Well if Volvo offers a gearbox that is automatic in all but name then it's no wonder they're presently not offering coaches with automatic gearboxes.

I can't see what advantage a traditional auto has over i-Shift if there is a restricted option whereby the driver has no control over the gears.

I would have thought it was an advantage that the driver could have control over the gears sometimes, like in exceptional weather conditions or hill climbing to avoid going from 2nd to 3rd and then back to 2nd again and repeating the process the whole time but I'm not a bus driver so I don't know, I just know from driving automatic cars that it can be very handy sometimes to use manual mode when the auto is constantly switching between 2 gears.

But if that's what the operators want is no manual control then I don't see why First or Stagecoach or Bus Éireann don't choose buses with i-Shift or AS-Tronic, unless they are especially unreliable, and I haven't heard anything to say that these automated manuals are any less reliable than an automatic coach.

Even fleet operators of AS-Tronic like BÉ and Ulsterbus, I haven't heard of any complaints about AS-Tronic, there are lots of complaints about how slow AS-Tronic can be with the LDs and of course there are a lot of complaints about the reliability of the turbos, engines, electrics with the VDLs and the delayed indicators with them as well but I have yet to hear of any complaints about the mechanical reliability of AS-Tronic in either Ulsterbus' MAN/Ayats Bravos or BÉ's LDs.

I suspect that BÉ doesn't want to try an electronic gearbox because they will want to stick with something that is very well proven; Volvo engines and chassis are well proven in the fleet and they are a 'known quantity' in the fleet, but BÉ have never bought anything with a Volvo designed gearbox and they might well be weary of trying something relatively new like that. Also the bad experience of the B12B has put them off ordering Volvo coaches since 2004 so even though it is no longer offered it still leaves a bad taste in the mouth.

Everything with the Scania chassis is well proven and I suspect that that may well tip the order in favour of them, hopefully for SPs, but it's looking like it will be some sort of SC from what those 'in the know' are saying which I think is very disappointing. I would be very surprised if LCs were ordered but I know it would be foolish to rule them out as well.