Australasian Bus & Coach - May 2018

(C. Jardin) #1
busnews.com.au May 2018 ABC^9

Left:
A Volgren
articulated city
bus, which will
also feature in
Transport Canberra
livery as part of a
new order for the
nation’s capital.

articulated city buses to be
delivered to the national capital
by the end of September.
“Queensland is an important
part of our manufacturing
capability and we’re proud that
the facility is now producing
buses not just for Brisbane,
but for a critical market in the
ACT. It’s exciting to see two full
production lines running in
Eagle Farm,” he said.


to NSW operators in the first
half of 2018, plus a further 30
buses to the ACT. The company
also expects strong demand
from NSW bus operators in the
second half of the year.


“Across our three
manufacturing sites in
Melbourne, Perth and Brisbane
we have the flexibility and
expertise to comfortably
satisfy high delivery demands
from operators all around the
country,” he added.
“As these requirements
increase, our lean
manufacturing systems
allow us to bring on new
team members and quickly
make sure that supply
meets demand.”

LOCAL WINDFALL
The Volgren CEO said the 45
highly skilled trades-based
workers represented an
investment of around $4 million
into the local job market.
“For more than a decade
we’ve partnered with
Brisbane City Council as Prime
Contractor. These are buses
made by Queenslanders for
Queenslanders and that market
is extremely important for our
business,” he said.
“We’re delighted to be
creating new jobs and
investing back into the state’s
labour market.”
This is the first time Volgren
has manufactured articulated

The win comes at a time
when Volgren has lifted its
production to an unprecedented
average of 2.5 buses per day to
meet strong demand in NSW,
the company states.

combos on a large scale. The
vehicle is specifically designed
to find the happy medium
between passenger comfort
and low-floor convenience.
“We secured strong interest
from Transport Canberra off the
back of our first demonstration
model, which we built early last
year,” Dale said.
“The design of the new
combo features both low and
standard floors, giving the bus
greater seating capacity, but
also making it accessible to
prams, wheelchairs and less
mobile passengers.”
Dale is hopeful more
articulated combinations and
low-floor route buses will be
built in Brisbane, providing
increased longer-term
employment opportunities
for staff.

“We’re delighted

to be creating new

jobs and investing

back into the state’s

labour market”

Volgren is also the only
local bus body manufacturer
with its own after-sales facility
in Sydney, home to Australia’s
largest public transport bus
fleet, it states.
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