After a whirlwind start to 2023, February’s bus and coach deliveries took a hit, with some manufacturers still standing tall above the pack.
January’s deliveries were eye-boggling, but February’s returned to a more normal state with only 73 deliveries recorded compared to January’s 105.
Despite this drop-off, there was still plenty to celebrate as some manufacturers began to record impressive numbers.
When it came to chassis, a changing of the guard saw Scania take the lead. After recording 13 deliveries in the first month of 2023, Scania rebounded with 19 in February to easily surpass January’s leader in Yutong, who followed up its 32 deliveries in January with 13 in February. Volvo and Bus & Coach International (BCI) both finished with eight deliveries, while Mercedes-Benz and I-Bus couldn’t be split with seven apiece. From there it was an open and varied market, with many companies dropping off after recording stunning starts to the year. Denning, King Long, BLK, BusTech Group and MAN all registered the two units delivered for February, while BYD had the sole delivery to round out the fluctuating sector.
The surprises also kept coming in the bodybuilder market as Yutong narrowly held onto its January lead. Yutong may have dropped from its 32 January deliveries to just the 13 in February, but it was enough to edge out the improving Irizar (12) and perennial leader Volgren (11). After finishing second last month, BCI stayed steady with nine deliveries for February, while I-Bus recorded seven. The rest of the deliveries were shared evenly, with BusTech Group (five) and Custom Denning (four) usurping a logjam of five different manufacturers who shared the nine deliveries.
Casting our eyes to the seating game, more surprises were in store. Yutong may have dominated in January, but it dropped down to third in February with the 11 deliveries. Instead, it was Sege who shot to a comfortable lead with 24 units for the month, jumping clear of Yutong and the second-placed McConnell (17). StyleRide (nine) wasn’t too far behind, while APM jumped from the two units in January to seven in February. KBoth King Long and Custom Metro remained on the radar with two units each, while Fainsa recorded the sole delivery. In the evolving seating sector, Yutong’s deliveries helped it narrowly edge out its competitors.
Following a slow start to 2023, Thermo King kicked into gear in the air-conditioning market. Thermo King remained steady, recording 19 deliveries in February after registering 21 in January, while Hispacold improved by four to register 14 deliveries for the month. Cling-Yutong was only narrowly behind with 13 units, staying clear of the next placed Songz (seven). Valoe (six) and MCC (five) both had good months, while King Long, Coachair, Konvekta and Spheros all recorded the two deliveries apiece and Denso claimed the final unit for February.
When looking at the state-based rivalry, it was the maroon of Queensland that emerged on top yet again. After recording 28 units in January, Queensland followed it up with 23 in February, staying ahead of rival New South Wales (19). Victoria slipped to third with 17 deliveries, but stayed well ahead of the next placed South Australia with six. Tasmania jumped up with three deliveries, while the ACT increased to join the plummeting Western Australia with two units each. The final delivery went to the Northern Territory to cover all states and territories of Australia.
For website piece: Click here for comprehensive bus and coach delivery information for February. Please note all data is as supplied from manufacturers, at their discretion.