Until the end of 2023, ACT Bus will be revealing the Top 15 buses of all time in the Canberra / ACTION Bus fleet (determined by number in the fleet).
At number 15, is the Renault PR180.2 articulated bus with 34 vehicles.
First in service: Bus 703, 15 April 1988
Last withdrawn: Bus 986, 11 April 2014
Years in service: 27
The Renault PR180.2 was the third model of articulated bus in the Canberra fleet, after the MAN SG192 and Mercedes-Benz O.305G. Unlike its predecessors it used a “four wheel” drive system in which both the rear and centre axles were powered from the rear-mounted engine, using a flexible driveshaft which delivered power between the two sections of the bus.
Bus 703 was the first PR180.2 in service, recorded operating a Route 435 on 15 April 1988.
There were three batches of these buses. Buses 700-725 were delivered in 1988 – with a centre door which were later removed due to safety concerns; Bus 726 was delivered in August 1989; and Buses 983-989 (which are referred to as “Mk2” due to minor body variations) were delivered in mid 1993.
Bus 703 was the first to be withdrawn from service in June 2006 due to a mechanical failure. The remaining buses began being withdrawn from 2012 (with the delivery of the Scania K360UAs) until Bus 986 which was last used in service in April 2014.
Gallery:
Further reading:
- Renault PR180.2 Mk1 specifications on ACT Bus website
- Renault PR180.2 Mk2 specifications on ACT Bus website
- Featured Bus: Bus 703
- Featured Bus: Renault PR180.2 Mk2
This page was last updated on 28 April 2024
