Video: Minister On 30 Electric Buses Ordered
[Updated] Minister of Transport Lawrence Scott will be holding a press conference this afternoon [Dec 8] to “provide an update on the delivery of the electric bus fleet” and we will stream it live, so the video below should start at around 1.00pm.
Update: The live broadcast has concluded and the 17-minute replay is below
Update 2.15pm: Minister Scott’s remarks:
Good afternoon members of the media,
In March of this year, during the Budget debate, I announced that as part of the Government’s commitment to protecting the island’s environment, the Ministry of Transport is starting by purchasing 30 electric buses.
We purchased the new buses from Golden Dragon Bus Company Ltd in China during the summer. The Company recently completed the pre-delivery inspections and is currently preparing the buses to be shipped from Shanghai to Bermuda.
I am very excited to announce that the project has progressed despite global supply chain issues. We anticipate that the buses will be arriving on three shipments over the next few months. But more so because they are scheduled to go into service in April 2022 following commissioning and staff training.
The Department of Transportation is recruiting additional bus operators, which will ensure that we have the resources required to provide a reliable and consistent public bus service.
To support the new buses, as part of the Government’s economic recovery plan, we are in the process of constructing interim charging stations at Dockyard, St. George and Fort Langton bus depots to support the initial 30 buses until the permanent charging infrastructure is ready. These charging stations will be fed from existing BELCO circuits and completed in March 2022.
The initial RFP for the new electric buses envisioned transitioning the entire bus fleet to electric over ten years. The permanent charging infrastructure will accommodate the whole fleet. The RFP for this new infrastructure is concluding, and the contract award is anticipated early in the new year. The build will take one year to complete.
Additionally, we look forward to the Ministry of Public Works completing its solar PV project for the Fort Langton bus garage that will produce energy to assist with charging the buses.
I take this opportunity to remind commuters who use public buses and ferries to follow the Ministry of Health Covid-19 guidelines for travelling on public transportation. Not only for their safety but also the hard-working staff of the Departments of Public Transportation and the Department of Marine and Ports Services.
I now invite Mr. Roger Todd, Director of the Department of Public Transportation, to share the operational aspects of the new buses and charging infrastructure.
Thank you.
The contract was awarded to a county with major human rights violations! Where ethnic prison labor is used to manufacture solar panels and other green items.
Too funny! Government cannot keep diesel-powered buses running but they will keep electric buses that cost 2+ times more on the road? HAHAHA! Oh, before we forget:
Ministry: Bus Cancellations For Sunday
Ministry: Bus Cancellations For Saturday
Ministry: Bus Cancellations For Friday
Ministry: Bus Cancellations For Thursday
Ministry: Bus Cancellations For Tuesday
Ministry: Bus Cancellations For Wednesday
Ministry: Bus Cancellations For Tuesday
Ministry: Bus Cancellations For Monday
Nothing like having an expensive asset sitting around collecting dust.
Electric buses are far more reliable and less likely to run into issues when compared to their fossil fuel burning cousins. Electric vehicles typically have no more than 5 moving parts in them while combustion engines can have upwards of 200 moving parts. Less movement of parts means a smaller likelihood of malfunctions due to constant usage.
If a DPT technician was able to get a thorough run down on the maintenance, which is very minimal for electric vehicles then I expect there to be minimal issues with these buses.
You’re more likely to run into a technical issues when dealing with electric vehicles, although I expect that to be minimal as well.
You’re wrong.
Electric buses are far more reliable and require little to no maintenance when being compared to a combust engine power vehicle.
Electric vehicles typically have four main moving part while and engine can have hundreds.
When a part or a combination of multiply ones used all day everyday, that ware and tare while eventually lead to deterioration and the inevitable malfunction of that component. Then trying to rectify the is made even more difficult because you’ll searching for a broken needle in a pile of needles. Additionally, combust engines require regular oil changes and topping up of coolant.
Why spend more taxpayer money on an ageing Technology when a far more efficient, effective and reliable mode of mass transit is available?
Golden dragon? Is that a Chinese restaurant chain?
Twenty minutes from St.George to Crawl.
Then they go on strike.
That elevated mirror on the right-side will last all but 10 minutes on Bermuda roads.
30 new buses from China.
No mention of how many millions of dollars we borrowed for that shopping spree.
No mention of retraining time for operators.
No mention of retraining time for mechanics.
Let’s all be proud that the PLP government went shopping and not think about the consequences.
We don’t have any money, so it remains to be seen what “deal” was struck.
You know, just know, the operators will find something to whine about.
Don’t need mechanics – just someone to replace brakes and tyres.
I don’t think the PLP are capable of thinking beyond the end of the week.
And let us not forget a YEAR (!) to build charging stations! (A year to wire in a fuse panel and and bunch of extension cords)