1997 Dennis Lance #909
Built in 1997, it was built for Malaysian operator Naelia as a part of a 50 bus order, who operated the vehicle between 1998 and 2000.
Due to bankruptcy in 2000, it was purchased and exported to New Zealand, where it joined the Ritchies fleet during their continued expansion into Auckland in the early 2000s.
During its vast career with Ritchies, spanning 20 years, our Lance criss-crossed Auckland, transporting thousands of commuters every year in its early days to school kids in its later years. It was used regularly to train new drivers and was instantly recognisable in the fleet, being the only one.
In 2021, its time with Ritchies came to an end, where it was sold off to DriveRyte in Havelock North, where it spent a few years training people to get their Class 2 heavy vehicle licence. In 2023, it was sold off as a motorhome. Luckily, the owner was never able to make the conversation happen and we were able to purchase it in 2025 for preservation.
The vehicle will see a fictional Trans Island Bus Services livery to match its fictional fleet number #909, to tell the story of the 50 bus order and the majority of the fleet that ended up in Singapore's historical fleet.
