Steve O'Neill joins Pelican Bus and Coach in coach sales role
Pelican Bus and Coach has appointed Steve O’Neill as Area Sales Manager for the South of England.
The surprise announcement represents a return to the coach industry for Mr O’Neill, who joined it over 30 years ago. His CV includes leadership of Gillingham operator The Kings Ferry, during which time he oversaw the sale of that family business to National Express.
From there, Mr O’Neill was involved in establishment of the Irizar UK dealership and contributed to its success with DAF-engined integral coaches until leaving in 2019. Most recently, he worked with EVM on the AOS brand of midicoaches.
With Pelican, Mr O’Neill succeeds Phil Hodgson, who retired from the South of England territory in September after an over-60-year career in transport.
Mr Hodgson had seen great success with both diesel and zero-emission vehicles to retail customers, including the sale of both the first battery-electric coach to a UK customer in 2019, and more recently the debut deal with a private owner of a battery-electric double-decker. Westway Coaches was the operator in both of those deals.
Mr O’Neill has left semi-retirement to take up the role with Pelican. Speaking about the appointment, UK Coach Sales Manager Simon Collins says: “Steve brings a lot of experience to the company and he has already given fantastic input. He is super-keen to join us and already knows many of our customers.”
Mr O’Neill will be on the Pelican stand at Euro Bus Expo. His arrival comes as Pelican has an order bank of almost 160 coaches with Yutong to August 2025. Most are already accounted for but Mr Collins adds that some are still available.
Appointment of Mr Hodgson’s successor also comes as Pelican looks toward adding the Yutong GT14 diesel tri-axle model in H2 2025. It will complement the TC9 and GT12 diesel coaches, and the TCe12 and GTe14 battery-electrics.
[adrotate banner="44"]
Yutong GT14 tri-axle diesel coach coming to the UK in 2025
The Yutong coach range in the UK will gain a tri-axle GT14 diesel model in 2025, importer Pelican Bus and Coach has announced.
Confirmation of the GT14 follows strong customer feedback that such a coach would be welcome within the UK market, Pelican says. It has ordered a batch of 10 of the coaches and orders have been taken already, with two of those already sold.
Deliveries will begin in September 2025 and maximum seating capacity will be 61 and the newcomer shares the dimensions of the battery-electric GTe14 including its 14m length. Pelican UK Coach Sales Manager Simon Collins says that the GT14 will build on the success of the two-axle GT12.
Power will come from the DAF MX-13 engine developing 483bhp driving through a ZF EcoLife automatic gearbox. Underfloor luggage capacity will be a claimed 11 cubic metres and lift fitment for PSVAR compliance will be above the rear axles.
Pelican anticipates that in the long-term, the Yutong GT14 will be held in stock. It is currently in talks with Yutong to ensure that the model is “as easy as possible to customise,” adds Mr Collins.
A camera monitoring system in lieu of rear-view mirrors will be standard and the GT14 will come with a sunken gangway. Mr Collins notes that with the GT12 having become a mature product within the UK market, both the dealership and the manufacturer believe the time is right to expand that coach’s approach to a larger vehicle.
Says Head of Yutong UK Ian Downie: “An additional diesel option in the coach market that some other parties have left demonstrates Yutong’s commitment to the UK.”
Adds Pelican Bus and Coach Managing Director Richard Crump: “We have been successful with two-axle coaches and the market has steered Yutong to this three-axle offering. Now is the perfect time to develop [the GT14] to fill a space left by others.”
Ticketer reaches 8bn ticket sales milestone
Smart ticketing solutions provider Ticketer has announced the sale of its eight billionth ticket, the milestone being reached on board an Arriva Merseyside bus.
The ticketing, real-time information and fleet management specialist for coach and bus, which was set up in 2009, is being used by operators to serve millions of passengers per day.
"Reaching eight billion tickets is a remarkable achievement, but this milestone isn't just about the numbers - it reflects the enduring partnerships we've created, our continuous innovation and the confidence that our customers have placed in our technology over the years," says Kelly Hanna, Ticketer CEO.
"We’re thrilled to celebrate this moment with Arriva and the entire bus and coach community, and are excited to keep driving innovation that makes a positive impact for operators, authorities and passengers alike."
Ticketer will be among the exhibitors at the Euro Bus Expo at the Birmingham NEC on 12-14 November. It will be on stand 180 to showcase its latest developments, including its franchising offering with hierarchical view plus "franchise owner" and "franchise operator" roles. It will also introduce its enhanced Road Restriction Alerts solution.
"We’re thrilled to be part of Euro Bus Expo 2024," adds Ms Hanna. "We have a lot of exciting developments to share and are looking forward to showcasing our commitment to helping authorities and operators achieve success and deliver exceptional service to passengers through our latest solutions."