Alexander Dennis

We've delivered a third Enviro400 double decker to Crosskeys Coaches & Travel in time for the Kent operator's free “Reach the Beach” summer service 51, which links Folkestone’s railway stations with the seaside during the school holidays to provide a car-free alternative for beachgoers. Crosskeys provides this service in partnership with Kent County Council with funding from the government’s Bus Service Improvement Plan. The new Enviro400 offers 85 seats fitted with three-point belts alongside a fixed wheelchair space easily accessed via a ramp at the main passenger door. Crosskeys Managing Director Alan Johnson said: “Our Enviro400 have proven themselves to be versatile buses over the last two years, allowing us to accommodate large groups easily while keeping our costs to a minimum thanks to their reliable design and great fuel economy.” Our Regional Sales Manager Mark Taylor added: “We’re delighted to have been chosen by Alan and his team at Crosskeys Coaches for this investment in another high-capacity bus. Its use on the beach service in Folkestone will be a great advert of modern and sustainable transport for the local community as they enjoy their summer.”

⚡ Our next-generation electric buses are driving value through longevity. 🔋 The next generation of Alexander Dennis electric buses is ready with class-leading warrantable energy throughput – up to 1.6GWh on the Enviro400EV and up to 1.2GWh on the Enviro100EV – that has you covered for profitable operating lives. #LeadingtheZEvolution

⚡ Collaborative partnerships with our suppliers underpin our next-generation electric buses' ability to drive value for our customers through efficiency, longevity and flexibility. Knorr-Bremse AG is a key partner who provides screw compressors, air treatment and systems including electronic leveling control, braking control and driver assistance. In this feature, Knorr-Bremse's Gary Brown talks about the capabilities of its products and why we have full confidence in our partner. #LeadingtheZEvolution

🏆 Congratulations to the winners and runners-up of the Society of Operations Engineers IRTE Skills Challenge 2024 on their highly deserved recognition! We're proud to continue our support for the annual event, which pits apprentice and qualified bus and coach technicians against a series of theoretical and practical tests across electrical, mechanical and bodywork to demonstrate their skills. Earlier this summer, we brought a next-generation Enviro100EV electric bus to the testing week, with our AD24 Training Academy team setting two challenges on and off the vehicle. Our Head of Product Information & Training Laura Tofts led three expert trainers at the event and said: “The bus and coach industry relies on the fantastic skills of its technicians and at Alexander Dennis, nurturing and developing these skills in person is even more important than the financial support we give to the IRTE Skills Challenge. That is why in addition to our presence during the testing week, we invested many hours of preparation to develop meaningful tasks and ensure we would be able to score them consistently.” The challenges we set during the IRTE Skills Challenge focused on door systems and reflected how mechanical issues are increasingly becoming intertwined with electrical components, such as pneumatic pumps now being electrically controlled. This is also reflected in the courses offered by the AD24 Training Academy. Training on electrical systems is now offered at four levels, ranging from the hugely popular Introduction to Electrical Systems that provides a first step into low-voltage environments to Advanced Electrical Systems at the other end of the scale, which upskills even the most experienced technicians to offer continued development. These AD24 Training Academy courses are not specific to Alexander Dennis vehicles, aimed instead at skilling up people for the wider industry with a mix of classroom learning and hands-on training on test rigs and vehicles. Laura explained: “We want to arm people with the knowledge to go in and diagnose more challenging faults as vehicle systems get more complex and more electrically based. The IRTE Skills Challenge always gives us a great platform to do this outside of our own courses and the experience informs how we develop our courses further.” #LeadingtheZEvolution

⚡ Before the first London-specification demonstrators of our next-generation electric buses have even hit the road, orders are in place! Stagecoach Bus will receive 24 Enviro100EV small buses and 17 Enviro400EV double deckers in early 2025 for routes operated on behalf of the capital’s transport authority Transport for London. The new buses meet the latest iterations of TfL’s pioneering Bus Safety Standard and we were the first manufacturer to receive a positive result from independent impact testing of the buses’ revised front geometry, which protects vulnerable road users and improves direct vision for drivers. Our Group Sales & Business Development Manager Ben Werth comments: “This new order further confirms the incredible success of our next-generation vehicle platform, which we’ve designed in-house from the ground up to drive value for the UK bus industry through efficiency, longevity and flexibility. Stagecoach recognises our next-generation buses’ potential to deliver outstanding total cost of ownership with an electric drive system that could last two full TfL route contract terms without a need for battery replacement.” Nick Owen, Director of Buses at TfL, adds: “London has the largest zero-emission bus fleet in Western Europe, with more than 1,400 buses, and we look forward to welcoming these 41 new Alexander Dennis electric buses on our routes. These new zero-emission buses all comply with our Bus Safety Standards for safer journeys for all road users, and will also support vital jobs across the UK in various stages of their production.” Paul Lynch, Managing Director of Stagecoach London, says: “We’re looking forward to operating these buses which promise a step forward in range and longevity. They add to our rapidly growing electric bus fleet as we play our part in delivering TfL and the Mayor’s targets for London, as well as our own Stagecoach commitments on carbon reduction.” #LeadingtheZEvolution

⚡ The next-generation of Alexander Dennis electric buses are driving value through efficiency and longevity with benchmark energy consumption and class-leading warrantable energy throughput. #LeadingtheZEvolution

After working a full 50 years for us at the AD24 workshop in Anston, our colleague Trevor Richardson is now looking forward to his retirement. Trevor (pictured here with our Service Centre Manager Alan Masters) started his light vehicle mechanical career as an apprentice before achieving his City & Guilds qualification which led to him becoming a heavy vehicle technician. In 1984, he progressed to mechanical chargehand and joined the 24-hour recovery team where he worked days and nights for over 20 years. Trevor’s long career has allowed him to amass am impressive amount of knowledge and turn his hand to any problem, including working as an MOT tester for VOSA. One of Trevor’s achievements has been his input in helping grow our apprenticeship scheme. Over the years, he provided support and knowledge to many young apprentices at the start of their successful careers. We're glad that he managed to overcome a serious illness in the last year and wish Trevor all the best in his extremely well-earned retirement as we thank him for his unwavering effort and commitment over the last 50 years!

⚡ Our next-generation electric buses are driving value through efficiency thanks to their low energy consumption, confirmed at 0.67kWh/km for the Enviro400EV and 0.54kWh/km for the Enviro100EV in zero-emission bus testing. This means lower operating costs throughout their working lives, ensuring that Alexander Dennis electric buses will continue to add value for your business and protect your bottom line. #LeadingtheZEvolution

We've delivered a new Enviro400 double deck bus to English independent operator Weardale Motor Services Limited. The Enviro400 is fitted with 85 comfortable seats with seatbelts, USB charging ports and wood-effect flooring to give passengers a comfortable experience on board. A digital tachograph enables the family-owned operator to use the double decker flexibly from its base in County Durham. Managing Director Anthony Gibson, whose grandfather founded the business in the 1920s, welcomed the new addition to the Weardale fleet: “The Alexander Dennis Enviro400 offers us great value for money through its combination of high capacity and standard bus technology. We bought a similar bus two years ago and it has been easy to maintain and efficient to operate, making this an easy choice for further investment.” Our Regional Sales Manager Martin Dunleavy added: “I’m delighted that our Enviro400 has established itself in the Weardale Motor Services fleet. I look forward to further supporting Anthony and his team, not least with two Enviro200 single deckers already in build for delivery later this year.”

⚡ The Enviro400EV combines benchmark 0.67kWh/km energy efficiency over the UK Bus Cycle with class-leading 1.6GWh warrantable energy throughput to ensure you can go further for longer at lower cost. The next generation of Alexander Dennis zero-emission buses: driving value through efficiency and longevity. #LeadingtheZEvolution