NEWS
KEOLIS DOWNER LANDS SYDNEY CONTRACT KEOLIS DOWNER has announced that it will be operating and maintaining Sydney Region 8 bus services in a $900 million contract from Transport for New South Wales (TfNSW) The French-Australian busoperating joint venture will be running bus services in the Northern Beaches and the lower North Shore areas for eight years from October 31, 2021, TfNSW has announced. The ‘partnership’ with TfNSW aims to “deliver innovative transport solutions in Sydney’s Northern beaches as the future bus operator”, states Keolis Downer. Global law firm Ashurst has advised Keolis Downer on the tender. According to the company, Keolis
Downer will work closely with TfNSW to deliver a range of initiatives to further enhance the journey experience of customers, across all aspects of the service. The contract will see the introduction of 125 electric buses over the next eight years, delivering more sustainable transport options for the local community from two newly electrified depots in Brookvale and Mona Vale, it confirms. Keolis Downer will also introduce innovative headway technology to further increase the reliability and quality of service of the successful B-Line, it explains. The popular on-demand transport service known as
Keoride will also become a permanent part of the network, it adds.
SMOOTH TRANSITION
Above: Keolis Downer will introduce technology to further increase the reliability and quality of service of the successful B-Line, it states. Above: The contract will mean the introduction of 125 electric buses during the next eight years.
Keolis Downer is delighted to partner with TfNSW to deliver positive public transport outcomes to the local communities in the Northern beaches and the lower North Shore, it states. Keolis Downer’s priority is to ensure a smooth transition of all the employees and maintain high standards of customer experience and operations, it says. Additionally, it is focused on introducing global innovations like headway services, new electric buses, and ‘wayfinding’ improvements that will deliver more connected and sustainable
“We will introduce new service technology to enable staff to actively manage routes and monitor bus running times, improving the frequency of bus services.” 8
ABC June 2021 busnews.com.au
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16/06/2021 2:09:40 PM
