MAN has had what it described as a successful start to 2014, winning a number of major orders including around 500 buses. Key contracts include 106 Lion’s City buses for Volánbusz Zrt in Hungary, 64 Lion’s City buses for Austrian operator Dr. Richard, 181 Lion’s City buses for Keolis Sverige AB, 20 Lion’s City LE […]
RATP Group described its 2013 operating and financial results as ‘very sound’. The French transport provider, whose RATP Dev subsidiary owns bus operations in the UK, recorded consolidated revenue of £4.3bn/€5.143bn in the year, up 4.2% from 2012’s result of £4.1bn/€4.934bn. RATP Dev’s contribution to Group revenue amounted to £699.6m/€835m, up 16.6%, with its profitability […]
Scania has rejected Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft’s (VW) public takeover offer. The committee from the CV manufacturer’s board of directors claimed the offer did not reflect the long term fundamental value of Scania and a fair share of the expected synergy potential between the two firms. It recommends its shareholders do not tender their shares. VW announced […]
Kirk Trewin has been appointed Chief Engineer at Go North East. Kirk joined the Go-Ahead owned operator as Fleet Engineer for the company’s north division, covering its depots across Tyneside and was responsible for the development of the company’s new £8.5m Riverside depot in Gateshead. He has worked in the bus industry for over 16 […]
Current Stagecoach West MD, Ian Manning, will retire on 31 May 2014. Rupert Cox, currently Acting Operations Director, will become MD on 1 June 2014. Rupert began his career in the bus industry while at University, working in the schedules office at Wilts & Dorset Buses in Poole. He joined Stagecoach on the company’s Graduate […]
After having what it described as the most extensive product renewal in its history in 2013, Volvo Group’s net sales declined 9% in the year to £25.8bn/SEK272.6bn (2012: £28.4m/SEK299.8bn). The company’s operating income amounted to £0.7bn/SEK7.9bn (2012: £1.9bnSEK19.6bn). Its product renewal package put pressures on its earnings, according to a statement on its figures. The […]
Staged at the modern Bangor depot on the Llandygai Industrial Estate, which was built eight years ago, the launch saw Area Managing Director for Arriva Buses Wales, Michael Morton, introduce the vehicles to an invited audience, with his speech repeated in Welsh by Bangor Depot General Manager, Dafydd Williams. His guests included: the Lord Mayor […]
So, what of today? How does the modern operator, faced with the legacy of the recession and an ageing fleet, maybe premises in need of renovation or workshops in need of re-equipping, go about asking for and finding a source for funding? The answer seems to lie in the art of planning a little way […]