Logan and Southern Region

[ozbob]

http://translink.com.au/travel-information/service-updates/seq-bus-network-review-2013/logan

Logan and Southern Region

Route changes

Maps for your improved bus network will be available soon.

Check the route numbers below for more detailed information about the planned changes:

Route    Description    Changes

534    Browns Plains to Orion Springfield Town Centre    This route will be extended to Springfield Central train station in December as part of the Ipswich region changes. Then this route will be realigned to service the areas of Hillcrest that will no longer be serviced by route 544 in early 2014.

540    Beaudesert to Brisbane City    Will be truncated at Browns Plains to improve service efficiency and on-time running. This service will be increased to run hourly between Browns Plains and Beaudesert. Passengers can transfer at Browns Plains to continue their journey to Brisbane City.

541    Browns Plains to Greenbank    Some minor timetable adjustments.

542    Browns Plains to Park Ridge    This route will no longer service Ranchwood Avenue, Bergonia or Furzer Streets. Services will be rerouted to run along Browns Plains Road.

543    Browns Plains to Heritage Park    This service will have reduced operating hours and services. Weekend services will be removed to better match passenger demand.

544    Browns Plains to Forestdale    Will be removed due to low patronage so resources can be reallocated to areas of higher demand. The redirected route 534 will now service the Hillcrest area.

545    Garden City to Browns Plains    Improved timetable to provide more realistic running times.

P546    Park Ridge to Brisbane City    Will have additional morning and afternoon peak services. Services will be realigned in the Brisbane CBD to follow a similar path to route P142 to provide a better service for customers.

New route 547    Browns Plains to Woodridge    This is a new service that will operate from Browns Plains to Woodridge via Drewvale.

550    Browns Plains to Springwood    Reduced operating hours on Sundays to better match passenger demand. Improved timetables to provide more realistic running times.

551    Crestmead to Brisbane City    Improved timetable to provide more realistic running times.

552    Loganholme bus station to Kingston    Reduced operating hours on weekday nights to better match passenger demand. Improved timetable to provide more realistic running times.

553    Beenleigh to Trinder Park    Reduced operating hours on weekdays, and Sunday services. Improved timetables to provide more realistic running times.

554    Logan Central to Garden City    Will have additional weekday morning and afternoon services to and from Kuraby station. Some weekday, Sunday and public holiday services will be removed so resources can be reallocated. Timetables will be improved to provide more realistic running times.

555    Loganholme bus station to Brisbane City    Improved timetables to provide more realistic running times.

556    Griffith University to Loganholme bus station    This service operates during university semesters only; it will be removed due to low patronage. Resources will be reallocated to areas of greater demand. Passengers will be able to use alternative routes 560 and 555.

557    Garden City to Springwood via Underwood    Will be removed due to low patronage so resources can be reallocated to areas of greater demand. Passengers will be able to use routes 545 and 555.

558    Logan Central Loop    Will be removed due to low patronage so resources can be reallocated to areas of greater demand. Passengers will be able to use routes 545, 550, 552 and 553, which operate on parts of this route.

560    Loganholme bus station to Browns Plains    Will have reduced operating hours on weekdays and Sunday evening services to better match demand. Timetables will be improved to provide more realistic running times.

561    Crestmead to Brisbane City    Improved timetable will provide more realistic running times.

562    Loganholme bus station to Beenleigh    Reduced operating hours on weeknights and Saturdays to better match demand. A new two-way loop on Sundays will be introduced to combine routes 562 and 563 (these are new routes 564 and 568). Timetables will be improved to provide more realistic running times.

563    Loganholme bus station to Bethania    Reduced operating hours on Saturdays to better match demand. A new two-way loop on Sundays will be introduced to combine routes 562 and 563 (new routes 564 and 568). Improved timetable will provide more realistic running times.

New route 564    Beenleigh to Loganholme Loop (Clockwise)    A new two-way loop on Sundays will be introduced to combine routes 562 and 563. It will run every two hours.

565    Windaroo to Loganholme bus station    Reduced operating hours on weekday mornings and afternoons. Sunday services will be extended to areas not covered by the introduction of new routes 564 and 568.

566    Windaroo to Brisbane City    Improved timetables will provide more realistic running times.

New route 568    Beenleigh to Loganholme Loop (Counter-clockwise)    A new two-way loop on Sundays will be introduced to combine routes 562 and 563. It will run every two hours.

P569    Loganholme bus station to Brisbane City    Improved timetables will provide more realistic running times.

570    Cornubia to Loganholme bus station    Reduced operating hours on weekdays to better match demand. Weekend services will be removed so resources can be reallocated to areas of greater demand. Timetables will be improved to provide more realistic running times.

571    Cornubia to Brisbane City    Improved timetables will provide more realistic running times.

572    Loganholme bus station to Springwood    Frequency on weekends will be reduced to hourly to better match passenger demands.

573    Loganholme bus station to Brisbane City    Improved timetables will provide more realistic running times.

574    Loganholme bus station to Springwood    Reduced operating hours on weekdays to better match demand. Weekend services will be removed so resources can be reallocated to areas of greater demand. Timetables will change to provide more realistic running times.

575    Loganholme bus station to Brisbane City    Improved timetables will provide more realistic running times.

576    Springwood to Garden City    Reduced operating hours on weekday and weekend services to better match passenger demand. Timetables will be improved to provide more realistic running times.

577    Springwood to Brisbane City    Improved timetables will provide more realistic running times.

578    Springwood to Garden City    Reduced operating hours to weekday evenings and Saturday morning services to better match passenger demand. Sunday services will be removed so resources can be reallocated to areas of greater demand. Timetables will be improved to provide more realistic running times.

579    Springwood to Brisbane City    Improved timetables will provide more realistic running times.

P581    Slacks Creek park 'n' ride to Brisbane City    Some minor timetable adjustments.

582    Slacks Creek park 'n' ride to Springwood    Some minor timetable adjustments.

=============

Information sessions

Find out more about your new bus network - visit an information session:

Date    Time    Venue

Monday 14 October    9am to 5.30pm    Hyperdome Shopping Centre

Tuesday 15 October    9am to 5.30pm    Logan Central Plaza

Thursday 17 October    9am to 9pm    Grand Plaza Shopping Centre

Saturday 19 October    9am to 4pm    Grand Plaza Shopping Centre

Wednesday 23 October    9am to 5.30pm    Logan Central Plaza

Thursday 24 October    9am to 9pm    Hyperdome Shopping Centre

Friday 25 October    9am to 5.30pm    Grand Plaza Shopping Centre

Saturday 26 October    9am to 4pm    Grand Plaza Shopping Centre

[longboi]

With the introduction of the 547 and the extension of the 153, Drewvale is now suddenly going to have a spike in PT options.

It will be interesting to see if there is any great uptake.

[STB]

The new 564/568 loop sounds interesting, but really I think they need to shorten and sort out routes 562 and 563 out properly.  At the moment on route 563 for example, it takes an hour just to get to Loganholme from Bethania (which is the Carindale version of the Logan area), you can drive from Bethania to Loganholme in about 10mins.  And the connections currently on those routes with the train is absolute cr%p.

[techblitz]

'more realistic running times'

this about sums up the current situation for a lot of logan services and review implementation cant come quick enough!
Totally out of their control due to increased roadworks and vehicle traffic.Been chatting to drivers at any chance I get. Great drivers who are always willing to have a yak and seems a lot of them are unhappy with the otp for certain routes....especially at peak hour.
This is surely having a flow on effect on moral. Stb noticed recently a bit of casual attitudes on some drivers.

Example is the 550 which has to contend with multiple busy intersections from its springwood to browns plains trip. Because of the loop back system they have going...bus will usually be a minimum 20 mins late hence the bus in the opp direction will also be 20 mins late as the driver plays catchup.

Lets hopefully see if translink/management can get on top of it and improve otp @ peak

[longboi]

There's been continual issues with 560, 562 and 552 due to roadworks in a few different places.

I haven't experienced any issues with City services generally. A couple of times the 573 has been behind but it's more the local services which have needed a good looking at.

[STB]

Route 545 is one route that definately needs a look at the timetable itself.  I've caught it several times in the past and have arrived up to 10-15mins late at Browns Plains and Garden City.

[techblitz]

kudos to LCBS/translink for trying to keep to a clockface timetable but its just not working in this area currently.

I highlight an example:

550 ex springwood at 1.15pm weekday  J.Planner trip time to browns plains 53 minutes

now

550 ex springwood 4.45pm weekday     J.Planner trip time to browns plains 53 minutes

that's where the problem is...
traffic flow is vastly different around those times.

[STB]

kudos to LCBS/translink for trying to keep to a clockface timetable but its just not working in this area currently.

I highlight an example:

550 ex springwood at 1.15pm weekday  J.Planner trip time to browns plains 53 minutes

now

550 ex springwood 4.45pm weekday     J.Planner trip time to browns plains 53 minutes

that's where the problem is...
traffic flow is vastly different around those times.

They did the same with route 250 in the last round of changes, as apparently that was the feedback they were getting from passengers, the passengers wanted a consistant clockface timetable on route 250, even though the traffic conditions and passenger loads vary quite a bit throughout the day, and in reality, route 250 can run up to 15-20mins late during peak hour and up to 10mins late during off peak, depending on the time of day.  They also took a bit too much time out of the old timetable - the old timetable accounted for the various traffic conditions and paper ticket sales, passengers didn't like that timetable though as from their perspective it took too long.

[techblitz]

interesting indeed STB    Two sides to the story for sure....

imagine if you are a new user to the network and you take say a 562 for the first time...you look at the clockfaced stop timetable and then double check the online journey planner and think...nice! my bus will be here shortly. Meanwhile your left standing there for an extra 20 or so because this is what usually happens at peak unbeknown to you.
Hardly a first time confidence builder for people ditching the car and giving buses a go....

Current timetabled GCL example for the trip ex garden city to qe2 hospital via the heavily congested mains rd intersection:

depart GC   1.22pm   arr qe2 1.34pm = 12 mins
&
depart GC   4.28pm   arr qe2 4.44pm = 16 mins  <<< a buffer for increased t.flow
then
depart GC   6.33pm   arr qe2 6.45pm = 12 mins  <<<< back to normal as more often than not traffic usually eases around 7pm

Would be good to see at least some sort of buffer for certain routes at peak to build confidence for first time users to the network.

[STB]

interesting indeed STB    Two sides to the story for sure....

imagine if you are a new user to the network and you take say a 562 for the first time...you look at the clockfaced stop timetable and then double check the online journey planner and think...nice! my bus will be here shortly. Meanwhile your left standing there for an extra 20 or so because this is what usually happens at peak unbeknown to you.
Hardly a first time confidence builder for people ditching the car and giving buses a go....

Current timetabled GCL example for the trip ex garden city to qe2 hospital via the heavily congested mains rd intersection:

depart GC   1.22pm   arr qe2 1.34pm = 12 mins
&
depart GC   4.28pm   arr qe2 4.44pm = 16 mins  <<< a buffer for increased t.flow
then
depart GC   6.33pm   arr qe2 6.45pm = 12 mins  <<<< back to normal as more often than not traffic usually eases around 7pm

Would be good to see at least some sort of buffer for certain routes at peak to build confidence for first time users to the network.

From a passenger perspective though, clockface can be a good thing as you don't need to memorize several different times thoughout the day.  If you know a bus leaves on the hour for example, that's all you need to know.  From experience, local and crosstown routes tend to be better for clockface timetabling.  Basically though if a route has to pass through several different schools or go along several major roads, the timetable will vary quite a bit throughout the day, and even on a day to day basis, especially if it has to pass several schools and pick up kids, during school holidays it may run on time or early, during school terms it may run late.  It's a tricky balance, and hence why timetables need that buffer to be considered 'on time'.

[Golliwog]

Interesting point. Realistically I think what most people would like is a frequent clockface timetable. I think most people understand that in peak hour you're obviously going to get caught in traffic, but don't want to have to wait around at a bus stop because the bus timetable isn't even. It's a difficult line to walk for the operator as either way you'll have people complaining about it unless you're running BUZ type frequencies.

[STB]

Interesting point. Realistically I think what most people would like is a frequent clockface timetable. I think most people understand that in peak hour you're obviously going to get caught in traffic, but don't want to have to wait around at a bus stop because the bus timetable isn't even. It's a difficult line to walk for the operator as either way you'll have people complaining about it unless you're running BUZ type frequencies.

And then you get the bunching complaints on BUZ services, where a large influx of passengers at different times of the day slows down one service and the other catches up to it.

Also, not every route is suitable to be BUZed. I wouldn't be BUZing route 314 for example  .

[James]

There are three major issues with the buses in Logan.

1. The routes are often too long. Most bus routes are timetabled to take an hour (start to finish), while probably less than half of BCC routes are timetabled to take that long. Routes should be made shorter, and it should be raise that not ever bus needs to service at least three major nodes. (I think the time taken could also be decreased by getting rid of fat in these timetables).
2. Lack of peak hour services. 'Peak hour' seems to be a non-existant concept when it comes to non-rocket bus services in Logan. Frequency of bus services needs to be increased so a lack of a clockface timetable in peak is compensated for.
3. Traffic congestion. Slows down buses, in short.

A clockface timetable is an important thing. I personally find it frustrating that my route from the CBD does not have some form of clockface timetable. But when frequency is higher, clockface timetables become less important, and as long as a route is roughly clockface, it will do. For example, if the current timetable has the bus leaving Browns Plains at :00, still have it leave then, but time the intermediate stops so they become a realistic representation of when the bus will arrive, rather than make it clockface. Because this is the bus running 'late' (that is, later than a clockface timetable), it will not matter so much.

Off-peak, clockface timetables are important, especially on shared corridors.

[Golliwog]

Interesting point. Realistically I think what most people would like is a frequent clockface timetable. I think most people understand that in peak hour you're obviously going to get caught in traffic, but don't want to have to wait around at a bus stop because the bus timetable isn't even. It's a difficult line to walk for the operator as either way you'll have people complaining about it unless you're running BUZ type frequencies.

And then you get the bunching complaints on BUZ services, where a large influx of passengers at different times of the day slows down one service and the other catches up to it.

Also, not every route is suitable to be BUZed. I wouldn't be BUZing route 314 for example  .

Haha, of the issues you can have with buses, bunching is way down the list of ones to be concerned by. If anything, I like it once buses have bunched as they can usually play a game of leapfrog picking up passengers (unless someone wants to get off of course).

And I certainly wouldn't propose BUZing all or even the majority of routes, but there are certainly a number of arguments for improvements to some of the trunk routes that exist (or in some cases, should exist).

[nathandavid88]

As a bus user who lives and works in Logan, this is my take on the changes.

540 (truncation at Browns Plains): A very good decision. It creates a better connection between Beadesert, Park Ridge and Browns Plains, and it really doesn't need to run all the way into the city. I just hope some weekend services are included, I wouldn't mind busing it down to Beaudesert as a weekend daytrip sometime.

547 (New Woodridge to Browns Plains service): Another very good decision, as it's going to cut travel time between Woodridge and Browns Plains in half. Might cannibalise some patronage from the 550 and 545 though.

552 (reduced hours weekday nights): It doesn't run that late as it is (Last service from Kingston is 6pm, last from Loganholme is 7pm), so I hope they don't shorten it too much and make it less useful.

553 (reduced hours weekdays): I'm assuming that this means the late night short runs from Loganholme to Beenleigh are being culled. I've never seen them being used all that much, so probably no major loss.

556, 557 and 558 removal: All duplication of existing services, no loss.

560 (reduced hours on weekdays): This is my bus to work, so I hope the reduced hours aren't too significant. They will probably cull the 6am and maybe the 6:30am services in the morning I would suspect. Last services depart at 7pm in both directions which I wouldn't consider too late really.

562 (Reduced hours on weeknights): Probably killing the final services that don't run to their terminuses  (Beenleigh to Loganlea Station and Loganholme to Castile Cres, both leave at 6:15pm). It's not a well used service at the best of times really and could use a full overhaul.

564 & 568 (New Beenleigh to Loganholme Loops): Rationalising the 562 and 563 into a single route. It could be a good idea, depending on the route taken and the time the circuit takes, although it being 2 hourly does suck (probably related to how long the route takes) but at least they are running it both directions.  Would be better to have it run both Saturday and Sunday as well, rather than just Sundays.

565 (Reduced hours on weekday mornings and afternoons): At first I thought this was reducing duplication with the peak 566 service, but there's no duplication between them currently, so I don't understand it. Another route that could use a good looking at.

570 (removing weekend services): Don't agree with killing off weekend services. Reducing services is one thing, but this leaves a large pocket with no weekend PT at all.

572 (weekend frequency reduced to hourly): I personally don't like it, but I can understand it.

574 (removing weekend services): Like the 570, I don't like it. People on much of this route won't have any weekend PT services at all. Having the 572 run on the hour and having this run on the half hour might have been worth a shot.

578 (removing Sunday services): Don't like this, as both buses do service a different catchment through Rochedale South. If they want to cancel one, they should really hybridise the other to try and service those who miss out. I would also argue that neither the 576 or 578 should go to Garden City, 111's and 555's are more than enough for that leg.

A few good changes in there, but there's a lot of straight cost cutting that could be handled better IMO. The 564/568 is an attempt to keep a service alive that would otherwise have been cut completely. Surely a similar concept for the 570, 574 and 578 areas being cut off on weekends could have been looked at.

[STB]

Route maps are now available on the TransLink website for the Southern (Logan) Region.

[nathandavid88]

Well that's interesting... despite what they said about reducing weekday hours on routes like the 552, 553, 560 etc, the frequency listed with those maps show either no change to span of hours, or even increased night time running. 

[STB]

Well that's interesting... despite what they said about reducing weekday hours on routes like the 552, 553, 560 etc, the frequency listed with those maps show either no change to span of hours, or even increased night time running.

Might be best to get some clarification from one of the information sessions.

[techblitz]

nice
route 534 Weekdays: 6.30am to 9.30pm

now that the 534 is diverting via conifer/silvertop/peverell sts ....residents in this pocket of hillcrest now have extended services above what the 544 was providing. Greenbank rsl park & ride users will now have later access to their cars due to 534 leaving grand plaza at later times and then just a short walk from conifer st stop. They can also utilise the park and ride with better frequency on weekends (541/534)
Then of course the advantage of cross-town from browns plains to springfield via forest lake. 3 big shopping hubs.
Really good cross-town route that gets well used on weekends 

[nathandavid88]

Well that's interesting... despite what they said about reducing weekday hours on routes like the 552, 553, 560 etc, the frequency listed with those maps show either no change to span of hours, or even increased night time running.

Might be best to get some clarification from one of the information sessions.

I'm planning on doing just that when Translink come to town.

[STB]

I've taken a look at the maps, and I think the big wins are route 540 with it now to run hourly between Beaudeset and Browns Plains, route 547 running through to Logan Central (although I do question the patronage on that, given that I'd expect the demographics of that area to be mostly workers who won't be there to catch the 547 during the day), and route 564 and 568 - which IMO, I think they should upgrade that to run full time in the next round of changes and remove routes 562 and 563, and run it at least hourly in both directions.  Harburg Dr and Mt Warren Bvd can be done by another route I think.

[Gazza]

Just looking at the changes....What is the rationale behind the rocket from Mt Warren to the city?

[SurfRail]

Just looking at the changes....What is the rationale behind the rocket from Mt Warren to the city?

To give me an alternative way home if the lines fail between the city and Beenleigh?

Not that I ever leave the CBD early enough to us it anymore.  Has come in handy when I have had advance notice of LX incidents.

In the old days, there were a lot more different services which ran to Brisbane during the day from suburban streets.  I wonder if this is just a holdout.  Feeding people into Beenleigh and the Hyperdome should be the main goal - they can transfer onto a train or a P569.

[STB]

Just looking at the changes....What is the rationale behind the rocket from Mt Warren to the city?

To give me an alternative way home if the lines fail between the city and Beenleigh?

Not that I ever leave the CBD early enough to us it anymore.  Has come in handy when I have had advance notice of LX incidents.

In the old days, there were a lot more different services which ran to Brisbane during the day from suburban streets.  I wonder if this is just a holdout.  Feeding people into Beenleigh and the Hyperdome should be the main goal - they can transfer onto a train or a P569.

I tried doing that back in 2007, using route 563 to Beenleigh station and transferring onto the express from the Gold Coast.  Was shocking, with standees everywhere.  I gave up on it and started catching route 566 to the city instead and felt a lot better about it.  And there was no way I was going to get the all stations or even part express train from Beenleigh, for obvious reasons.  I think out there people generally prefer the bus over the train out of Beenleigh if the they know the trains are going to have decent loads.

[James]

Why does the 566 even exist? What makes the residents of Windaroo so special that they deserve to be able to go right past three nodes of interchange (Beenleigh station, Loganholme bus station and Eight Mile Plains station) and proceed directly to the CBD on a rocket service when there is still loads of air in the network?

Is this where Paris Hilton is moving once the atrosity that is the 161 being forced to stop all busway stations between Buranda and Griffith Uni comes into effect on October 14th?

Do the residents of Windaroo somehow deserve better peak frequency to the CBD than those living in west Taringa despite the former living 8 times further away in unsustainable suburban sprawl and passing three major interchange nodes on their way to the CBD?

Chop chop chop.

[Set in train]

In the old days, there were a lot more different services which ran to Brisbane during the day from suburban streets.  I wonder if this is just a holdout.  Feeding people into Beenleigh and the Hyperdome should be the main goal - they can transfer onto a train or a P569.

Feeding people to the Hyperdome reminds me, how's the planned 2001 start on construction going for bus lanes from 8 Mile Plains to the Hyperdome going? Logan has been well and truly shafted for quality PT infrastructure.

[SurfRail]

In the old days, there were a lot more different services which ran to Brisbane during the day from suburban streets.  I wonder if this is just a holdout.  Feeding people into Beenleigh and the Hyperdome should be the main goal - they can transfer onto a train or a P569.

Feeding people to the Hyperdome reminds me, how's the planned 2001 start on construction going for bus lanes from 8 Mile Plains to the Hyperdome going? Logan has been well and truly shafted for quality PT infrastructure.

Urban Circus or somebody similar actually prepared animations showing a new Hyperdome bus station on the east side of the complex feeding into a stub busway.  Some years back now.

[techblitz]

Why does the 566 even exist? What makes the residents of Windaroo so special that they deserve to be able to go right past three nodes of interchange (Beenleigh station, Loganholme bus station and Eight Mile Plains station) and proceed directly to the CBD on a rocket service when there is still loads of air in the network?

Is this where Paris Hilton is moving once the atrosity that is the 161 being forced to stop all busway stations between Buranda and Griffith Uni comes into effect on October 14th?

Do the residents of Windaroo somehow deserve better peak frequency to the CBD than those living in west Taringa despite the former living 8 times further away in unsustainable suburban sprawl and passing three major interchange nodes on their way to the CBD?

Chop chop chop.

566   Very High    Very High   

Translink did the review and have cold hard figures to back it up....take it up with them lol.

[#Metro]

566   Very High    Very High   

Translink did the review and have cold hard figures to back it up....take it up with them lol.

All this rocket firing is absolutely absurd. This is the legacy of a busway system - at higher capacities it becomes inefficient vs a rail service because it is much harder to perform interchange (as going from a small bus to another small bus does not leave much room).

For heaven's sake it is LOGAN, that is what, a good 40 km from the Brisbane CBD. May as well introduce Robina and Tweed Heads Rockets ex Elizabeth Street the way this is going. The 315 from Kippa Ring is another one on the list.

Yes the bus may be full at peak hour, but most buses are anyway. A full bus is only 65 - 85 people at most, a full train is 1000 pax... worse you have to pay the driver to drive all the way into the Brisbane CBD while there is air galore being carted to the CBD.

No wonder fares are going bezerk! The inefficiency and waste is just MIND BOGGLING!

More reason why I believe that the busway should be upgraded to automatic rail, cut off all these logan rockets etc at 8 Mile Plains and then turn back the buses to do another run.

[techblitz]

Yes LD im sure by now most on RBOT are fairly aware that trains fit more people than a bus  . Trust me...if that busway wasn't built...there is no doubt this city would feed rail a LOT more (hence we would probably also have all our rail stations upgraded!)
This city would not be as bus reliant and we wouldn't have near 1000 buses out there. But guess what? .....its too late...the buses are there and the busway is there...the decisions were made long ago and this is how its ended up...nothing you or i can do about it ...

PS:  getting something together for you and james  ....to show you that Translink and BT both decided (or shall we say conspired?) to keep the majority of VH VH routes active....

[Gazza]

I tried doing that back in 2007, using route 563 to Beenleigh station and transferring onto the express from the Gold Coast.  Was shocking, with standees everywhere.

Wasn't that in the bad old days when the GC trains were actually overcrowded and people would bring camping stools on the train?

[#Metro]

PS:  getting something together for you and james  ....to show you that Translink and BT both decided (or shall we say conspired?) to keep the majority of VH VH routes active....

65 passengers = very full bus, but put those same passengers on a train, you have one VERY empty train. Not a good metric... If anything it implies that the route would be better truncated as you could turn the bus around to do another run and get another full load.

Problem is the question, is there space on the 'Bombay Express' nowadays for this to happen? If there is then the route should be truncated.

[techblitz]

(Brisbane region)

List of all VH capacity/VH VFM routes.... most kept on same alignment no doubt due to their very high patronage.... Out of all 18 routes listed TL decided to change or streamline 6 of them....
Kept by TLink (privates)

573 , 571 , p546(increased) ,566 , 551   

Kept by BT & Translink

p208 ,p211 ,p207 , p206 ,>>> same alignment different name under TL >>> 412 , 199 ,305

Legitimately replaced by TL via forced transfer/streamlining....

121 , p176 , p343 , 357 , p376 , 427  <<<< your winners

[James]

(Brisbane region)

List of all VH capacity/VH VFM routes.... most kept on same alignment no doubt due to their very high patronage.... Out of all 18 routes listed TL decided to change or streamline 6 of them....
Kept by TLink (privates)

573 , 571 , p546(increased) ,566 , 551   

Kept by BT & Translink

p208 ,p211 ,p207 , p206 ,>>> same alignment different name under TL >>> 412 , 199 ,305

Legitimately replaced by TL via forced transfer/streamlining....

121 , p176 , p343 , p357 , p376 , 427  <<<< your winners

You know how many 411 services a 566 could form? Five. Yep, by removing just one of your rocket-to-my-doorstep routes, we could boost my local City-bound route to 7.5 minute frequency (from the current 20 minutes). See how it is not efficient to have buses travelling such long distances?

566 can just go to Beenleigh station - maybe continue to Loganholme for connectivity purposes. And as I have mentioned, VH capacity only requires one standee every day of the week to make it count that way. If the thing gets sandwiched at Loganholme (for whatever reason), there you have it. We don't know why TL opted to keep it, but more money could be made of the route if it simply ran to Loganholme, and then resources could be redirected elsewhere.

And it is not too late to turn ourselves around from bus-centered mania. We have to otherwise the network will collapse.

[techblitz]

And as I have mentioned, VH capacity only requires one standee every day of the week to make it count that way.

Proof please...preferably in a TL verified document...then I will believe it 

Ive gone through all of TL review documentation and nowhere do I see a statement even resembling that.

Another famous quote by Tlink from their review documentation....

Maintain frequency and capacity where required in the peaks
Peak services will supplement the all day frequent network on a case by case basis.

[#Metro]

You know how many 411 services a 566 could form? Five. Yep, by removing just one of your rocket-to-my-doorstep routes, we could boost my local City-bound route to 7.5 minute frequency (from the current 20 minutes). See how it is not efficient to have buses travelling such long distances?

Yes, it could probably run every 2 minutes if it terminated at Toowong.

The waste within the network is just PHENOMENAL 

[James]

And as I have mentioned, VH capacity only requires one standee every day of the week to make it count that way.

Proof please...preferably in a TL verified document...then I will believe it 

Ive gone through all of TL review documentation and nowhere do I see a statement even resembling that.

Another famous quote by Tlink from their review documentation....

I specifically recall when looking at the classifications, 'Very High Patronage' was used to refer to services that either had patronage levels above a certain mark, or five standing load services weekly. If TL still had Stage 2 of the review up, I could see it there.

[techblitz]

@James....dont buy it sorry unless you can provide a link of some sort to that stage 2...

These are some routes i use that fit the bill of your 5 standing loads per week...

362 8.30am to the gap. <<<<< moderate overall
124 inbound 3.30 pm
690 3.30 pm. <<<<<< moderate overall
680 3.30pm
302 4pm inbound ( standing load once it leaves newstead)

The 220 at 4pm peak always has crush loads to the front thanks to its popularity through morningside,norman park etc...

I will assume your gonna rattle off your couple of centenary routes with vh to counter this.....but dont bother...
Buranda station with its plethora of standing loads at pm peak is the best guide...
TL wouldnt just randomly give a bus route a vh rating.....they have clearly found a way to seperate high from very high....it would be backed up by properly recorded stats that would be hard to question.

[nathandavid88]

One thing I will mention about the 566 that some people commenting on here about might not realise (forgive me if I'm wrong about that though) is that the 566 does get sardined quite well, however the crush happens largely at Loganholme (with further contribution from 8MP, Garden City and Griffith), rather than while going through Windaroo and Tanah Merah.

From what I have seen in the mornings, the 566 (and 571 for that matter) hauls loads to Loganholme of maybe 20–30 odd people. However, they then fill up (for the most part) at Loganholme from the "peak hour commuter lineup" that forms. As all 3 peak services leave from the same stop, what happens is you have a large line up of commuters at that one stop. Each time a 566, 569 or 571 comes in, the lineup fills the bus until either the line disappears or the bus hits capacity – whichever happens first (often the latter). When the bus hits full, the line stops and waits for the next express to come in a few minutes later, with the line replenishing during the wait.

This is probably why the 566 and 571 (and the 573 and 575, as this happens to them at Springwood) were retained IMO – not as a rocket from a suburb that doesn't require one, but as additional peak capacity for Loganholme Station (Springwood Station for the 573 and 575). If you were to shorten the 566 and 571 to Loganholme (and 573 and 575 to Springwood) you would just need to throw more buses at the 555, 569 and 581 routes to fill the capacity shortfall that would form there.

[SurfRail]

It makes sense to keeop the bus in service if it is largely full when it arrives at Loganholme without forcing a transfer, but from when I've been on it I don't know that is usually the case.  Same with the 571.