A $24 million contract for a fleet of 38 double decker buses to service Sydney's northern beaches has been announced by the NSW Government this week.
Each double decker bus will have 86 seats with standing room for 15 people, which is more than standard two-door buses that have a capacity for 43 people, and articulated buses that carry 64 people.
New South Wales (NSW) premier Mike Baird says the new double deck buses will start running between the Northern Beaches and Sydney’s CBD late next year.
“The B-Line will be the most convenient and reliable public transport option the Northern Beaches has ever had,” he says.
“There are 38 brand new double deck buses on the way, which will ensure passengers are comfortable and have more room during their daily commute.”
New features for the B-Line double deck bus fleet include individual, rather than bench seating with more leg room, charging stations for mobile devices at most seats, and display screens so customers know if seats are available on the upper deck.
They will feature a unique Northern Beaches B-Line livery for easy identification.
NSW minister for transport and infrastructure Andrew Constance says the first of the buses are expected to be delivered in mid 2017, with the entire fleet carrying customers by late 2017.
“Raising the standard of bus travel by improving amenities and making it easier to interchange will encourage a shift from cars to public transport,” he says.
The new turn-up-and-go B-Line services will run at least every 10 minutes across the week, with services arriving every five minutes in peak times in the peak direction.
The body of the MAN double deck buses was designed by Gemilang Australia for the Australian market.