Timboon and district youngsters impressed with electric bus

Popes in Timboon has been using a Yutong electric bus on its morning and afternoon school routes this week and will do the same next week.

Director David Pope said the company was taking the opportunity to test electric buses to gauge their suitability for south-west roads.

"We are doing a two-week trial to test out how adaptable and how practical they are in our operating environment," Mr Pope said.

He said the company was exploring its options and representatives from the Department of Transport would visit the Timboon depot this month to talk about the results of the trial.

Mr Pope said the battery for the bus took between eight and 10 and hours to charge with the portable charger that came with it.

"If we had a proper charging facility we could probably do that in half the time," Mr Pope said.

The state government has a plan to transition contract buses to electric by 2025 and Mr Pope said the company was keen to introduce the new technology as soon as possible.

He said Popes was committed to improving sustainability.

"We're keen to talk to the Department of Transport about how regional bus services are in a really good position to take up this technology," Mr Pope said.

He said the bus had a range of between 350 and 400 kilometres, which was perfect for the company's needs.

Mr Pope said the cost of diesel was high and the company would look to invest in solar power to make electric a sustainable option for the future.

"If we were to adopt this technology as part of our operation we would be using a solar to battery system," Mr Pope said.

He said the bus had performed incredibly well and drivers were impressed with its capabilities.

Students have been particularly impressed with one feature, Mr Pope said.

"One of the things the kids love is that all of the seats have a USB charger," he said.

A student was interested to learn whether their devices would drain the bus' battery.

Mr Pope joked the bus would use their batteries if it started to get low.

He said the bus was quiet and offered a very good user experience.

Mr Pope said any decision about whether to invest in the technology would be done in partnership with the Department of Transport.

He said the electric bus would also require less maintenance, which would be another plus for the company.

"We think we can take on this technology sooner rather than later," Mr Pope said.

He said he hoped it may also attract more people to the industry.

Mr Pope said the busline, which has about 30 drivers, was always searching for more staff.

"We're not immune to any of the labour shortages," he said.

IN OTHER LOCAL NEWS:

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can access our trusted content: