West Aucklanders now have a more efficient and environmentally friendly way to travel, after Auckland Transport (AT) launched a new fleet of 44 electric buses on Sunday to better serve a rapidly growing population.

The new buses, including 26 double-deckers, will run every ten minutes on AT’s WX1 Western Express frequent service from Westgate to the city centre via the Lincoln and Te Atatū bus interchanges.

Over coming months these brand-new electric buses will also replace diesel buses on the 11T, 11W and 12 routes.

Waitākere Councillor Shane Henderson and his family braved the wet weather on Sunday to board one of the electric double-deckers on its inaugural journey into the city centre on Sunday.

“It’s a really exciting day for west Auckland, and it’s going to build on what was already a really successful bus service which has smashed patronage targets,” he says.

The west is rapidly expanding, and public transport change is coming fast

The west is one of the fastest growing areas in Auckland, and these expanding communities need high quality public transport options. Our new greater-capacity electric buses will provide this now, and in the future.

Henderson-Massey Local Board member Dan Collins was also on board on Sunday and underlined the importance of providing more public transport options for Auckland’s west.

“We wouldn’t be getting double-deckers if there weren’t enough people to go on them, and it shows that west Aucklanders have really embraced the WX1 service.

“And you can charge your phone on them too,” he says.

With the Government’s announcement last week that it will fund a new dedicated busway and stations between Westgate and into the central city, the future of public transport is suddenly looking much brighter for west Auckland communities.

Get ready for a quieter, and more environmentally friendly bus future

The new buses are operated by Tranzit’s Tranzurban Division, and General Manager Catherine Jones says they are a win-win for west Aucklanders, and the environment.

“Electric buses will contribute to net neutral carbon emission on transport services, so having this eye-catching fleet on the road in west Auckland supports AT's environmental goals.

“Based on Tranzit Group’s experiences in delivering urban passenger services in electric buses across Aotearoa New Zealand, passengers notice how much quieter and smoother their bus journey is, and our drivers enjoy driving them.

“With less noise and air pollution there’s also a benefit to the communities and businesses where this fleet operates,” she says.

Auckland Transport is focused on delivering a transport system that reduces emissions, is resilient to the impacts of climate change and minimises impacts on human wellbeing and the environment.

While transport is impacted by climate change it’s also part of what’s causing it. Transport is the second biggest contributor to New Zealand’s greenhouse gas emissions so reducing them helps protect our future.

Auckland is leading the way for electric bus use in Australasia

“One of our key targets is that by 2030, we want all buses coming into the city centre to be electric,” AT’s Infrastructure and Fleet Specification Manager, Edward Wright, says.

“And right now Auckland has more electric buses, 224 of them to be exact, than any other city in Australasia.

“Each of these new double-decker electric buses can fit 100 passengers, and we have boosted capacity on the WX1 service by an additional 7,333 seats every weekday, and 51,000 seats every week.

“We’re adding another 31 electric buses to our fleet by the end of June. By August next year, we will have a fleet of 450 electric buses, which is around a third of the 1350 buses that operates AT’s services.

“Longer term, we have plans in place for Auckland’s bus fleet to be fully electric by 2035,” he says.

New frequent bus service also added to the network out west

AT’s Head of Public Transport Services and Planning Development, Pete Moth, says AT has also implemented a new frequent bus service in west Auckland.

“We have replaced the old 120 service with the Frequent 12 service. This new route links Greenhithe and Constellation Station on the North Shore, and unlike the old service, it will run along the motorway instead of residential roads – meaning faster journeys for most users.”

“It will initially run every 12 –15 minutes in peak times, and every 30 minutes at off-peak times. Once necessary charging facilities are in place, route 12 will run at least every 15 minutes, 7am-7pm, 7 days a week,” Mr Moth says.

“This will bring around 40 percent of west Aucklanders within walking distance of a turn-up-and-go bus or train service.”

"We have also added more trips to the WX1 and 11T/W services. The WX1 will now run every 10 minutes until 9pm, and the 11T/W services will provide a combined 20-minute frequency between 6am and 8pm during weekdays.”

For more information about the WX1 Western Express frequent service and the new 12 service, please check out AT.govt.nz/ServiceAnnouncements.

Use the AT Mobile app or online Journey Planner www.AT.govt.nz/JourneyPlanner to plan your journey.

Notes:

26 brand new double deck electric buses

• The three-axle electric bus is designed by Tranzit Group’s team of specialists with the chassis built in China through bus partner CRRC and the body built in Malaysia through partner Gemilang.
• Have 508kW of CATL batteries providing more than 300kms of range on a single charge.
• Have capacity for 83 seated and 17 standing passengers along with 1 wheelchair space.
• Passengers will be able to charge their phones thanks to USB ports and wireless pads
• Drivers will be kept safe with protection screens and an onboard fatigue management system which sits on the modern driver’s dashboard.

18 brand new single deck electric buses

• Have 508 kW of CATL batteries providing more than 360kms of range on a single charge.
• Have capacity for 37 seated and 38 standing passengers along with 2 wheelchair spaces.
• Passengers will be able to charge their phones thanks to USB ports.
• Drivers will be kept safe with protection screens and an onboard fatigue management system which sits on the modern driver’s dashboard.

The new electric bus fleet sports a new colour and Māori design

• The fleet is AT’s first to show our AT taurapa design elements, alongside our vibrant Shore blue colour. Taurapa are the stern of the waka. It represents AT’s journey towards a connected and thriving Tāmaki Makaurau.
• This mahi toi (artwork) represents Tangaroa, the guardian of moana. Moana are the domain of waka (canoes) – the first transportation of Tāmaki Makaurau. Today’s waka (vehicles) includes our buses, ferries, trains and cars.

AT’s Head of Public Transport Services and Planning Development, Pete Moth, will be available for media interviews today between 1.30 – 4pm.

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