Bustech website, finally goes live!!

[Sunbus610]

Just the ticket for Australia

Welcome to the home of Bustech, Australia's leading independant bus manufacturer.

If you're looking for premium buses engineered to cutting edge international standards, built to a finish unheard of in an Australian-made transit vehicle and backed by the sort of exceptional service we ourselves demand, look no further. For we are far more than highly successful bus manufacturers and the pioneers of ultra-low floor route buses that are as stylish and durable as they are innovative. As bus operators ourselves - part of the Transit Australia Group which now operates approximately 650 buses throughout the East Coast of Australia - Bustech has a unique affinity with owners, drivers and of course the end users. As such, we are just the ticket for Australia.

"Rather than sit back on our laurels and say 'mission accomplished', we are determined to make the next thousand buses that much better again. After all, you can't drive yourself forward by patting
yourself on the back."

Marc Cleave
General Manager/Chief Engineer
Bustech Pty Ltd

http://www.bustech.net.au/

**COMING SOON** The website also includes info of their exciting new concept vehicle the CDi > http://www.bustech.net.au/products_concept.htm < **COMING SOON**

[dwb]

I'll believe the CDi when I see it...

But I'll keep the Gold Coast LIGHT RAIL thanks.

[#Metro]

This is great stuff.  Silly question, but is it legal to drive on the road?

I wonder what the capacity is and why the Brisbane buses don't look like this.
Put this on the busway and all the trunk BUZ bus routes.

You could have all the BUZ routes like this and then feed other buses at places like Indooroopilly, Carindale etc to these large trunk route, high capacity bus services. Maybe also good for UQ Lakes! Hopefully they'll make the bus bays a bit longer in the upgrade for this possibility.

http://translink.com.au/about-translink/reporting-and-publications/media-releases/release/91

[Sunbus610]

I'll believe the CDi when I see it...

From what I've heard, the Queensland Government are actually providing the funding for Bustech to build this CDi concept vehicle.

[somebody]

This is great stuff.  Silly question, but is it legal to drive on the road?

Not silly at all.  In this country, you have to conform to a million standards to get it legal.

[SurfRail]

I don't know how many people on this site are actually aware of this, but TransLink has also commissioned Bustech to build a double-decker for trials.  (Presumably a Bustech DDi?)

[#Metro]

Probably their solution for the busway services... you get the same footprint but more pax onboard. However dwells might be a problem and can it fit in Queen Street busway station and go through the "snake" in there?.

[colinw]

Wow, the lengths we go to just to avoid biting the bullet and admitting the busway needs to be light rail or a metro. 

How to make soup from a rock.

[SurfRail]

Wow, the lengths we go to just to avoid biting the bullet and admitting the busway needs to be light rail or a metro. 

How to make soup from a rock.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with higher capacity buses in bus priority or even in general traffic, whether you have trunk rail or not.  If nothing else, deckers maximise available depot space compared to lower capacity single decks. 

There is definitely room for deckers in SEQ (the coasts might be a good starting point, with limited tunnels, overpasses and other features common in Brisbane).  However, I can't see deckers being used on any service travelling via the QSBS - no way in hell they would fit through the snake.

Bi-artics have the makings of a good vehicle to operate the future 5-min frequency route from Pacific Fair LRT station to Coolangatta.  Imagewise it has some appeal to me, stepping off one mode to the other seamlessly and having a similar quality travelling environment - it would go some way to ending the public perception of bus vs tram vs train.  They are certainly going to be cheaper to implement in the short term until the rails can be extended all the way, and would be useful on corridors like Southport-Nerang-Broadbeach, Robina-Varsity-Broadbeach, Southport-Runaway Bay-Paradise Point, which won't be seeing that type of investment in a hurry.

Mind you, there are so many potential regulatory problems I wonder if it is worth the effort. 

[ozbob]

I think the double decker is intended for the Gold Coast ...

[colinw]

Out of interest, how high is a double decker?  I'm wondering if they would fit under the catenary at level crossings.  Not a problem on the Gold Coast of course.

... and they will be even worse than a normal bus at fitting under the Ipswich line at Graceville!  

My main concerns with double deckers are boarding time and effect on dwell time.

Bi-artics have the makings of a good vehicle to operate the future 5-min frequency route from Pacific Fair LRT station to Coolangatta.  Imagewise it has some appeal to me, stepping off one mode to the other seamlessly and having a similar quality travelling environment - it would go some way to ending the public perception of bus vs tram vs train.  They are certainly going to be cheaper to implement in the short term until the rails can be extended all the way, and would be useful on corridors like Southport-Nerang-Broadbeach, Robina-Varsity-Broadbeach, Southport-Runaway Bay-Paradise Point, which won't be seeing that type of investment in a hurry.

That sounds like the ideal use for them, then move them on to other routes (e.g. Broadbeach to Nerang or Robina) once the line is extended.  They may also have a role for Helensvale connections until stage 2 of the LRT is built.  Just as long as it doesn't become permanent  - once you start running buses that large at very high frequency on a single linehaul route, it is time to start considering LRT conversion.  Basically, use them as "trail blazers" for future LRT routes, or to provide an LRT level of service where putting in light rail is impractical for some reason.

[SurfRail]

Basically, use them as "trail blazers" for future LRT routes, or to provide an LRT level of service where putting in light rail is impractical for some reason.

There is plenty of room to run them even on 15-min frequency routes I'd say.  It gives you an acceptable compromise between capacity and frequency without needing to make an investment in uber-capacity (LRT) or uber-frequency (buses and drivers). 

But yes, they should initially be used on the highway corridor and in what Canberrans would recognise as an intertown role.

I must admit I was also very pleased to hear Anna saying they would be looking at vehicles capable of carrying 300+ for GCRT, which suggests to me they might be going for the 45 metre models up front...

[somebody]

Out of interest, how high is a double decker?  I'm wondering if they would fit under the catenary at level crossings.  Not a problem on the Gold Coast of course.

About 4.3m apparently.  Wouldn't fit under the Bridge St or Chelmer St bridges.  Perhaps there is a higher one, but why would we care?  Patronage along there isn't high enough for it to be worth thinking about.

I wonder about Adelaide St & the Melbourne St portal?  Maybe that could use a decker.  I wouldn't like it that much, it's a pain for pax.

[colinw]

Ok, at 4.3 metres, QR catenary at level crossings isn't a problem, which just leaves other structures like low bridges, etc.

I must say I'm not a real fan of deckers.  They just aren't as friendly for loading & unloading.  I'd be quite happy to see big artics on the busway 'though, provided they can negotiate QSBS, etc.

[somebody]

I must say I'm not a real fan of deckers.  They just aren't as friendly for loading & unloading.  I'd be quite happy to see big artics on the busway 'though, provided they can negotiate QSBS, etc.

They most certainly can.  Not all stops in QSBS & KGSBS are large enough for bendies, they certainly negotiate it already.

A bendy decker may be able to use some Captain Cook Bridge runs, I expect.  But we would be just getting silly then.  Why not rail?