Archive, Industry News

Bus Show brings out industry best

Bus Show attendees travelled from all over the country, and from New Zealand, to get the biggest industry updates of 2016

The 2016 Australian Bus and Coach Show had a special twist to it this year, as it coincided with the Bus Association of New South Wales’ (BusNSW) 75th anniversary.

The Dome at Sydney Olympic Park became a transport industry hub as it was filled with dozens of buses from manufacturers from across the globe.

A few newcomers to the Australian market, such as the MAN-Gemilang A95 and the already popular-in-Japan Hino Poncho, made good impressions on industry professionals and interested visitors alike.

Also in the realm of the new-and-shiny was (almost) the entire Volvo display stand, spruiking the latest Swedish inventions.

Modernity was not the only attraction at the show, however, as the Sydney Bus Museum brought along a few fun relics of a different time.

On top of that, the future-and-past rhetoric became even clearer when a DMC DeLorean was spotted next to an old, red Melbourne double-decker.

After day one, a couple of hundred visitors and exhibitors suited up and headed next door to the BusNSW 75th Anniversary Gala Dinner.

Attendees were greeted with an almost Vegas-esque cabaret show, as a singer hung from a vine above the centre of the room and sang to everybody.

When she was finished, opera singers disguised as industry members sprung out from the audience into song, and there was even a rat-pack tribute which delighted Sinatra fans.

The highlight of the dinner, in terms of the industry, was the announcement of three awards.

Transit Australia Group was recognised, as it has been in the past, for its innovation as an operator – especially when it comes to training.

Transit Graphics took away the Supplier of the Year Award for its “leading standing in the provision of wayfinding, timetable production, mapping and web design”.

A more personal award, presented by BusNSW executive director Darryl Mellish, was the award for Outstanding Contribution to the Industry.

“This year’s winner commenced an association with the industry in 1997 when he held a management position for the Olympic Roads and Transport Authority, with responsibility for overseeing the delivery of transport services during the 2000 Olympic Games,” Mellish announced.

“This year’s winner has been a Board Member of BusNSW since August 2009. During his time in government and as a private operator he has been a strong and active supporter of the Bus Industry.

“The outstanding contribution to the industry award goes to… Jim Glasson.”

Glasson, the current CEO of ComfortDelGro Cabcharge, happily accepted the award and thanked Darryl and his colleagues for the support they had provided.

Mellish says he thinks the event was an overall success, and had high praise for everyone in BusNSW who worked hard to put everything together.

Photography: Chris Thompson

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