Precision Buses will create an Apprenticeship Academy and around 40 new jobs as a result of the recently awarded bus supply contract.
The Marshall Government awarded Scania Australia the contract to supply approximately 340 buses for a potential ten-year term for the Metropolitan Adelaide Bus Network.
Precision buses will now have a 95-person strong workforce dedicated to bus manufacturing in South Australia.
“The Marshall Government is continuing to build a better public transport network and support local jobs,” said Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Local Government Stephan Knoll.
“Precision buses have been supplying the Adelaide Metro bus fleet for almost two years and will now continue to do so for up to the next 10 years.
“This new bus supply contract will underpin manufacturing jobs at this facility for years to come and help train the new generation of automotive manufacturing workers.
“This contract will allow Precision Buses to further invest in the industry and grow a larger position.”
Minister for Innovation and Skills David Pisoni said the Apprenticeship Academy would help skill a new workforce of automotive manufacturing workers.
“This is a terrific announcement by Precision Buses and aligns well with the Marshall Liberal Government’s Skilling South Australia initiative to create an additional 20,800 apprenticeships and traineeships over four years,” said Minister Pisoni.
“Precision’s investment in their apprenticeship academy will provide quality on the job training over the life of this contract, which will be a real boost for manufacturing jobs in the northern suburbs.”
Scania Australia currently holds a Bus Supply and Support Services Agreement with the department, which expires on 31 October.
Over the last six years, an average of 27 buses per year have been delivered. Under the new contract, an average of 34 buses per year are expected to be delivered.
DPTI manages 990 buses in Metropolitan Adelaide as part of the Adelaide Metro Public Transport system.
New buses are purchased each year to replace existing buses, which are no longer fit for purpose or have reached the compulsory retirement age of 25 years, as required under the Passenger Transport Regulations 2009.
Key features of the new bus contract include;
- The supply of approximately 340 buses over the next ten years;
- A demonstration Hybrid bus to be provided by 2020, with first full evaluation Hybrid to be delivered in 2021;
- Flexible contract enabling changes to bus mix based on government priorities;
- Current mix: 29 rigid, five articulated per year;
- KPI based supplier performance reviews;
- All buses will be Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) compliant; and,
- All buses will have driver security screens, duress alarms, CCTV and a fire suppression system.
