ALBUM links operators and suppliers

This year’s ALBUM conference proved a great opportunity for delegates to link up with industry suppliers. Here is a breakdown of some of the great products and services on show during the event.

An outdoor vehicle display area had a Yutong U11DD double-deck electric bus on display. It was joined by the new generation of electric buses from Alexander Dennis: the Enviro100EV and Enviro400EV.

An MCV eVoRa-bodied Volvo B8RLE was displayed by Asset Alliance Group, which is heading to Celtic Travel. The finance provider also had a presence indoors too, the conference giving a great opportunity to introduce its latest recruit: Yolande Eastwood, Business Development Manager.

Volvo had an MCV eVoSeti and a BZL double-decker and representatives from the company, including MD UK and Ireland, Domenico Bondi, were there to talk to members of the industry. They were joined by staff from Thomas Hardie Commercials, the Volvo service and support company due to take care of conference host Warrington’s Own Buses’ upcoming fleet of Volvo electrics.

Mellor was there, providing information on how its products can fulfil operator’s needs for small big buses. EVM was present, telling visirtors about its array of minicoach conversions and the Anadolu Isuzu range.

Timespace Technology was showing its new V700 network video recorder (NVR). Supporting up to 20 high-definition IP cameras, the V700 gives fleet operators excellent image quality. It is ONVIF-conformant, allowing integration with other on-vehicle systems and is compatible with Timespace’s LANLink platform.

TransMach also had its latest kit on show and announced Delaine Buses of Lincolnshire as its latest customer.

Ticketer is another company keen to talk ticketing, showing its latest equipment at the ALBUM conference.

Fleet electrification specialist, EO Charging, is currently installing the infrastructure in Warrington’s Own Buses’ depot ready for the Volvo BZL buses about to join the fleet this summer. Phil Kershaw, Director of eBus Charging infrastructure and services, said the focus for the company is on being a commercial grade charge assurance provider, offering more than just the charging equipment. A central part of this is the company’s charging hub, which manages the charging of an operator’s fleet to ensure the optimal amount of energy is provided at the best price for its customers. Understanding the capital expenditure of electric vehicle charging can be a constraint, EO provides its an as-a-service offering, where it can deliver and finance it over an agreed period of time. Phil says the business is happy to work with operators of all sizes.

VEV were on hand to introduce customers to its end to end fleet electrification solution. It provides a broad range of offerings to help fleets electrify, including charging infrastructure, finance, energy management platforms and service and support.

An array of timetable displays and mapping for bus and other transport services printed on durable material were shown by Pindar Creative. For use on stops, its products are joined by the Papercast solution, a solar powered e-paper product that benefits from a cloud-based data management platform. The company works with operators and local authorities in rolling out its passenger information offering.

Ardent is keen to demonstrate the clarity and quality of its ClearConnect hearing loops for buses. The equipment can be used to help bring a bus to the upcoming audio-visual requirements coming into force later this year. Having undergone a three-year development programme, it is designed to pick up less interference than others on the market. The onboard unit monitors power and signal, allowing the driver to see if it is activated and working.

Autoglym Connect, the arm of the vehicle cleaning brand dedicated to the bus and coach world, is keen to show how its products can help a fleet stay as clean as possible. From graffiti removers, screenwash and multi-purpose fleet cleaning solutions, its range covers all cleaning solutions.

Entering the UK bus and coach sector, Opus Technology is delivering a unified 5G device for seamless onboard connectivity with unlimited data.

Journeo is keen to tell people of their work with Warrington’s Own Buses has helped save money with its Journeo Portal CCTV system. The technology connects onboard systems to the cloud, designed to give the solution more efficient data management, incident response and insurance claim resolution. The system allows footage to be downloaded remotely and monitors the CCTV system for faults. The operator claims that every £1 spent on the Portal has delivered pay backs of at least £3.

A new app for drivers was being demonstrated by Fleetway, designed to further enhance its offering for drivers out on the road.

Alfatronix‘s range of customisable USB ports were displayed, as were its seat-back wireless charging units. B&CB was told a new product from the company is on its way later this year.

On the bus and coach seating side, Kiel was there, as was Ardee Coach Trim. For those looking to refurbish a vehicle, Camira were on hand to show its seating and interior fabrics for PCVs.

Fresh from having mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, visit its site, McKenna Brothers had an array of its passenger information products on show.

• For more on the ALBUM conference, hosted this year by Warrington’s Own Buses, see the next edition of Bus and Coach Buyer (issue 1676, 3 May 2024).