https://www.busnews.com.au/industry-news/1712/major-volgren-order-from-tokyo
MAJOR VOLGREN ORDER FROM TOKYO
The order is Volgren’s single biggest deal since entering the Japanese
market in 2014 with their articulated route bus.
This latest partnership with Tokyo Metropolitan Government, who operates
around 1,450 buses in the Greater Tokyo region, is one of four operator
relationships that Volgren has established, including their ongoing
association with Japan’s largest bus operator, the Nishitetsu Railway
Company.
Volgren Chief Executive Peter Dale says the entry of the Volgren low floor
city buses, to be built on a Scania N280UB E6 chassis would be the first of
their kind in Japan.
"In a short space of time, Volgren have built a reputation in Japan for
manufacturing high quality, niche vehicles in areas that local manufacturers
currently do not supply into," he says.
"There's currently no local Japanese bus body manufacturer producing a
complete low floor buses with the only other option being buses from Europe,
that are non-compliant to Japanese regulations and not equipped with any
Japanese specific equipment upon delivery to the customer."
"The low floor route buses for Tokyo Metropolitan Government, to be built
right here in Dandenong, will be 100 per cent compliant to their vehicle
specifications including their complex onboard passenger information systems,
ticketing equipment and emergency exit requirements."
"This ready to roll solution is well received by operators and is one of the
key planks to our success in Japan," Dale explains.
Dale says Volgren's engineering quality and technological innovation means
that their buses are now desired throughout the world.
"Tokyo Metropolitan Government is one of the most progressive bus operators
in the world. They’ve recently taken delivery of the first Toyota fuel cell
bus and by ordering a complete low floor solution through Volgren, they’re
sending a message to local suppliers – update and be more flexible to
passenger requirements, or we’ll go elsewhere," Dale says.
The complete low floor city buses will improve ease of access, increase
capacity and better cater to Tokyo’s ageing population.
The first of two homologation units, ordered by Scania Japan, will go into
build in two weeks, as part of the pre-registration process.
Production of the remaining buses will commence in May and be completed by
August 2018.
东京都交通局跟澳洲的Volgren车体厂订了29辆全低床Scania N280UB大客车的订单，这是
续新潟交通与西日本铁道后第三间采用此厂产品的业者(版友更正：奈良交通也有)，但是
是该底盘第一次出现在日本。文中表示日本目前没有制造全低床公共汽车的业者，也难怪东京
都交通局不找自己人了；根据Volgren CEO 的说法，这笔订单代表业者在与日本本地供应
商喊话：“你们不升级，就等著看我们找外国人。”首两辆认证车将于两星期内开始制造
，而剩下车辆将于2018年五月开始制造，八月完工。