Queensland, Australia Launches Procurement of 630 Euro VI Buses

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On September 1, the Queensland State Government of Australia officially launched the "Better Buses Build" bus procurement process, planning to purchase up to 630 Euro VI buses over the next four years to replace aging vehicles across the state. The competitive procurement is expected to be completed by the end of 2026, with the first batch of new buses scheduled to enter service from the 2027–2028 fiscal year. The Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads confirmed that the newly procured vehicles will meet Euro VI emission standards and will be equipped with low-floor designs, accessible ramps, onboard passenger information display systems, and air conditioning.

This procurement also marks a shift from Queensland's previous zero-emission procurement pathway for new buses. The state's existing "Zero Emission Bus Program" stipulated that, from 2025 onward, new buses entering the Translink network in South East Queensland should, in principle, adopt zero-emission powertrains, and a state government centralized procurement of more than 400 battery-electric buses had been initiated. In August 2024, Queensland launched a request for expressions of interest for that batch of electric buses, with plans to subsequently proceed to the invitation-to-offer stage, alongside the development of new zero-emission bus depots and upgrades to existing facilities.

Queensland Minister for Transport and Main Roads Brent Mickelberg stated at the launch of this procurement round that the previous government's electric bus plan had not simultaneously secured funding for the required charging infrastructure, depot upgrades, and related supporting facilities. The state government has now instead shifted to procuring Euro VI vehicles, aligning bus fleet renewal with existing depot and operational conditions. Previously published government data from Queensland showed that the South East Queensland diesel bus fleet emitted more than 12,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide per month, and the original zero-emission bus program had set targets of reducing bus fleet emissions by 50% by 2030 and 80% by 2035.

The newly procured vehicles will be allocated to multiple public transport operators in Queensland, with operators such as Transdev set to receive a portion of the vehicles. The Queensland Government requires bus manufacturers, assembly companies, and suppliers participating in the competition to submit proposals covering local manufacturing capability, employment, skills development, and industry capacity. Specific manufacturers, vehicle batches, and contract values have yet to be determined. The procurement process is scheduled to conclude by the end of 2026.