Sydney’s B-Line double decker bus fleet is reportedly suffering from its own success, with the fleet of Gemilang bodied MAN A95s being pushed hard on the unrelenting schedule from Mona Vale on the city’s Northern Beaches, to the city and back.
From Mona Vale to Manly, Sydney’s Northern Beaches wouldn’t be the same without them, but there’s a growing chorus of concern around the popular B-Line busses are wearing out and breaking down with no backup plan to replace them.
It’s fair to say the B-Line is the Northern Beaches transport backbone and the fleet is being loved to death.
Channel Seven news reported this week that the five year old fleet of double deckers were suffering a myriad of reliability problems and maintenance concerns as a result of the extreme high usage on the 27 km route, which runs 24 hours a day, with buses running every three to four minutes in peak times, every seven minutes in off-peak and every 30 minutes at night.
The fleet of 42 MAN double deckers are now operated by Keolis Downer, which gained the contract for the Northern Beaches bus operations after winning the bid for the service with Transport for NSW.
Local independent state MP, Michael Regan, said there doesn’t seem to be a backup plan, with reliability issues coming as a result of the high kilometres the buses are logging on what is the busiest bus route on the entire NSW transport network.
“The buses are suffering problems with fuel injector systems, with turbos, and other mechanical systems, and the bus drivers are quite worried and concerned and at the moment we just can’t afford to have all these busses break down at once, “ Regan told Channel Seven.
Rail, Tram and Bus union spokesperson, David Babineau said that at the moment someone is not doing their job and drivers and the travelling public are being put at absolute risk.
Channel Seven said in its report that operator Keolis has expressed its concerns to the Transport Minister in a letter saying that the current fleet of B-Line buses are operating significant kilometres, up to four million kilometres per year, and they are not expected to meet their design life. Seven said the effect was an increase in reliability issues and canceled trips, with the company adding the result has been breakdowns and cancelled trips.
Keolis downer, raising its voice in a letter, the current fleet of Beeline double deck busses are operating significant kilometers, up to 4 million per year, and they are not expected to meet their design life. The effect and increase in reliability issues canceled trips.
“They are wearing and tearing a lot quicker than I think was expected,” said David Babineau.
For now Keolis bus maintenance staff are patching things over for now, but there are some serious compromises being made to keep enough buses on the road.
“I’m told they are seeing regular parts swapping and issues with rotation of busses and parts, but what’s the plan B?” said local MP Michael Regan
Transport for NSW controller general, Howard Collins said the transport authority recognises the B-Line is high use and high intensity.
“We’ve added four vehicles already and we see that there may be an opportunity to strengthen the fleet further,” said Collins.
The Northern Beaches local member Michael Regan said he is lobbying the transport minister to buy more back up busses and not to wait for the entire fleet to come to a grinding halt.
“I’m hopeful that in the new year we’ll get some sort of an announcement,” Regan added.
