Higher-capacity articulated buses will be a sight for sore eyes at Sydney's busiest bus stops, as the first of 50 new bendy buses joins the network.
The Minns Labor Government is investing $56 million in 50 new articulated buses - commonly known as bendy buses.
The delivery marks a significant departure from the Liberal Party's approach to bus fleet management, in which not a single new bendy bus was purchased in their 12 years in government.
The new buses will be deployed to some of Sydney's busiest bus routes where they will join 83 bendy buses which are being returned to service after they were withdrawn in late 2024 to undergo complex structural repairs to their chassis.
Their absence placed pressure on peak‑hour services, school routes, and high‑demand corridors across Sydney.
Longer buses mean shorter queues
Articulated buses carry around 50 per cent more passengers than a standard bus, making them essential for managing demand on Sydney's busiest routes.
Once all 50 new bendy buses are on the road, the capacity boost will be the equivalent of 75 standard buses.
The repaired fleet has already added the equivalent of 120 standard buses back to many of Sydney's busiest bus routes.
The first new Scania-Volgren bendy bus is operating in Sydney's northwest before joining an expanded 500X service linking the Parramatta CBD and Ryde.
Another 12 new bendy buses will arrive in coming months to join the 24-hour, seven-day-a-week 500X when the expanded service begins, delivering on a NSW Labor election promise to restore the popular M52 route which was axed by the former government.
The new bendy buses will also be deployed to the Eastern Suburbs from later this year to add much-needed capacity to not just Sydney's but Australia's most patronized bus route, the 333 route between the city and Bondi Beach.
With 81 of the 83 repaired bendies available for service, communities across the Northern Beaches, the Eastern Suburbs, the Victoria Road corridor, Lower North Shore, Lane Cove and Parramatta will see improvements in capacity, wait times, and service reliability.
More buses for the Northern Beaches
The Minns Labor Government has purchased another ten double double-decker Volvo buses which are expected to be delivered by mid-2026 to enter service on the busy B Line route on the Northern Beaches.The area, which has borne the brunt of a bus driver shortage, is benefiting from the return of repaired bendy buses.
More of the existing bendy bus fleet will also be allocated to Northern Beaches routes, becoming available as Sydney's articulated bus fleet grows. This will increase capacity and improve reliability of services.
Minister for Transport John Graham said:
"Longer buses mean shorter queues, it's as simple as that.
"The Minns Labor Government is investing in new bendy buses because they carry 50% more passengers and their single-deck, multiple-door design makes them effective on the busiest routes in peak hour where stops are frequent.
"The former Liberal-National government did not buy a single bendy bus during their 12 years in office which has made fleet management and renewal a more complicated task.
"Getting the repaired bendy buses back on the road is another important step in increasing capacity and shortening the wait times at bus stops in the peaks.
Member for Parramatta Donna Davis said:
"It was a Labor election commitment to bring back this important connection and with the 500X service expanded to Parramatta, we will be bringing back the M52.
"It is even better news for Parramatta and Ryde that the latest and most comfortable bendy buses will serve the route."
