One of the greatest advantages Scania offers to the bus and coach market in Australia is its network of company-owned branches that offer sales and service from the most knowledgeable Scania experts in the business.

That is certainly true of Scania’s activities in New South Wales under the guidance of highly experience state Dealer Director, Lionel Saunders.

Backing up Lionel are Danny Hagarty, Prestons Branch Manager, Chris Nobbs, Eastern Creek Branch Manager and Glenn Shaw, Prestons’ Parts Manager.

“The New South Wales team that looks after our buses and coaches once they are in service have a lot of experience with the product and they are all passionate about Scania, their customers and their business success,” Lionel Saunders says.

“We have been a significant player in the Australian bus market for a long time, and have very well established sales and service facilities owned by the company, but we  also work in concert with a network of independent authorised dealers across the state who can provide service, parts and expertise to customers.

“Our after sales programme is dedicated to keeping buses and coaches rolling and avoiding unplanned stops via preventative maintenance. We’re keen to advise and assist our customers who operate their own workshops at their depots, particularly those operating well away from Sydney, and we have systems in place to get parts sent out for VOR as quickly as possible,” Lionel says.

“Our service network is designed to maximise uptime so our customers have access to their vehicles when they need them to be earning their keep. Using the latest electronic diagnostic tools, plus the experience and expertise of our technicians and workshop supervisors, we are committed to keeping our customers moving,” he says.

“The arrival of the New Bus Generation Scania Touring will deliver us a significant uplift of interest, coincidental with the revival of the tourism industry post pandemic,” says Julian Gurney, Director of Sales for Scania Australia Bus and Power Solutions.

“The new Touring comes with plenty of new technology and features that will make it a popular choice for operators who want to deliver a high-quality vehicle for their customers and provide a safe and fatigue-reducing workplace for their drivers,” Julian says.

“Our newly updated Scania Touring comes with a suite of ADAS features that can assist the driver to achieve a high level of road safety. These include Improved Adaptive Cruise Control, Blind-spot Warning, Vulnerable Road User Warning, Lane Departure Warning, Integrated Advanced Emergency Braking, and Collision Warning.

“These features help set Scania apart from its rivals in the market as well as boosting safety for drivers and passengers as well as other road users,” Julian says.

“There’s also a completely new driver station, with a host of driver-friendly features including air vents that help create a perfectly comfortable climatic environment around the driver separate from that of the saloon.

“Combined with our Euro 6 compliant emissions and recently optimised engine technologies, we’re able to claim even greater fuel efficiency as well as impressively low emissions.

“The New Bus Generation Scania Touring also comes with the option of a new high torque 370 hp six-cylinder engine that is mated to a fully automatic six-speed transmission for utterly seamless driving. For long distance cruising as much as for round town work, the automatic transmission provides low-fatigue driving,” Julian says.

Keeping Scania bus and coaches on the road and running perfectly can be dependent on fitting the right parts at service or repair time.

“Scania workshops fit only genuine Scania parts either when replacing worn service items or repairing damage,” says Glenn Shaw, Parts Manager at Scania Prestons.

“We understand that a lot of operators want to use their own workshops for routine servicing, but they may not always source replacement parts from Scania and that puts their reliability at risk, using parts that have not been engineered specifically for Scania vehicles or manufactured to the same high tolerances using the same materials as original equipment,” Glenn says.

“Our genuine parts are competitively priced, something which often surprises customers used to buying non-genuine. In addition, our filter parts, for example, often come as a full kit with all the pieces needed to make a complete refresh, including washers, gaskets and fasteners, which you may not get with non-genuine,” Glenn says.

“One further Scania benefit for fleet buyers is our new Bus & Coach Fleet Helpdesk that aims to assists operator workshops who are tackling tricky repairs or maintenance,” Lionel Saunders says.

“One phone call can put you in touch with a Scania expert who can help diagnose the issue over the phone or suggest a procedure in order to resolve the problem and get the vehicle back on the road as soon as possible. This is particularly useful or remote and regional operators who may be far from a Scania workshop.

“It’s all part of the total solution package Scania offers its customers, to ensure they can enjoy maximum uptime,” Lionel says. “We’re here to help.”