RAIL - Back On Track Forum

https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/emergency-services/three-people-taken-to-hospital-as-bus-crash-closes-bruce-highway/news-story/4f9fa9e8690bfcc8a31a71106ce112c3

Quote... Three people have been taken to hospital and the Bruce Highway is closed north of Gympie after a passenger coach crashed early this morning.

Police say the Greyhound coach was travelling about 100km/h when it crashed through a barrier while travelling southbound at Gunalda in the early hours of Monday.

Emergency services arrived at the scene just after 2.30, reporting 20 people on the Brisbane-bound bus. ...

ABC News --> Brisbane's Edward Street set to close as police re-enact bus crash that killed Tia Cameron

QuoteBrisbane's lord mayor has confirmed the bus crash that claimed the life of an 18-year-old woman was not due to a mechanical fault, with police set to re-enact the collision to determine the cause.

The bus that mounted a kerb in the CBD and killed Tia Cameron on March 8 has been "thoroughly" tested and investigators determined there was no technical or mechanical fault, Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said.

Video and CCTV footage of the incident has also been reviewed, but in order "to understand exactly how it happened", Edward Street will be closed this Sunday as police work to recreate the incident and find answers.  ...

Cultural Centre P2 has re-opened.

https://translink.com.au/updates/453101

Quote from: TransLinkOn Monday 22 April, the permanent Cultural Centre station platform 2 will reopen following major Brisbane Metro construction works.

This platform will be located on Melbourne Street opposite QPAC where the original platform 2 was previously located.

Temporary platforms 2 and 3 on Melbourne Street will close and all services travelling away from the city will move to the new permanent platform 2 on Melbourne Street (opposite QPAC).

I guess I'm unclear on what's going on - I thought that in the final version West End and terminating services would effectively be on a different platform to the through services.

What has the rebuild actually achieved? I know P1 has been lengthened.

The temporary P2 (under the rail bridge) has now closed to be formalised as the permanent P3 for West End services. This closure is required to enable works to be undertaken to finalise the lane configurations and civil works between Grey & Merivale Streets as there wouldn't be enough room/there'd be swept path issues for these works to occur maintaining the 3 lanes of bus traffic through here during construction.

Quote from: aldonius on April 23, 2024, 09:17:43 AMCultural Centre P2 has re-opened.

https://translink.com.au/updates/453101

Quote from: TransLinkOn Monday 22 April, the permanent Cultural Centre station platform 2 will reopen following major Brisbane Metro construction works.

This platform will be located on Melbourne Street opposite QPAC where the original platform 2 was previously located.

Temporary platforms 2 and 3 on Melbourne Street will close and all services travelling away from the city will move to the new permanent platform 2 on Melbourne Street (opposite QPAC).

I guess I'm unclear on what's going on - I thought that in the final version West End and terminating services would effectively be on a different platform to the through services.

What has the rebuild actually achieved? I know P1 has been lengthened.

There is no precedence for a transport infrastructure project like this to not have a revised or final report out with all of the changes since 2018 out by now.

Melbourne Street will still be a bottleneck for traffic and the Victoria Bridge will still be a carpark during peak hours, unless road traffic is permanently removed from this area. The pedestrian crossing at the SE Busway portal along Melbourne St should also be removed. The scramble crossing would replace this at Melbourne/Grey Streets intersection.

Otherwise...the rebuild will achieve nothing.

I have noticed the bus congestion too over the last couple of days, while cycling past, with outbound buses queuing over the bridge right back into the Queens Street bus tunnel.

Not surprised and nothing that we haven't seen over the years.

Such a bad outcome at the Cultural Centre when there was a better solution of going underground and having an integrated station with South Brisbane.

As one wag commented on X no bus tunnel, just a bus funnel! 

Quote

Code Select Expand

https://x.com/hangingshoes/status/1782165823626592574
Bus user @hangingshoes
I wish we were getting a Metro Tunnel at Cultural Centre, delays or otherwise.
Instead we have the Metro funnel.

Yet another ' half baked project with long term consequences ' something Queensland excels in hey!

https://x.com/10NewsFirstQLD/status/1788829833322979354

Brisbanetimes --> Bus driver charged over crash that killed Tia Cameron in Brisbane CBD $

QuoteThe driver of a bus that crashed in the Brisbane CBD in March, killing pedestrian Tia Cameron, will be formally charged over her death.

In a statement late on Monday afternoon, Queensland police advised that the man was expected to appear in Brisbane Magistrates Court on June 26.

"Following extensive investigations by the Forensic Crash Unit, a 70-year-old Underwood man has been issued a notice to appear on one count of careless driving causing death," the statement said.

The man has not been named. ...

Couriermail --> Man dead after being struck by bus in South Brisbane $

QuoteA man has died after being struck by a bus in South Brisbane on Friday night.

Emergency services were called to the scene of the crash around 11.30pm after a bus travelling along Melbourne St in South Brisbane struck a pedestrian near the Cordelia St intersection. ...

They have recently announced that they are making the streets around that area more pedestrian and bike friendly. Let's hope they don't delay and start as soon as possible.

https://x.com/9NewsQueensland/status/1806816819761627531

ABC News --> Investigation underway into cause of fatal collision between Greyhound bus and car on Bruce Highway in north Queensland

====

The Greyhound bus ended up on the nearby north coast line.

Couriermail --> Fire crews cut driver from wreck after MacGregor crash $

QuoteA bus driver is fighting for life after being cut from a wreckage following a collision with a guard rail south of Brisbane on Sunday night.

The driver, who has serious injuries, was trapped in the wreckage for some time, with fire crews forced to cut him free.

He was transported with life-threatening injuries to the Princess Alexandra Hospital with critical care paramedics on board.

Seven of the 12 passengers were treated at the scene for a range of non-life-threatening injuries. ...

^^ I know that bridge very well, and all I can say is that they're lucky that concrete barrier held, otherwise they would have plunged a few metres down to the Kessels Road underpass below.

Not sure how that could have happened, there is a dedicated bus lane across Kessels Road, and it doesn't look like anyone merged across into it or anything like that. Medical episode by the driver?

Couriermail --> Aquinas College student hailed a hero after steering school bus to safety following driver's heart attack $

QuoteA teenage girl has been credited with saving the lives of her schoolmates after she took the wheel of their bus on a busy Gold Coast road when the driver suffered a heart attack.

The Aquinas College bus crashed into a median strip on the Southport Nerang Rd in Ashmore, near the junction with Olsen Ave, shortly after 3.20pm.

Witnesses on the bus said the driver cried out and grabbed his chest before becoming unresponsive.

The female student who was sitting in the front seat reached across and steered the bus into traffic lights, avoiding other traffic.

Queensland Ambulance Service senior operations supervisor John Nolan hailed the 15-year-old girl a hero and said her "brave and courageous" actions saved the 25 students on board from serious harm. ...

Couriermail --> Qld's bus crash crisis: Tired drivers 'pressured' to skip breaks $

QuoteAs the state reels from a spate of horror bus crashes, a union has levelled shock claims about driver conditions.

Brisbane bus drivers will be put through more stringent performance and health checks in the wake of a review into a fatal CBD crash that claimed the life of 18-year-old pedestrian Tia Cameron.

It comes amid claims tired drivers are being pressured to skip lunch breaks when running behind schedule, with the transport union revealing a marked increase in driver abuse and assaults following the fatal crash.

The Courier-Mail can exclusively reveal an independent report commissioned by Brisbane City Council after the incident has recommended changes to the health assessment framework for Queensland bus drivers aged over 60. ...

https://x.com/ozbob13/status/1811432576856580370

Brisbanetimes --> Timetable pressure, not older drivers, should be focus of bus review: union $

QuoteStressed Brisbane bus drivers are being forced to hurry through their routes or make up time on meal breaks, their union said on Friday, as council flagged more health checks for older drivers.

An independent review of council bus driver skills, commissioned by Brisbane City Council, has recommended bringing forward annual driver health assessments from 75 years of age to 60.

The draft review referred to a study of Melbourne bus accidents between 2000 and 2011 that showed that age (60 years and over) and experience (less than two years) were "more likely to result in their involvement in at-fault accidents". ...

In Queensland --> Brisbane bus drivers over 60 need regular health checks, report finds

QuoteFour months after a fatal crash, an independent report has found older bus drivers need more regular health checks to stay on the road.

The report, commissioned by Brisbane City Council, recommended bus drivers over 60 should have increased health assessments to ensure public safety. ...

https://x.com/ozbob13/status/1811799468993548376

Sent to all outlets:

We are indeed missing the bus  ...

13th July 2024

Good Morning,

In the interests of  a public information service we alert readers to the fact the bus operators in Queensland are struggling to deliver their contracted timetables.

Translink reports bus service disruptions on X.  We record the the daily number of reported bus service disruptions, it gives a broad guide as to how the bus networks are performing. These daily summaries are available publicly here > https://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?board=112.0 

In the last few months there has been increasing numbers of bus daily service disruption reports.  During the recent school holidays, the numbers of reported service disruptions  reduced and have resumed in increased numbers this past week as school resumed, and school buses rightly get driver priority.  This is a sure sign of bus driver shortages as well as worse traffic conditions when school resumes.

Recent recommendations for for more regular health checks for bus drivers over 60 years of age will probably lead to more driver shortages, unless more active recruitment is undertaken by operators and supported by Government.

I am happy to discuss any of these charts.

Number of reported bus service disruptions Translink from 18 Mar 2024 to 9 Jun 2024


https://backontrack.org/docs/bus/service_disruptions/six/reportedbusdisruptions6.png

Number of Translink reported bus service disruptions from 10 Jun 2024
School holidays 24 June to 5 July 2024


https://backontrack.org/docs/bus/service_disruptions/seven/reportedbusdisruptions7.png

Average daily Translink reported bus service disruptions for period 23 Jan 2023 to 9 Jun 2024 was 92.


https://backontrack.org/docs/bus/service_disruptions/overall.png

The number of reported bus service disruptions is getting significantly a lot worse this year. 

This does not auger well for the introduction of the 50 Cent Fares from the 5th August.

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track https://backontrack.org

Facebook ...

Ageing bus drivers to undergo health checks amid several incidents | 7NEWS

Bus drivers facing independent review after safety concerns | 9 News Australia

Sent to all outlets:

Re: We are indeed missing the bus ...

14th July 2024

Good Morning,

We note today's article in the Couriermail ' Qld train stations brace for 50c fare anarchy '  https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/qld-train-stations-brace-for-50c-fare-anarchy/news-story/d71b4531fbdce6a29316d75993215b1b 

We think that headline is a beat up, there is capacity on rail that is not really available on buses.

Further on the article we note this " However, train passenger numbers are expected to boom when the 50c fare deal kicks off on August 5, with Translink preparing buses that will be sent in to collect stranded travellers if services become too overcrowded. "

In view of the fact that bus operators are already struggling to reliably deliver their timetables where are the drivers coming from for these buses that will be ' sent in to collect stranded travellers '?

Do tell please?

Thank you.

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track https://backontrack.org

Quote from: ozbob on July 13, 2024, 02:58:34 AMSent to all outlets:

We are indeed missing the bus  ...

13th July 2024

Good Morning,

In the interests of  a public information service we alert readers to the fact the bus operators in Queensland are struggling to deliver their contracted timetables.

Translink reports bus service disruptions on X.  We record the the daily number of reported bus service disruptions, it gives a broad guide as to how the bus networks are performing. These daily summaries are available publicly here > https://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?board=112.0 

In the last few months there has been increasing numbers of bus daily service disruption reports.  During the recent school holidays, the numbers of reported service disruptions  reduced and have resumed in increased numbers this past week as school resumed, and school buses rightly get driver priority.  This is a sure sign of bus driver shortages as well as worse traffic conditions when school resumes.

Recent recommendations for for more regular health checks for bus drivers over 60 years of age will probably lead to more driver shortages, unless more active recruitment is undertaken by operators and supported by Government.

I am happy to discuss any of these charts.

Number of reported bus service disruptions Translink from 18 Mar 2024 to 9 Jun 2024


https://backontrack.org/docs/bus/service_disruptions/six/reportedbusdisruptions6.png

Number of Translink reported bus service disruptions from 10 Jun 2024
School holidays 24 June to 5 July 2024


https://backontrack.org/docs/bus/service_disruptions/seven/reportedbusdisruptions7.png

Average daily Translink reported bus service disruptions for period 23 Jan 2023 to 9 Jun 2024 was 92.


https://backontrack.org/docs/bus/service_disruptions/overall.png

The number of reported bus service disruptions is getting significantly a lot worse this year. 

This does not auger well for the introduction of the 50 Cent Fares from the 5th August.

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track https://backontrack.org

https://x.com/railbotforum/status/1812162467428254094

Will OMC's bus come in handy? 

Will the 524 cope? 

Sent to all outlets:

14th July 2024

Re[2]: We are indeed missing the bus...

Greetings,

We have compared the latest publicly available quarterly patronage for SEQ Public Transport which is Q3 FY 23/24 and have compared that to the pre-covid patronage for the quarter.

Using the average trips for the period 2016/17/18/19 for respective quarters,

SEQ patronage as a percentage (pre-covid) for Q3 23/24 was as follows:

Total:  91.8%

SEQ Bus 93.9%

Citytrain 83.8%

*Light rail 104.9%

Ferry 80.9%

* Light rail from 2017 stage 2

Spreadsheet is available here > https://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?action=dlattach;attach=4707

This is not in agreement with some of the media reporting.  Just a heads up for you all 

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track https://backontrack.org

Attached: https://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?msg=285552

Brisbanetimes --> Brisbane bus drivers' dangerous habit makes me see red $

QuoteWalking regularly through Brisbane's CBD, it has become clear the Queensland Police Service's entire operational budget could be covered if officers issued a fine every time a bus runs a red light.

Now, by and large, Brisbane's bus drivers are quite simply the best in the country. Perhaps that's why thanking them as we disembark is considered such a "Brisbane thing".

But even the best can occasionally come undone by a minority under pressure to keep services running on time.

Red-light running is common, constant and downright dangerous. ...

https://x.com/ozbob13/status/1813249221988131059

ABC News --> Bus company CDC South East Queensland sentenced over mechanics' deaths in Woombye

QuoteA Queensland bus company boss has expressed his remorse for failing in his workplace health and safety obligations to two young mechanics killed in a traffic crash on the Sunshine Coast.

A sentencing hearing has revealed it would have cost Tony Hopkins' company CDC South East Queensland $660 to tow a broken-down bus from the side of Nambour Connection Road at Woombye in April 2022.

The Maroochydore Magistrates Court heard the move could have potentially prevented the deaths of employees Aaron Pitt, 25, and Lleyton Bartlett, 22.

Instead, the company asked the pair to fix the bus on the roadside, where they were struck and fatally injured by a BMW. ...

This is interesting, given driver issues they're already having.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-07-19/bus-queensland-refuses-subsidised-wage-rises-for-drivers/104110244

QuoteIn short: Bus Queensland has refused to accept and pass on government-funded wage increases to its drivers, leaked documents show.
The internal memo shows upper management did not want to accept the money due to the program's implementation costs.

What's next?From July 2025, other Translink-contracted bus drivers will start receiving $35 per hour.

^
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-07-19/bus-queensland-refuses-subsidised-wage-rises-for-drivers/104110244

" ... "Translink is disappointed on behalf of the drivers at Bus Queensland that their employer has refused to accept the Queensland government's wage proposal unlike the vast majority of other delivery partners," the spokesperson said.

"Twenty private delivery partners, representing 72 per cent of bus drivers eligible to receive the wage boost, have currently accepted the proposal and are set to experience the benefits." ... "

I have noticed there are more than the usual service disruptions on Park Ridge and Western buses today.

Both of these are Bus Queensland ...   

I know a couple of Westside drivers. Suffice to say they are NOT happy, and are looking to move elsewhere (Clark's, TfB, or even Surfside/Kinetic).

Sent to all outlets:

Re: We are missing the bus indeed ... (On the buses: 50 Cent Fare issues)

20th July 2024

Not so Good Morning,

The Translink reported bus service disruptions this past week have been at a very high level, an average of 192 per day. 


image: https://backontrack.org/docs/bus/service_disruptions/seven/reportedbusdisruptions7.png

This is twice the usual number ( https://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=15593.0 ).

Leading into the 50 Cent Fares from the 5th August 2024 this is not a good situation at all (~ two weeks away).  We commend Translink on their plans to have additional buses available for operators to deploy as sweeper or standby services, but the question does arise where will the drivers come from?  We hope that there are not further bus route service cancellations to support some of these additional measures.

A further complication is that Bus Queensland drivers are not happy with their employer and could well quit Bus Queensland. This could leave bus services that Bus Queensland contracts to deliver for Translink even worse off than now.  See

Bus Queensland refuses government subsidised pay increases for its own drivers, leaked document shows
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-07-19/bus-queensland-refuses-subsidised-wage-rises-for-drivers/104110244

Quote... Bus Queensland is a private company that is contracted by Translink to run public bus routes.

It covers Translink's southern, eastern, and western regions including Ipswich, Lockyer Valley, Park Ridge, and Toowoomba. ...

All in all, not an encouraging lead in to the 50 Cent Fares. 

Rightly so, we are very concerned.

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track https://backontrack.org

Quote from: ozbob on July 13, 2024, 02:58:34 AMSent to all outlets:

We are indeed missing the bus  ...

13th July 2024

Good Morning,

In the interests of  a public information service we alert readers to the fact the bus operators in Queensland are struggling to deliver their contracted timetables.

Translink reports bus service disruptions on X.  We record the the daily number of reported bus service disruptions, it gives a broad guide as to how the bus networks are performing. These daily summaries are available publicly here > https://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?board=112.0 

In the last few months there has been increasing numbers of bus daily service disruption reports.  During the recent school holidays, the numbers of reported service disruptions  reduced and have resumed in increased numbers this past week as school resumed, and school buses rightly get driver priority.  This is a sure sign of bus driver shortages as well as worse traffic conditions when school resumes.

Recent recommendations for for more regular health checks for bus drivers over 60 years of age will probably lead to more driver shortages, unless more active recruitment is undertaken by operators and supported by Government.

I am happy to discuss any of these charts.

Number of reported bus service disruptions Translink from 18 Mar 2024 to 9 Jun 2024


https://backontrack.org/docs/bus/service_disruptions/six/reportedbusdisruptions6.png

Number of Translink reported bus service disruptions from 10 Jun 2024
School holidays 24 June to 5 July 2024


https://backontrack.org/docs/bus/service_disruptions/seven/reportedbusdisruptions7.png

Average daily Translink reported bus service disruptions for period 23 Jan 2023 to 9 Jun 2024 was 92.


https://backontrack.org/docs/bus/service_disruptions/overall.png

The number of reported bus service disruptions is getting significantly a lot worse this year. 

This does not auger well for the introduction of the 50 Cent Fares from the 5th August.

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track https://backontrack.org

Facebook ...

https://x.com/railbotforum/status/1814338262510792809

A number of rail replacement bus services cancelled yesterday 20th July 2024 due to ' staff availability '.

Hard to be confident for good reliable service now and when the 50 cent fares are on.

e.g.

https://x.com/Translink_QLD/status/1814570987423232193

Sent to all outlets:

On the buses: 50 Cent Fare issues

21st July 2024

Greetings,

Yesterday (20th July 2024) a number of the rail replacement bus services were cancelled due to ' staff availability '.

E.g.

https://x.com/Translink_QLD/status/1814580849217597685

There were other reported bus disruptions as well.

We have raised our concerns directly with Translink about arrangements for rail replacement bus services when the 50 Cent Fares are in place.

We expect a lot more passengers will be travelling on weekends with the 50 Cent Fares when track closures often occur.

If operators cannot maintain the rail replacement bus timetables now, how will they in a few weeks?

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track https://backontrack.org

Attached: https://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?msg=285693

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