8 Jun 2011: SEQ: Dead running is dead money

[ozbob]

Media release 8 June 2011

SEQ: Dead running is dead money

RAIL Back On Track (http://backontrack.org) a web based community support group for rail and public transport and an advocate for public transport passengers calls on TransLink and Brisbane Transport to reduce bus dead running.

Robert Dow, Spokesman for RAIL Back On Track said:

"A report has come to our attention that Brisbane Transport runs 28% of its services as dead running services, or trips without passengers being able to board (1).  We compared this to operators in SA and Vic and two operators in WA, and found that these operators had dead running percentages from 12% to 22%.  Further, Sydney Buses achieve just under 20% dead running on a school term weekday (2), obviously this would be lower if the overall figure was quoted.  Further, the more important metric of dead running would be time rather than distance and the report shows Brisbane Transport perform even worse on this metric."

"RAIL Back On Track applauds the public release of the report without anyone needing to make an RTI request."

"RAIL Back On Track has previously suggested that the returning buses particularly the returning P331/P332/P341 buses be put into service between RBWH and Roma St bus stations (3,4,5).  This would at a stroke resolve peak time overcrowding issues and ease pressure on the 66 run, which also has a lot of dead running from Garden City to Woolloongabba at least.  RAIL Back On Track cannot see why this has not been done. Garden City depot is straining and the requirement to run so many 66 buses as well as the P88 buses is only making the dead running worse. Larapinta depot's imminent closure will not help things either."

"If these issues were resolved it would be more effective at reducing the subsidy than several years of the 15% year on year compound fare hikes, at least for Brisbane Transport's part of it.  Current costs are approximately 11% more than what would be the case if dead running was even 20%.  If the dead running could be brought to standards that operators in other states are able to achieve that would be better than meeting the government's goal of reducing the subsidy to 70% as the actual amount of the subsidy would be lower.  This does assume that similar efficiencies can be found in other operators, of course."

"Patronage growth has been stunted largely by the fare hikes, and it is likely that as the fare hikes continue patronage could decline.  While more revenue has been taken in with the fare hikes, the subsidy has still been growing at a high rate while the service-kms are little changed (6).

"Residents of South East Queensland are paying for dead running through their taxes, fares and/or council rates. Rather than the soft option of relentless fare increases it is time that operators improved their efficiency. Fair fare deal?"

Contact:

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org

References:

1. http://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/2010%20Library/2009%20PDF%20and%20Docs/1.About%20Council/1.10%20News%20and%20publications/news_and_publications_a_t_kearney_report.pdf  pages 55-58.

2. http://www.statetransit.info/global_files/performance_information_09_10.pdf  page 4

3. http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=4521.0

4. http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=5144.0

5. http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=5510.0

6. http://translink.com.au/resources/about-translink/reporting-and-publications/2010-11-quarterly-report-oct-to-dec.pdf

[ozbob]

A reduction in dead running of say 10% would nominally save at least $17 million*, which could in turn be put to work in more services, which would in turn improve the fare box.

"  Based on subsidies detailed in Ministerial Statement --> http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=6017.msg59115#msg59115

[#Metro]

That's at least 4 BUZ services right there...

[ozbob]

From the Brisbanetimes click here!

Brisbane buses running empty

Brisbane buses running empty
Marissa Calligeros
June 8, 2011 - 12:58PM

The proportion of dead running bus services in Brisbane is significantly more than that in Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth.

More than a quarter of Brisbane's buses are running empty, a review of the public transport network's sustainability has revealed.

The Securing 2026 review by management consultancy AT Kearney on behalf of Brisbane City Council shows 28 per cent of bus services are "dead running", where passengers are unable to board.

The majority of dead running services are understood to be express or BUZ services returning empty to stations at the beginning of a route or to depots.

The proportion of dead running services in Brisbane is significantly more than that in Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth, where between 12 and 22 per cent of buses run empty.

In comparison, under 20 per cent of Sydney buses are dead running on a weekdays during school terms.

Commuter lobby group Rail Back on Track spokesman Robert Dow said the council and state government could save between $15 and $17 million if dead running was reduced to 20 per cent.

"Current operating costs are approximately 11 per cent more than what would be the case if dead running was reduced to 20 per cent," he said

"Residents of southeast Queensland are paying for dead running through their taxes, fares and council rates.

"Rather than the soft option of relentless fare increases, it is time that operators improved their efficiency.

"If the dead running could be brought to standards that operators in other states are able to achieve then the need for government subsidy would be reduced and so would the burden on the punter as a result."

Comment has been sought from Translink.

Mr Dow said wasted running time could be reduced on pre-paid express services 331, 332 and 341 returning to the CBD on the inner-northern busway if buses stopped at stations between the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital and Roma Street.

"[We] can not see why this has not been done already," he said.

Mr Dow said increasing demand for the 66 and 88 services from Garden City Shopping Centre was also leading to dead running on these routes.

"It's time bus operators got smart about these express services," he said.

"If these issues were resolved it would be more effective at reducing the council and government subsidies than several years of the 15 per cent year on year fare hikes."

Read more: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/brisbane-buses-running-empty-20110608-1fs25.html#ixzz1OeMoXtAX

[ozbob]

Discussion --> http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=6104.0

[ozbob]

Updated article:

From Brisbanetimes click here!

Brisbane buses running empty

Brisbane buses running empty
Marissa Calligeros
June 8, 2011 - 2:31PM

Buses, cars and pedestrians jostle for position on Adelaide Street in Brisbane's CBD.

The proportion of dead running bus services in Brisbane is significantly more than that in Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth. Photo: Tony Moore

More than a quarter of Brisbane's buses are running empty, a review of the public transport network's sustainability has revealed.

The Securing 2026 review by management consultancy AT Kearney on behalf of Brisbane City Council shows 28 per cent of bus services are "dead running", where passengers are unable to board.

The majority of dead running services are understood to be express or BUZ services returning empty to stations at the beginning of a route or to depots.

The proportion of dead running services in Brisbane is significantly more than that in Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth, where between 12 and 22 per cent of buses run empty.

In comparison, under 20 per cent of Sydney buses are dead running on a weekdays during school terms.

Commuter lobby group Rail Back on Track spokesman Robert Dow said the council and state government could save between $15 and $17 million if dead running was reduced to 20 per cent.

"Current operating costs are approximately 11 per cent more than what would be the case if dead running was reduced to 20 per cent," he said

"Residents of southeast Queensland are paying for dead running through their taxes, fares and council rates.

"Rather than the soft option of relentless fare increases, it is time that operators improved their efficiency.

"If the dead running could be brought to standards that operators in other states are able to achieve then the need for government subsidy would be reduced and so would the burden on the punter as a result."

A Translink spokesman said reducing dead-running across the network remained "a high-priority" for the public transport operator and that Monday's timetable changes had reduced the practice by 600,000 kilometres a year.

"We reduced a large amount of dead-running by introducing more high-frequency routes, including the 412 (St Lucia and UQ to the city via Toowong), the 196 (New Farm to the CBD and Fairfield Gardens) and the 120 (Garden City to the CBD)," he said in a written statement.

"These routes consistently operate in and out of the CBD at high-frequency and encourage 'turn up and go' passenger behaviour."

Lord Mayor Graham Quirk said the council was building new bus depots at Sherwood and Eagle Farm to reduce the need for buses to make long journeys with no passengers.

"We are currently building two brand new bus depots within 10 kilometres of the city so that we can reduce the number of buses needing to travel all the way out to the city limits to refuel and park for the night," he said.

Mr Dow said wasted running time could be reduced on pre-paid express services 331, 332 and 341 returning to the CBD on the inner-northern busway if buses stopped at stations between the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital and Roma Street.

"[We] can not see why this has not been done already," he said.

Mr Dow said increasing demand for the 66 and 88 services from Garden City Shopping Centre was also leading to dead running on these routes.

"It's time bus operators got smart about these express services," he said.

"If these issues were resolved it would be more effective at reducing the council and government subsidies than several years of the 15 per cent year on year fare hikes."

Read more: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/brisbane-buses-running-empty-20110608-1fs25.html#ixzz1OepKFu1F

[#Metro]

HUMAN TRANSIT REPLIES 

http://www.humantransit.org/2011/06/dead-running.html   

[#Metro]

Transit agencies that run extensive one-way express incur massive amounts of dead running.  Brisbane, for example, is a very, very centralized city, with a downtown far out of scale to anything else.  That means a huge demand for one-way trips into downtown in the morning and out in the evening.  All those services that are needed in only one direction usually have to get back in the other direction so that the driver's shift can end where it began.  (The other alternative is to pay the driver to hang around downtown all day, which is even more expensive.)

There's no way to understand Brisbane's "dead running" issue, or that of any other city, without separating these two causes.  The Brisbane Times article talks only about the first, but the Brisbane bus system has a massive one-way peak due to its single dominant downtown and relatively lack of direct rail paths for much of the city.  Can dead running be better addressed by a rigorous review of whether these one-way peak services can be combined, replaced by links to rail, or otherwise made more efficient?  GIven the higher cost of dead running for one-way peaked service, could some of it be converted into two-way, all-day service at less expense than it would first appear?

http://www.humantransit.org/2011/06/dead-running.html

Proper interchange with rail would likely reduce a lot of dead running IMHO.

[#Metro]

Express Rockets = waste!!! Because the other half of the bus run is empty! For every rocket there is an air parcel express in the opposite direction 

[ozbob]

Nice follow up .... 

Our local knowledge suggests some counter peak on the INB would help to move pax as well as reduce dead running.

Using what we have much more effectively as Jarrett Walker suggests, transfers into core frequent routes bus and rail all helps and improves the efficiency.