TSA is one of many local companies providing assistance on the Melbourne trial in the city’s southeast
A new emissions-free bus trial has commenced in Melbourne’s southeast as part of the Victorian government’s state-wide investigation into net zero public transport, with support from TSA.
The trial is supported by the state government’s $20 million investment for the three year trial, which will see eight electric buses operate on routes out of the Oakleigh depot.
ComfortDelGro Corporation Australia (CDC) is operating the trial, which aims at reducing the carbon footprint in the bus sector.
The trial will help the Victorian government in its bid to make all new public transport buses zero-emissions from 2025, as it provides information on how to run different technologies under normal operating conditions, including hydrogen fuel cell and battery electric buses.
The trial started in November last year, with the first of the battery electric buses deployed on busy routes in 630 and 601.
Alongside TSA and CDC, other trial partners include Volvo, Engie, Volgren and Monash University.
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For TSA’s part, the consultancy has provided strategic and bid development support during the tendering phase and will now assist the trial partners with operational readiness, assurance and project support, led by a five-strong team of experts.
“As a relatively new technology, there isn’t a great deal of existing information about the practicalities of running, powering and maintaining zero emissions buses on a busy network,” TSA says.
“There was also the added complexity of the local manufacture of these new types of buses. We have been the glue that brought together the bus operator, charging infrastructure and bus manufacturer.”
As to ensuring operational readiness, TSA has been busy with handover management, staff development, service planning, business integration, and customer service among other activities.
The firm states that these requirements were first identified in collaboration with key stakeholders, before then being tracked to completion with supporting monitoring tools and a management framework.