Ritchies invests in school bus fleet

Bus company Ritchies says it will spend $21 million buying 120 new buses from local manufacturer DesignLine over the next four years to replace its nation-wide school bus fleet.

The buses will be a mix of 40 and 48-seaters and will have the latest in emission controls. The first is expected to roll out of DesignLine's new Rolleston factory in March.

Ritchies, New Zealand's largest operator with a fleet of over 900 buses, said it was investing in New Zealand-made buses because of their quality and safety features. Second-hand Japanese buses' emission levels were too high and cheaper Chinese versions did not have the quality of DesignLine's buses, said director Andrew Ritchie.

Andrew Green, managing director of DesignLine, said that this type of order vindicates the company's decision to invest in a totally new production facility at Rolleston, near Christchurch.

It was now looking at doubling production to at least 500 buses a year and hoped to be able to replace many of the Japanese imports on the country's roads that were due for replacement.

"We have been absent from the school bus market in the last few years, but with our new facility able to produce a very cost-efficient, lightweight aluminium extrusion body we are now a serious player in this market.

- NZPA