COACH AND BUS
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World's longest, fastest busway
• What it calls the world's longest and fastest busway was opening in Adelaide, South Australia, in March, according to Truck & Bus Transportation. It is the first six kilometres of the Daimler-Benz-Ed Zublin O-Bahn type guided busway. ''Its development relatively hassle-free has dumbfounded some critics and impressed the German founders, yet leaves a few questions to be answered by the imminent 1001an/h operations," says the magazine.
• West Midland all-night buses are to be abolished and sunday and school buses are to be cut drastically, reports the Birmingham Post, April 23. In order to run at a profit from the end of October, WMPTE is to leave 500 of its 1,800 buses in their garages from October 26. Director-general James Isaac says 1,000 busmen's jobs are at risk.
"'West Yorkshire's new and as yet un-named public transport company with West Yorkshire PTE director-general Bill Cottham as managing director will fight competitors by operating a low-cost, low-fares policy.
Thwarting young •South Yorkshire PTE is planning to thwart young fare dodgers by introducing identity cards, reports the Yorkshire Post, May 1. It is hoped the scheme will help older looking under-16s to prove they qualify for cheaper tickets while stopping violent attacks on drivers who challenge passengers about their age. Girls are having problems convincing
fare dodgers
crews they are not 18 even when they are as young as 12, says commercial director Peter Sephton, ▪ diesel-engined Hino bus has been converted for about $13,000 to run on natural gas by Transgas Services, reports the February edition of Transport News, and is delighted by the way things have gone. Five CNG cylinders were mounted on the chassis to give the bus the same 350Ian range as obtained with a 100-litre diesel tank. A demonstration showed that performance was not adversely affected.
• Iveco and Freight Rover have both won significant orders from major operators for local minibus services. Commercial Motor, April 26.
• Wadham Stringer Coachbuilders of Waterlooville, Hampshire, has introduced a new single-deck bus and coach body range to complement its proved Vanguard products. Commercial Motor, April 19.
II Hampshire Bus is the latest National Bus subsidiary to forsake its corporate image.
• Hungarian bus and coach builder Ikarus is to set up a bus assembly plant in Turkey.
• Iveco and Freight Rover have both won significant orders from major operators for minibus services.
For further details see Commercial Motor, April 26.