With today’s announcement (http://www.transportengineer.org.uk/transport-engineer-news/alexander-dennis-and-chinese-bus-maker-in-19m-collaboration/88030/) of a joint venture between Alexander Dennis and Chinese manufacturer BYD, the prospect of a mainstream fully electric bus seems to have taken a major step forward. Most commentators within the industry have for a long time felt that the market was heading in this direction and that the various incarnations […]

Now in its fifth year, the IRTE (Institute of Road Transport Engineers) Skills Challenge 2015 came to its climax recently with a glittering awards ceremony. The National Motorcycle Museum in Solihull played host to the event, a fitting venue for the presentations that recognised engineering and mechanical excellence in the bus and coach industry. Chris […]

Daimler Buses has recently received significant orders for urban buses from Latin America. Brazil’s third largest city, Salvador da Bahia, ordered 180 bus chassis from Daimler Buses subsidiary, Mercedes-Benz do Brasil. Since September 2014, a total of over 430 Mercedes-Benz bus chassis units have been sold to local operators in Salvador. Daimler Buses says it […]

Hinckleybus, part of Arriva Midlands, has teamed up with the test track HORIBA MIRA to launch a new bus service from Nuneaton and Hinckley town centres to MIRA Technology Park. ADL Enviro200s with EEV standard engines, charging points for mobile devices, free Wi-Fi and E-leather seating are being used on the route, which also connects […]

Stuart Smith, known by many as the Wheeltrim King for his exhortations to ‘cover your ugly nuts’, has returned to the industry after four years away and along with his daughter Pepa is aiming to reclaim his title. Rob Orchard caught up with the man who first brought us Euroliners and found out about his […]

A quarter of a century is a commendable amount of time to run a business, and the Netherlands based lubrication system specialist, Groeneveld, has just reached the milestone of 25 years of operating in the UK. To mark the occasion, it held a series of open days at its Shepshed site earlier this month and […]

Industry watchdog, Transport Focus, has held a series of seminars following the launch of its recently published report, ‘What’s the Hold Up? Exploring Bus Service Punctuality’. They saw operators and Traffic Commissioners speak on punctuality. Chris Peat attended the Cambridge event. Mike Bartram First to speak was Bus Policy Advisor at Transport Focus, Mike Bartram, […]

EU drivers hours rules have been temporarily relaxed for journeys affected by Operation Stack in Kent. DfT has agreed to a temporary and limited, exceptional relaxation of the enforcement of EU drivers’ hours rules for the drivers whose journeys are affected by the disruption and for drivers of commercial vehicles operated by local operators based […]