Superbuses - Examples

[#Metro]

Paris

[#Metro]

Stockholm, Sweden
Note: Blue buses are high-frequency superbuses. Red buses are regular buses.
Operates on regular streets. Blue buses have ~ 150 pax capacity. Complete lack of busway infrastructure.

[#Metro]

MAN Buses, won an award for their bus design. Bus of the year 2015.

[petey3801]

The Dutch city of Utrecht also uses tri artic super buses, on regular streets (some busway/bus lane workings too, but Dutch busways are much simpler and less expensive than Brisbane (Dutch busways are basically a normal road with roadside bus stops, but only accessed by buses. At grade crossings have bus priority much like rail/road LX, the bus doesn't even have to slow down).

[dwb]

Gosh the artics in Sydney's concrete roads make me sick! Brisbane busway is one thing, general roads are another major consideration in terms of passenger comfort

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> 'NEW buses carrying up to 150 passengers ... '

NEW buses carrying up to 150 passengers would be used on some of Brisbane's busiest routes under a plan from commuter campaigners.

Lobby group RAIL Back On Track has drawn up a detailed overhaul of the city's bus network that it claims would give Brisbane Australia's best bus network within two years.

The proposal includes articulated buses up to 18.75 metres long running every 10 minutes along the dedicated busways and other major roads between the CBD and suburban interchanges and key destinations.

Spokesman Robert Dow said the services would free up smaller buses to shuttle passengers between the suburbs and the interchange hubs.

Filling up with passengers from feeder services at key hubs would take hundreds of half-empty buses out of the city centre.

"It would operate almost like a light rail system,'' Mr Dow said.

"We envisage electric buses would be used in the future, recharged from renewable sources."

A TransLink spokesman confirmed officials recently met the group to discuss the proposed network reform.

Queensland Bus Industry Council executive director David Tape said frequency was the key to more patronage.

"We need to look at network efficiencies," he said. "I'm sure there are more improvements that can be made.''

But Brisbane City Council still insists no major changes to the network are needed.

A City Council spokesman said 30 of the 1179-bus fleet were 18m vehicles with a capacity of 97 passengers.

"Council's articulated buses could have a passenger capacity (seated and standing) of 130 people through variation to the seating configuration," he said. "However, we prefer to maximise seating options for passengers.''

[ozbob]

Twitter

UITP ‏@UITPnews 7h

#VanHool to unveil a futuristic transport concept at #UITP2015 - the "tram-bus". http://www.uitpmilan2015.org/ 

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

5th June 2015

Greetings

Superbus plan closest thing to Light Rail

RAIL Back on Track welcomes public interest in our New Bus Network Proposal (http://tiny.cc/newnetwork).
In addition to enhanced capacity, superbuses mean a much simpler light-rail style network that is fast, frequent and affordable for all. It's the closest thing to light rail without laying the track.

Brisbane City Council appears to be under utilising the existing banana (articulated) bus fleet. This is an inefficiency, and leaves people behind on busy routes in peak hour such as Route 66. So  while 1000 - 2000 buses are leaving passengers behind every month, the capacity to take those passengers already exists but is unused.

Brisbane City Council says that its 'banana' buses carry 97 passengers, but could carry up to 130 passengers with minimal changes. So, a whole 25% of the bus capacity is wasted! We thought the purpose of these bigger buses were to add more capacity to the bus network. Why aren't they being fully used, leaving people behind?

Under our new bus network proposal these routes would be 'superbussed'.  With all door boarding, passengers just swipe on, and swipe off.

Route 66 RBWH to UQ Lakes via Busway
Route 222 Carindale Interchange via Old Cleveland Rd
Route 333 Chermside Interchange
Route 400 CentenaryGlider to CBD (new service)
Route 412 UQ St Lucia

The new 400 CentenaryGlider would run every 10 minutes from the Centenary suburbs, and have 24-hour service on Friday and Saturday nights. Superbus capacity will permit Indooroopilly to become an interchange hub. By not running all local buses to the Brisbane CBD, more local buses will run more often for the western suburbs.

Unlike roads, public transport isn't built, it's operated. So instead of spending billions on busway extensions that can't even handle increased load, we should be investing in improved service and bus reform. It's cheaper and it's more cost effective. No funds should be given to Brisbane City Council for more infrastructure unless it agrees to bus reform, cuts waste and inefficiency.

The Lord Mayor says that Brisbane is a 'New World City'. Well, New World Cities  such as Vancouver, Toronto and Auckland run networks based around connections. Our plan will give Brisbane Australia's best bus network in 2 years.

It's not 1988 any more. Jackie Trad and Graham Quirk, please fix up the bus network!

Best wishes
Robert

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

References:

New buses carrying up to 150 passengers could be used on Brisbane's busiest routes
http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/new-buses-carrying-up-to-150-passengers-could-be-used-on-brisbanes-busiest-routes/story-fnihsrf2-1227380120225

MAN Lion's City Superbus (150 Passengers)

612 ABC Brisbane interview: Could super busses come to Brisbane?
https://soundcloud.com/612abcbrisbane/could-super-busses-come-to-brisbane

[nathandavid88]

Twitter

UITP ‏@UITPnews 7h

#VanHool to unveil a futuristic transport concept at #UITP2015 - the "tram-bus". http://www.uitpmilan2015.org/ 

I thought Van Hool's Exqui.City was already a "tram-bus"?

http://www.exquicity.be/en/

[ozbob]

Twitter

Bazz Watkins ‏@BazzWatkins 11h

Five-door artics are popular this year. I can see the appeal. #UITP2015

[verbatim9]

This one looks alright too for Se and Northern Busway http://i.ytimg.com/vi/91T1hKM_OX8/hqdefault.jpg