Warrington public transport operator exclusively fits Michelin on new, all-electric fleet

Public transport operator Warrington’s Own Buses has switched to an exclusive Michelin policy with the tyre manufacturer’s Services & Solutions division, as the business prepares to transition its entire bus fleet from diesel to electric.

An important part of the new agreement will see 105 new electric buses arrive at the company specified with Michelin X InCity EV Z tyres as original equipment. The X InCity EV Z is Michelin’s first range of bus tyres specifically designed for electric vehicles (EVs).

David Woods, finance director at Warrington’s Own Buses, says: “Over the course of the next 15 months our entire fleet will switch from diesel to electric and we wanted to have the right tyre manufacturer in place to support us with that. Quite simply, we wanted to go with the best tyre in the market. It’s a superb product.”

Warrington’s Own Buses – which previously ran exclusively with a rival tyre manufacturer – was impressed with the speed and efficiency of the Michelin team to get the new deal set up quickly.

“We are shortly moving to a new purpose-built EV depot in Warrington. It was important to have the contract secured and all aspects of our tyre management programme up and running well ahead of the phase out of the diesel vehicles. It was a very smooth transition once the decision had been made,” adds Woods.

Initially, Michelin will fit both new and Remix urban bus tyres, predominantly from the Michelin X InCity range, on the current diesel vehicles. The X InCity features reinforced sidewalls to protect against kerbing and accidental damage, which helps reduce wheel interventions and downtime.

The new electric buses will all be fitted with Michelin X InCity EV Z, which offer excellent safety, longevity and load capacity, while helping operators to reduce their environmental footprint by reducing rolling resistance – key to maximising range for EVs.

To handle the additional weight of electric buses, which can be heavier due to their batteries, the fitments have an increased load carrying capacity of up to 8 tonnes. In addition, the inclusion of many of Michelin’s most advanced technologies, such as InfiniCoil, Forcion and Regenion helps to ensure exceptional mileage potential. The casing is further enhanced with Powercoil – robust steel cables that aid endurance – and a bead design called Duracoil, which helps to improve stability.

Under the terms of the new contract, Warrington’s Own Buses have a Michelin Fleet Operator based on site who carries out all of the tyre management including fitting, stripping and regrooving. The assemblies are then provided to the bus company’s technicians who handle the fitting in-house. Michelin will also carry out fleet-wide inspections, ensuring the public transport operator is getting the most from its tyres in terms of safety, longevity and durability – maximising uptime and compliance.

Warrington’s Own Buses traces its roots back to 1902, when the first electric tram commenced operation in Warrington. Today, the business carries more than six million passengers every year, using a fleet of 118 buses that cover approximately 5,000,000 kilometres in service per year.