Now a well-known part of the New South Wales industry, TRS Transit’s rich history isn’t restricted to the bus and coach sector. Back in 1978, when Greg Woodley founded the company, he started by just repairing refrigeration units for Sydney customers. Nowadays, TRS services HVAC units for heavy vehicles and buses in NSW and South Australia.
“It started with refrigerated trucks and trailers, but in the early 2000s we began working on major government bus fleets in Sydney,” TRS Transit St Peters branch manager Paul Wilson told ABC.
“From there, we’ve looked after the air-conditioning units onboard Sydney buses while expanding to cover different operators around NSW.”
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TRS’ local reputation soon paved the way for further evolution when it was offered the chance to become the NSW distributor of products for global refrigeration unit manufacturer Thermo King.
TRS soon emerged as a known player in the bus and coach HVAC servicing game through the Thermo King partnership, adapting with the global manufacturer to ensure NSW buses in both metro and regional settings still have the latest HVAC technology onboard to this day.
“The units have evolved from simple machines to more complex units and we’ve had to adapt ourselves to continue looking after the Thermo King product, as well as other makes including Denso and Hispacold,” Wilson says.
“We also became the exclusive distributor for Thermo King in South Australia back in 2008, growing our network into another state.
“While we ensure buses and coaches receive a premium service, we’re also combining our expertise with a focus on the safety of our technicians as they perform their duties.”
This safety priority is another display of how TRS has moved with the times. Wilson has witnessed firsthand the adapting of safety regulations in the local bus and coach industry over the past 25 years from when he first began working on buses to today.
Fast-forward to 2024 and TRS is now at the forefront of introducing new safety technology to ensure its service technicians are kept away from harm at all times.
“We’ve had to remain flexible to adhere to different safety rules coming into play,” Wilson says.
“Nowadays, we have specialised gantries for buses to drive into so our service technicians can easily get onto the roof and safely work from height.
“Our staff are trained to work at these heights and use harnesses to avoid any falls that people used to have – it’s still a big challenge.”
When it comes to safety, TRS is at the forefront. As tempting as it may be to attend roadside service requirements for clients, technicians don’t have the necessary safety equipment with them when performing these services, such as the TRS safety harnesses.
The change has seen TRS either requiring height safety infrastructure at the customer’s premises or requesting the vehicle to attend its premises so TRS service technicians can use specialised height safety equipment, such as ladders and gantries, to perform the service.
TRS’ shift in attitude and processes isn’t solely in the safety game – the brand is also keeping its members trained and up to date with the changes in HVAC technology seen with the zero-emissions transition.
“Electric buses are becoming more and more popular, so having staff trained on specific units to ensure they have the right training and qualifications is ideal,” Wilson says.
“Although electric buses are predominantly seen in larger urban fleets, it looks like they’ll also become popular in smaller private fleets in time, so we’re working to be ready for this moment when there aren’t as many diesel buses and HVAC units on the roads.”
The constant move to stay at the cutting edge of the bus and coach industry has allowed TRS to expand its customer base in NSW. This includes the likes of Palmers Tours – an emerging national touring operator run by powerhouse couple James Ewers and Lynne Essex.
The pair decided to start the company after Essex wanted to pivot from her 36-year career in the disability sector and Ewers was effectively made redundant when the office he worked for had sold. In a twist of fate, Ewers chose to buy the office and company himself, with the pair building Palmers Tours into a growing bus tour business.
“My affiliation with TRS goes back to when Paul worked in Sydney – I’ve known him for about 30 years,” Ewers told ABC.
“When I bought Palmers Tours in March last year, I took my A/C work straight to Paul because I knew him and trusted his business.”
The business has since increased rapidly, with Ewers adding more vehicles to his fleet and taking on more major tours throughout regional and rural Australia. The simplicity of having Wilson and the TRS team “just a phone call away” means his HVAC servicing needs will stay with TRS.
“As my company grows, so will my alliance with TRS,” Ewers says.
“I simply have to ring Paul, tell him I have a problem and book a date for myself or a driver to take the vehicle down and get it fixed.
“It’s been so easy and stressless, with Paul and his team often working back for us into the evening to get the coach done. It’s not a case of the clock hitting 5pm and tools going down, leaving us stranded – TRS cares and wants to get my vehicles back on the road as soon as possible.
“While they keep doing the right thing by me, I can’t see my partnership changing. I’m more than happy with the service and the way I get looked after, it’s made running my own business so much easier.”
While Ewers continues to build his fleet and contracts, Wilson is ready to make the HVAC servicing side of his business easier through TRS’ capabilities.
“All James has to do is bring the bus to us in NSW and we go over it and ensure there’s no A/C issues,” Wilson says.
“His buses work all over the country, so we know he needs them working well, so we ensure that we get them right so when he goes away they don’t break down.”
With TRS now expanding its bus service work to South Australia, the company’s bus service and bus parts business is only set to grow in the near future.
“While our Queensland and Victorian branches are more focused on truck manufacturing and refrigerated rentals, we have a dealership and service facility in South Australia that we’re growing to focus on buses,” Wilson says.
“NSW is a major focal point for our bus business, but our network now includes South Australia so we can keep more buses in top condition.”
For any NSW HVAC needs, get in touch with Paul Wilson and the transit services team at (02) 9105 9700.