Is this Australia's oldest city bus? Transport Canberra Renault PR100.2 (Ansair)

[@shashawo]

Sorry got to say something here as a driver. It's a public transport bus. Short journeys to get you where you need to be. For the few dollars people pay (if they bother to pay at all) I think something old but clean and functional is acceptable (excluding its lack of disability access). It's clearly a testament to the quality reliability of these buses that they're still in use. Every new (low floor) bus I've driven has always been thrown together with what appears to be the cheapest materials the builder can find. I would love to see more companies look after their fleets and get longer use out of something that's well made. Most members of the traveling public have little to no respect for the bus or anyone else on it so who really cares if the new seats are too bright for original interior.

[@TalkingPlanning]

I can certainly understand this, I have a urban and transport planning background and the value of accessible transport is certainly highly prized. I don't have anything against older buses per se, but a 30 year old, un-airconditioned bus is much better suited to Charters or private uses than route service. Many ex-route service vehicles continue to live fruitful lives on Charters, rail replacement and school runs.

[@anthonywalsh2164]

A great bus. I rode them in the late 80s/early 90s going to work. It would be nice to ride it once again for old time’s sake.

[@TalkingPlanning]

Hopefully a nice example gets kept aside at the Canberra Transport Museum, but might be a good excuse for a trip to Canberra

[@anthonywalsh2164]

@@TalkingPlanning I think I might. Finding one could be the problem. Do they only go out of Woden? The fact they have kept going and not been replaced, even by a battery bus, has probably been a net gain environmentally.

[@TalkingPlanning]

@@anthonywalsh2164 AnyTrip is great for finding out where they are running. The one I caught was from Woden, but I saw them out and about a fair bit. Won't see them on weekends though

[@pauljordan4452]

@@anthonywalsh2164 Anthony, there are a few fully electric buses in the fleet now.

[@pauljordan4452]

2:26 I LOVE the ticking indicators.

[@TalkingPlanning]

It's quite a classic sound hey!

[@griffinrails]

god i NEED to get on one of these! they are so cool!

[@TalkingPlanning]

Better book some tickets soon! I'd guess their days are quite lmited, and as they have already passed the 30 year mark, they may not have a strong market in other states or territories

[@midnight_styx]

As a French, I didn’t even know that there’s PR100’s in Australia. Back then, these buses were popular among bus operators in France, and I was lucky to rode one. Unfortunately they’re all been retired since the mid 2000’s.

[@jamesfrench7299]

They're a Berliet design introduced in the 70s before Renault acquired it. Perth also ran them.

[@TalkingPlanning]

James French is correct - they were also popular in Perth! I believe Surfside had a Berliet bodied Demo once upon a time too.

[@jamesfrench7299]

@@TalkingPlanning You jogged my memory. There was a Berliet demonstrator that Surfside ran. The body shape was similar, but it looked quite a bit older than the Renault Macks with different headlights and other details. State Transit Authority in Sydney ran two with PMC Metro 90 bodies built on them which required a bit of modification over their Mercedes and MANs carrying the same style of body work. They were driven inv exclusivev shifts by a hand full of drivers as they were considered too odd to operate in the fleet. They were eventually sold off by the 2000s to Telfords who used them for many years on school services. PS an ex Perth unit went to the UK for preservation.

[@MercedesBenzO303]

@@TalkingPlanningAll our Perth’s ones were gone, the last Renault that ran was an articulated version called the PR180.2, it was also scrapped.

[@sancheeez]

you're not hallucinating, the original seats were dull blue corduroy with chewing gum on the backs and bite marks in the padding. They were in service for many years, and started to suffer mechanical issues as a result. I remember one of these running a school bus service, the back door swung open while we were doing 80 on the motorway! It didn't help that funding for maintenance and operations were being severely cut back towards the late 90s and 00s. It wasn't uncommon to see one of these buses broken down or being towed.

[@TalkingPlanning]

Good to know I wasn't going crazy, i am still shocked to see the old Renaults getting round Canberra, especially given their 'modern city' image and sustainability ambitions. I guess my question is, how tasty is that seat foam then? Seeks a risky way to seek a new flavour experience 🤣

[@sancheeez]

@@TalkingPlanning it wasn't bad. could've used a little salt.

[@pauljordan4452]

On that note, a piece of metal made contact with the bitumen while we were doing 80kmh down Adelaide Avenue towards Woden. Some guy had to alert the driver.

[@TheRealMillennium]

I believe in you Talking Planning!!! You are one sub away from 1K!!!

[@CRAIGKMSBISMARCKTIRPITZ533]

I'll Miss These When They're Fully Gone 😭. In Winter These Were The Best Buses 😃. I Love My Buses In Canberra 😃. I've All Ways Loved Buses,Trucks,Ect Since I Was Little 😃

[@cityjetproductions]

The O405G Hispano Habits in Singapore had 3 speed Voith boxes right until the end of 2020. Incredible sound effects.

[@TalkingPlanning]

Oh wow okay! I didn't realise they were only three speeds. I caught one briefly back in 2019 while I was over there on a uni tour.

[@PoweredByCNG]

@@TalkingPlanning Many of those have 4-speed ZF gearboxes too. The 3-speed Voith and 4-speed ZF gearboxes are actually roughly equivalent, both having a direct 1:1 top gear ratio. The first two gears on the ZF gearbox are replaced by one long 1st gear on the Voith, owing to the unique DIWA design principle.

[@dudetterose]

Love the old buses! Like them more than the new buses 🌼🙂🎉

[@henrybulldog3830]

They are like a sports car to drive compared to the newer buses. Light, no power steering & no air conditioning.

[@lukeonway8397]

Interline had about a dozen of these Renaults from ACTION/Transport Canberra that where built in the late 80s they were all withdrawn from service by June 2014

[@TalkingPlanning]

I've seen the odd photo of them floating round on the interwebs... from memory most were the older PR.100 1's

[@lukeonway8397]

The Canberra 100.2s had a MK1 and a MK2 the version of the PR100.2 that Interline had was the MK1 that were withdrawn from service with ACTION from 2004 Interline got about a dozen of them

[@jamesfrench7299]

They're STILL going!! There were Leyland Nationals and Volvo B58s in the fleet when I first saw them back in 89!

[@TalkingPlanning]

I had a feeling they may have been granted a short-term exemption to the new DDA rules, as the new electric buses are still not quite ready - maybe someone with more knowledge can confirm?

[@jamesfrench7299]

@@TalkingPlanning I'm surprised they can still get parts for them to keep them in service. It shows that 30 year old diesel buses can be viable. They must be maintained well. Action are (or were) a well equipped organisation with top notch maintainance and overhaul facilities. Even the mighty Mercedes O305 are hard to get parts for these days.

[@pauljordan4452]

@@jamesfrench7299 The O305s scared the crap out of me when I was in primary school.

[@jamesfrench7299]

@@pauljordan4452 The noises I take it. The hub reduction axles made them sound surreal at cruising speed. I have nothing but fond memories of them myself. The clutch fan roared from outside. My first experience of them was the Sydney ones in the early 80s.

[@enzoscarp]

2:40 literally more technologically advanced than some of the new buses being delivered in sydney... even the ones that do have information displays never use them because most routes don't support their use

[@TalkingPlanning]

I remember going to Toronto back in 2012 and working internal information displays on Buses were a normal sight. Would be interesting to know whether it's a cost or 'operator apathy' reason. Growing up in Brisbane, I remember trials of the tech on the CityGlider and on Logan Buses but was surprised to see the screens disappear and not to return. I agree the tech is very helpful, although starting with the Stop ID seems an unusual decision, as I can't think when I've ever used a Stop ID over a place name when navigating on public transport.

[@TheFordMan888]

I believe in Tasmania there is a 60s Comair and 2 69 Leyland Leopards that still do school runs.

[@lindsaydonovan6241]

Rode one yesterday - Mon 24/07/2023. Still going strong, albeit not many left. Feels a bit out of place going thru new areas of Gungalin.

[@johnmaddox4403]

I remember this type of renault bus in service in sydney. The voith 3 speed was rather tall gearing, mostly 1st speed on torque converter before lock up in sydney traffic, more 2nd and 3rd gears lockup here in this video, nice hydraulic retard sound, kinda sounds like an electric bus on regen. Jm

[@bigdude101ohyeah]

I'd be interested to hear about your take on Canberra's weirdness in regards to urban planning. A combination of legacy federal control (which still exists to a degree with the National Capital Authority), and the lack of local government, it would seem like a different experience for planners, compared to traditional state/local governments.

[@TalkingPlanning]

Its certainly an interesting history - I need to read up more on it myself before then though!

[@torrenstransitenthusiast6985]

I've got a request can you do a review on Adelaide Bustech VST hybrids

[@Powerage_86]

What always intrigued me with those buses is the random burst release of air every now and then. What was the reason for that?

[@TalkingPlanning]

Like humans, Renaults pass wind too...

[@pauljordan4452]

@@TalkingPlanning The Renault PR 100.2 would fart periodically. 🤣

[@TheRealMillennium]

YAYYYYYYYYY HE HIT 1000 SUBS

[@purnamajayasutarno9654]

I took this bus in 2000😊

[@TheRealMillennium]

Shoot I gotta get one

[@TheRealMillennium]

What was its fleet number?

[@TalkingPlanning]

This one was 974, which i think may have already given up the ghost?

[@TheHobartAviationFan]

As a Hobartian I miss the Volvos 😢

[@TalkingPlanning]

I haven't had the chance to get to Hobart since a family holiday many years back, but I have seen photos of the old classics.

[@TheHobartAviationFan]

@@TalkingPlanning yeah the old artics were awesome

[@TheRealMillennium]

4 more subs till 1K!

[@heyyou3653]

I’m the 999th sub

[@TheRealMillennium]

@@heyyou3653 CONGRATS TO YOU!!! You are about to get him to 1K!!!!!