Vista Is Always an Education

Margus Kristal and his Viru Valge team from Tallinn, Estonia have just returned from Gothenburg, where they finished second in the VISTA 2015-2016 European semi-final. Unfortunately this means they will not be competing in this year’s final. However, Margus is far from despondent.
Vista Is Always an Education

“It was a fantastic experience once again. This was the third time I have competed in VISTA, and it’s always an education. You can really feel the teamwork involved,” he says. Margus is a diagnostic electrician working in the Volvo Trucks workshop in Tallinn. He has worked for Volvo for over ten years and is currently working with the development of hybrid buses.

Margus’ work has encompassed various evolutions in bus technology, and he is currently working with Thoreb, BEA2 and BEA2+ systems. Thoreb is a kind of electrical architecture that communicates with the body parts on electric buses to make them function, as Margus explains. “It facilitates the opening and closing of the bus doors, the passenger information display signs, the monitoring of all buttons inside and outside the bus, and the control of the climate system, among other functions.”

When asked if he intends to compete in VISTA again, Margus is unequivocal. “Yes of course! Me and the team have now participated in three competitions. We got to the final in 20 2011 and came 13th overall. We were very happy and would always welcome the chance to do it all over again.”