Pelican commences £2m work on new Yutong support facilities
Pelican Bus and Coach has commenced work on a new showroom, office and workshop facility in Castleford to support the continued growth of the Yutong brand in the UK.
The project coincides with Pelican’s recent signing a new long-term distribution agreement with Yutong. It represents an investment of £2m. Once complete, the 20,000ft2 premises will enable work to be carried out on up to 20 vehicles and it will help to support growing demand for zero-emission coaches and buses from local authorities and operators.
Completion of the work is due by November. The building will be dedicated to the fitting out, commissioning and support of new and used Yutong vehicles. It will complement Pelican’s existing showroom adjacent to its nearby headquarters, which will continue to be used for some bus work and as overflow space for Pelican Engineering’s DAF dealership.
Pelican says that the new facility has “been designed with sustainability in mind.” It will have a BREEAM Excellent standard and be equipped with sufficient power supply for four high-performance DC chargers in line with plans for it to become a publicly accessible charging station.
Adds Managing Director Richard Crump: “In recent years, Pelican has seen huge growth in Yutong sales as more local authorities and operators transition to clean, zero-emission vehicles.
“From zero vehicles in 2014, we are now approaching 1,000 Yutong coaches and buses sold in the UK. This new facility is needed to enable us to fully support the increasing number of battery-electric coaches and buses we are forecasting to achieve in the future.
“As a fourth-generation British family business with history dating back over 100 years, we are proud to be continuing to invest in growing our Yutong division. The new facility will create more jobs as well as strengthening our position as one of the leading suppliers of zero-emission large passenger vehicles across the UK.”
Optibus debuts Operations module to mitigate depot challenges
Optibus has debuted its Operations module, which it says is “the first real-time, cloud native solution for mitigating driver staffing challenges and optimising depot operations.”
It is the newest product in Optibus’s portfolio and enables operators to quickly detect and prevent service disruptions that arise from driver and vehicle challenges and to continue the smooth delivery of services, the supplier says.
Using cloud computing and open data, the Operations module detects potential disruptions in real-time and dispatches automatic alerts to the operator along with suggesting ways to resolve those challenges. For example, if a driver calls in sick or is at risk of arriving late, Operations can suggest the best replacement based on compatibility, compliance and cost.
Optibus adds that the Operations module integrates with, and synchronises incoming data from, other products from its stable and integrates with external operational data systems, such as for HR, payroll, fleet management and other. It says that Operations “takes depot operations to the next level, enabling users to save time and costs, eliminate last-minute chaos, and create a stellar experience for drivers and passengers.”
Notes Optibus CEO and Co-Founder Amos Haggiag: “Our new Operations product is the digital command centre for tackling public transport challenges as they unfold, with agility and speed.
“The technology behind the Operations product empowers the public transport industry to deliver quality, reliable services that increase ridership, take pressure off drivers, and ensure compliance.”
Camira heritage collection marks 200th transport textiles anniversary
Camira is to launch a heritage collection of 20 designs from its archives to celebrate the 200th anniversary of its involvement in transport textiles.
Designed to pay homage to the company's history while complementing modern transport interiors, the collection includes designs originating from the company's past under Holdsworth Fabrics, updated with new colourways that reflect modern trends.
Patterns featured include designs from the 1930s through to the 1980s, including "waves and swirls" released in 1982 and the "geometric grid" launched in 1938, recoloured in shades of cyan, lime and burgundy.
"New Heritage has been such a delight to work on – our archives are filled with beautiful designs, each one of which tells a story and holds a memory, and to be able to give just a few of these patterns a new lease of life, to be enjoyed all over again, is such a great way to celebrate 200 years," says Senior Transport Designer at Camira Sarah Mallinson.
The collection will officially be launched at an event on 23 June.
