Sydney Buses

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This article is on the government organisation responsible for many local bus services in Sydney. For a more general article, see Buses in Sydney.

Sydney Buses is a state-owned bus service in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It is operated by the State Transit Authority of New South Wales (STA). Sydney Buses operates the largest bus fleet in Australia. The corporate livery of Sydney Buses is blue and white.

Sydney Buses uses Automated Fare Collection System ticketing, and will be part of the Tcard smart card system when it becomes operational.

[edit] Bus services

Sydney Buses operate over 300 routes, mainly in the eastern half of the city, where they have a near-monopoly. To the south and west, most routes are operated by private bus companies. Routes are numbered following a regional pattern so that the 100s serve the northern beaches, the 200s the north shore, the 300s the eastern suburbs, the 400s the inner west and south to Rockdale and Miranda and the 500s and 600s the west, including Ryde and Parramatta. Limited stops and express services replace the first digit of the route number with an L, E or X. School special services may use numbers beginning with 6, etc.

Adult fares on normal routes range from $1.70 to $5.40, depending on the length of the journey. Discounts can be obtained by means of prepaid TravelTen tickets, valid for ten journeys of a specified maximum length, or TravelPasses, which allow unlimited travel within a specified area for a week, quarter, or year. Different TravelPass tickets permit travel on different combinations of Sydney Ferries, CityRail trains and Sydney Buses services.

[edit] Routes

The dominant Sydney Buses livery on a bus

A Sydney Bus

Blue (1-2 sections) concession TravelTen

A typical Sydney Buses bus stop, at Meadowbank.

[edit] Tourist services

Sydney Buses also operate two circular tourist routes. The Sydney Explorer, with a distinctive red livery, takes in the attractions of the city centre and the nearby Kings Cross, while the blue Bondi Explorer connects the city with famous Bondi Beach, passing several other beaches and harbour bays. As of 2006, one day's unlimited travel on either of these services costs $39. A twin ticket valid for one day on each is also available for $68. Both services are included in the SydneyPass.

[edit] Airport Express

The Airport Express was a bus service operated by Sydney Buses to Kingsford Smith International Airport. It was outside the normal fare system and used a distinctive green and gold livery. The service consisted of two routes connecting the airport to some of Sydney's major tourist areas. The 300 route ran from the international and domestic terminals to the city centre, terminating at Circular Quay. The 350 route ran from the airport terminals to Potts Point and Elizabeth Bay via Oxford Street and Kings Cross. The service was discontinued shortly after the opening of the AirportLink railway line in 2000.

[edit] Depots

Sydney Buses operate from 11 bus depots

• Brookvale Bus Depot
• Burwood Bus Depot
• Kingsgrove Bus Depot
• Leichhardt Bus Depot
• Mona Vale Bus Depot
• North Sydney Bus Depot
• Port Botany Bus Depot
• Randwick Bus Depot
• Ryde Bus Depot
• Waverley Bus Depot
• Willoughby Bus Depot

[edit] Bus fleet

(fleet number groupings are a guide only, as some individial vehicles in some groups may no longer be in service)

[edit] MAN AG

• SL202 (29 with Voith gearbox, 20 with ZF gearbox, 1 with Allison gearbox) - fleet numbers 3253-3302
• 11.220 HOCL-R-NM - fleet numbers 3662-3691

[edit] Mercedes-Benz buses

• O305 (PMC MkII, MkIII and MkIV bodies) - fleet numbers 1951, 1966-3070, 3072-3082
• O305G (PMC Articulated bodies, 2556 and 2579 have ZF 5HP500 Gearboxes) - fleet numbers 2550-2579
• O405 (PMC MkV bodies, including two CNG-powered buses) - 3071, 3083-3252, 3305-3380
• O405 (PMC160 bodies) - fleet numbers 3381-3398
• O405N (Ansair 'Orana' bodies) - fleet numbers 3405, 3406
• O405NH CNG (Custom Coaches 'Citaro' bodies) - fleet numbers 1100-1107, 1109-1160, 1162-1196, 1200-1233, 1235-1405

[edit] Scania

• L113CRB CNG (two prototypes with Ansair 'Commuter' bodies, the remainder with Ansair 'Orana' bodies) - fleet numbers 3409, 3410, 3461-3510, 3512-3661
• L113TRB 6x2 14.5m Bus (Ansair 'Orana' bodies) - fleet numbers 3411-3460
• L113CRL (Ansair/AP 'Orana' bodies) - fleet numbers 3511, 3692-3846

[edit] Volvo

• B10BLE (AP/Phoenix 'Orana' bodies) - fleet numbers 3847-3971
• B12BLE (Custom CB60 bodies, 5-speed ZF Gearbox) - fleet numbers 1406-1435, 1500-1556, 1558-1560
• B12BLE (Custom CB60 bodies, 6-Speed ZF Gearbox) - fleet numbers 1561-1610
• B12BLE (Volgren CR228L bodies, 6-Speed ZF Gearbox, MkII electronics) - fleet numbers 1611-1660
• B12BLEA (Custom CB60 bodies, articulated chassis, 6-Speed ZF Gearbox, MkII electronics) - fleet numbers 1661-1701, 1703, 1705-1742

[edit] External links

• Sydney Buses Homepage
• Sydney Buses Fleetlist Page
• Newcastle buses and ferries Homepage
• Western Sydney Buses
• State Transit Authority corporate homepage
• Transport Infoline