Expo expects 05 October 2012

Your guide to some engineering highlights at the NEC's Euro Bus Expo 2012. John Challen talks to exhibitors

The bus and coach community will descend on Birmingham's NEC on 6, 7 and 8 November as Euro Bus Expo opens its doors. The show is this year's opportunity for operators, workshops and the industry as a whole to check out new vehicles, equipment and services aimed at increasing operational efficiency, cutting downtime and costs, and improving on regulatory compliance.

Emissions reduction technology manufacturer Eminox, for example, will show its latest developments in SCRT – a combination of SCR (select catalytic reduction) and CRT (continuously regenerating trap) – retrofit equipment. A variant, developed as part of a pilot project run by Transport for London (TfL), has demonstrated impressive performance, and Eminox will be revealing the results. Independent tests on the Millbrook London Transport Bus (MLTB) cycle, which simulates London operating conditions, recorded reductions of 88% on NOx and 55% on NO2.

Specialists will also be on hand to advise fleet managers and technicians on diesel particulate filters (DPFs). Eminox intends to warn operators of the dangers of filters becoming blocked, leading to increased fuel consumption and ultimately permanent filter damage. Also, look out for news of its Xpurge, a filter cleaning process claimed to restore a filter to 'good as new' condition so it can last longer between services.

Environmental zone

This year's Euro Bus Expo is, once again, divided into zones, with Eminox and others concerned with cleaner, safer and more efficient methods of passenger transport, in the environmental zone. Among other participants in this section are Baumot – a specialist in exhaust after-treatment systems, offering both retrofit and OE installations – and Safety Seal. The latter arrives in Birmingham with news of a new tyre powder, called Easybalance.

Claimed to combat passenger discomfort, and safety issues caused by unbalanced tyres, Easybalance is also said to result in better grip, reduced tyre wear and improved fuel economy. "All truck and bus tyres should be balanced, not just those that do the steering," states a spokesperson. "The reduction in tyre wear alone is enough to more than recoup the costs."

Other Euro Bus Expo zones deal with aspects such as technology, accessibility and training. The training and development zone is supported by VOSA (the Vehicle and Operators Services Agency) and will give visitors access to a range of training suppliers, offering advice and information. One topic up for discussion is expected to be Driver CPC (Certificate of Professional Competence), and the zone will provide drivers and operators with the opportunity to discuss their requirements with appropriate providers.

Elsewhere, engine cooling, heating and air conditioning systems supplier Grayson Thermal Systems, will be on hand to talk about its range of Thermo King products for buses and coaches. Meanwhile, Knorr-Bremse says it will bring its new bus catalogue for 2012/13, as well as experts to talk about the importance of fitting OE brake pads and associated parts to PSVs (passenger service vehicles). The company also promises to cover its driver assistance and fuel-saving systems, as well as powertrain-related innovations.

Finally, visitors to the IRTE (Institute of Road Transport Engineers) stand will be able to meet staff from the institute and talk about its recently rejuvenated irtec technician licensing scheme and the workshop accreditation programme, as well as the benefits of membership.

IRTE's workshop accreditation – conducted by the IRTE and FTA (Freight Transport Association) – is about independently verifying workshops, in terms of their competence, first-time pass rates, procedures and commitment to best practice. The goal is enabling operators to choose workshops with confidence, based on the IRTE's quality assured standards.

Also, on Wednesday (7 November), the IRTE Skills Challenge 2013 will be launched. Now into its third year, this competition for bus and coach technicians has been widely embraced by operators keen to celebrate the expertise of their staff. 2013's competition promises to build on the success so far.

Author
John Challen

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