Warning of delays as part of Sydney's 'bendy bus' fleet pulled from service over mechanical fault

EXCLUSIVE: A large section of Sydney's bus fleet has been pulled from service after a mechanical fault was found.

A routine inspection uncovered cracks in the connecting plate of the Volvo B-12 BLE model, also known as the "bendy buses".

Transport for NSW has been forced to park the fleet, which will mean cancellations and crammed buses on some of the City's busiest routes.

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The loss of 39 articulated coaches, known as the "bendy buses" has put a strain on the daily commute.

"The first bus came past and I was waiting because it was too full, so I ended up being late," one commuter said today.

"You're like sardines, there's no privacy," another said.

Transport for NSW Chief Excecutive Howard Collins said the state was working on a fix with suppliers.

"We're working with the chassis manufacturer now to say can we have a new component of a new design, and as we do that we will be changing them out as quickly as possible," he said.

"But it will take several weeks.

"So expect you may be queuing, or there may be cancellations or delays, so watch out for that.

"This is a precautionary measure, it's not as if they're unsafe. We want these vehicles to be in good order," Collins said.

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Services from the Northern Beaches to Manly and the city will be impacted, including the 165X, 170X and 199 routes.

The 120 service between Willoughby and the City will also lose capacity.

The 309 and 310 from Mascot to Redfern will also be affected.

The specific model of the bus was custom built nearly 20 years ago, and has had its fair share of mechanical issues.

Eventually, the ageing fleet will be replaced with a new electric fleet.

That will take time and money, and for now, it's commuters who are paying the price.