On board the bus, there is an internet connection, coffee and morning papers to make the trip as pleasant and efficient as possible.

200 people – who have thus far purchased the substantially subsidised monthly ticket – are now using the comfortable means of travel on a daily basis, which takes place using Scania Touring and Scania OmniExpress coaches. The alternatives are commuter trains and regular buses, which take a longer time and are sometimes affected by delays.

“Not to be able to get to work quickly enough can be an impediment for a person to accept work in another place, such as Södertälje, for example. We believe that this solution can help to make Scania an even more attractive workplace,” says Erik Ljungberg, Senior Vice President Corporate Relations at Scania in a news feature for Swedish television. 

The investment in the commuter buses provides Scania with more opportunities. For some years, Scania Transport Lab has operated a Scania-owned haulage company for transport of goods between Scania’s production sites, in order to analyse and evaluate road transport by truck; now they are working in the same way with these buses, in order to evaluate performance and new systems in actual service.

“Normally, we sell some 200–225 buses but during 2011 we registered 512 buses. In other words, we sold twice as many as we normally do,” says Leif Nyström, Head of Bus Sales at Scania-Bilar Sverige.

In total, the Swedish bus market increased by one-third while Scania’s sales, as mentioned, doubled. Scania’s long-term efforts to offer comprehensive service solutions, and the broad product programme in biofuels have been decisive growth factors.

In November 2011, Scania receive a major order from the bus operator Nobina for 109 biogas buses to be delivered this year. At the end of December 2011, it was also announced that Scania would deliver 94 RME-fuelled buses to Arriva, which will be in service this summer for Stockholm Transport (SL).

“In Sweden, particularly, biofuel buses have become increasingly popular and will soon constitute one-third of all city buses. It is clear that diesel-fuelled buses are declining. Stockholm Transport, for example, has set a target of 100-percent biofuels by 2018–2020.”

The strong increase in Scania’s bus sales can partly be explained by the fact that several operators, with which Scania has formed partnerships, have been successful in winning tenders. But there are also other explanations.

“Our broad product range is paying off,” says Leif Nyström. “Of a total of 100 double decker buses sold in Sweden last year, Scania delivered 75. The double decker bus has become an attractive choice in regional public transport with a high comfort level and good legroom that can seat 85–86 passengers, which is substantially more than an articulated bus.”

Registered buses in Sweden 2011 (>10 tonnes)

1. Scania 512
2. Volvo 357
3. MAN 202
4. Mercedes-Benz 123
5. Setra 68
6. Solaris 58
7. VDL 50
8. Neoplan 18
9. Irisbus 15
10. Temsa 9

The delivery consists of Scania intercity buses equipped with 310 hp 9-litre engines and the automated gearchanging system Scania Opticruise. The first 45 units will be delivered before October 2012, and the remaining 45 during 2013.

The body will be built by Cherdchai, one of Thailand’s main bodybuilders.

For Scania, this is a big breakthrough in the country’s bus market. The new buses will improve customers’ business when it comes to uptime, total cost of ownership and safety. Scania’s position in the Thai coach market remains strong with 32 percent market share (October, 2011).

Phuket Transfer supplies a coach to tourist company Pegas Touristic. From left Mr Kubilay, Manager, Pegas Touristic Co.,Ltd. and Mr Anucha Woranatiwong, Managing Director, Phuket Transfer Co.,Ltd.

Amsterdam’s EBS Public Transportation recently took possession of 164 OmniLinks and 47 Scania Higer A30s. They were delivered in several configurations and produced in Sweden, Poland and China. The buses are equipped with engines complying with the highest European environmental emissions standards – Euro 5 and EEV (Environmentally-friendly Enhanced Vehicles).

To complete these buses, a temporary workshop was established in Amsterdam, where a team of mechanics processed the buses for several months together with other suppliers.

One of the main reasons EBS Public Transportation chose Scania was the extensive support that Scania offers securing the operational uptime of the buses.

Watch a video from the occation.  

Initiated in 2003, the Scania Driver Competitions were originally held in Europe. They have since spread out globally, evolving into challenging events that highlight the importance of the skills of drivers, as well as driver training and development to enhance road safety awareness and proficient eco-driving.

“The driver is the single most important factor for economy, environment and safety,” says Leif Östling, President and CEO, Scania. “Skilled and committed drivers deliver transport efficiently, reduce emissions, contribute to better road safety and improve any company’s profitability. These types of drivers are real assets and prove that environmental pursuits and positive financial results can go hand-in-hand.”

Over the next few months driver competitions will be launched worldwide, including such disparate places as Australia, Brazil, Hong Kong, Argentina, Korea, Mexico, Singapore, China, Chile, Malaysia, Peru and South Africa, as well as across Europe.

More info and registration

“Scania can deliver reliable and cost effective buses that have engines with well-tried technology for running on gas, biodiesel and bioethanol. As a result, Scania is now easily the largest make in the Swedish bus market,” says Leif Nyström, head of Scania’s bus and coach sales in Sweden. 

Biggest order ever

The order from Nobina, the Nordic region’s largest passenger traffic operator for buses, is Scania’s biggest order for gas engines to date and represents a breakthrough for the new generation of gas engines introduced by Scania in the autumn of 2010. Of the 121 buses for Nobina, 109 will be run on biogas and the rest on biodiesel. They will be put into service in public transport in Uppland and Skåne provinces in the summer of 2012.

“The choice of main supplier in this major procurement process was based on the environmental performance of the buses and on the fact that Scania is expected to best meet our requirements for low running and maintenance costs during the vehicles’ lifecycle,” says Nobina’s Bus Fleet Manager Martin Atterhall.

Half of the buses are ethanol modelsScania can supply buses and trucks that run on renewable fuels: biodiesel, bioethanol and biogas, as well as on natural gas. 

 “About half of the buses that we are delivering this year to Swedish public transport companies are ethanol models. Through the deal with Nobina we are taking a major step into the market for gas-fuelled buses,” says Mr Nyström.

Bioethanol most common biofuel

Today, there are only a few biofuels that are commercially available for running vehicles. Bioethanol is the far most common and is obtainable all over the world. Biodiesel is suitable for any type of operation, including long-haul transport of goods and passengers. Biogas holds tremendous potential, for instance if produced from sewage and waste dumps, and is gradually gaining ground.

The choice of biofuel is determined by local conditions, taxes, subsidies etc. All biofuels deliver a considerable reduction in carbon dioxide emissions if they are produced in a sustainable way.

The Scania low-floor buses are powered by Scania's 9-litre 280 hp engine and are put into operation in Sydney, Australia.

The New South Wales State Transit Authority (STA) recently took delivery of the first of 100 Scania-powered buses. The remaining buses will be delivered before June 2013.

These Scania low-floor buses are fitted with Australian-made Custom bodies with seats for 44 passengers. They are the first new Scania buses bought by the STA since 1996.

Scania Australia National Manager Bus and Coach, Trevor O’Brien, said: “We have been working very hard for several years to win this business from the STA. Our branch in Sydney has been committed to showing the STA we have the right facilities and the right personnel, expertise and back-up to ensure we can meet the rigorous demands of transport operators such as the STA.”

The Scania Citywide has been styled to stand out in a busy urban environment with its dynamic, sculptural lines and contemporary exterior design. It also has a clear family resemblance with other buses and coaches in Scania’s new product range.

Advanced ergonomics will appeal to drivers and the optional adjustable dashboard complies with German standards.

Engines are offered for diesel, biodiesel, gas, biogas and bioethanol operation.

For more information and pictures, visit the pressroom “Scania at Busworld” >

Scania Citywide low-entrance.

Inter Airport Europe covers a vast array of terminal operations, infrastructure and technical installations. With its green options and modular product system, Scania can supply solutions for a great many of these, as evidenced by the exhibits at Inter Airport 2011 in Munich. Scania fire and rescue vehicles – usually chosen for reliability, uptime and performance – are in operation at major airports on all continents.

For more information and pictures, visit the pressroom >

Scania G 400 4x4 sweeper/blower/snow plough.

Two hundred Scania city buses, which shall be operated by the Breda Rio Group, are about to start picking and dropping off passengers in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. They have been designed in order to improve urban mobility in the municipality. When it comes to urban passenger transport, the vehicles bring a completely new concept to Rio de Janeiro: maximising comfort and accessibility.
“This delivery is a breakthrough for Scania’s concept of city buses that fulfils Rio de Janeiro’s — and other cities’ — criteria for developing efficient and passenger-attractive public transport systems,” says Wilson Pereira, head of sales of Buses and Coaches at Scania Brazil.

“I see huge future potential. Upcoming major international sports events, like the 2014 Soccer World Cup and the 2016 Summer Olympics will further increase the demand for reliable and comfortable buses.”

The buses to be incorporated into the fleet are of the Scania K230 4×2 model. They are 12.5 metres long and a floor that lowers, used to facilitate the entry and exit of passengers. The K230 4×2 has 35 seats with space reserved for the transport of wheelchair users, and can also hold up to 47 standing passengers.

Bus Rapid Transport system
The public transport system in Rio, Bus Rapid Service (BRS), is an intelligent solution for urban transport in medium to large cities, using exclusive bus lanes for the circulation of vehicles, thereby connecting passengers with other transport modals quickly and easily. The system also includes better organisation of bus stops and adapts to the size of the vehicles in operation.

Rio de Janeiro already has three rapid transport lines in operation in the South Zone, and this ensures a 40 percent reduction in travel times along the different routes. After implementation of the system, the average speed of trips in the region has almost doubled, from 13 km/h to 24 km/h. According to Rio de Janeiro’s City Hall, the city shall receive more than 20 BRS corridors in years to come.