This time a year ago, Peter Simpson was in a completely different position. The experienced bus industry member had a new role lined up, ready to start afresh with the latest venture. It soon fell through, leaving him in limbo.
“It threw a spanner in the works, and led to me being unemployed for more than a year,” he told ABC.
“I thought I was cooked, I was done, and I wouldn’t get a job in the industry again.”
The catalyst for this was the Victorian government’s announcement on Christmas Eve in 2024 that it would pause all current bus orders and extend the lifespans of existing buses in service around the state. For many in the local industry, it meant an uncertain future as the order pipeline was blocked. For people like Simpson who were stuck between jobs at the wrong time, it meant his new role was put on the backburner as a mixture of manufacturers, suppliers and operators scrambled to adjust to the changing scenario.
A year later and it’s looking remarkably different for Simpson and the Victorian industry. On the final day of the financial year, the Victorian government confirmed a new funding package of up to $50 million, translating to around 96 additional vehicles in bus orders. By this time, Simpson’s prospects were looking better after chatting to supplier Challenger Bus & Coach.
Following an interview, it proved to be a defining moment for both Simpson and Challenger, with the former now the recently appointed national sales manager for the emerging brand.
“It turned out I ticked more boxes for Challenger than either of us could’ve expected,” he says.
“In my first conversation with Greg (Challenger owner Greg Sloan), he told me they needed someone who is very active with their hands and can assist with maintenance and preparing a bus, which is very much me courtesy of my experience in bodybuilding.
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“Having experience in selling into every state in Australia for more than 25 years meant I soon felt like the ideal fit.”
When ABC catches up with Simpson in late 2025, he’s been in the role for just over two weeks, learning the intricacies of the growing bus and coach supplier. In just under a decade, Challenger has evolved to become a popular bus and coach choice for operators around the country through a growing variety of models. It leaves the latest appointment excited to add to Challenger’s ongoing momentum.
“Even though I’m the national sales manager, I’m mainly onboard to assist and take the load off of the current sales staff,” he says.
“They are all wonderful people, and my role is to take the pressure off and lend my expertise to certain parts of the business.
“Everyone is really committed – the brand has plenty of room for growth and is willing to do so. Through the team, it’s been really exciting to see this in action and hopefully I can play my part to building the operations.”
Simpson’s arrival already caps off a year of evolution and momentum, adding to the structure of the supplier. In a year where Challenger has seen a 35 per cent increase in vehicle deliveries when compared to 2024, the past year saw Challenger add a general manager in Paul Fagg to sit alongside state sales managers Dan Campbell and Simon Hendricks as well as state sales and national spare parts manager Mark Collins and Simpson in the newly made national sales manager role.
Having seamlessly fit into the structure, Simpson is quick to notice the positive energy surrounding the supplier as it prepares for another productive year of growth.
“The whole team is so focused – in my first couple of weeks I’ve noticed that everyone has input, which is something you don’t always see at larger companies,” he says.
“It’s refreshing to see all staff being allowed to use their knowledge and ability, receiving free range to suggest innovative ideas to make the business better.
“For me, this allows me to focus on helping the sales team to grow, and to help them in any way possible.
“So far my contacts have helped make the mundane day-to-day operations easier. It’s exciting to be involved in such an interesting business that has so much to offer.”
Moving forward, it may be too early for Simpson and the team to set goals for the immediate future, but that hasn’t stopped him from planning for success. While Challenger has started making smatterings of deliveries to various Australian jurisdictions, Simpson’s primary focus is to help the growing brand establish footholds in a variety of markets. He says it’ll serve as the key to unlocking plenty of doors and expanding the Challenger presence.
A year after his career first looked to be in limbo, the closing weeks of 2025 have given Simpson plenty of reasons to look forward to a better year ahead.
“We already have a good presence in Queensland and Victoria, while we have customers in South Australia, New South Wales and Western Australia, but my focus is to build substance,” he says.
“There’s no magic number we want to reach – we’ve only been around for just under a decade, so we want to keep growing and putting our name and product out there.
“I’m extremely happy to be onboard with Challenger and excited for what the future holds. We’re going to keep putting ourselves out there and doing the brand proud.”
Read more:
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- Volvo and WA celebrate 100th electric bus delivery
