Scania’s comprehensive solutions generate sales record in Norway

Norwegian public transport operators are increasingly choosing Scania as a supplier of buses and related services. Order bookings so far this year amount to 235 buses and coaches, which is an all-time-high. The success is due to a combination of comfortable and reliable buses, which can be operated using alternative fuels including hybrid drive, and services that guarantee low operating cost and high capacity utilisation of vehicles.

It became clear that 2014 will be a record year after Scania in Norway signed an agreement for delivery of a total of 99 buses and coaches in city and intercity configurations to a consortium of operators in the Eastern Norway region (Østlandet) The order includes city buses of the Scania Citywide LE model and the intercity coaches Scania OmniExpress and Scania Higer A30.

“We are reaping the rewards of long-term, target-oriented work. Scania’s market position is stronger than ever, with a broad product and service offering. This is confirmed by the appreciation we receive from operators as well as their drivers and passengers,” says Olav Dårflot, who is Manager for Bus and Coach Sales at Norsk Scania AS.

In the increasingly important service market, Norsk Scania is achieving success through repair and maintenance contracts, among other things, which are tailored to individual operator needs. A steadily increasing share of the operators are also choosing Scania Fleet Management as a system for follow-up and monitoring of their bus fleets.

Today Scania has a broad range of buses and coaches for city and suburban networks and also for intercity and charter services. The company’s own model range consists of Scania Citywide, Scania OmniExpress, Scania Higer A30, Scania Touring and Scania Metrolink – the latter is manufactured and sold in India. In addition to this, a number of models are offered, which are body-built by independent partners. The majority of these buses and coaches are covered by the same service commitment as Scania’s internally developed models.

Scania has the market’s broadest range of engines for alternative fuels. The buses and coaches can be delivered with engines for natural and biogas and other commercially available biofuels such as rapeseed methyl ester (RME) and ethanol. The first bus featuring hybrid drive was recently unveiled – Scania Citywide LE – which is also available in a configuration for biodiesel operation. The first hybrid buses will be delivered to Norway during the spring of 2015.

Scania is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of trucks and buses for heavy transport applications, and of industrial and marine engines. Service-related products account for a growing proportion of the company’s operations, assuring Scania customers of cost-effective transport solutions and maximum uptime Scania also offers financial services. Employing some 41,000 people, the company operates in about 100 countries. Research and development activities are concentrated in Sweden, while production takes place in Europe and South America, with facilities for global interchange of both components and complete vehicles. In 2013, net sales totalled SEK 86.8 billion and net income amounted to SEK 6.2 billion. Scania press releases are available on www.scania.com (http://www.scania.com/se)