EDITORIAL: Public transport, health care, our kids' education, domestic violence - surely those deserve likewise or greater attention than sport.
If only you could get rid of the lines and the net in tennis, or opponents and even the umpire maybe, and just smash the heck out of the balls at, say … tin cans on a wall for target practice. For big money. And shaving cream sponsorship ads and fast cars and superficial flashy things. Then, I think, you might just have something…
Of course, I’m speaking entirely from the perspective of someone who was totally bad at tennis, but hitting balls waywardly without a care in the world for getting it ‘into the box on the floor’ was pretty good fun back in those old days.
Alas, professional tin can hitting was never meant to be and it was resolved, very early I might add, to leave that sport to those that could actually ‘do’. And in a group of school friends with a mate who I recall was in a tennis training squad trio that included an eventual consecutive US Open winner, I figured only one of us needed to make it big in the sport so we all got free tickets to get into games when we were all old enough
Fast forward to this summer, and deeply embroiled in an epic Ashes Test Cricket series, I wasn’t really paying attention to the tennis but, like many, it was hard to avoid eventually.
The problem with coming in late, though, is the quagmire of opinions that crisscrossed into a tightly knit ball like Christmas lights wiring. And I’d only just unravelled three of those the month prior.
Focused on Djockovic’s vaccination status and his ability to be allowed to play, underwritten by visa validity issues, it was a daunting prospect to engage in – and quite energy sapping.
Who called whom, or didn’t? Who signed what or didn’t? He said, she said, he didn’t do this, they didn’t do that. And it’s still going on now…
Add in ‘leaked’ (sure it is 😉 ) footage of media types calling him ‘A words’ balanced by other media types highlighting what threat is he when cases ‘are everywhere’ now – I was kind of glad I came in late, left early and turned the cricket back on.
Gees, if only we were all so quick to devote such energy and passion to other more pressing social issues that have been around for much, much longer. Unless fixing those would be boring, I’d imagine.
INTERIOR DESIGN
Flicking through the pages of this here Issue 413 of ABC magazine you’ll find not just something for everyone in the bus community, but something for everyone and their cousins, too, probably.
Kicking things off on the front cover this month, we pay a virtual visit to leading New Zealand operator Tranzit Group, which has been in operation for a formidable 98 years and over four generations and counting.
We said G’day for three reasons, basically:
1. The company is really embracing electro-mobility following its launch of NZ’s first electric double-deckers in 2018. It is currently expanding its charging infrastructure and all sorts of other engineering and way-leading feats, particularly as a private bus operator.
2. Always happy to check out bus happenings across the pond in the Land of The Long White Cloud and…
3. Some things got paused over the break and put me in a bit of a pickle, so catching up with Tranzit’s Katie Farman over the phone in December was brilliant timing, indeed. You can read all about Tranzit Group on pages 36-42.
Also we examine the latest NHVR National Roadworthiness Survey of Australia’s heavy vehicle fleet and it was good to see bus and coach leading the way with some of the best numbers in specific categories. ‘Go bus!’ – that’s pages 24-28.
In terms of operators we check out Walters Passenger Service, in rural Victoria, which is celebrating its 70th anniversary this year, so we send out a big congratulations on that milestone (pp. 44-49), while for a test drive we get behind the wheel of a mint 1990s Denning Landseer coach, which looks and drives the part so well, even after all these years. That’s on pages 58-64.
Interesting news of collaboration between Daimler, Volvo and Traton (Scania, MAN and VW) in Europe and their shared vision to establish long-haul truck and long-distance coach electric charging infrastructure, so perhaps that sets a trend of what those OEMs and others may be doing in other regions as the need arises.
On that note, during the break the issue of NSW toll costs arose to the surface, particularly in terms of latest increases and projected increases – over the next 25 years as discussed – for truck and bus operators. BusNSW had, earlier in 2021, brought up its concerns on this issue as regards the contracted and non-contracted LDTC sectors of the industry, so the point is bigger vehicles were really feeling the pinch – and when would it stop, as the TWU NSW branch pointed out.
It did get me thinking about the future in terms of how many commercial vehicles would be moving and how, and for us just how many people that would affect. Then when the latest future-gazing IDTechEx statement came out highlighting the rate of advancing e-tech and innovations like ‘air-taxis’, what exactly those costs will be in future seemed a little more inconclusive to predict … to me, at least. That’s on pages 50-57.
And, finally, we had a chat with the solidly expanding heavy vehicle collision repair expert Royans, which now incorporates the well-known bus-fixing enterprise that is Coachworks. Where it came from, where it is now and where it’s going was fascinating stuff and we’ll definitely be keeping a watchful eye on Royans’ big plans coming to fruition in the not too distant future.
Oh, I nearly forgot about the December 2021 Australian bus deliveries data. Relatively, it was a blinder at 123 units, which was welcome news and a fitting way to finish off what has been a trying year for many in the bus industry.
What will 2022 bring? Honestly, who knows? Probably some more insane sporting controversies or 3D movie-type global weather events that scares the pants off of us, if that is even possible given how jaded everyone seems these days. Sheesh…
All I know is, as long as the cricket or footy or championship ping pong is played somewhere on the planet as the cyclones and tsunamis and earthquakes rage on and on, then I’ll be good to go. Popcorn at the ready.
What social issues again?
Until the next thrilling instalment…
Photography: courtesy Tranzit Group, NHVR, Kyabram Free Press + Paul Aldridge