Dyson Group has been selected to partner with Transport for NSW for its $25 million project to run a series of trials of zero emission buses and coaches across regional NSW.
Students from 12 schools in the Deni and Moama areas will be utilising the buses, which Transport for NSW offered “a quieter, smoother, and more comfortable journey on battery electric buses that emit no harmful exhaust fumes”.
Schools that will be serviced by the new electric buses are Moama Anglican Grammar, Moama Public, Deniliquin High, Deniliquin North Public, Edward Public, Deniliquin South Public, St Michael’s Parish, Mayrung Public, Conargo Public and Mathoura Public.
St Mary’s Primary and Twin Rivers Primary in Echuca will also be serviced by the ZEBs.
The buses are supplied by the GoZero Group owned Nexport, and operated by Transport for NSW, which contracted school bus operator Dyson Group.
Being trialled locally are two 46-passenger buses and one 25-passenger bus.
While the buses, which are bright blue, have been spotted in the region since last week, the local trial program was officially launched on Tuesday at Deniliquin’s Edward Public School.
At the launch were representatives from Dysons Group and GoZero Group, including Dyson Group regional services operations manager Roy Dyson, GoZero Group chief commercial officer John Featherstone and GoZero Group director of product and government Sid Rallipalli.
They were joined by many excited students, teachers and community onlookers.
Mr Dyson said it was a positive development for the Dyson Group to be selected for the trial.
“This is the first real change since vehicles replaced horse and cart,” he said.
“It’s great to have that recognition in being selected. We are the most rural area chosen.
“The different weather, conditioning, and differences in climate were likely a big reason, and they will get a good test in February.
“They’re much newer and many places outside of Sydney don’t have them.
“The main challenge will be the infrastructure and the energy, but we’re looking forward to it.”
The two larger buses are scheduled to operate the Deniliquin to Mathoura and Moama to Mathoura school bus runs, while the smaller bus does the local Conargo route.
Mr Rallipalli said GoZero was pleased the implementation of the program has been smooth, and said data would be collected to determine their efficiency.
“We are glad that the feedback is that it has been seamless and there’s lots of excitement.”
“They’ve been in Sydney since 2018-19, but the main thing (for these rural trials) will be driver education and the changes in feel and different operation.
“During the trial, we will collect data with Transport for New South Wales.”
Mr Featherstone said he was confident the buses were ready to be tested.
“The buses are safe, smaller, have more power, lower centre of gravity, quieter and can do the distances,” he said.
“It will be good to see them put further to the test in regional and rural areas.”
The ZEB trial started across Deniliquin and Moama is one of a series being held around regional NSW. There are 12 buses being trialled across regional NSW in total.
The trials will provide information to support the transition to a zero emission bus fleet across all of regional NSW by 2047.
For more information on the zero emissions bus trial, go to: https://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/projects/programs/zero-emission-buses.
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