Perth trial for hybrid bus

• Diesel-electric hybrid bus could replace CATs

• One-year trial to start in March

Perth is getting a state-of-the-art diesel-electric hybrid vehicle as a possible replacement for the city's existing CAT buses.

The environmentally-friendly hybrid was developed for Transperth following a visit to the Volvo factory in Sweden by Transport Minister Troy Buswell.  Soon after returning from this trip, in October last year, the Minister announced Transperth would undertake a trial of the new technology.

"I've been keen to see one of these buses on our roads since I was in Sweden," Mr Buswell said today.

"It has arrived in Perth and, after some final fit-out work is completed, a one-year trial will start in March.

"Transperth will be running the hybrid on the Perth CAT routes and evaluating it against Volvo diesels and Mercedes CNG (compressed natural gas) buses. 

"At the end of the trial, the three models will be independently assessed and a decision made on which type of bus will be selected to replace the current CAT fleet.

The Minister said the hybrid trial represented a $1million commitment by the State Government - about $600,000 of which is the cost of the new bus - and keeps Western Australia at the forefront of the Australian transport industry and the need to embrace greener technology.

Fact File

• Liberal National Govt has expanded bus network 11.7%, providing more than 4.54 million additional bus service kilometres in 2011-12 alone

• $608,000 vehicle acquired under variation to existing PTA/ Volvo Bus Australia bus supply agreement

 Minister's office  - 6552 6400