A tourist hotspot is gearing up for a new bus depot, which would improve bus running times and reduce CO2 emissions in the congested area.
The first sod has been turned on the construction of a purpose-built facility on Production Street in Noosaville. It’s scheduled to commence operations by the end of the year, according to local bus operator and investor Kinetic.
The new depot promises to improve on-time running performance, particularly in the heavily congested Noosa area where high traffic volumes around Hastings Street and surrounding arterial roads often cause delays.
When operational, it will house 28 buses and more than 80 staff. It promises to deliver substantial operational improvements to the Sunshine Coast bus network by reducing “dead running” (non-service travel) by over 400,000km annually.
In a boon for sustainability, it would reduce CO2 emissions by 502 tonnes annually and save more than 176,000 litres of diesel fuel each year.
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Kinetic manages a fleet of more than 100 buses across 30 routes across its Sunshine Coast operations. The Noosaville announcement marks its latest investment in the area, following upgrades to the Caloundra facility in 2022 to support the introduction of 11 zero-emission buses.
Kinetic executive general manager Martin Hall said this latest investment demonstrated the company’s commitment to improving public transport reliability and efficiency for Sunshine Coast commuters.
“The Noosa depot represents a significant milestone in our ongoing partnership with Translink to enhance the region’s transport infrastructure,” Mr Hall said.
Many of Kinetic’s Sunshine Coast team members live near the proposed Noosa depot, which will reduce emissions from staff commuting while improving work-life balance for employees.
The depot’s central location will allow Kinetic to respond more quickly to network issues in the Noosa area, providing better service reliability for passengers throughout the northern Sunshine Coast.
