Go Bus invests $11m in Christchurch urban passenger fleet

03 August 2016

Go Bus invests $11m in Christchurch urban passenger fleet

· A strategy to lift and grow bus patronage
· Part of plan to have the youngest national fleet

New Zealand’s biggest and most diverse bus operator Go Bus Transport is investing $11 million in 27 new buses for its Christchurch urban passenger fleet as part of a strategy to improve bus patronage.

The new buses will replace older vehicles in the company’s existing fleet in the region, and Go Bus plans for them to be operating on Christchurch routes by the end of October.

Go Bus Managing Director Calum Haslop says the new low-emission buses are an important part of the company’s response to the patronage challenges currently being faced in the city and the new vehicles will help stimulate passenger growth.

“For our passengers, the 27 new buses will represent a very modern urban bus experience, with an emphasis on comfort and reliability.

“We believe this investment will have a significant impact on the quality of our passengers’ experience, and will go a long way to pushing bus patronage back up by making the bus ride more comfortable. For example, while not required in our contracts with the council, all these new buses include air conditioning as standard.

“The new buses will also incorporate telematics technology capable of monitoring speed, cornering and braking to provide real time feedback to drivers, in an effort to further improve the quality of our passengers’ experiences.”

Environment Canterbury commissioner Rex Williams says Go Bus’s investment in its fleet reflected the importance of public transport’s role in greater Christchurch.

“Public transport is vital in our city and introducing new buses is a great way of making it more attractive.”

Mr Haslop says the $11 million is a major investment to ensure passengers receive the highest quality service with Go Bus.

“It is also part of the company’s passenger-focussed growth strategy. Our aim is to progressively modernise our fleet and retire buses well before the industry standard. This ensures Go Bus maintains the youngest average age fleet in the country.”

The 27 new vehicles are in addition to the 17 buses Go Bus has already rolled out across its Christchurch routes earlier this year.

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