Omnibus topics for conference

Amanda Cotter, of Auckland, sits on the chassis of a 2015 Mercedes-Benz XBC, one of many exhibits at the 2016 Bus and Coach Association annual conference at Forsyth Barr Stadium yesterday. Photo by Peter McIntosh.
Amanda Cotter, of Auckland, sits on the chassis of a 2015 Mercedes-Benz XBC, one of many exhibits at the 2016 Bus and Coach Association annual conference at Forsyth Barr Stadium yesterday. Photo by Peter McIntosh.

The bus and coach industry will come under close scrutiny in Dunedin this week.

About 220 operators are in the city for the 2016 Bus and Coach Association annual conference (September 27-30) at Forsyth Barr Stadium.

Bus and Coach Association president and McDermott Coaches manager Alister McDermott, of Invercargill, said delegates ranged from urban and touring operators, to school bus operators from around the country.

The conference started yesterday, when an expo containing the latest in industry products opened to delegates, and the association held its annual meeting and council meeting before attending the welcome dinner at the Dunedin Town Hall.

Mr McDermott said during the next three days, the conference would hear speeches by Minister of Transport Simon Bridges, Bus Industry Confederation Australia executive director Michael Apps, Volvo Asia Pacific Region vice-president David Mead, Air New Zealand chief flight operations officer David Morgan, Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority transport development manager Andrew Campbell and New Zealand Transport Agency planning and investment group manager Dave Brash, as well as attending panels, exhibitions, workshops, question-and-answer sessions, and social events.

Mr McDermott said the conference was an opportunity for those in the industry to hear experts talk about the latest technology and issues affecting the industry, including emissions technology and exhaust system maintenance, air-conditioning systems, regulations on bus maintenance, electrical systems on buses, remote diagnostic tools, incoming bus technology, the future of fleet management, tourist trends and predictions for 2017, understanding business costs, good practice for productive employment relations, and policy and regulatory changes.

The conference concludes on Friday afternoon.

john.lewis@odt.co.nz

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