125 e-buses by 2030 in Sydney, biofuels drive buses in Sweden. Keolis secures two new contracts

125 e-buses to be introduced by 2030 in Sydney, alternative drive bus deployment in Uppsala. Keolis has been awarded two bus contracts in Australia and Sweden respectively.

Precisely, on 28 May 2021, the public transport company won an 8-year contract by Transport for New South Wales to operate and maintain 406 buses in Greater Sydney from 31 October 2021. To improve the passenger experience and boost ridership, Keolis is committed to enhancing transport services and facilitating the network’s energy transition by introducing 125 electric buses by 2030.

On 11 May 2021, Keolis was awarded a new contract worth approximately €540 million by the public transport administration Uppsala to operate and maintain a large fleet of alternative energy buses for a period of nine years starting from June 2022.

The contract win in Uppsala county follows that of Keolis’ first all-electric bus contract in Gothenburg, awarded on 16 April 2021 by Västraffik, the public transport authority of Gothenburg. The contract, which also takes effect in June 2022, covers the operation of the city’s bus network featuring a fleet of fully electric articulated buses carrying 17 million passengers per year on two lines and covering 2.9 million kilometres annually.

Keolis in Sydney: 125 e-buses to be deployed

Keolis Downer, Keolis’ Australian subsidiary, won an 8-year contract to operate and maintain 406 buses in Greater Sydney. The contract is set to start on 31 October 2021. It is the first time this network will be managed by a private operator.

To improve the passenger experience and boost ridership, Keolis Downer has committed to enhance transport services and facilitate the network’s energy transition by introducing 125 electric buses by 2030, Keolis says.

Marie-Ange Debon, CEO at Keolis Group, said: “We are proud that Transport for New South Wales, our partner since 2017, has awarded us this iconic contract. And we are also delighted to work with the New South Wales Government to deploy more sustainable mobility solutions by converting part of the network’s fleet to electric powered buses.”

Energy transition in Sydney’s public transport

Under the contract, Keolis Downer will welcome over 800 new employees, including 680 drivers. The deal includes operating a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) network called B-Line, with 38 diesel-powered double-decker buses manufactured by MAN. Launched by the New South Wales government in 2017, the successful B-Line provides high frequency services from Mona Vale to the centre of Sydney, as well as night services. Keolis Downer will introduce innovative headway technology to further enhance the B-Line’s reliability and quality of service.

What is more, 368 standard diesel buses are to be operating, of which 125 will be gradually converted to electric buses by 2030, making this the Australian bus market’s largest energy transition contract to date.

Also, among contract’s duties is included integrating real-time on-demand transport service through Keoride, a first- and last-mile mobility solution operated by Keolis Downer on behalf of TfNSW since November 2017. Keoride is an app-based service that allows passengers to connect to the B-Line and/or order a ride to key hubs in the Northern Beaches area at any time. 15 vehicles are dedicated to this service.

Uppsala, Sweden: €540M for nine year

Coming to the Swedish deal, on 11 May 2021, Keolis was awarded a new contract by the public transport administration Uppsala to operate a large fleet of alternative energy buses. Worth approximately €540 million, this nine-year contract gives Keolis responsibility to operate and maintain a completely new bus fleet running on biogas and biodiesel from June 2022.

The new contract grows Keolis’ footprint in Sweden, where it has been operating alternative energy urban bus networks since 2003.

Bernard Tabary, CEO International Keolis Group: “We are delighted to have the opportunity to partner with the public transport administration Uppsala and contribute to a more environmentally-friendly quality of life by providing sustainable mobility solutions and best-in- class services to the county’s residents and visitors.”

The bus network in Uppsala county, located 70 km north of Stockholm, features 71 lines and 2,800 stops connecting the county’s three main cities, Uppsala, Enköping and Bålsta. A special bus service to and from the academic hospital in Uppsala will also be introduced, featuring six buses equipped with toilets, wheelchair spaces, defibrillators and lock-boxes for the safe transportation of laboratory samples. The drivers in charge of transport to and from the hospital will undergo special training. Keolis will purchase the entire bus fleet, which it will operate and maintain in ten different 1 depots . With this new contract, Keolis is forecast to carry over 28 million passengers every year in the Uppsala region. Recent successes for Keolis in Sweden

Keolis Sverige has been present in Sweden since 2003 and operates 1,600 fossil-free buses in four Swedish counties, covering 100 million kilometres every year. Keolis has over 4,500 employees in Sweden.