Brisbane City Council’s commitment to a clean, low-carbon public transport network has been boosted by the deployment of four Volgren-built Euro 6 buses
Operating across standard bus services in Brisbane, the 12.5m-long Volgren Optimus buses are built on Volvo’s B8RLE chassis with its low-emission Euro 6 engine.
The new chassis complements Volgren’s ground-breaking Optimus, launched in 2013.
The early introduction of the Volgren-bodied B8RLE Euro 6 buses gives the council the opportunity to evaluate the performance of the new vehicles against their current Euro 5 fleet.
Manager of engineering and asset management branch at Brisbane City Council Karl Hain says the council operates about 1200 buses, with almost half running on compressed natural gas and all new buses powered by new-generation, high-efficiency, EEV diesel
engine technology.
“Brisbane City Council is committed to the city being clean, green and sustainable. Two key areas this is achieved is by providing clean air and lowering carbon emissions,” he says.
“The introduction of a Euro 6 engine helps council achieve these outcomes as the Euro 6 engine reduces emissions by 80 per cent for NOx, 66 per cent for particulate matter, and 70 per cent for hydrocarbons compared to the current legislated Euro 5 standard.”
Hain says bus operators at the council’s Virginia depot have already reported improved performance of the Euro 6 compared to the previous Euro 5 EEV model.
“Bus operators have indicated a clear preference for the Euro 6 with smoother delivery of power and a quieter engine than the previous generation EEV,” Hain explains.
“All indicators suggest that the new vehicles have made a positive impact for the environment, our operators and importantly, our passengers.”
Hain adds that the joint venture with locally based Volgren supports Brisbane City Council’s primary responsibility to ensure value for money for Brisbane ratepayers while providing local OEM and aftersales support.
Volgren commercial manager Jim Jones says delivery of the Volgren-built buses represents an important milestone in a partnership that spans more than 15 years.
“The introduction of the Euro 6s across the network contributes to Brisbane being recognised as 100 per cent carbon neutral,” he says. The Transport for Brisbane team has shown great leadership by investing in the latest technology to deliver lasting environmental outcomes and a commitment to improving driver and customer experience.”