Only Covid-19 could put the brakes on expanding bus and coach delivery numbers in 2019-20, exclusive ABC data shows.
Bus and coach deliveries data shows huge year-on-year growth for the past financial year ending June 30, 2020, despite the latter months being impacted by the early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The period ends with 1,520 deliveries (an average of about 127 per month), much higher than FY19’s 1,288, which was already more than 100 more than the year before.
For the chassis sector, market leaders Volvo and Scania both increased their yearly tallies by around 100 each on the previous year. Positively, there were also triple-figure tallies for Mercedes-Benz, BCI and Yutong, while Australian Bus Corporation’s (ABC’s) Bustech brand more than doubled its year-on-year count.
The body building market was busy due to recent consolidation in the sector. Volgren recorded near identical deliveries figures to last year, plus some more from partner firm Supportrans, but a serious challenger emerged in the form of ABC, which now comprises the Bustech, Precision Buses and Elphinstone brands. Those three would have combined for more than 250 deliveries in the past financial year. There were also strong triple-figure showings from Custom Bus, BCI, Irizar and Yutong.
The air-conditioning sector followed the trends of recent years with Thermo King still reigning supreme and increasing its tally to nearly 700. Usual place-getters Spheros and Hispacold also increased their yearly tallies. It should be noted this sector had more than 60 deliveries unaccounted for by our sources.
Data shows Victoria leapfrogged NSW last year as the state most heavily invested in the bus market, rising from 26 to 28 per cent. NSW dropped from 36 to 26 per cent. WA also swapped places with Queensland to third, rising from 14 to 18 per cent, while the latter dropped a percentage point to 17 per cent. The remaining 11 per cent was split amongst the rest of the country.
Please note all data is as supplied from manufacturers, with their involvement at their discretion.