Bus Observations 2024.

[BAMBAM]

Will we ever see other types of electric buses being delivered to Sydney? Such as BZL Optimuses, Bustech ZDis, Scania/Mercedes/MAN Electric buses. Or will all electric buses in Sydney be Custom Denning Element 2s from now?

For sure there will be others. Let’s not forget, Custom Denning Products ain’t a proven thing yet with its history so far, braking down and bits being broken.

Companies likes Express and Nexport will likely trying to convince the government of their products because they already built within the state, something they like.

Still waiting for Volgren to set up shop again in Sydney with CDC unless plans fallen through.

[SpanningViaduct]

Companies likes Express and Nexport will likely trying to convince the government of their products because they already built within the state, something they like.

But does Nexport “build locally.” Given that their entire range consists solely of imported body on frame and integral buses. I wouldn’t think that merely installing seats and hand poles to finish off the build constitutes as locally produced.

[enthusiast2]

8950 has been added to the TBD page for Keolis Downer Northern Beaches.

TJHBs Custom Denning Element 2's at Waverley are now all tracking correctly as "Custom Denning ELEMENT2 Custom Bus ELEMENT2".
Meanwhile, Element 2s 8696 and 8785 at TSA Leichhardt I believe have had their trackers incorrect for an unusually long period of time. Last I checked, both buses were rarely out.

[BAMBAM]

Companies likes Express and Nexport will likely trying to convince the government of their products because they already built within the state, something they like.

But does Nexport “build locally.” Given that their entire range consists solely of imported body on frame and integral buses. I wouldn’t think that merely installing seats and hand poles to finish off the build constitutes as locally produced.

Yes they do, in NSW too.

[Stonesourscotty]

Transit Systems 8402 on Olympic Park Railbus.

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[J_Busworth]

The original order was for 79 Element 1s. It eventually got modified to 50 Element 1s and 49 Element 2s, 99 buses in total.

All 99 of the TSA Elements are finished so CD are now working on the KD order, with at least 13 complete and more to come. There is also noise about another potential large order hy the NSW Government for Element 2s, with TfNSW build numbers like the 6 at Waverley.

There is work being done on a deal to fix all of the original Elements that will likely involve completely replacing their battery packs. This seems to extend to vehicles that have already entered service as well as those waiting for entry to service.

CDC doesn’t have a particularly old fleet and hasn’t needed any new buses for some years due to service reductions related to the opening of Sydney Metro. Based on previous comments, I would expect CDC receives Volvo BZL Volgren Optimus.

In terms of Express and Nexport, I don’t see much enthusiasm for their product. At one point Nexport was the market leader with over 50 BYDs in service across 3 regions. CD now has 70 something Elements on the road in Sydney with at least the same number still to come whilst there is no news on a Nexport order.

[alleve]

Any ideas as to

A. where a new Element order would go, or

B. whether CDC would order new buses any time soon?

[Stu]

^ A. Various regions & depots. The link below which was only published today says “11” depots in 2025.

https://transportnsw.info/news/2024/br ... re-growing

[Linto63]

List of the 11 depots to be converted by 2028

[Stonesourscotty]

Cdc Charter Tv587B on the Kingswood shuttles it has been reregistered from its old M/O8887 guess its covering for the relivery of the other Hinos. Two have been reliveried from my observations so far.

The B in the registration looks like an 8 on the front plate had to check rear plate to confirm registration

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[MiCCROwavE_OVEN]

It's not really a matter of CDC's fleet being relatively young - there is still a sizeable fleet of older vehicles at Northmead, Seven Hills and Dural (1998 Mercedes O405s, some Volvo B10BLEs from the turn of the century and several first-generation Volvo B7RLEs from 2002) which will need replacing fairly soon. But CDC have also had a lot of spare capacity following the opening of the Metro North West back in 2019 so there hasn't been as much of a need to order new buses. Quite a number of high-floor O405s were retired, and several Volvo B10BLEs have transferred to Region 14 while CDC is still doing a lot of charter work with their regular route buses.

Personally I wish that Foundry Road could get rid of some of their B7RLEs - they don't seem suited for long stints on the M2 and they get pretty loud in an unpleasant way, unlike the Scania triaxles. Dural's B7RLEs are in much better condition, and Northmead recently got some to cover for the Volgren CR228Ls transferred to U-Go but I'm yet to get one of those (hopefully they're cleaner because Foundry Road vehicles always seem to be dirty!)

[idontknow556]

Are the Transit Systems Element/Element 2s restricted to daytime only operation currently? They are very rarely seen at night.

[Stonesourscotty]

The Same batch at Busways aren't.

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[alleve]

Are the Transit Systems Element/Element 2s restricted to daytime only operation currently? They are very rarely seen at night.

I have seen them out as late as 9pm before so I would assume not

[alleve]

Speaking of the Element 2s, 8810 has now entered service. The depot is blank on fleetlists so unknown where. This leaves only one last TSA Element 2 undelivered.

[enthusiast2]

^ It would appear that 8810 has entered service at TSA's South Granville Depot. This would be the first electric bus to enter service there. South Granville was listed on the ZEB depot electrification so this isn't too much of a surprise. This would likely mean that the final Element 2 8788 would be delivered to South Granville as well.

I still think that these ZEB's could be more useful at a depot like Burwood. The oldest buses at South Granville date to 2004, whilst Burwood has some as old as 1997. Oh well. If Burwood will not be electrified, that would likely mean the defiling of the fully Volvo fleet, I would assume?

On another note, the ex Busways R1 (ex TSA) Element 1's now at TJHB Waverley look much cleaner than I expected them to, particularly with their accreditation, considering that they were at TSA Kingsgrove, then Busways Penrith, and now TJHB Waverley. You can not even see any "rubbed out" paint on them from past logos and accreditation. I commend the painters!

[alleve]

Some creative inter-region transfers would allow TSA to maintain the fully Volvo fleet

[BAMBAM]

^ It would appear that 8810 has entered service at TSA's South Granville Depot. This would be the first electric bus to enter service there. South Granville was listed on the ZEB depot electrification so this isn't too much of a surprise. This would likely mean that the final Element 2 8788 would be delivered to South Granville as well.

I still think that these ZEB's could be more useful at a depot like Burwood. The oldest buses at South Granville date to 2004, whilst Burwood has some as old as 1997. Oh well. If Burwood will not be electrified, that would likely mean the defiling of the fully Volvo fleet, I would assume?

On another note, the ex Busways R1 (ex TSA) Element 1's now at TJHB Waverley look much cleaner than I expected them to, particularly with their accreditation, considering that they were at TSA Kingsgrove, then Busways Penrith, and now TJHB Waverley. You can not even see any "rubbed out" paint on them from past logos and accreditation. I commend the painters!

Technically not the first. There was the Volgren Optimus BYD D9RA m/o 8190. Previously on the fleetlist, Reg 16/12/21 ex Transdev Melbourne Pty Ltd, North Fitzroy, VIC (3000) BS05MR by 11/21; Transdev Australia demonstrator.
Withdrawn by 29/7/23 and placed in storage.

Entered service and stayed until the handover of the region to Transit Systems. It was even in the electric livery.

[enthusiast2]

^ I was referring to South Granville while it is under the ownership of TSA. I was aware of the BYD D9RA Volgren Optimus there, as that was under Transdev. Apologies if I wasn't clear enough.

--

Element 1 8732 is back in service at Leichhardt today. Spotted in service (already!) on the 389 this afternoon. I haven't seen 8725 for some time, only that one time when it was on the 389 in the morning a few weeks back. Good to see the shift focusing on the Element 1s.

[tonyp]

Kiama Coaches unit up in flames today.

(via Illawarra Mercury)

[enthusiast2]

Element 2 8787 on the 410 this afternoon.

[enthusiast2]

TSA Volvo B8RLE Volgren Optimus 2933 at Burwood not sounding too well. The motor appeared it was scraping/rubbing against something every time the driver took off from a bus stop. There was also very intense idling vibrations that I've never experienced on an STA spec B8RLE.

[enthusiast2]

TSA 2846 at Burwood is back in the Christmas spirit! I saw it yesterday with some interior decorations and Christmas lights. I believe this is the second year in a row for this bus.

[enthusiast2]

The repainting streak continues....

TSA Burwood's Volvo B12BLE Custom Coaches CB60EVO2 2220 repainted from Metrobus livery to TNSW livery.

[Campbelltown busboy]

The repainting streak continues....

TSA Burwood's Volvo B12BLE Custom Coaches CB60EVO2 2220 repainted from Metrobus livery to TNSW livery.

There's still a lot of STA corporate and metrobus liveried buses that Transit Systms have to repaint in region 6 that's along with the white buses handed over from former regions 13 (Transdev) and region 15 (Busabout which are MANs and Scanias that date back to the region 15 Busways contract) and whatever Busabout and Interline liveried buses that are left in the region 2 fleet then you have the metrobus reds from Transdev and the untouched CDC yellows left over from the original 2013 contract in region 3