Victoria State Government Introduces Regional Bus Agreements To Provide More Services

$2.3 billion commitment


Article heading image for Victoria State Government Introduces Regional Bus Agreements To Provide More Services

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Ten-year contracts worth $2.3 billion have been finalised by the Victorian State Government to improve the regional bus network.

A total of 177 bus contracts with 58 contractors will come into effect today, July 1, and includes local town services in Echuca and Hamilton, school bus services and major operators serving regional cities such as Ballarat and Geelong.

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The contracts will benefit residents of regional Victorians as well as those travelling for intra-state holidays.

Under the contracts, four major bus companies operating in Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo and the La Trobe Valley will be subject to new performance measures and service standards for the first time consistent with those in metropolitan Melbourne.

Minister for Public Transport Ben Carroll said the new contracts would benefit all regional rural parts of the state.

Modernising the regional bus contracts will deliver more reliable bus services, a cleaner bus fleet, improved accessibility and job creation in regional areas that need it most – all great outcomes for rural and regional Victoria,” he said.

“These new regional bus contracts complement our investment in new and improved bus services, and the $90 billion Big Build which is transforming public transport in Victoria.”

The contracts also state a social outcome agreement – a first for regional bus contractors – and will see at least 250 jobs created over the next 10 years for priority groups.

This includes at least 90 new roles for women and at least 17 new roles for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, as well as disadvantaged Victorian jobseekers.

Provision has also been made in the contracts for the introduction of zero emissions buses as part of Victoria’s Bus Plan.

This will see all new public buses be zero emissions from 2025, contributing to the government’s target of net zero emissions by 2050.

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1 July 2022




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