Sunshine Coast - Free Holiday Buses (including Free Route 600 buses).

[Arnz]

http://www.translink.com.au/servicechange.php?id=232

Free Holiday Buses - Sunshine Coast Effective 26 December 2009
These Christmas holidays, TransLink and Sunshine Coast Regional Council will again provide free bus travel in the Sunshine Coast Region from 26 December to 3 January.

Noosa Free Holiday Buses
From 26 December to 3 January the following services will operate free of charge:

?Route 626 - St Andrews Drive to Sunrise Beach
?Route 627 - Tewantin to Sunshine Beach
?Route 628 - Noosa Heads to Noosa Parklands
?Route 629 - Tewantin to Noosa National Park
?Route 632 - Cooran to Noosa Heads via Pomona and Cooroy.
Additional temporary free services

?Route 064 - Peregian Beach to Noosa Heads
?Route 065 (park 'n' ride) - Noosa Junction to Tewantin via Gympie Terrace and Noosa Heads.
You can catch the bus from any local stop or at the park ?n? ride on the corner of Cooyar Street and Sunshine Beach Road in Noosa Junction (in front of Le Cyclo Sportif or outside Noosa 5 Cinemas).

Caloundra to Maroochydore Free Holiday Buses
For the first time, Route 600 (Caloundra to Maroochydore) will also operate free of charge from 26 December to 3 January.

This service is being funded by the Sunshine Coast Regional Council as an initiative of the public transport levy and delivered in partnership with TransLink and Sunbus.

Boreen Point taxi service

The Boreen Point FlexiLink taxi service will operate free between Tewantin and Boreen Point during the Free Holiday Buses period. This service will connect with buses at Tewantin.

Please note: Bookings are required two hours in advance by calling Suncoast Cabs on 1300 139 433 1300 139 433.

[Arnz]

While it's great to see Sunshine Coast's most popular "BUZ" route become free for the school holidays, I'd have to ask whether if any extra Route 600 buses would have to be put on. 

Last year Route 600 buses were packed with tourists on top of the regular commuters/riders despite not being free at that time last year.

[Arnz]

First day of free services today.  Judge by the number of people whilst passing Caloundra Bus Station today, it's bound to be packed before it even reaches Kawana.

[#Metro]

While it's great to see Sunshine Coast's most popular "BUZ" route become free for the school holidays, I'd have to ask whether if any extra Route 600 buses would have to be put on.

Last year Route 600 buses were packed with tourists on top of the regular commuters/riders despite not being free at that time last year.

A nice illustration of one scenario of what can happen when free/underpriced transport is given. Massive demand, and no cash for extra supply. And people have the ability to pay the fare anyway.  

Its nice though, and I guess it is put there to reduce congestion on the road (to the extent that the buses are limited in number) and a way of being nice at this time of year (Melbourne transport is free at this time as well).

BCC should license the BUZ name to Translink for use all over SEQ.