JAPANESE VOLGRENS IN ACTION: FIRST PICS

EXCLUSIVE: The first images of the new Japan-delivered Volgren city buses in service have hit locally, after onlookers spotted some and sent them to ABC magazine, recently.

While not official pics, they show the stunning-looking Volgrens on Scania chassis working the routes from Tokyo’s Shinjuku Station’s Western exit, on 19 June, 2019. Shinjuku Station is the world’s busiest transport hub, as documented by Guinness World Records.

Speaking exclusively to ABC magazine about the Volgrens and their look, Transit Graphics studio director John Mikita said: “We designed the livery; I think the decals were put on locally in Tokyo.”

“We were asked by Volgren to assist on the project quote some time ago, as they know very well about our strengths in bus livery design in Australia.

“The buses are painted, no vinyl on them.

“The colours are based on the existing fleet colour for local buses in Tokyo. The green is the Ginko Leaf, which is also shown on the front of the bus in a metallic silver ornament. The green symbolises Tokyo’s future growth, charm and tranquillity. The orange represents the sunrise,” he explained.

PAINT REQUIREMENT

Volgren exported its low-floor city buses to Tokyo for the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, Bureau of Transport. The buses were built in Dandenong, Victoria, and shipped to Tokyo late last year.

Automotive paint and coatings specialist Axalta co-ordinated the first two sample buses to be painted in Tokyo in Tokyo Metro’s required corporate colours.

In addition, once the bus shipment arrived in Japan, Axalta worked with Volgren on final touches to the buses prior to handover, including addressing any minor transit damage to the vehicles, Axalta states.

EXPORT ORDER

Tokyo Metropolitan Government – which operates around 1,450 buses in the Greater Tokyo region – is one of four operator relationships that Volgren has established, including its ongoing association with Japan’s largest bus operator: the Nishitetsu Railway Company.

The Marcopolo-owned Volgren low-floor city buses were built on Scania N280UB E6 chassis, and are said to be the first of their kind in Japan.

Photography: courtesy John Mikita