9 October 2023
- LinkSA, a subsidiary of Keolis Downer, renews bus regional contracts in Barossa, Fleurieu, and Northern Adelaide Hills and expands its footprint in Mount Gambier
- LinkSA is committed to working with local stakeholders and DIT to deliver public transport services that meet community needs.
The Department for Infrastructure and Transport (DIT) has awarded regional bus contracts to LinkSA, in Barossa, Fleurieu, Northern Adelaide Hills and in Mount Gambier. These contracts will start on 1 October 2023 for 8 years, with the potential to operate the services until 2035 through contract extensions.
Brett Andruszkiewicz, General Manager for Keolis Downer Bus in South Australia said “these regional contract wins serve as a testament to our strong partnership with DIT and our focus on service delivery and passenger satisfaction.”
Under the Fleurieu contract LinkSA will improve connections to other transport modes and increase the public transport offer. New services will be added connecting Adelaide and Goolwa/Victor Harbor to the Kangaroo Island ferry. LinkSA is also adding two services connecting Adelaide, Goolwa and Victor Harbour through the middle of the day, delivering a much-needed service to the community.
As part of the new contract in Mount Gambier, LinkSA worked with a local recruitment agency to create opportunities for the local community to become bus drivers.
Brett Andruszkiewicz said “Recruitment and training of new employees is underway in Mount Gambier, and we are thrilled to welcome new colleagues who also know the local area really well. Our team will continue to meet with key stakeholders to address community feedback, as we work in partnership with DIT to deliver better services for the Mount Gambier community. Under this contract we will introduce six new buses to deliver an improved service to local communities.”
“We also put forward solutions as part of our bid response to DIT to improve the Mount Gambier service. We look forward to working with local stakeholders and DIT to determine what can be implemented to deliver improved public transport services in Mount Gambier.”
About Keolis Downer
Keolis Downer is a leading operator and integrator of public transport in Australia. With over 5,300 employees and a presence in five states, Keolis Downer enables 350 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), Adelaide Metro train services and more than 1,300 buses in New South Wales, Western Australia, South Australia and Queensland.
Established in 2009, Keolis Downer is a joint venture between Keolis, a leading public transport operator established in 14 countries, and Downer, the leading provider of integrated services in Australia and New Zealand.
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