Australasian Bus & Coach – July 2019

(^22) ABCJuly 2019 busnews.com.au
THEFIRST 18 buses–partofa$16million
orderfor 100 unitstoutedas“thesingle
biggestorderofreplacementbusesin
Victoriaformorethan 25 years”–arenow
transportingMelbournecommuters,the
VictorianStateGovernmentconfirms.
Saidtobeprovidingamorereliable,
comfortableandsaferexperiencefor
passengerstravellingonmetropolitan
routes,the 15 Volgren-bodiedandthree
Gemilang-bodiedcitybusesonScania
chassisareinitiallyoperatingoutof
Transdev’sNorthFitzroydepotonroutes
aroundtheinnernorthandeastern
suburbs,includingCarlton,Kew,Port
MelbourneandAltonaNorth.
MinisterforPublicTransportMelissa
HornevisitedVolgren’sfactoryin
Dandenongrecentlywhere 50 ofthe
overallorderarebeingmade,providing
“furtherjobsecurityfortheworkforce”–to
inspectsomeofthenewbuses,whichare
replacingtheageingMelbournefleet.
“Thesenewbuseswillgivepassengers
amorereliable,comfortableandsafer
journeywhentravellingaroundMelbourne,”
MinisterHornesaid.
“We’remodernising,expandingand
upgradingMelbourne’sbusfleet,withthe
singlebiggestorderofreplacementbuses
inVictoriaformorethantwodecades.”
Transdev’sIanCraig,chiefofficerbus,
added:“Thesenewbuseswilltransformour
fleet,allowingustodeliverasignificantly
improvedservicetothepeopleof
Melbourne.”
VOLGRENVISIT
ThiagoDeiro,thenewCEOofVolgren,
saysthecompanywasproudofthe
factall 50 ofitsbusesforTransdev
MelbourneandPublicTransportVictoria
willbedesigned,engineeredandfully
assembledinDandenongusinglocally
sourcedcomponents.
“Overthepastfourdecades,Volgrenhas
becomepartofanextensiveandthriving
south-eastMelbournemanufacturing
ecosystem.Directly,Volgrenemploys
morethan 200 peopleinVictoriaalone
and,indirectly,over 500 peopleacross 50
localsupplierswhohavebecomeakey
extensionofourbusiness.
“TheVictorianGovernment’sdecision
tomodernise,expandandupgrade
Melbourne’sbusnetworksecuresthose
NEW VICTORIAN ‘REPLACEMENT
BUSES’ NOW IN SERVICE
local jobs and supports the growing supply
chain of local businesses.
“Volgren is now responsible for close
to two in every three route buses sold in
Australia. This latest delivery for Transdev is
another endorsement of our high-quality
vehicles, as well as our ability to handle
large-scale orders,” Deiro said.
Jim Jones, Volgren’s commercial
manager, says from day one of this order
being announced (late 2018) the company
has collaborated closely with Transdev and
chassis partner Scania to help design the
best possible low-floor city bus for Victorian
bus passengers.
“The partnership between the companies
is strengthened further by the confidence
Transdev has in knowing Volgren’s support
extends beyond the delivery of the buses
themselves,” he said.
“Transdev can always expect value from
our company. The after-sales support
we provide, for example, helps to keep
their buses on the road and increase the
whole-of-life value of our product.”
WHAT THEY HAVE
The new buses will be low floor and fully
accessible for all passengers, feature
USB charging facilities, improved CCTV
capability, as well as a bigger priority
seating area, the Government states.
All 100 buses will be built in line with
the Government’s Local Jobs First policy,
ensuring each vehicle is made with 60 per
cent local content, it says.
The remaining 50 in the order are being
built in Ballarat, Victoria, by automotive
manufacturer OzPress Industries – which
joined with Gemilang Australia to build
buses for the Australian market – creating
20 local jobs. These jobs include body
builders, panel beaters, aftersales staff,
auto electricians and painters.
All 100 new buses are set to be delivered
and taking passengers by July 2020.
NEW SERVICES
According to the State Labor Government,
this bus order is on top of the record
investment in rolling stock, including $2.3
billion for bigger better metropolitan trains,
$848.5 million for new regional trains and
100 bigger, modern and accessible E-Class
trams, it adds – while the Victorian Budget
2019/20 also includes $205.1 million to
increase train and bus services.
New bus routes and more services will
be rolled out in growth areas in the north
and south-east, connecting people to
jobs, reducing travel times and improving
public transport options in the suburbs and
regions, it concludes.
“All 100 new buses are set to
be delivered and taking passengers
by July 2020.”
NEWS