Two highly popular events staged in Morecambe last weekend delivered a fitting commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the formation of Ribble Motor Company. Stuart Jones attended both. At its peak, Ribble Motor Conmpany ran 1,300 buses and coaches, employed 5,500 staff and carried 216m passengers annually (1956). The first, held on the Saturday, was […]
Zenobe Energy, the independent owner and operator of battery storage solutions, has announced the launch of up to £120 million of funding to accelerate the roll-out of commercial electric vehicle fleets. Zenobé is inviting organisations to get in touch with it about electric vehicle fleet projects. The company can provide a range of solutions which […]
Something special was called for Marshalls of Sutton-on-Trent’s 30th year in business. The anniversary came just at the time the operator was seeking a small coach. So to mark the occasion, the company went for a brand new 10.8m VDL Futura FHD2. What also makes this new vehicle noteworthy is it is the first coach […]
A German battery technology company says it has set the bar for energy density with its latest lithium ion system. AKASOL, based in Darmstadt, near Frankfurt, is claiming 220 Watt hours per kilogram (Wh/kg) for its battery, beating the lithium ferrous phosphate (LFP) technology adopted by many bus manufacturers. In an exclusive interview with Bus […]
A bus strategy to pull the sector out of decline has been called for by the Government’s Transport Committee. The downturn for buses is being caused by a lack of co-ordinated Government policy and squeezed funding for local authorities, according to the Committee. It observed most parts of England saw bus use fall and hundreds […]
Alexander Dennis Limited (ADL) has been acquired by NFI Group, North America’s largest and most diversified bus and coach manufacturer. ADL will retain its own brand and Chief Executive Colin Robertson and Chief Financial Officer, Michael Stewart, will continue to lead ADL. They will also be tasked with driving NFI’s international growth ambitions. The transaction […]
It’s in a picture-postcard location, right on the border between Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire, but the prompt for my visit to Taf Valley Coaches on that occasion wasn’t the scenery but a newly refurbished office. And now I’m back, this time for a new, purpose-built (indeed, Edwards-built) two-storey office block. That’s the headline, but much more […]
Research body, Transport Focus has called on the industry to better serve young passengers. The organisation quoted figures showing overall satisfaction for young bus passengers (16 to 18-year-olds) has risen to 80% (from 77% in 2017). However, it notes they remain the least satisfied group of passengers. Transport Focus has published a good practice guide […]