A mass recall of Transport for NSW (TfNSW) articulated ‘bendy’ buses from late September has added to service delays for school students and commuters in NSW’s Northern Beaches area.
According to the Manly Observer, 39 articulated 2005-2006 Volvo B-12 BLE model buses have been removed from service due to cracks in connecting plates.
This has impacted Northern Beaches routes like the 199, 144, 165X, 170X, 154X, 173X and 180X, as well as some school services.
- Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter to receive the latest news and classifieds from Australasia’s bus and coach industry
- Don’t miss a second and subscribe to our monthly ABC magazine
TfNSW decided to pull the buses from service as they own the fleet, despite the buses being franchised to operator Keolis Downer.
Wakehurst MP Michael Regan says he wants the state’s transport minister Jo Haylen to quickly buy more modern double-decker buses as a solution to current fleet problems and ongoing driver issues.
“We know electric articulated buses are years away, but double-deck buses, which are fuel-efficient and compliant with modern emissions standards, are available now,” Regan says.
“The last thing I want to hear from bureaucrats is that the policy is to not purchase any more diesel buses. In an emergency, policies need to be flexible. The solution is clear: bring in more modern, euro-standard emission compliant double-deck buses now, and remove these dirty diesel bendy buses from our streets.”
Volvo Buses Australia says it will continue working with the likes of TfNSW to ensure the buses are fixed and returned to services as soon as possible.
“Volvo Buses Australia is working closely with TfNSW to understand the challenge and will of course give direction in line with our core values of quality and safety,” Volvo Buses Australia general manager Mitch Peden told ABC.
Read more:
- Kinetic shuts down Sydney commercial charter operations
- Zero emission bus contracts handed out for Melbourne
- Video Review: Yutong C12 and C12E
- Video Review: Challenger Callibar
- BusTech finds buyer, acquisition approved