Article: TransLink rules prompted by Daniel Morcombe case force full bus ...

[ozbob]

From the Courier Mail click here!

TransLink rules prompted by Daniel Morcombe case force full bus to wait until 25 schoolchildren are collected

TransLink rules prompted by Daniel Morcombe case force full bus to wait until 25 schoolchildren are collected

    Robyn Ironside
    From: The Courier-Mail
    August 29, 2011 12:00AM

A TRANSLINK bus policy introduced after Daniel Morcombe's disappearance is being taken to the extreme to the frustration of passengers.

Under TransLink rules, Brisbane City Council buses must wait with any school-age children at bus stops if they do not have room for them on their vehicle.

Last Thursday afternoon, a bus was held up for nearly 10 minutes while it waited for another bus to arrive to collect a group of 25 schoolchildren at Everton Park on Brisbane's northside.

Passengers were surprised to be told the policy applied regardless of how many children were waiting.

One of those on board, Ann Lund, said the driver told the packed bus he could not go until another bus arrived.

"Sure if there were one or two students you wouldn't leave them behind, but 20 or 25? Surely there's some safety in numbers," Ms Lund said.

According to council figures, as many as 86 buses a day are filled to capacity in Brisbane and unable to take on more passengers.

David Matters, from the Rail Tram and Bus Union, said if all of those buses had to wait for another to come along to pick up children, the timetable would fall apart.

"It's created a difficult situation for drivers," Mr Matters said.

"If you leave them behind, you're in breach of the policy but then there could be other kids further up the road that are relying on that bus to turn up.

"If you make a policy, you have got to sort out the ramifications."

He said it was quite obvious more resources needed to be provided to deal with the issue.

"Maybe TransLink needs to put some more cars on the road, that can come out to the spot where the children are waiting," Mr Matters said.

"Sometimes you need to put some stop gap measures in. It can't always come down to the bus drivers."

The council's Public and Active Transport Committee chairman Julian Simmonds said more funding may be needed from the State Government to ensure an adequate number of services were being provided.

"If children are unable to get on this bus route because it's consistently full, then the State Government need to put some of the big slab of fare money they collect into increased services to ensure children are kept safe and commuters aren't being unnecessarily held up," Cr Simmonds said.

School age children regularly cannot get on buses on the INB for example, does this mean everything stops??  Some commonsense is needed ...

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

29th August 2011

Greetings,

The Eastern busway open day on Saturday went well.  Congratulations to all involved with construction and now the operation.

Photographs --> http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=6571.msg66752#msg66752

This morning I plan to head out on a 222 bus and then go for a run on the 590 bus!

The Couriermail has this morning highlighted the problem with full buses (very common in Brisbane) and school age children.  http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/translink-rules-prompted-by-daniel-morcombe-case-force-full-bus-to-wait-until-25-schoolchildren-are-collected/story-e6freoof-1226124039710

A blanket policy cannot work.  Commonsense is needed. for example school age children are regularly left waiting on the INB, as are others for up to 30 minutes as full buses pass by.  Without commonsense the INB would never run.

Again the issue highlights yet more policy blunders.

Best wishes
Robert

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

[SteelPan]

Translink Hypocracy

I've called Translate a number of times of the years - late at night, deserted bus stop, enquiring where some now well overdue bus actually is - they couldn't care less - I've said to them, "What happens if it was a female, a child or a senior - again, they couldn't care less - "Sir, I can tell you what the timetable is, but I can't tell you where the bus is"               Stupid & Useless!

I gave up on Translate sometime back - my advice to everyone, buy another car and private transport your life away - SE Qld's poor excuse for public transit is a joke - decade in - decade out!

Do what I'm told, by more than one source, all the Translate Execs do - CAR On everyone!!!!

[STB]

Translink Hypocracy

I've called Translate a number of times of the years - late at night, deserted bus stop, enquiring where some now well overdue bus actually is - they couldn't care less - I've said to them, "What happens if it was a female, a child or a senior - again, they couldn't care less - "Sir, I can tell you what the timetable is, but I can't tell you where the bus is"               Stupid & Useless!

Not stupid and useless, they were telling the truth, they don't have ready access to your particular bus at that moment in time when you want it.

The expectations of some people bewilder me sometimes.

[STB]

In regards to this policy, I'm genuinely surprised.  Never heard of that happening or being made a policy before!  And I don't really agree with the logic behind it.  Also annoyed at some on The Courier Mail blaming TransLink for Daniel Morcombe going missing and obviously as we know now, murdered.  TransLink wasn't even around back in 2003!

[Mr X]

Translink Hypocracy

I've called Translate a number of times of the years - late at night, deserted bus stop, enquiring where some now well overdue bus actually is - they couldn't care less - I've said to them, "What happens if it was a female, a child or a senior - again, they couldn't care less - "Sir, I can tell you what the timetable is, but I can't tell you where the bus is"               Stupid & Useless!

Not stupid and useless, they were telling the truth, they don't have ready access to your particular bus at that moment in time when you want it.

The expectations of some people bewilder me sometimes.

That's not a high expectation, it's a reasonable one.
Surely Translink must have *some* idea where their contracted buses are? Surely? If not, such a system should be in place!

[STB]

Translink Hypocracy

I've called Translate a number of times of the years - late at night, deserted bus stop, enquiring where some now well overdue bus actually is - they couldn't care less - I've said to them, "What happens if it was a female, a child or a senior - again, they couldn't care less - "Sir, I can tell you what the timetable is, but I can't tell you where the bus is"               Stupid & Useless!

Not stupid and useless, they were telling the truth, they don't have ready access to your particular bus at that moment in time when you want it.

The expectations of some people bewilder me sometimes.

That's not a high expectation, it's a reasonable one.
Surely Translink must have *some* idea where their contracted buses are? Surely? If not, such a system should be in place!

What technology do the taxis use then?  They seem to be able to keep track of them alright, including sending me a text message when one has almost arrived.

My guess at the moment, is only based on the Cubic data given which only becomes available when a bus nears a server to download the data off the DCU, usually when the bus arrives back at the depot (have heard of rumors of other places however).  I do know Veolia and KBL use some sort of GPS technology, although I'm not sure what it's limits are.

I still stand by my implicit statement that calling them 'idiots' at the time is a bit unjust simply because they don't have the data in front of them at this stage. Call Centre people - who is Serco NOT TransLink - a contractor of TL.  The poor woman/man was only doing what her limits were and trying to be helpful to that request.

[somebody]

I've read on ATDB that at least for a certain Sydney operator you are allowed to radio a bus if it is 20 minutes late.  And even if it isn't, they would still know if it had been cancelled.

There needs to be a system like this set up here IMO.  You can't expect them to radio a bus just because its two minutes late; there needs to be a bar.

[AnonymouslyBad]

In regards to this policy, I'm genuinely surprised.  Never heard of that happening or being made a policy before!  And I don't really agree with the logic behind it.  Also annoyed at some on The Courier Mail blaming TransLink for Daniel Morcombe going missing and obviously as we know now, murdered.  TransLink wasn't even around back in 2003!

There's definitely a policy that school children shouldn't be left behind. I know of empty buses going out to collect one or two kids just because of a missed connection where services are poor, etc.

Some common sense surely applies in defining "left behind" though. Large groups shouldn't be a problem (and I've never heard of them being a problem before) especially if services are frequent - as ozbob noted it's not like they'd try enforcing this on a busway. They also don't seem to define what they consider a "school age child". I hope they're not suggesting that everyone needs a bus driver to babysit them just because they're in school uniform; what a waste of resources. If I were a year 12 student I'd be offended.

I think Translink started in 2003.

[ozbob]

Informed sources have suggested to me that with the busways, because of the CCTV, drivers can inform control who can monitor by that process.  So some modicum of commonsense there.  It can be argued that outside the busway system there are similar situations that a call to control would manage rather than bring the system to a halt as such.  The blanket policy is already being modified for busways (if it wasn't the buses would stop and nothing would move ..).

Bus drivers have a very responsible role, and they are more than capable of judging the situation and acting accordingly IMHO, particularly with the communication systems in place today.

Blanket policy is something that I put up with in recruit training at Kapooka!  Everyone shaves in the morning soldier, whether you need or not!  Ha!

[O_128]

This is stupid as on my way home there at one stop there are kids who are waiting for the 235, can the bus not leave until the 235 arrives?

[Mr X]

This is stupid as on my way home there at one stop there are kids who are waiting for the 235, can the bus not leave until the 235 arrives?

The Heidelberg St stop? 

I think a bit of common sense is needed, if it's a massive group of kids and teachers and parents are about, then the bus really shouldn't have to wait.

[O_128]

This is stupid as on my way home there at one stop there are kids who are waiting for the 235, can the bus not leave until the 235 arrives?

The Heidelberg St stop? 

I think a bit of common sense is needed, if it's a massive group of kids and teachers and parents are about, then the bus really shouldn't have to wait.

Yep , and the article missed the main point, a teacher should be at the bus stop.