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Māngere welcomes two new bus depots, improved bus routes for customers Māngere welcomes two new bus depots, improved bus routes for customers

Date: 31 October 2025

Auckland Transport (AT) is celebrating the opening of two new Ritchies Transport bus depots in Māngere this morning,​ marking a major step in the move toward a cleaner, smarter bus network.

The new purpose-built depots ​located at Oruarangi Road and Ascot Road, have been built as part of a nine-year, $1.068 billion contract AT awarded to Ritchies earlier this year, which will deliver expanded bus services to south and west Auckland.

Ritchies Transport’s new Māngere depots will support more than 250 drivers and operations staff and support the introduction 102 state-of-the-art electric buses to the Auckland bus fleet. 

“This represents a significant milestone on AT’s Mission Electric journey towards electrifying the fleet and creating a cleaner, quieter more comfortable experience for Aucklanders travelling on the network,” says Stacey van der Putten, AT Director of Public Transport & Active Modes.

“Our focus is on delivering a safe and reliable transport system that reduces emissions, minimises impacts on human wellbeing and the environment and makes a meaningful contribution to improving the productivity of movement in our city”

Customers can expect to see the impacts of the new depots immediately, with new and improved bus routes starting in Māngere from November 2. These changes will provide better connections to Middlemore Hospital, train stations and the airport industrial area. These changes are funded by Auckland Councils Climate Action Transport Targeted Rate (CATTR).

Michele Kernahan, CEO of Ritchies Transport Holdings Ltd, says the Māngere openings mark the next phase of Ritchies’ long-term investment in innovation and sustainability. 

“These depots bring together our newest electric fleet and next generation charging and safety systems,” she said.

“Every electric depot we build is pre-wired for future expansion, allowing us to scale up quickly as Auckland grows. We’re proud to work alongside AT to deliver cleaner transport and smarter infrastructure for the growing communities of South Auckland.” 

The Oruarangi Road depot is fully electrified and equipped with advanced smart-charging technology that calculates and delivers the energy each vehicle requires for its next run - with a built-in safety buffer for traffic or delays - ensuring efficiency without compromising the power grid.

The inclusion of zero emission buses and advanced environmental standards at the depots aligns with AT’s Mission Electric and sustainability goals to significantly reduce carbon emissions, contributing to a cleaner, greener Auckland.

The new electric buses prioritise customer safety, with next-generation safety systems, including collision-avoidance radar, lane-departure and pedestrian-detection alerts, and AI-driven driver-monitoring technology that tracks fatigue or distraction in real time. Protective driver screens and multi-camera surveillance systems provide further protection for passengers and staff. 

The new Māngere depots join Ritchies’ Hillside Road and Albany sites on the North Shore as part of a growing network of electric facilities.  Takanini, Pukekohe, Westgate and Swanson depots will follow in 2026, bringing the total to eight part- or fully electrified Ritchies depots across Auckland. Each is designed for flexible, smart energy management and has the capacity to expand over the coming decade.

Notes to the editor:

  • The contract will see a total of 175 new electric buses introduced on the network.
  • The Ascot Road depot, will initially operate diesel buses and transition to full electrification in 2026. 
  • From Sunday 2 November when the new bus routes start operating there will be more than 310 electric buses in the Auckland bus fleet – the largest number in Australasia.
  • We expect there will be more than 450 electric buses operating on the Auckland network by August 2026.
  • For more information on  Māngere bus changes, visit the Auckland Transport webpage here: Māngere bus changes