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Sharkey's Review of...Australasian Bus and Coach magazinePublishing Services Australia Pty Ltd. |
| Of course, since I didn't know any better, I assumed that buses and coaches in Australia were all of the funky old sort such as Befords and Leylands, the like of which have never seen the road in the U.S. This glossy, professional magazine illustrates that there is no shortage of transportation industry on the large continent. Aimed mostly at bus and tour fleets, manufacturers, and operators, Australasian Bus and Coach puts the best of the modern hardware on display, without losing sight of what the industry evolved from. |
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| You probably thought that double decker buses were all old and quaint, right? So did I. It was a bit of a surprise to see this modern Volgren built on a MAN chassis. It is capable of carrying 95 passengers |
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The coach manufacturing industry is quite active Down Under. This Autobus, built on a Scania chassis won Coach of the Show at the recent Sydney Bus Show. Note the 'Bull Bar' on the front bumper, a handy accessory for shooing 'Roos out of the road. |
| I have to admit not being completely 'up' on bus and coach politics in Australia, and even after reading a few issues, I still have only a hazy understanding of some of the issues, much of which centers around tax incentives to provoke fleet operators to fuel their buses with natural gas instead of diesel. Each issue also seems to include at least one profile of a small bus fleet operator, articles on refurbing used buses, and best of all, the classified section is sizeable and well-stocked with ads for used buses, which seem to be quite reasonably priced, if my quick US-Australian exchange calculations are nearly accurate |
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| Even the adverts are entertaining, and occasional articles include images of coaches under construction. This chassis by Metrotec is ready for shipment to a body builder. Low floor buses are quite the rage in city transit service. |
| While the subscription price of this magazine might be a bit high for those with only a casual interest in buses, someone who is serious about purchasing a used coach might find the classified ads alone worth the price. Annual subscription rates are $45.00 in Australia, $55.00 in New Zealand, and $65.00 elsewhere in the world (all $ are Australian). ABC magazine can be reached via internet at <www.busnews.com.au> |
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Nov 12, 1999 |