Downer and Keolis joint venture, Keolis Downer, has been awarded a contract valued at $900 million to operate and maintain bus services on Sydney’s Northern Beaches and the lower north shore.
The contracts awarded by Transport for New South Wales (TfNSW) extends for eight years, staring from 31 October 2021.
As part of the contract, Keolis Downer will introduce 125 electric buses from two newly electrified depots in Sydney’s Brookvale and Mona Vale over the eight-year period.
Keolis Downer has also committed to introduce innovative headway technology for the B-Line service. Keolis Downer’s On Demand transport service, known as Keoride, will also become a permanent part of the network.
On-demand transport is any form of transport where the day-to-day services are influenced by the demand of the users. Passengers book a service for when and where they want to travel, with buses or smaller vehicles meeting this demand in place of fixed transport services.
Keolis Downer Chief Executive Office David Franks said the company will deliver a range of initiatives to further enhance the journey experience of customers.
“We will introduce new service technology to enable staff to actively manage routes and monitor bus running times, improving the frequency of bus services,” he said.
“We are also very excited to continue to deliver the highly successful On Demand transport service, which we have been operating in the area since 2017. We look forward to further engaging with the community to deliver a safe, efficient and reliable transport system that supports the liveability and future prosperity of this vibrant, growing region.”
Established in 2009, Keolis Downer is a joint venture between Keolis, a public transport operator established in 15 countries, and Downer, a provider of integrated services in Australia and New Zealand.
With 4,900 employees and a presence in five states, Keolis Downer operates and maintains the integrated network in Newcastle, the Yarra Trams network in Melbourne , the G:link light rail network on the Gold Coast, and 1,000 buses in NSW, Western Australia, South Australia and Queensland.
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