Australia’s largest bus body manufacturer Volgren has delivered its 100th Marcopolo Audace
Imported from Volgren’s parent company Marcopolo, the 57-seat, 12.3 metre Audace was the first Australian Marcopolo product to go into service in December 2013.
Volgren marked the milestone by presenting a scale model bus to John Kennedy, owner of Kennedy’s Bus & Coach in Nowra, NSW who took possession of the 100th Audace last month.
Kennedy says the quality of build, price, reliability and the combination of Volgren and a European chassis were key factors in choosing the Audace.
“We’re in the process of replacing some of our older buses and the Audace made sense from a price perspective and it’s proven to be the perfect bus servicing our school and special charter market,” he says.
“We use our fleet for a range of purposes; trips to the snow, school charter and excursions, tours and special charter to Sydney for sporting events, so to have a quality bus that looks great, performs well and is highly versatile is critical to our business.”
Volgren chief executive officer Peter Dale says the main drivers behind the Audace were the safety, style, passenger comfort and value in the market sector.
“The Marcopolo Audace is a great example of a quality import, built on a top-class European chassis, backed by Volgren’s after-sale service and support,” he says.
“For quality operators like Kennedy’s who have been in the business for more than 80 years, the Audace really delivers the flexibility to conduct a range of services and it’s been test-proofed in a range of conditions.”
Dale said the future looks bright for Volgren, and the company is looking to actively grow market share across the school and charter bus segments through products like the Marcolpolo Audace and the Volgren Endura.
The 57-seat Audace has windshields and glass panes that maximise visibility for passengers and driver, comes with standard seat belts; parking sensor; reverse cameras, DVD player, reading lights; Multiplex ventilation and air-conditioning system; and individual air controls.