From mid-2025, route 77 and 78 buses between Mosgiel and Dunedin and route 70 Brighton services will be fully electric. The new fleet will also include six larger buses on routes 77 and 78, capable of carrying up to 75 passengers each at peak times.

The operation will be carbon neutral, utilising electricity generated from 100% renewable sources, a great outcome for one of the most popular and longer-distance routes in the Orbus network.

And in a new direction for the Orbus network, from July next year, routes 80 and 81 will be replaced with an on-demand service. Current Mosgiel loop passengers will be able to use an app or phone to catch a bus.

Co-chair of Otago Regional Council’s Public and Active Transport Committee Andrew Noone says the new fully electric on-demand service will expand public transport coverage to areas not currently serviced, provide flexible routes and pick up/drop off locations and help the council reach its sustainability targets.

“The current loop service (routes 80 and 81) will change from a fixed route, where a bus circulates central Mosgiel every 40 minutes on weekdays. Instead, passengers will be able to catch a smaller 22-seat, wheelchair accessible electric bus from a convenient location for them on weekdays between 8am and 6pm. Although it will not be a door-to-door service, it will be more targeted to user needs than the loop service and won’t be taking unnecessary trips.”

The service aims to provide a more convenient service and wider coverage for bus users in the area, which is something residents asked ORC for during its Long-Term Plan consultation.

The routes will be operated by Go Bus (a subsidiary of Kinetic) under contract from 2025. Go Bus Chief Operating Officer Ben Barlow thanked the council for their support and welcomed the focus on more sustainable transport options for Otago.

“Thank you to Otago Regional Council for the vote of confidence in Go Bus, and to our Dunedin teams for their dedication in delivering reliable and sustainable services to the local community each day. This is an exciting opportunity to introduce new zero emission vehicles to Dunedin and Mosgiel, and continue our great working relationship with the Council, passengers and key stakeholders,” he says.

More information and news about how the new on-demand services will operate will be provided in the new year, as Orbus prepares for the changeover in July 2025.