Bus Corp Oceania has formalised its Australia and New Zealand Distributorship agreement with Optare following a recent visit to the manufacturer’s headquarters in the UK.
As well as signing the documentation to make the deal official, Bus Corp general manager Jason Pecotic was joined by a number of operators from Australia and New Zealand as potential Optare customers.
The visit included visits to UK Optare customers and a comprehensive evaluation of the Metrocity Euro 6 Diesel, Metrocity EV, Solo EV and Metrodecker EV buses.
Optare president, Graham Belgum said the new arrangement is already driving enquiries.
“This is in line with plans to strengthen the Optare presence and increase the expansion of the brand in Australia and New Zealand,” Belgum said.
Pecotic is no stranger to the Australian bus industry as the former CEO of WMC Group – the importer and distributor responsible for the rapid rise of Chinese bus brand Higer in Australia.
He said Bus Corp’s initial goal is to build faith in the Optare brand and highlight the advantages its monocoque design.
“We were able to host some significant bus operators to the UK to see how the high technology Optare monocoques are constructed and highlight the efficiency advantages they deliver as well as exposing Australian and New Zealand operators to Optare fleets successfully running in the UK,” said Pecotic.
“The visit also cemented our relationship as the Optare distributor in this region marking the occasion with the official signing of the distributor contract and a massive vote of confidence in BCO by Optare.
“We are now looking forward to writing the next chapter of the Optare story in Australia and New Zealand,” he added.
Bus Corp Oceania is also in the final stages of negotiations with Trucks & Trailers Ltd. in NZ to become Optare’s service dealer and parts distributor across the ditch.
