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Gippsland bus operators need flexibility amid 2025 zero-emission bus PTV mandate says Danny O'Brien

In a recent parliamentary address, Danny O'Brien of Gippsland South questioned the Minister for Public Transport about the government's plans to mandate all PTV network buses to be zero-emission vehicles by 2025.

By news@gippsland - 30th August 2023 - Back to News

My constituency question is to the Minister for Public Transport, and the question I ask is: will the government provide flexibility for rural bus operators with respect to the plans for all buses on the PTV network to be zero-emission vehicles by 2025?

Mr O'Brien expressed concern on behalf of a rural bus operator constituent who faces unique challenges due to the dispersed nature of their bus storage locations

Rural bus charging challenge

I met with a constituent last week who runs a small rural bus company, and they have buses stored in five different towns. Only one of them is actually at a depot; the rest are generally stored overnight at a driver's location or something similar.

The opportunity therefore to charge electric buses in rural councils is very, very limited, and my constituent points out that even where that might be something they could do, the capacity of the power network to actually supply the required charging infrastructure may be limited. I am seeking from the minister flexibility for rural bus operators with the implementation of the policy by 2025.

Pictures from VLine Facebook page.

Source: http://gippsland.com/

Published by: news@gippsland.com