All local bus services in Canberra would run every 20 minutes during the week by 2028 if Labor is re-elected and implements its plan to buy more electric buses and employ extra drivers.
The party said it would buy an extra 110 electric buses over the next four years, and add rapid bus routes between Tuggeranong and the city, into West Belconnen and to Molonglo once the Molonglo River bridge is open.
Labor would design and build the first stage of the Belconnen transitway, which would speed up bus travel between Belconnen and the city, and implement "immediate bus priority measures", the party said.
Chief Minister Andrew Barr said the election was not a contest between buses and light rail.
"We need to do both. Canberrans shouldn't be sold short on a vision for our city's future. A city the size of Canberra can have a modern, integrated public transport system that is designed for the decades to come," Mr Barr said.
Labor said it remained committed to completing light rail stage 2A between the city and Commonwealth Park with operations set to begin in early 2028.
"We will also continue to work in partnership with the federal Labor government on all the necessary planning approvals and design of light rail stage 2B from Commonwealth Park through the National Triangle and on to Woden," the party said.
Transport Minister Chris Steel said Labor's plan would deliver more electric buses than any other party, more rapid services and more frequent local services.
"This will see Labor continue our transition to a zero-emission bus fleet by 2040 or earlier, and support Labor's plan to grow Canberra's bus network," Mr Steel said.
"Once delivered, the number of electric buses will make up one third of our bus fleet - a nation leading transition to a zero-emission public transport system."
Labor said its plan would mean local bus services would run every 20 minutes on weekdays in Canberra by the end of the next Legislative Assembly term.
Local services on Sunday would run hourly from next year, matching the Saturday frequency.
Existing rapid bus services would have increased frequency, including on the R2 service from Belconnen to the city. Labor's plan would involve the recruitment of more than 350 bus drivers before 2028.
Labor said it would consult on the route of a rapid service between Lanyon and the city to replace an existing peak bus service.
The election commitment also includes employing a team of transport officers, similar to those who work on light rail, to work across the bus network.
"ACT Labor will review our transport laws to provide additional powers for transport officers to manage anti-social behaviour and promote safe journeys on public transport," Labor's policy plan said.
Planning and design work would also commence for a fourth bus depot on the northside to support a fully electric bus fleet.
Labor's commitment includes 10 more electric buses than the ACT Greens promised in May, and matches the commitment to have weekday bus services run every 20 minutes or more.
The Canberra Liberals, who have vowed to scrap the light rail extension to Woden, have promised more express services for commuters and local buses that run every 30 minutes during the day, seven days a week.
The Liberals have not said how many extra buses would be required in the fleet or how many additional drivers were needed to deliver their plan.
The slower-than-planned arrival of electric buses to Transport Canberra's fleet prompted the government this year to trim its target for the zero-emission vehicles entering service.
The target was cut from 60 zero emission buses in service by 2024-25 to 56 between the 2023-24 and 2024-25 territory budgets.
The government wants to have a completely zero-emissions bus fleet running by 2040.
The budget papers this year said the "revised" target, included as a performance indicator for Transport Canberra, was a result of "lead times for construction of additional electrical supply infrastructure".
The government in April defended bus advertising that said electric buses were "1 of 106" when only 12 of the vehicles were on the road.
Weekend passenger numbers on the public bus network have increased since additional services were added in April, which prompted the government to consider further service expansions.
Bus services were cut in 2023 after an earlier reduction during the COVID-19 pandemic, with transport officials pointing at the time to limited demand for late-night services and workforce pressures.
The new MyWay+ ticketing system will begin operation in November, after a period of free public transport fares while the system is changed on the bus fleet.
Transport officials have said the new ticketing system will deliver more accurate timetables, as the data it collects will provide more precise information about travel times, passenger numbers and journey types.
