Tender for 100 new buses

[Buzz Killington]

The ACT Government is calling for Expressions of Interest for the tender of 100 new buses for ACTION:

http://www.procurement.act.gov.au/tenders_advertised_on_basis/search_basis_for_open_tenders

[Irisbus Rider]

Mercedes would be an excellent choice, Volvos are too boring (from a gunzels point of view), Scanias....ah, no, MAN's, diesel? Possibly not, IVECO? Yes please

Overall, Mercs would be the better choice.

As for the body, NCBC is just lovely! We already have CC, Bustech, no thanks, it doesn't suit Canberra, Volgrens? Nah, body is not very well designed and constructed.

I think the body ought to go to NCBC, simple, yet adequate buses.

[O305]

Hopefully it goes to Volgren, although Northcoast's do look pretty nice. NCs would be good if they had a less cheap interior.

John, how about Metrotec?

[Irisbus Rider]

Never heard of them. Would you happen to have a link to a photo of their buses?

[O305]

Hahaha, try this for a Metrotec pic:
http://www.busaustralia.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=25710&hilit=%3DMetrotec

plus...
http://www.busaustralia.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=26507&hilit=Metrotec
http://www.busaustralia.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=27592&hilit=Metrotec
http://www.busaustralia.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=23695&p=253489&hilit=Metrotec#p253489

They are gutless shitboxes! I have been on Ivanhoe #17 once. Don't really wanna go on Westbus's one.

[Irisbus Rider]

I think I'll pass on those thanks.......

I wouldn't mind Irisbus' though.....

[O305]

I think I'll pass on those thanks.......

Why, we could have a fleet of ones like the Westbus one.

I wouldn't mind Irisbus' though.....

A fleet Irisbuses would be good, but different to the ex-King Bros ones, and with a back door!!

[Irisbus Rider]

But seriously, realistically, I hope ACTION are willing to speng the right amnount of money for quality - Mercs!

Volvo are ok, slightly underpowered at times from my experiences of the B12BLE chassis, having not been on a O 500LE, I cannot comment, but Scanias are definately not the way to go!

[O305]

Volvo B12BLE's are very grunty, anything but underpowered! It's just that they have been limited by most operators in order to save fuel.

[Irisbus Rider]

Yeah, good point.

The Volvo Volgren I got quite recently was rather gutless, oddly.....

[O305]

Let me guess, STA? No surprise!

[Irisbus Rider]

Yeah, a Y Volvo Volgren on the 545. It struggled, and it sounded that way too.....

[Busnerd]

Ok...

First of all, i love mercs..some great chassis to be had, but you will find that the diesel 0500's are just very boring, ive been on a brand new one, it seemed like it was going half as fast as it was, the speedo said 80 and it felt like 40, plus boring engine noises, so i'd pass on them.

Scanias..where is that lol emoticon?

now, what i wouldnt mind is B12BLE's with volgren bodies, the cc bodied ones are slugs as those poorly designed bodies are too heavy..volvo's with volgren bodies are rockets, I got one one day fromw warringah mall to manly and it flew up the hills!

So B12BLE with volgren or NCBC body would be nice, or IVECO or DENNING/CAT too.

[Sir Pompously]

The Irisbus, if taken, would be from the Citellis range (They have a hot front on them). I would go for more MAN's or Mercedes Benz, with the hot, sexy, steaming, orgasmic Volgren body ontop. Not the cheap, boring, fall-apart bodies that Customs make. Every bump rattles the bus like an earthquake ripping through it, and I am not suprised the structure has not collaped the way they rattle. NCBC would suit Canberra, however they will probably not do Gas Buses anyway. I will say MAN, if ACTION like the current small order of them. Try and stick to many of one type, instead of having thousands of little odd ones. 99.9999999% sure they will be Gas, no Government operator really goes for diesel much anymore. This whole 'Green' thing.

[O305]

I think I'll pass on those thanks.......

Looks like you were wrong, here is a SCOOP of the Metrotec on lease to ACTION for evaluation, in the suburbs of Belconnen heading to the City on a 51, note dodgy desto, and dodgy sticker on the front.



Note: Attachments are Removed once they are 60 days old due to Automatic Maintenance.

[Busnerd]

actually todd, apparenly those 100 will be diesel..most diesel buses nowadays are actually cleaner than about 45 most of our scanias. Most diesel buses now are euro 5, and 85 percent of our scanias are euro 3, so they are just fake clean, basically, gas is cheaper..thats the only reason..as diesel buses are cleaner or as clean, but diesel costs more..

[Trolleybusracer]

Canberra would be good For trolley Buses!

[Bus 400]

actually todd, apparenly those 100 will be diesel..most diesel buses nowadays are actually cleaner than about 45 most of our scanias.

I thought there was something out there where all new buses had to be gas?

[Busnerd]

Canberra would be good For trolley Buses!

I'd like to remind you of a part of billy maddison

Billy: Dont you say that, dont ever say that *pulls fat kids cheeks* he then proceeds to say stay here and what not but that part isnt relavent to our discussion.

[Jack Bauer]

actually todd, apparenly those 100 will be diesel..most diesel buses nowadays are actually cleaner than about 45 most of our scanias. Most diesel buses now are euro 5, and 85 percent of our scanias are euro 3, so they are just fake clean, basically, gas is cheaper..thats the only reason..as diesel buses are cleaner or as clean, but diesel costs more..

So Belco after a fair while will finally recieve some new buses...

[Sir Pompously]

Apparently according to who Mat?

[Irisbus Rider]

Go IVECO!!!!!

[Busnerd]

Apparently according to who Mat?

actually according to an official goverment report..which says they want either gas or diesel, steel or aluminum bodies..so possibilty of volgren! and they also are thinking about new artics..possibly scania combo's or B12BLEAS

[Simes]

The Irisbus, if taken, would be from the Citellis range (They have a hot front on them). I would go for more MAN's or Mercedes Benz, with the hot, sexy, steaming, orgasmic Volgren body ontop. Not the cheap, boring, fall-apart bodies that Customs make. Every bump rattles the bus like an earthquake ripping through it, and I am not suprised the structure has not collaped the way they rattle. NCBC would suit Canberra, however they will probably not do Gas Buses anyway. I will say MAN, if ACTION like the current small order of them. Try and stick to many of one type, instead of having thousands of little odd ones. 99.9999999% sure they will be Gas, no Government operator really goes for diesel much anymore. This whole 'Green' thing.

Honestly Volgren and CC are just about on a par now, just depends whats under the body really.
From my own experience I rode a brand spanking new Volgren with a scania K94 under it one day, rode a nigh on 2 year old  Volgren with a Volvo B12BLE under it, guess which had less rattles? (same body mind you)

Thankfully ansair and AP are no longer around though

[Busnerd]

Our ansair buses are in very good condition Simes, but that is probably attributed to not being near the ocean and having better roads so lest rattles and it will take a bit longer for them to rust.

I personally think the volgren bodies are a lot nicer, they have changed over time and look simple yet very nice and proffessional, sleek and even elegent, CC are nice to look at but are a bit boring, only problem i have is usually CC buses will  rattle apart long before volgren ones do, plus CC bodies are heavier.

But sometimes you need to match your body to your bus.

For example Scanias should not have CC bodies, the two dont mix, scanias need volgren bodies, volvos are good in custom bodies and yeah, sounds weird but it works for me. Mercs in CC bodies too, MANs in volgrens

[Ed]

no Government operator really goes for diesel much anymore. This whole 'Green' thing.

Considering how much diesel costs, natural gas is way cheaper.

[Irisbus Rider]

Although, after the 16 MAN's ACTION would need to construct another CNG refuelling facility, as the one in Tuggeranong would be running at capacity.

I have an incling it will most definately be a diesel chassis, and not Merc or Volvo, as ACTION won't touch AdBlue with a 10 foot barge pole.

[Snorzac]

A driver said today that their were no artics on the card but 14.5 were almost definite.

[Buzz Killington]

A note to members - please do not specifically name drivers when you are discussing ACTION operations. (see board rule 13). Thanks.

[Snorzac]

A note to members - please do not specifically name drivers when you are discussing ACTION operations. (see board rule 13). Thanks.

You do know that particular driver is a member of the forum

[Buzz Killington]

your point being?

[Snorzac]

I wasn't really mentioning a particular driver. There is many drivers named Rob and I could be mentioning any one of them, which doesn't really have anything to do with him being a member now that I think about it

[Buzz Killington]

don't mess with the bull young man, you'll get the horns.

[Busnerd]

I wasn't really mentioning a particular driver. There is many drivers named Rob and I could be mentioning any one of them, which doesn't really have anything to do with him being a member now that I think about it

So you just brake the rule again in your reply.

It doesnt matter how many johns or michaels or steves or whatever are at the depot. Government operations of any kind get shitty if things get leaked, and then they target lower staff so that they cover their own arses. So please dont mention anyones names just in case the board is read and that driver gets in trouble.

[Snorzac]

Just received an e-mail from ACTION regarding this tender, evaluations will be conducted towards the end of the month, this  is the e-mail I sent and they have put there answers below my questions.

1. How many MAN 18.310 CNG will there be?

16 CNG MAN's

2. There was a tender put out for 100 new buses at the beginning of the
year, what are the results? I have heard 18.310 diesel.

Evaluations to be done end of October

3. Will there be any high capacity buses in the coming years?

Yes

4. If there are new buses on order, is it possible to get fleet numbers
and a possible depot for them?

Not yet Determined

5. Is there a possible time frame that we can expect the first of the
100 buses?
November 2009