Page 2689 - Week 08 - Tuesday, 15 August 2017
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clearly demonstrates this government’s resolve to invest in our bus system as one part of an integrated transport network.
The two complete electric buses will be supplied by Carbridge, who currently supply buses to Sydney and Brisbane airports for passenger transfer from car parks to terminals. The third vehicle, a hybrid electric bus, will be provided by Volvo Australia. One of the complete electric buses and the one hybrid electric bus have already been delivered to Transport Canberra’s Tuggeranong depot and are being fitted with the appropriate systems and equipment as we speak. Driver training will also be undertaken as, of course, safety remains a top priority.
It is expected that these two new vehicles will enter service next month, while the final complete electric bus is expected to enter service later this year. I look forward to continuing to update the Canberra community at a launch for these buses in the coming weeks.
MS CODY: Minister, how will the electric buses benefit the territory?
MS FITZHARRIS: These electric buses will provide significant benefits to the territory as we continue to renew and expand our bus fleet. The trial presents a great opportunity to monitor how these new-technology buses can supplement our existing transport network and the Transport Canberra bus fleet. The performance of the electric buses will be measured across a range of areas, including environmental impact, customer comfort and convenience, and operational compatibility with the existing fleet.
We anticipate that the alternative fuels trial will demonstrate improvements in the area of environmental impact through the elimination or reduction of carbon outputs. We also expect greater customer comfort and convenience, thanks to a quieter and smoother ride, while maintaining the latest benefits of climate-controlled travel. As I mentioned this morning, on my recent North American trip I had the pleasure of riding on a number of electric buses, including in Montreal and Los Angeles, and can attest that they are both quiet and comfortable.
Around the world, cities are adopting these technologies. The adoption of them right here in Canberra shows the progressive nature of the territory in trialling and adopting new and emerging technologies to benefit the community. The electric bus trial will be used to assess the success of implementing new technology in the fleet, with the full intention of further innovation over the coming years.
MR COE: Minister, how did the specs in the contracting tender differ for this contract for an electric vehicle compared to the failed contract about a year ago?
MS FITZHARRIS: I thank Mr Coe for the supplementary. What we were able to learn when we first went to market for an electric bus trial early last year was that there have been significant advancements over the past 12 to 18 months in the electric bus market in the ACT. We were able to adapt some of the specifications in the tender which has enabled us to have, as I mentioned, two electric buses and one hybrid vehicle. That will enable us to trial two different types of buses throughout the entire
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