It will be a quiet weekend for many as they mentally prepare for one of the year's biggest bus events
BusVic’s 2012 Maintenance Conference and Bus Expo is so close you can almost smell that new-bus aroma drifting through the display room floor.
Over the next two days bus industry delegates from across Australia will start making their way to Melbourne for arguably the biggest industry gathering of the year – the BusVic 2012 Maintenance Conference and Bus Expo.
Held Monday and Tuesday next week at the Moonee Valley Racing Club, this year’s conference is shaping up to be the grandest yet, with a record number of chassis on display and more than 1,500 delegates registered, according to BusVic Executive Director Chris Lowe.
“The stage is set the lights are ready,” Lowe says.
“We believe it is going to be the best event we have ever put together.
“It is certainly the largest – we have record number of chassis on display because we have an extra thousand square metres available to us this year.”
Lowe says in addition to a stellar entertainment line-up and a comprehensive information program, there will also be some surprise industry awards presented.
“We always do our industry achiever and apprentice of the year award at the opening, and Transport Minister Terry Mulder will be making those presentations,” Lowe says.
“But I am also very pleased to announce we will be making some industry contribution award presentations at the Monday night conference dinner and they will be being presented by Edward O’Donohue, who is the Parliamentary Secretary for Transport.”
Mulder will be officially open the conference Monday morning, before keynote speaker, former Prime Minister John Howard takes the stage.
Topics to follow throughout the day include a session on RWC, workshops on practical dimensions and technical advice, sessions on driver recruitment and workforce retention, mass and dimensions, the South Australian bus industry, Victorian coach tourism, and improving driver efficiency.
Monday will wrap up with drinks, a gala dinner and entertainment by comedian Vince Sorrenti and Australian rock-legend Ian Moss.
Tuesday’s action will kick off with the keynote note speaker, football great Leigh Matthews.
Sessions to follow throughout the day include discussions on workshop technology, fires on buses, practical dimensions and technical advice, motorcycles sharing bus lanes, state enforcement agencies, bus and coach accessibility standards, maintenance from a trucking perspective, and the Bus Industry Confederation Report.
The conference will wrap up Tuesday night with dinner, and then performances by comedian Will Anderson and Australian music royalty Kate Ceberano.
Lowe says the 2011 event attracted over 1,400 delegates from around the world, as well as 70 bus and 120 exhibitor displays.
“Anyone and everyone will be there [this year],” Lowe says.
“It’s just a great opportunity for all corners of the industry.”
Visit www.busvic.asn.au for the full conference program.