NightLink Bus routes - Suggestions

[Arnz]

The "NightLink" designator was recently extended to Gold Coast routes 750 and 21.

My suggestion, I would further and suggest sticking the "N" desginator to routes 600, 620 and 700.  The first 2 mention routes operates late into the night untill 3am on Friday and Saturdays., whilst the later route (Route 700) operates all night, every night 24/7.

Route N700 - Gold Coast (Services between 11pm and 5am).

On the Sunshine Coast as of currently, Route 600 operates hourly between 11pm and 3am (on Fri/Sat nights), and the Route 620 operates every 2 hours on Fri/Sat nights (11pm, 1am, 3am and 5am).  

My suggestion for the "NightLink" Sunshine Coast services.

Route N600 - give it the official "NightLink" designator, expand to Half-hourly between 11pm and 3:30am on Friday and Saturday nights.
Route N620 - occasional extension to Mooloolaba Wharf (Friday/Saturdays only), hourly between 11pm and 3am.
NEW - Route N615 - Maroochydore to Chancellor Park via University, hourly between 12am and 3am  (Bus doesn't continue to Landsborough, terminates at Chancellor Park).

[Sunbus610]

I do like the idea of the Sunshine Coast getting some full recognised and official Nightlink bus routes. N600 and N620 would certainly be a good start considering they both operate late on Friday/Saturday nights.

[Golliwog]

What do people think of having Nightlink buses every night? I think it'd work alright. Other big cities with nightlink services don't just do them on fridays and saturdays, but they also don't have them set up just to cater to those going home from their equivalent of the valley. Maybe TL could trial some nightlink routes all week, and see how they go?

[ButFli]

I think that before Translink puts on more Nightlink buses Brisbaneites need to stay out later on not-Friday-or-Saturday nights. Have you seen the Valley on a weeknight? It is shameful. Although to be fair it is a chicken and egg scenario. Maybe more people would go out late on weeknights if there was a cheap way to get home.

I think the first thing we need to do is improve late night services on all routes up to about midnight, every night of the week. If these services well loaded up to midnight then maybe Translink should look at services later than that. To be honest I think at this stage any extra Nightlink money should be spent on more Friday and Saturday night services on more routes. That is where the demand is.

[Golliwog]

My understanding of the nightlink buses is also that once the leave the City, they are drop off only, yes? And only run outbound and not inbound. Surely if the buses are there, and pretty much all of them return to the City to take the next run, couldn't they pick up people heading in to the city?

[ButFli]

The N412 picks up inbound from Toowong.

Apparently the N385 and N555 operate inbound too but I don't know whether it is the entire route or not.

[cartoonbirdhaus]

The N412 picks up inbound from Toowong.

Apparently the N385 and N555 operate inbound too but I don't know whether it is the entire route or not.

Inbound, the N385 starts at Paddington (making an extra stop at Caxton St), whilst there are three N555 buses (with more regular service outbound). Plus the N330 runs from inbound from Normanby, and the N200 from Woolloongabba.

[Golliwog]

But my point is, why can't they start picking up from the end of their routes? Sure there probably won't be many people to pick up, but if the buses are there I dont see why they can't.

[somebody]

The inbound pick ups aren't very useful though, are they?  For example, the N330 is not assisted by the N390 at Normanby and there is no service at Roma St.  The N250 doesn't assist the N200 at Woollongabba.  The N130 and N111 could also pick up at the Gabba with a slight deviation, but it's not clear why anyone would use it.

I'd also add that given that the utilisation of these inbound routes is always going to be low, doing a "Milk run" is pretty wasteful.
Inbound service also is pointless if you are arriving in the city after 3am except for heading to the Casino.

My understanding of the nightlink buses is also that once the leave the City, they are drop off only, yes?

Yes, and it's a pretty stupid rule too.  The most blatant example is the N464 which runs almost through the Caxton St precinct.

[#Metro]

This seems like a strange rule.

The time saved doing this would be extremely tiny. The savings- nil.
Sure they don't want people to head into the valley at 3am, but what if you are a shift worker, a cleaner etc or have some other lawful excuse?

Abolish the rule. If the bus is there and you can pay, you should be able to catch it.
No questions asked.

[longboi]

I think its most likely just a safety thing; Drivers don't want to be stopping for unsavoury, drunk or otherwise characters at dark suburban stops.

It should be further investigated because it would be handy for shiftworkers, even moreso on Fri-Sun.

[ButFli]

But my point is, why can't they start picking up from the end of their routes? Sure there probably won't be many people to pick up, but if the buses are there I dont see why they can't.

Because we don't want even more people people heading towards the Valley and CBD at around or after 3AM. The routes that pick up inbound do it where there are night time activities available. From Toowong there is the RE and Regatta, from Paddington there is Caxton St, from Normanby there is the Normanby, from the Gabba there is Chalk. Nightlink services inbound from these locations provide connections with other Nightlink services going home from the CBD or Valley.

[Golliwog]

What if its someone trying to get to work for shift work that starts at odd hours (say, someone going to work at a 24hr McDonalds?). Plus, public transport shouldn't be used to tell people where we do and don't want them to go, its supposed to be provided for us to use so we can get where we want to go.

[somebody]

I think its most likely just a safety thing; Drivers don't want to be stopping for unsavoury, drunk or otherwise characters at dark suburban stops.

It's ok to stop at Normanby, Toowong, on Caxton St and Woolloongabba though!!  Besides, there's security on all Nightlink buses.  Should be allowed.

[longboi]

What if its someone trying to get to work for shift work that starts at odd hours (say, someone going to work at a 24hr McDonalds?). Plus, public transport shouldn't be used to tell people where we do and don't want them to go, its supposed to be provided for us to use so we can get where we want to go.

Its a fair point but NightLink wasn't set up to do that and Butfli hits the nail on the head. Its designed to get people out of the city.

If they are going to implement proper 24-hour inbound and outbound services, I would only want to see it run 7 days a week otherwise it is useless when you are a shiftworker.

[longboi]

I think its most likely just a safety thing; Drivers don't want to be stopping for unsavoury, drunk or otherwise characters at dark suburban stops.

It's ok to stop at Normanby, Toowong, on Caxton St and Woolloongabba though!!  Besides, there's security on all Nightlink buses.  Should be allowed.

Those are two totally different things - Those places aren't dark suburban outposts. They are entertainment precincts with a lot of people around and other types of activation.

[Golliwog]

Those are two totally different things - Those places aren't dark suburban outposts. They are entertainment precincts with a lot of people around and other types of activation.

But do you ever hear about frequent attacks every weekend occuring in the suburbs? No, you hear about glassings and attacks in the Valley. Plus, as already pointed out these buses have security guards.

[somebody]

I think its most likely just a safety thing; Drivers don't want to be stopping for unsavoury, drunk or otherwise characters at dark suburban stops.

It's ok to stop at Normanby, Toowong, on Caxton St and Woolloongabba though!!  Besides, there's security on all Nightlink buses.  Should be allowed.

Those are two totally different things - Those places aren't dark suburban outposts. They are entertainment precincts with a lot of people around and other types of activation.

Not completely convinced.  I'm pretty sure you can still get on a N412 at Cribb St for example inbound.  I also think you may have to go a fair way from the Regatta to get an N412 inbound.

Why are we making the assumption that people are out to cause trouble?  Isn't that likely to encourage such activity?  I.e. treat 'em like animals and they'll behave that way.

What if its someone trying to get to work for shift work that starts at odd hours (say, someone going to work at a 24hr McDonalds?). Plus, public transport shouldn't be used to tell people where we do and don't want them to go, its supposed to be provided for us to use so we can get where we want to go.

That may be but there's bigger fish to fry.  I remember driving past an inbound Nightride bus approaching Epping in Sydney at about 3:30am and there was no-one at all on it.  If it didn't need to run the route for no people it could return to the city faster to collect a load.  That's a bit of a counter point isn't it!

[Golliwog]

If they are going to implement proper 24-hour inbound and outbound services, I would only want to see it run 7 days a week otherwise it is useless when you are a shiftworker.

I believe I made that point earlier, that Brisbane needs services to at least run later, if not 24 hours not just on Fridays and Saturdays but every night. By all means, they can put more services on F and S, but IMO Brisbane needs PT to go 24hours. I asked TL about it though, and they have said they have no plans to implement any nightlink services on other nights at this stage.

[longboi]

Hey I'm only telling you why they do it - I didn't say it was a good idea. I wholehartedly agree that the perception of crime on the transport network is very overstated but unfortunately a lot of operators take it seriously because these days even one injury is too much and rightly so. As a shiftworker myself I would love 24 hour public transport.

[Golliwog]

...and this is why the gov/council should provide PT with as much funding as they do to roads.

[ButFli]

Why are we making the assumption that people are out to cause trouble?  Isn't that likely to encourage such activity?  I.e. treat 'em like animals and they'll behave that way.

The majority of people aren't out to cause trouble, but if you combine a lot of people and a lot of alcohol with nothing to do and nowhere to go then you end up with Fortitude Valley at 3:01AM on a Saturday or Sunday morning. People have proven that in this situation they can cause a lot of trouble.

[somebody]

Why are we making the assumption that people are out to cause trouble?  Isn't that likely to encourage such activity?  I.e. treat 'em like animals and they'll behave that way.

The majority of people aren't out to cause trouble, but if you combine a lot of people and a lot of alcohol with nothing to do and nowhere to go then you end up with Fortitude Valley at 3:01AM on a Saturday or Sunday morning. People have proven that in this situation they can cause a lot of trouble.

Which is why Nightlink was introduced.  But that's beside the point, we were talking about picking up on non entertainment district stops.

[#Metro]

If the bus is there then the service should be full service. This means pickup.

It should not be the government's role to say "you can't travel inbound at 3am on Friday and Saturday nights". Especially if you have the ability to pay and no alternative transport. It is simply none of their business.

Security wise, there are guards on the buses. Time wise, the extra time added would be marginal, costs-wise the bus is going to do that return trip anyway.

Stop banning things and start adapting to customer needs and wants...