A cross-party group of MPs with bus manufacturing sites within their constituencies have written to the Prime Minister to demand the £3 billion he committed in February to fund investment in “at least 4,000 new zero emissions buses” is brought forward as soon as possible.
Continental Tyres has unveiled a new commercial vehicle steer tyre, designed for high mileage and even wear during both regional and long-haul use – the Conti Hybrid HS3+. The Conti Hybrid HS3+ will be available in the UK from August 2020.
With the 2019/20 season’s Premier League back underway, runaway leaders Liverpool FC’s team bus is primed to roll on official tyre sponsor, Falken rubber. The manufacturer’s RI151 pattern is fitted by Protyre and supplied in the UK by Micheldever Tyre Services.
While much of the tyre industry has helped keep Britain rolling during the coronavirus lockdown, commercial vehicle technicians have played a particularly key role since they have serviced the fleets that have kept the blue lights flashing, the food deliveries moving and much more. In order to gain an inside perspective, Tyres & Accessories spoke with Bridgestone North Region Commercial Business Unit Director Greg Ward who, prior to his promotion into this role in October 2019, served as the company’s commercial sales director, UK and Ireland, for 17 years.
Following the news at the end of April that Bridgestone Europe has restarted its new tyre manufacturing following the widespread coronavirus-related lockdowns, Tyres & Accessories asked Bridgestone UK truck and bus product manager Terry Salter to confirm reports that the Bridgestone Bulldog retreading factory in Lincolshire will reopen in June. But will that be a full opening or a gradual opening? And what about Bridgestone’s Bandag network of retread franchisees?
Say hello to new generation of Pirelli tyres for buses and coaches engaged in regional and long-distance service. The H:01 Coach line-up includes the FH:01 all-axle and the specialised TH:01 drive tyre fitment. Manufacturer Prometeon says its R&D team aimed to develop a product that satisfies the needs of operators in the sector while keeping pace with the evolution of both vehicle technologies and regulations covering CO2 emissions and noise.
Fintyre has won the tender for the supply of tyres for public transport vehicles, launched by Ferrovie del Sud-Est with an auction base of over 800,000 euros.
Bridgestone Corporation has named its barrier-free bus stop kerb system, and that name is PlusStop. The company says the name PlusStop was selected as it represents the “extra value the system adds to a traditional bus stop”.
Although numerous manufacturers are currently engaged in testing with major customers, electrification hasn’t yet come to the commercial vehicle segment in a significant way. The exception to this is bus transport. China has taken the lead here, with some 400,000 electric buses – at least a tenth of China’s bus parc and 98 per cent of the world total – plying the country’s urban areas. And while (according to Wood Mackenzie) just 3,700 electric buses were in service across Europe last year, just 0.5 per cent of the region’s total bus fleet, this figure is rising. Tyre makers are following this trend closely.
Turkish tyre manufacturer Petlas has added new sizes to its SH100 and RH100 truck and bus radial tyres to make the patterns suitable for a broader range of vehicles and applications.
Giti Tire has launched its next generation, three-peak mountain snowflake (3PMSF) certified, all-position urban-bus tyre, the Giti GAU867v1. Replacing the popular Giti GAU861 and Giti GT867 patterns, initial key sizes include 275/70R22.5, 295/80R22.5 and 11R22.5, all of which possess market standard load and speed indices. The manufacturer states that the tyre is designed for hard urban use, and utilises the manufacturer’s latest casing construction, enhancing mileage and handling and retreadability, a key market stipulator due to a short original lifespan.
Michelin has secured a major new five-year deal with East Midlands bus operator trentbarton. The EffiTires contract will see Michelin supply, fit and manage tyres across trentbarton’s 463-strong fleet, which operates more than 40 services throughout Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Leicestershire. The bus company has returned to Michelin following three years fitting a competitor brand of tyres.
Italian distributor of replacement tyres, Fintyre has been awarded the tender for the supply of tyres for public transport vehicles, launched by ATM (Azienda Trasporti Milanesi), with an auction base of 2.632 million euro.
Hankook tyres will be fitted to more than 1,100 city buses in Barcelona under a new supply agreement with the city’s main public transit operator, Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona (TMB). Tyres will be supplied and fitted by Grupo Soledad, Hankook Tire’s distributor in Spain.
The Conti Urban HA3 is the Continental commercial tyre of choice for city-based usage. The range has now been extended with the introduction of a tyre optimised for the weight requirements and torque delivery of electric city buses.
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