the production line and in a range of technical roles,” Fagg told ABC.
“After about five years there, I joined Daimler in 2007 and, apart from a short stint elsewhere, I’ve been with them ever since.
“Over the years I’ve done everything from product management to technical support, regional sales and even helped launch new products from the ground up.”
Despite spending the majority of his nearly 30-year career in trucks, Fagg says he’s been lucky in some of his roles to spend time around buses and is keen to dive head-first into the industry.
“I’m lucky to have a pretty broad experience across the whole automotive industry, which gives me a unique advantage that others may not have,” he says.
“When Challenger called, I said that I have a lot to learn about buses and about the industry, but I am more than happy to take on the challenge.
“I can see that Challenger has a great team and friendly people, but it’s also very focused on quality products, reliability and customer service. From my point of view, that’s really what builds a good business and good product.
“I couldn’t be happier with my decision.”
Joining Challenger as its very first general manager, Fagg says he is excited to work with CEO Greg Sloan and the broader team to “build towards a bright future” for the company.
“I’m keen to combine not only mine but the owner’s vision for the company, and build it around supporting the customers, building the parts distribution network, support systems and everything involved that goes along with supplying products,” he says.
“The priority for me is setting up the foundations to ensure that we can react and support quickly if there are any problems or breakdowns and we can minimise the downtime to support the customers.
“The second aspect would be looking at where the industry is going, looking at the trends and adapting accordingly.”
Fagg’s first port of call upon starting next month will be heading out across the country to make introductions to staff and customers – something he says he is very excited for.
“I’ve heard amazing things about the team, and their work has been what has made Challenger what it is today. It’ll be great to pick their brains,” he says.
As Fagg says, behind every successful bus delivery is not just a production line, but a well-oiled machine of people, trust and shared purpose.
At Challenger, that team-first mindset is already paying off, highlighted by a recent delivery to Hintercoast Transport.
For the Gympie-based operator, choosing the right vehicles is about practical reliability, service support and long-term simplicity. That’s why owner and diesel mechanic Dennis Smith turned to Challenger for his most recent fleet additions.
Hintercoast recently took delivery of two models, the V10 and the new Callibar.
“What stood out about Challenger was the build quality, especially the steel frame, and the support from the team,” Smith told ABC.
“We’re only a small company, but the Challenger team have been great from day one, both with purchasing and aftersales. Anything we’ve needed, they’ve been quick to respond. That goes a long way.”
Smith says there’s already been positive feedback from both drivers and passengers, with the team eager to jump onboard once they arrived.
“The V10 has been a hit. It drives well and accessibility is spot on. The Callibar is still pretty new to us, but so far so good,” he says.
“The drivers are still getting used to the electric mirrors, but that’s just part of moving with the times.”
With his mechanical background, Smith places a high value on standardisation and ease of maintenance, something he’s hopeful Challenger will stick with as the brand evolves.
“One of the big reasons we’re considering replacing the rest of our fleet with Challengers is because they’ve kept things simple,” he says.
“If they can maintain that, same filters, same bearings, same layout, it just makes everything so much easier. You don’t want four different types of buses in the shed with different parts on every shelf.”
Product support also played a large part in the company’s decision-making, saying that especially for regional and small operators, aftersales support is crucial.
“Aftersales support is very important for regional operators because of not only the terrain we sometimes come across, but because of the size of our fleets,” Hintercoast co-owner Sandi Smith told ABC.
“We have quotes and jobs coming in every day and we can’t afford to have a bus be down. We can’t be without them.
“If we have any drama, we just ring Challenger and they are pretty much straight up here to try and sort things out for us.
“We are incredibly happy with the service that we’re getting from them, and that’s why we’ve decided to go and order another two.”
The Challenger team’s support, combined with a smart, practical design, has made a strong first impression.
If Challenger stays the course, Hintercoast is ready to back them for the long haul.
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