Bus withdrawals: 2024-25

[Sylvan Loves Buses]

Damnit...

Funny enough though I did actually see an iris being used as a trainer bus the other day so maybe?

[Bus 400]

Something will have to happen, The Renault's can't go on forever. Especially since the next tender will include Bus 930.

Especially as the rego was renewed for Buses 308, 310, 315 & 318 for the next 12 months. 

[L94UBbusfan]

Especially as the rego was renewed for Buses 308, 310, 315 & 318 for the next 12 months.

Interestingly the Renault trainers have also had their rego renewed for the next 12 months, not sure what's going on there and which buses will be used as trainers. I checked the rego of all L94s currently in service as well as some which were recently withdrawn, all of those L94s have had their rego renewed (363 and 364 also had their rego renewed, despite fleetwiki saying both buses were withdrawn in July and now presumed scrapped)

[Barry Drive]

I don't have the source right now - Minister Steel has mentioned that all CNG buses will be withdrawn this year. At the time I was sceptical, but it looks like they're bringing forward enough Yutong deliveries to make it happen.

Irisbuses will probably be next year - and may have to wait for the next bus supply contract, or an extension of the Yutong contract.

That aged poorly. At the time, that may have been the intention.

Had they gone down that path, all but one of the Scania L94s would have been withdrawn by now.

As it is, there may be up to 6 "pending withdrawals", and a further 18 Yutongs to enter service this year. With Bus 693 to return to service (eventually) that could result in 25 withdrawals, of the remaining 34 CNG Buses.

Transport Canberra have stated that discussions have (or will) commence about the 13 remaining Scania K320UBs.

This results in an additional 4 buses – which will either increase the fleet or can be used to withdraw 390-393 to be used as trainers.

[Barry Drive]

It is now worth noting with the recent L94 withdrawals that there are now more L94s withdrawn than currently in service.

Fun fact: there are now more MAN CNG buses (16) in service than Scania CNG buses (14).

[L94UBbusfan]

With the presumed withdrawals of 341    and 346, the amount of in service L94s is now in the single digits with just 9 left. I'm going to assume the final 8 Yutongs (893-901) will replace the 9 remaining L94s, but what about the MAN CNGs? Currently the fleet size is 466, 10 over the ideal fleet size of 456. So technically some MAN CNGs could be withdrawn, but withdrawing all of them wouldn't be possible without replacements, and I doubt operating a CNG system for less than 10 buses is worth it. So unless the 13 undelivered Scania K320s turn up before the end of the year, it seems likely the MAN CNGs will operate into 2026.

[Bus 400]

Then the question is, what's next?

I'm going with the steertags. They're limited in usability. But also it costs under $800 to register a standard diesel/electric/CNG bus & even an articulated bus. But it costs just under $4,000 to register each steertag bus. Roughly $100,000 for 26 buses that spend most of their time in the depots. Plus look at all that scrap metal 💲💲💲.

[Barry Drive]

Then the question is, what's next?

What's next is the installation of about 100-bus charger capacity at Tuggeranong.

I can't see any planned withdrawals beyond the CNG MANs until maybe 2028. The next 30 electric buses (whenever they arrive) should be additional to the fleet.

Meanwhile, if the report of 347's withdrawal is correct, that marks the final (front) flip-dot destination signs. With 351 now being the sole remaining side flip-dot.

[L94UBbusfan]

I was checking fleetwiki and I saw that 378 is apparently "out of service" and the monthly movements page is saying it's been withdrawn. Any idea what's going on with 378? If it is a withdrawal, I'm surprised they chose an MAN CNG before the last of the L94s, considering the MANs are a fair bit newer (unless there was a mechanical issue not worth fixing)

[CBRFlyer]

378 was involved in an incident in the city on Friday, I'm unsure of the level of damage 

[L94UBbusfan]

The recent withdrawals of 351 and 366 have brought the Scania L94UB CNG fleet down to just 4 buses remaining in service and has also marked the end of 2 important parts of the L94 CNG fleet in Canberra. 351's withdrawal marks the end of any form of the Hanover flipdot display, and both buses mark the end of the Euro III Scania OSC9/G01 CNG engine. Won't be very long before all the L94s are gone     

[CBRFlyer]

366 is back in service today 

[L94UBbusfan]

366 is back in service today

Awesome news, although who knows for how much longer. I was lucky to ride 371 today which is sounding better than it was last time I rode it, but still nothing like how it sounded in June-August this year.

[L94UBbusfan]

I was lucky to ride 371 today which is sounding better than it was last time I rode it

Little did I know at the time but that ride I had on 371 would be my final L94 ride, since 371, the final Scania L94UB CNG in Canberra was removed from service today. As my username suggests, I've always loved the L94 CNGs, I grew up with them ever since I came to Canberra almost 12 years ago now. Another reason why I loved them was because of the sounds they made, from what I remember, 335, 351, 358-361 stood out as the best sounding in the fleet, but the last few with the Scania OC9 G02/260 engine also sounded great. While yes some of them rattled a fair bit and I've heard they weren't some driver's favourites to drive, they were Canberra's first mass order of CNG and accessible buses and will be missed. RIP Scania L94UB CNG 2004-2025