The new Wrightbus “Streetlite” low floor from Northern Ireland might be just the ticket for Australian operators carrying small loads or traversing narrow streets.
The 8.8 metre demonstration unit has lots of pros and a few cons which we experienced on a recent test drive in Melbourne.
The new Wrightbus ‘Streetlite’ midi route bus has a ‘micro-hybrid’ system the company says will save about a further 10 per cent in fuel.
Wrightbus is a familiar brand in Britain and employs about 2000 people after kicking off in Northern Ireland in the 1940s.
Now the family company wants to increase its global presence. It’s already got 500 double-deckers running around in the right-hand drive Hong Kong market, and is making a push into Australia and New Zealand via local distributor Patico Automotive.
ABC recently took the first one to arrive in Australia for a spin near Patico’s HQ in Dandenong, Melbourne, ahead of its arrival in Sydney for the 2016 Australian Bus and Coach Show.
You can read the full written test review here
Photography: Andrew Britten | Video: Andrew Britten