In recent years, BLK Auto has had a range that caters for any application an operator could think of. Whether it be route services, coach or charter runs or the growing school bus market, BLK Auto’s extensive suite of models has ranged from diesel to the latest in zero-emissions.

It’s now set to be tweaked, with BLK Auto streamlining its wide range of vehicles on offer while also re-introducing a popular option for operators.

“We’ve looked at our product range recently and condensed it to make it more appealing to customers,” BLK Auto national sales  manager Mark Nichols told ABC.

The streamlining process began in the past year when the federal government introduced new Australian Design Rules (ADR) for the bus and heavy vehicle industry, including the enforcement of lane departure warning systems, advanced emergency braking and Euro 6 engine emission vehicles.

When it comes to Euro 6 vehicles, ADR 80/04 regulates that all new heavy vehicle models being delivered to Australia from November 1, 2024 must be Euro 6 engine emissions at the least, with all existing heavy vehicle models being supplied to Australia from November 1, 2025 onwards having to comply to the standard. ADR 99/01 mandates that lane departure warning systems (LDWS) have to be included on heavy vehicles.

Finally, the announcement of an ADR requiring AEB systems to be on all new buses from November 1 this year signalled a new era of safety requirements for Australian buses and coaches.

These changes made BLK Auto review its current fleet of vehicles, with the Australian distributor deciding to streamline its options to make it easier for operators.

“There was a mix of reasons behind us deciding to look at our products and condense them,” Nichols says.

“While the ADRs played a major part, another reason was that we wanted to modernise the look of our buses and continue to offer a smaller seat option into the range.”

The change to its fleet means BLK Auto has refined its popular President range of vehicles, with the President 2 and 3 models being joined by the re-introduced President 10. The 10m variation of the bus will feature the same styling as its longer siblings, providing a stylish and updated range.

“We’re going to have a very modern and sleek fleet – we review our fleet every five years to ensure the styling remains attractive for operators,” BLK Auto operations manager Kylie Bellamy told ABC.

“This makes it both more appealing to customers but also easier to build in our factory. The President 10 will complement our President 2 and 3 models, as well as our Citystar range.

“The goal is that if someone purchases one of each model, they’ll have the same style bus in terms of componentry, parts and look.”

Bellamy says BLK Auto undertook extensive market research before making the change, consulting with customers to hear what they want to see from BLK Auto. The end result was a more modern look and consistent componentry and parts to make running a fleet easy.

BLK Auto responded to this, maintaining the boutique build it’s known for and condensing its fleet size from an array of models.

“We know that everyone is suffering from production timelines, so this allows us to reduce it,” Bellamy says.

“Instead of having an eight to nine month build time, we may be able to reduce this over time to around the four to six month mark.”

Customer feedback also allowed BLK Auto to determine that operators who buy the 57-seat President 2 are now looking at a smaller option, hence the reintroduction of the President 10. Bellamy says the choice was confirmed when the factory agreed with what customers were saying regarding componentry, look and size.

“The market has dictated the change – when you see the quantity of Senator range models we were selling before and after COVID, it made it easy for us to streamline the fleet,” Bellamy says.

“It was a model that was due for a revamp – instead of working on that, we wanted to focus on bringing the President 10 model to our homebase in Yatala, Queensland.

“So far, the feedback has been fantastic and has confirmed that we made the right decision.”

The President 10 used to be part of BLK Auto’s fleet before COVID, with the midi sized bus not being as in demand as it is now. With tour and charter operators now calling for buses of that size, Nichols knew now was the right time to bring the President 10 back.

“The design of the new President 10 means people can identify the entire President range by the look of the front, regardless of if it’s a 10m, 12.3m, 13.2m or 14.5m variation,” Nichols says.

“We want customers to be able to identify us from the front of the bus. While we had the foundations of the President 10 with us for some time, we’ve brought in a new design that complements our current fleet.”

The versatile model can be used for a variety of applications, including for school, inbound and tour operations. With both inbound and charter work continuing to return to pre-COVID levels, BLK Auto is preparing for the boom with the President 10.

The returning model, like the rest of its streamlined fleet, will continue to be serviced by BLK Auto’s comprehensive aftersales package, which includes 24/7 service and more than $1.8 million stocked in spare parts.

“We stock a variety of BLK Auto and other OEM parts because we’re trying to provide a total package for our customers,” Nichols says.

“It’s not just about buying the bus – we want to be a partner for the vehicle’s entire lifespan, meaning that spare parts and aftersales become very important.”