Newcastle Transport

Keolis Australia and New Zealand is the custodian of the Newcastle Transport network, an integrated transport service for Newcastle and Lake Macquarie focused on delivering public transport across multiple modes of travel. Under the contract, we operate Newcastle Transport bus, ferry and light rail services.

Since 2017, we have been working closely with the community, government and other stakeholders to determine the best integrated transport solution for Newcastle and Lake Macquarie.

In early 2018 the new bus and ferry network was launched introducing more than one thousand extra services each week, with buses covering more ground across increased operating hours. This provided Newcastle a new way to travel with improved frequency, better connections between modes and an exciting new On Demand service.

Newcastle light rail was launched in 2019, creating a truly multi modal transport network for the city. Light rail has made it easier for people to get around the city and connect with bus, ferry and train services.

As part of our integrated transport program, Keolis Downer also manages the operations of the Newcastle Stadium Shuttle service for major events.

In mid-2020, Keolis Australia and New Zealand launched an autonomous shuttle trial on behalf of City of Newcastle. The on road trial assessed autonomous shuttles in mixed traffic conditions and the role they can play in multimodal transport systems.

We continue to work with all levels of government, including local councils, stakeholders and the community to improve the transport solutions for the city.

We are always listening. Keolis Australia and New Zealand are committed to delivering a transport solution locals want and takes feedback from the community very seriously to ensure the delivery of a network that locals want. Our focus from day one was on community engagement and customer service by asking for feedback to understand customer needs.

The Voice of Newcastle program played a vital part of the new bus and ferry network design. Through this community engagement program we offered locals a number of initiatives to get involved in the network design, including the digital tool Social Pinpoint on the Newcastle Transport website, Facebook, and a citizen panel.

In Newcastle, we work extensively with the community, key stakeholders and Transport for NSW to continuously improve the Newcastle Transport network. Over the 10-year contract, we continue to engage with the community and the needs of our customer and increase the public transport usage.

We deliver a key campaigns and engagements to promote safety, build confidence and encourage public transport use engage with the community around public transport from the School Educational Roadshow for students, Explore Our City campaign targeted at tourists and visitors, our School Holiday program to keep families busy when school is out and our Travel Experience Day focused on building confidence for people of all abilities.

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