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Popular On Demand Service is Expanding in Newcastle

01 July 2019

Popular On Demand Service is Expanding in Newcastle

  • Following the success of On Demand transport in Newcastle, Keolis Downer is expanding the service to provide more mobility options to customers
  • Patronage on the service has been growing on average 12% month-on-month with over 3,000 customer trips taken on On Demand in May
  • 68% of customer trips could not have been taken by a regular route
  • This service is powered by Via, one of the world’s leading providers and developer of On Demand public mobility solutions

Keolis Downer operates, on behalf of Transport for NSW, the integrated transport services in Newcastle, that includes On Demand, buses, light rail and ferries.

Since its launch in January 2018, the On Demand service has been very successful and is it now being expanded to provide better access to public transport for an additional 27,000 residents in Lake Macquarie area. Starting 30 June, On Demand will expand from 25 km2 to 56 km2 to include Charlestown, Dudley, Whitebridge, Gateshead, Redhead, Warners Bay, Mount Hutton, Windale, Tingira Heights, Eleebana, Croudace Bay, Valentine, Belmont North and Belmont areas.

David Franks, CEO for Keolis Downer, said the On Demand service compliments the broader Newcastle Transport integrated network and is well suited to the Lake Macquarie area as it is able to provide public transport between origins and destinations that regular route bus services cannot provide.
“Over 68% of customer trips cannot be taken by a regular route service. These flexible, non-regular routes encourage the use of public transport by providing mobility options for all, in areas where daily demand is variable.

“Most customers have less than 150m walk to reach the pick up point for their personalised bus service and customers are able to travel to areas when they want, thanks to this new flexible service.
While buses are smaller to enable access to a greater number of streets, these 20-seated vehicles are also fully accessible.

Developed in a partnership with New York-based tech company Via, the app enables the dynamic service to be booked live and provide real time information on the service, allowing more flexibility for customers.
Combining this technology with the corner-to-corner service gives customers a high-quality public transport service and access to more mobility options.

“We are delighted by the success of Newcastle Transport On Demand and are thrilled to see the service expand,” said Daniel Ramot, co-founder and CEO of Via. “Australia is one of the world’s leaders in transforming public mobility from rigid fixed-route schedules into a fully flexible On Demand network. This service in Newcastle is a great example of a city embracing the future of mobility.

Keolis Downer also operates two trials in Sydney powered by Via, including in the Northern Beaches area and in the City of Ryde/Macquarie Park precinct.

Background on Newcastle Transport
Newcastle Transport On Demand picks you up from a point close to your home and takes you to a designated point close to your destination within the On Demand area. The service has continued to grow since it launched in January 2018.

The service is available from 9am to 4pm on weekdays, 7am to 6pm on Saturday and 9am to 6pm on Sunday.

The flat fare is $3.20 per trip. Concession fares of 50% are available for eligible concession card holders.

On Demand will expand from 25 km2 to 56 km2 to include Charlestown, Dudley, Whitebridge, Gateshead, Redhead, Warners Bay, Mount Hutton, Windale, Tingira Heights, Eleebana, Croudace Bay, Valentine, Belmont North and Belmont areas.

About Keolis Downer
Keolis Downer is a leading operator and integrator of public transport in Australia. With more than 4,000 employees and a presence in five states, Keolis Downer enables 250 million passenger journeys per year. We operate and maintain the largest tram network in the world in Melbourne (Yarra Trams), the light rail network on the Gold Coast (G:link), and more than 1,200 buses in NSW, Western Australia, South Australia and Queensland. Established in 2009, Keolis Downer is a joint venture between Keolis, a leading public transport operator established in 16 countries, and Downer, the leading provider of integrated services in Australia and New Zealand. www.keolisdowner.com.au


ALL MEDIA ENQUIRIES:
Tegan Hughes – Communications and Stakeholder Engagement Manager
+61 400 262 085 / tegan.hughes@keolisdowner.com.au