Having seat belts, a tachograph and high backed seats fitted in its newest Optare Versa service bus has brought added flexibility to its use by Surrey independent operator Safeguard Coaches of Guildford. The company, which next year celebrates its 90th anniversary, will normally use the Versa on its busy town circular routes 4 and 5, […]

Delivery by Optare of a second Solo SR to Ross Travel Group brings the Yorkshire company closer to achieving an all low-floor fleet ahead of the end 2015 deadline. The Featherstone based family-run firm took its first Solo SR in 2010 and has ordered a third for delivery next year. It also has a number […]

Keith Brown MSP, Minister for Transport and Veterans, was in Ayr this week to launch the first free-running, fully-electric bus to be used for a local bus service in Scotland. The service, which links the ferry ports at Cairnryan to the railway station in Stranraer, is being operated six days a week with a 27 […]

Optare has won the ‘Excellence in Technology’ category at this year’s National Transport Awards with its Versa EV electric bus incorporating fast charging technology. It was the only bus manufacturer amongst the winners and fought off tough competition in its category from five finalists amongst which was Transport for London and two large regional Integrated […]

The last of ten of Optare’s Solo SR hybrid midibus has been handed over to Manchester Community Transport (MCT) following its display at the recent Coach & Bus Live show in Birmingham. All have now entered service under contracts awarded to MCT by TfGM (Transport for Greater Manchester). Following delivery of the last of the […]

Quality Line, the bus operating division of Epsom Coaches Group, has placed an order for 12 of Optare’s innovative MetroCity urban bus for delivery early in 2014. The order, which is the first for MetroCity, was confirmed by Epsom’s Managing Director Steve Whiteway during a visit to the Coach & Bus Live show in Birmingham […]

Two electric powered vehicles (EVs) from Optare which were on show at Coach & Bus Live 2013 demonstrated Optare’s position as the UK and Europe’s leading designer and manufacturer of full-size, commercially viable, battery-powered buses and its continued passion for innovation. A 9.25 metre Solo EV presented in the ‘Showcase Arena’ is currently undertaking a […]

Optare once again demonstrated its passion for innovation in passenger vehicle design and technology by showing two electric-powered, two diesel-powered and a hybrid model from its range of low-weight integral single-deck buses at Coach & Bus Live 2013. A Solo EV was also displayed in the new ‘Showcase Arena’ at regular intervals throughout the show […]

Since its launch last year the exceptionally low-weight 11.7 metre Versa has been proving itself in both the demanding urban environment and on rural operations in several parts of the UK. The model weighs just 7,820 kgs and has the passenger capacity of a 12 metre bus to give it a high revenue earning potential. […]