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2023: year in review

ACT Bus

The biggest news from 2023 was the addition of 12 Yutong battery electric buses to the fleet. But here’s our full review of what happened during the year –

January

  • 23 – QCity Transit rebrand as CDC Canberra, with modified routes and timetables
  • 23 – Bus 693 involved in major collision on Drakeford Drive
  • 25 – Bus 800 (Yutong ZK6131HG1/E12 – electric bus) enters service
  • 29 – Woden Interchange closes
  • 30 – Network ’23 commences, including Temporary Woden Interchange and relocation of services to Rimmer St from City West.
  • New buses in service: 800, 808
  • Buses withdrawn: 974 (December), 975

February

  • Six permanent ABB vehicle chargers installed at Tuggeranong Depot to enable electric bus charging
  • 13 – Demolition of Woden Interchange commences
  • Multicultural festival weekend: CDC perform additional shuttles
  • 27 – NEC Australia announced as successful tenderer for “MyWay+”, replacing MyWay ticket system and NXTBUS RPTIS
  • 28 – Fairbairn shuttle service (Route 904) ends
  • New buses in service: 722, 809, 811
  • Buses withdrawn: 956; 217-499 returns to Flexible Bus fleet

March

  • New buses in service: 802, 806, 807, 810
  • Buses withdrawn: 969, 970, 973, 977, 978, 981

April

  • 12 – Bus 804, the last of the 12 Yutong electric buses enters service.
  • New buses in service: 723, 724, 801, 803, 804, 805
  • Buses withdrawn: 929, 943, 961, 971, 972; new training bus: 976

May

  • 31 – Contract for purchase of 90 battery electric buses awarded to Vehicle Dealers International (Yutong).
  • New buses in service: 725
  • Buses withdrawn: 955

June

  • 27 – ACT Budget includes $17.3m over four years for employment of additional bus operators
  • New buses in service: 726, 727
  • Buses withdrawn: 952; new training buses: 930, 962

July

  • Work commences on pavement repairs at Belconnen Community Interchange
  • Buses withdrawn: 935, 939

August

  • New buses in service: 728
  • Buses withdrawn: 938

September

  • CDC operate Floriade shuttle services with additional services on weekends from bus interchanges at Belconnen, Woden and Tuggeranong
  • Scania R580 tow truck delivered
  • New buses in service: 729

October

  • 9 – Modified weekday timetable commences with more inter-peak services.
  • Bus 730 becomes the 100th Scania K320UB 4×2 based at Belconnen Depot.
  • 24 – Transport Minister Chris Steel informs the Legislative Assembly that the remaining 17 Scania K320UB buses will be delivered by early 2024, with 9 expected between October and December. [However, no further Scania deliveries were received for the remainder of 2023.]
  • 25 – Bus 748, the first of four Custom Denning Element 2s, is delivered
  • 27 – pavement repair work at Belconnen Interchange completed
  • Minister Steel announces that MyWay+ is expected to be rolled out by the second half of 2024; in early 2024, several buses will be fitted out to demonstrate the new system.
  • New buses in service: 730
  • Buses withdrawn: 927

November

  • Two ABBs chargers installed at Belconnen Depot in preparation for Custom Denning electric buses.
  • 13 – A system update resulted in many buses not having working MyWay systems for up to 24 hours
  • 27 – Pack the Bus commenced for 2023: Bus 721 receives temporary AOA wrap

December

  • 7 – Contract for Light Rail Stage 2A finalised: total cost $577m, with work to commence late 2024
  • 26 – Tram 011 involved in collision with Mitsubishi Lancer at Randwick Road intersection
  • 31 – for New Year’s Eve, additional late night rapid buses operate (since Sunday timetable usually ends at 10pm) with shuttle buses operated by CDC

Timeline sources include Media Releases, Facebook posts and ACT Bus resources. To let us know if we missed something important or made a mistake, click on Contact Us (below).