(26 Oct 2024, 9:21 am)Andreos1 wrote It's all this patter with fleet standardisation though isn't it?
On one hand you've got a potential ready supply of parts and fitters who are type trained by virtue of everything being the same.
The downside, is that you've got a fleet which isn't set up to meet the network requirements.
It's like a taxi company having a fleet of Skoda vehicles. Common parts, easy for the mechanics to switch between one and the other etc.
The Octavias will be great for distance stuff to the airport, but sticking a Fabia out on the same run isn't going to do it much good.
That's exactly what the problem is! GoNE were far too loyal with WrightBus & Volvo!
Made a massive mistake ordering B5TL's for the X9/X10 and should've ordered ADL E400MMC for the X21 back in 2016 (they did ironically trial now GoNE's 6337 on the X21 back in 2014).
Had this discussion on another thread, but Volvo should've engined the intended B5TL with a Cummins ISBe 6.7 (same as E400MMC) and had the chassis & engine combo designated as a B7TL2. They used the Cummins L10 as an option in the Volvo Olympian (as used Busway's N*** LTN and Northumbria's M*** FTY batch of Volvo Olympians). If anything, it would've been an easy win for Volvo. Operators wanting the same power & engine of the E400MMC, but with a Volvo chassis & MCV / WrightBus bodywork!