ABC #398

NEWS
THE WOT!?!
MELBOURNE INSTALLS
DRIVER SCREENS
JOIN THE JOYRIDE
In scenes resembling a farce, an 11-yearold
boy in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA,
was arrested recently for stealing a school
bus and taking it for a spin. For 45 minutes
he led the police on a wild goose chase
around the city streets, flipping off officers
and hitting three cars before finishing up by
crashing into a tree. Miraculously, neither he
nor anybody else was hurt. But, we know you
want the real details; it was an International
3800 school bus.
TRANSDEV MELBOURNE has
installed safety screens in 15 new
buses ‘fully enclosing’ the driver
cabins as part of its ongoing
commitment to improving driver
safety, the company announced
recently.
The new cabins, that have cuts
outs for sound and tickets, were
installed in the 15 buses delivered as
part of the Victorian Government’s
largest bus renewal order for 25
years. This follows a successful trial
period in consultation with Transdev
drivers, the Department of Transport
and the Transport Workers’ Union
(TWU), Transdev confirms.
Based on feedback received
during the trial period, the new
enclosed driver cabins feature a
more robust design to minimise
rattles and squeaks, anti-glare film
on the glass to improve visibility of
internal and external mirrors, and a
stronger door-locking mechanism,
the company explains.
“Everybody has the right to feel
safe when they come to work and
these new screens, which fully
enclose the driver’s cabin, provide
our front-line staff with additional
peace of mind as they travel on
the public transport network,” said
Loretta Lynch, managing director of
Transdev Melbourne.
“Our drivers’ experience driving
buses on the network every day
make them subject matter experts
and they have played a vital role in
the final design.
“We have used their suggestions
and feedback and collaborated
closely with key stakeholders to
ensure the new design incorporates
safety, practicality, and comfort,”
Lynch added.
DRIVER ADJUSTMENT
The new design also features a
cut-out in the screen to allow for a
full-size windscreen blind that can
be adjusted from the driver’s seat,
and a drink holder and storage in
the driver’s door, says Transdev.
The design enhancements
were funded by Transdev as it
continues to work with the Victorian
Department of Transport on further
improvements to its bus fleet to
ensure the safety of its drivers and
passengers.
Below: The fully enclosed screens are said to
improve safety for Melbourne’s bus drivers.
TO BE OR NOT TO BE?
Elon Musk mentioned a potential Tesla
electric bus in a tweet that he later deleted
– sparking discussions about the possibility
of a new Tesla vehicle. Musk’s ‘Loop’ project
in Las Vegas, which will be a series of tunnels
using Tesla autonomous cars, has been
using images of higher passenger density
vehicles for a while, but is yet to unveil a
prototype. Asked about this, Musk replied
“we will make a dense Tesla if it matters” in a
comment that he quickly removed again. All
very hush hush!
FUELLING CHANGE
Trials of the world’s first hydrogen-powered
double-decker bus have begun in the
Scottish city of Aberdeen. The 15 buses
were manufactured by Wrightbus and
will be operated by First Group during the
trials. If all goes well, they will start carrying
passengers in November. First Group claims
that the buses have an equal or greater
range than their electric counterparts and
that they can refuel in around 10 minutes.
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ABC October 2020 busnews.com.au