New Waipā electric buses on charge. Photo / Waikato Regional Council
New Waipā electric buses on charge. Photo / Waikato Regional Council
A switch to electric buses is under way, with a fleet of six EV buses hitting the roads in Cambridge and Te Awamutu.
The new buses would allow for a more frequent timetable, doubling the number of weekly services that connect Waipā to Hamilton.
Waipā District Council group manager for service delivery Dawn Inglis said the electric buses and increased timetable would benefit many residents and visitors to the district.
“We are constantly looking at ways to improve how people get around our towns, and offering visitors other options to get here.”
The new electric buses are to operate on the Cambridge (20) and Te Awamutu (24) routes from April 15. The Cambridge service is to increase from eight to 20 return trips, and Te Awamutu from nine to 19 each weekday.
Future Proof Public Transport Subcommittee deputy chairwoman Angela Strange said increased frequency was a critical part of the Hamilton-Waikato Metro Spatial Plan.
“We’ve seen increasing frequency lead to greater passenger numbers across the network. People love the convenience.
“We know commuting between Waipā and Hamilton is very common, and we’re confident more people will use these services.”
Both services will have different routes to accommodate the charging of the EV buses. The batteries take two to four hours to fully recharge overnight.
In Leamington, the Cambridge bus will travel from the depot in Pope Terrace straight on to Goldsmith, then Southey, Arnold, and Shakespeare Streets. The Te Awamutu service will carry on and terminate at Kihikihi, meaning a seven-day service instead of the current schedule of Tuesdays and Thursdays.
While the new buses can carry 75 passengers - 37 seated and 38 standing - diesel-assist buses will remain available to ensure no passengers are inconvenienced while staff monitor new travel demand.
Tranzit general manager of bus and coach Jenna Snelgrove has been operating Waikato’s first electric bus in Taupō, and said significant planning was involved in confirming the routes.
This included selecting the correct bus and batteries for Waipā's roads to cater to the demand of longer trips, while ensuring passenger and driver comfort.
The company welcomed 12 additional drivers and six new electric buses for the Waipā services.
Waikato Regional Councillor and regional transport committee chairman Mich’eal Downard said EVs were critical for the public transport objective to deliver services with at least net-neutral carbon emissions between 2025 to 2050.
“Having this first fleet on the road shows we’re making great progress on our environmental goals. Taupō passengers have noticed how much cleaner our first bus has been, and we’re sure people in Waipā will too.”
To celebrate the arrival of the new EVs, Busit staff were inviting the community to join local events with family passes, fun activities and travel information available on April 13 and 24.
Later this year, double-decker EV buses were expected to take the roads.
All new schedules times can now be viewed on the Busit website.
