BusTech Group, the largest Australian-owned bus manufacturer, and iconic Tasmanian company, Elphinstone, deliver 100th locally built bus for Tasmania.
Creating jobs and boosting the local economy
In a partnership spanning 3 years and creating local employment opportunities and lasting economic benefits for Tasmania, BusTech Group and Elphinstone rolled out the 100th bus for Metro Tasmania this week.
The milestone was celebrated on Monday at the Elphinstone Southern Prospect plant near Wynyard, Tasmania. Deputy Mayor and Minister for Advanced Manufacturing and Defence Industries, Jeremy Rockliff, congratulated all stakeholders involved in delivering the home-grown product and announced a further $10 million investment over 4 years to Tasmania’s advanced manufacturing and defence industries.
“We have a skilled workforce, and we want to support (small and medium sized) businesses…. A great example of it today, where we celebrated the cutting of the cake of the 100th Metro bus, a highly skilled workforce right here on the North-West Coast. And we want to build capability right across Tasmania,” affirmed Minister Rockliff at the event.
The delivery of BusTech’s 100th bus created 30 direct advanced manufacturing jobs and over 60 indirect jobs. BusTech Group also engaged local suppliers to ensure a significant proportion of local content was used to build the buses for Tasmania.
“BusTech Group’s first fully Tasmanian-built bus rolled off the production line in November 2017 and we are incredibly proud to be delivering our 100th bus for Tasmania,” says Christian Reynolds, Executive Director, BusTech Group.
“This project has demonstrated the strong capacity and capability of Australian manufacturing not only through building buses in Tasmania, but also by partnering with local SME’s and sourcing a local supply chain. In turn, this investment in localized manufacturing generated a number of opportunities far greater than just the local bus builds – we also integrated several suppliers into our national operations,” continues Reynolds.
A modern, reliable bus fleet
The $45 million project was the single biggest investment in public transport in Tasmania’s history to offer a more comfortable, accessible and environmentally friendly transport experience for Tasmanians.
“This was the first time that any Australian government procured buses from an Australian OME designing, engineering and manufacturing buses in Australia with the highest level of local content,” says BusTech Group’s Chief Commercial Officer, Damien Brown.
All 100 XDi buses manufactured by BusTech Group for the State feature a modern, contemporary design with 51 seats, air-conditioning and the lowest-emitting diesel engines available. This means a smooth, comfortable and enjoyable experience for both passengers and drivers.
Elphinstone Executive Director, Kelly Elphinstone said, “our collaboration with BusTech Group to manufacture and deliver these state-of-the-art buses in Tasmania has given us the opportunity to develop new skills and build on our advanced manufacturing capabilities, while also securing jobs for our local workforce.”
Alongside the 100th bus delivery, BusTech Group has also manufactured and delivered 4 hybrid electric buses for Tasmania’s Cradle Mountain in 2019. The eco-friendly buses were the first in the State and marked a paradigm shift towards more sustainable transport solutions for Tasmania.
The future for Tasmania is green
Looking ahead, BusTech Group will continue to support the Tasmanian government’s commitment to net zero-emissions and work towards achieving the common goals of reliable and emission-free public transport solutions.
The State government announced a target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions to 60 per cent below 1990 levels by 2050, with the transport sector producing the highest emissions of all the sectors of the State’s economy. BusTech Group supports the government’s commitment to the uptake of zero-emission transit solutions as well as the continuity of local manufacturing which significantly contributes to more sustainable, thriving and livable communities.
“We know that the industry is moving away from diesel-powered transport and quickly shifting to zero-emission solutions. BusTech Group are primed to support the industry, our customers and government agencies across Australia to successfully transition to electric and hydrogen energy solutions whilst also retaining a strong focus on customer experience,” says Reynolds.
“Importantly, the roll-out of this new technology will bring additional employment opportunities and advanced manufacturing growth for Australia,” adds Reynolds.
