Change isn’t a consistent, linear phenomena. Sometimes it grinds slowly, small tweaks each day amassing over time to eventually lead to evolution, while on other occasions it’s a fast moving hurricane that rustles through everything and shakes it into a new normal rapidly.
For the majority of its first few years, Irizar’s operations in New South Wales as part of Panel 4 grew steadily. By the end of 2025, change hit all of a sudden, allowing the body builder to quickly grow its operations in not just the state, but the wider country.
“Our recent growth in NSW has been good with increasing deliveries of vehicles under Panel 4,” Irizar Asia Pacific managing director Steve Heanes told ABC.
“NSW was always a relatively small market for us on panels, but now our consistent knocking on the door as allowed us to quickly evolve in the state.”
Instead of taking the Irizar Asia Pacific leader’s word for it, the numbers speak for themselves. When Panel 4 orders first started trickling in during 2023, Irizar sold and delivered 17 buses to NSW that year, before backing it up with a further 28 vehicles in 2024. This progression jumped in 2025, with Irizar delivering 45 buses in the state for the year.
While Panel 4 is a major reason for this growth, Heanes says a combination of private deals, as well as TrainLink contracts, has allowed the Irizar brand to expand in NSW.
“Outside of our good momentum with Panel 4 deliveries, our TrainLink vehicle progression has complemented sales nicely,” he says.
“Whether it’s been hybrid or diesel buses, it’s been a good result to give us a growing cross-section of customers across the state.”
When Irizar first got itself on the latest NSW bus and coach suppliers panel, the body brand was competing against local manufacturers and other long-term businesses in the state. Heanes says Irizar’s consistent presence in the market and regular attendance at BusNSW’s Regionals, as well as its expanding product range, has allowed the supplier to deliver more and more across various parts of the NSW bus industry.
“People are seeing what we’re doing in the charter and coach sector with our vehicles and it’s translating into sales growth,” Heanes says.
“We supply a good, strong vehicle that is both aesthetically and internally high quality, while our multifunctional buses and coaches provide NSW transport providers with flexibility in their operations.
“By being on Panel 4, we’ve been able to display our customer service to meet expectations, whether it be for regional or metro customers. People take comfort in that support, even though our vehicles have been reliable over time.”
Upon handing over a growing number of buses and coaches in NSW, Irizar has been gaining feedback from customers on their product. Heanes says these responses have been “very good and positive” to date when it comes to vehicle quality and durability. A major reason behind this strong feedback has been the flexibility built into the Irizar fleet.
While the requirements of Panel 4 mean buses and coaches tend to be similar across the board, Irizar has built in more flexibility to meet particular requirements for certain applications or locations.
“No one customer is the same, so Irizar’s bodies allow customers to adapt the vehicle for different needs,” Heanes says.
“However, at its core our fleet is uniform, which is important for our larger customers who complete lots of driver training and can’t afford to have features in different positions in different buses.
“Within the Irizar platform, buses can be customised – specifications will align with the Panel, but the actual layout and customisations can be added to meet customer wishes.”
When it comes to the TrainLink deliveries made in recent times, Irizar has supplied to two major customers in CDC NSW and Dysons. The former has been buying Irizar hybrid electric models, requiring the supplier to be creative when it comes to the design and layout of the vehicle.
Heanes says the hybrid vehicle has also been working in Australian mines for more than a year and have been “incredibly successful” to date. With no issues emerging, Heanes says the ability to use geofencing and switch to full electric mode in certain regions is offering lots of benefits for both metro and regional operators.
“The hybrid model isn’t an easy bus to deliver from a TrainLink perspective, but it’s been worthwhile and offers good results for customers,” Heanes says.
- Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter to receive the latest news and classifieds from Australasia’s bus and coach industry
- Don’t miss a second and subscribe to our monthly ABC magazine
“We’ve been going from a diesel bus with plenty of space to a hybrid model with batteries that requires us to optimise luggage capacity. We’ll continue working with CDC NSW to ensure our models meet all requirements in the future.”
While CDC NSW is using Irizar’s unique product to evolve in the hybrid and emissions reduction space, Dysons has been using Irizar’s diesel products on the TrainLink side, showcasing Irizar’s flexibility across the board. This expertise comes at an important time for Irizar, with the supplier preparing to unveil two new products at this year’s BusNSW Bus & Coach Expo.
While Heanes remains tight-lipped on what these new releases will be, he says it’ll mark the next step in Irizar’s product evolution as it goes from strength to strength in NSW.
“We’re excited about what’s set to come, showcasing the latest technology in bus bodies, design and weights,” he says.
“Some of this technology has been seen in Europe and various other countries and has seen a fuel reduction of up to 12 per cent. We’ve done a lot of work and we’re looking forward to how it’ll help local operators.”
This mix of current growth and future potential is keeping Heanes and his local Irizar team busy as the brand continues evolving in Australia. Upon reflecting on the expansion in NSW, Heanes says it’s come at a vital time as Irizar continues to tackle industry challenges and grow in various industry segments.
“It’s offset challenges seen in Victoria over the past year – it’s made us become very keen on TrainLink orders and our hybrid technology,” Heanes says.
“I don’t believe full electric is the ultimate solution for emissions reduction in Australia’s bus and coach industry – I think it has to be done with a mix of fuels, including diesel vehicles.
“Our hybrid has been very successful in mining and TrainLink operations to date, with no complaints coming through at all, so it’s a great opportunity for growth and evolution in the local market.”
Read more:
- Dysons set to be acquired by Australasian PT business
- BIC says Budget has “largely forgotten” buses
- Kinetic breaks ground on historic airport electric DD bus depot
- FNQ operator launches dedicated Cairns airport transfer service
- April deliveries continue hectic 2026 rhythm
