• Welcome to RAIL - Back On Track Forum.
 

Gold Coast bus

Started by ozbob, April 19, 2017, 07:15:26 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

ozbob

Gold Coast bus changes

> https://haveyoursay.translink.com.au/gold-coast-bus-changes

We want your feedback on proposed changes to Gold Coast bus services

We'll be making changes to a number of local bus services when the Gold Coast Light Rail Stage 2 opens in early 2018.

With frequent services soon to be running along the Gold Coast Light Rail Stage 2 extension to Helensvale, we won't need to run buses along the same corridor. This allows us to reinvest savings to provide high frequency services on a number of local routes. We're also proposing a more consistent alignment for route 705 and better weekend connections for route 700 and the tram.

Changes are proposed for routes 700, 705, 709, 713, 719, 720, 765, TX1, TX2 and TX3.

Learn more about our proposed changes to Gold Coast bus services >> https://haveyoursay.translink.com.au/gold-coast-bus
Half baked projects, have long term consequences ...
Ozbob's Gallery Forum   Facebook  X  Threads  Mastodon  BlueSky

#Metro


Gold Coast Network Map https://translink.com.au/sites/default/files/assets/resources/travel-information/network-information/maps/140721-gold-coast.pdf

I am sure SurfRail is on to this ;)

Random suggestions - improve another core route, perhaps 747.

Maybe extend something into Seaworld/The Spit. Extend 740 to Sea World, remove 705.
Negative people... have a problem for every solution. Posts are commentary and are not necessarily endorsed by RAIL Back on Track or its members.

SurfRail

It just had to come out today, of all days...

I'm heading to Hobart this afternoon and am chockers with work, so will probably have a look at this when I'm sitting in the lounge.

Hopefully it is broadly consistent with what they discussed with me previously.
Ride the G:

SurfRail

I've had a very quick squizz - it is more or less exactly what was being proposed, so I'm quite happy.

One observation is that the 720 could run on the western side of the highway between Movieworld and Hope Island Rd as it would enable better service to the Oxenford shops.  The only major advantage of the current routing is it serves the caravan park on Siganto Drive and you might need to divert another route there to cover the gap (eg 723).

I think the 713 and 719 should run 15 all weekend, the marginal increase in resources is justified to me.

Operating hours should be slightly further extended on the 713, 719 and 765 than the extensions being proposed, but they are certainly not to be sneezed at as-is.  Especially the 765, in order to provide better connections between the 700/777 and the railway in the evenings.  Extra 760s would also be welcome.

The lack of evening services on the 709 towards Helensvale is quite puzzling and they haven't addressed it despite me raising it.

I will put through a detailed reply in due course.

In response to Metro's suggestion - I see the next 3 high frequency routes as being probably the 735, 745 and 747 based on the patronage data.  (The 745 is probably the most marginal because the light rail will probably erode some of the 740 and 745 patronage.)  There are also a number which should probably be operating half-hourly now.
Ride the G:

Gazza


700



When taking into account services provided in addition to the 700 by the 777, Currently there is better than 7/8 min frequency all the way through Palm Beach, Currumbin, Tugun and Bilinga, which is very high frequency relative to the size of the catchment area strip, and possibly over servicing it at the present time.



It would be more beneficial to more gold coast residents if the 700 was split in half south of Burleigh.



A bus would travel to Coolangatta every 15 mins via the GC Highway

A bus would travel to Varsity lakes every 15 mins via Reedy Creek road.



This means more residents have access to "turn up and go" services on the Burleigh Rd corridor, and residents  south of Burleigh can still choose between the 700 and 777 at very good frequency.



705



A logical change.



709



Removal is logical. There is no real loss in frequency anyway because the 704 and 709 arrived at similar times due to departures being dictated by the train.



713



The proposed high frequency route will be very useful to residents in this area.



719



The proposed high frequency route will be very useful to residents in this area, and the increased operating hours are a big win too.



720



Proposed changes supported, however calling it the TX7 may be not be necessary if the 720 was just given bright branding on the bus stops signs.



The TX7 should run along the western side of the M1 (Old Pacific Hay)

It should not run on Siganto drive (Another local route such as the 718 would be modified to cover Siganto drive instead)

This is because Oxenford is seeing rapid commercial development (New K-Mart etc) so the high frequency of the TX7 will be useful in this context.



TX2



Removal supported. Tourists may even enjoy the tram ride better than the current bus all the way.



TX3



In peak periods, it might be worth retaining as shorter version of the TX3 that runs Helensvale <> Dreamworld express via the M1.

Trying to combine three theme parks worth of passengers may be less efficient and lead to displaced passengers.



If you only run TX7s, then they will be very full between Helensvale and Movie World, and then run much less loaded beyond there.





TX1



Removal supported.

It only operates twice per day in each direction.

However a private companies should be allowed to operate a direct Coolangatta to Theme Parks shuttle route, because a direct route via the M1 still offers significant time savings and fewer transfers compared to the proposed 777>Tram>TX7 combination.





ozbob

Half baked projects, have long term consequences ...
Ozbob's Gallery Forum   Facebook  X  Threads  Mastodon  BlueSky

ozbob

Gold Coast Bulletin --> Some Gold Coast buses to be cancelled, others to run later and more often under changes

QuoteFOUR bus routes will be axed, and four existing ones will enjoy increased frequency once the second stage of the Gold Coast light rail is launched early next year.

Passengers will also be able to catch some buses until later at night, with some services extended from having final departures of 7.10pm to running until 10.50pm under changes proposed by TransLink.

The routes earmarked for removal are TX1, which runs from Tweed Heads to the theme parks; TX2, from Broadbeach to the Helensvale theme parks; TX3 from Broadbeach to the Coomera theme parks and 709 which goes from Gold Coast University Hospital to Helensvale train station and will be replaced by the light rail.

That trip will be made 11 minutes shorter by catching the tram instead.

Routes with higher frequency include the 713 and 719 from Southport to Paradise Point; 720 from Arundel to Coomera; and the 765 from Elanora to Robina.

Buses proposed to run as late as 10.55pm include the 713, 719 and 765.

Community consultation on the proposed changes has closed and is being considered for a final report due at the end of the month.

TransLink staff spoke with more than 650 local residents at six key locations including Harbour Town, Westfield Helensvale, Gold Coast University Hospital and Pacific Fair Shopping Centre during the consultation.

Some of the key themes from consultation included positive feedback on the increased services, requests for bus stops and minor route changes.
Half baked projects, have long term consequences ...
Ozbob's Gallery Forum   Facebook  X  Threads  Mastodon  BlueSky

SurfRail

Report on the consultation and final changes has been released - sitting down for a quick read now.

https://haveyoursay.translink.com.au/gold-coast-bus-changes
Ride the G:

SurfRail

We seem to have had very, very modest wins in securing some more services in the afternoons for the 746 and 749 (western parts of Nerang), northbound 704 in the evenings and potentially some more 713 and 719 services after hours.

No other changes apparent.  I'm reasonably happy.

The ongoing lack of investment in routes north of Helensvale is a serious concern, but this doesn't bear directly on the GCLR 2 redesign.
Ride the G:

ozbob

Half baked projects, have long term consequences ...
Ozbob's Gallery Forum   Facebook  X  Threads  Mastodon  BlueSky

Cazza

I have just completed a draw up of a section of the Gold Coast network on the north side (i.e. north of Southport, GCUH and Pacific Pines). Now would be a great time for an overhaul in these services as the Gold Coast Light Rail comes online and the population continues to boom in Coomera etc.

The way I constructed this network was by reviewing feedback in this thread, looking at patronage of the routes and using some common sense to fill in the gaps. I have drawn up the routes so they connect with one KIP at least.

One thing I am being optimistic is 30 min frequency 7 days on Route 715 (based off to 714). I would like it to work out but not sure about it.

Feedback welcome and I will make changes as people see fit and a general consensus is obtained.

Map can be viewed here -> https://www.google.com.au/maps/d/edit?mid=1wfR3tjpm0KbEfJ2d1HphGT8LFZw&ll=-27.90229315091024%2C153.31972130223494&z=15

Note- I am not from this area and haven't experienced or know of any travel patterns so please let me know about them. I can then make some changes accordingly.

#Metro

Hi Cazza,

Did you have any thoughts about the Ipswich area? It's one area that I don't think RBOT has any proposals for yet (happy to be corrected).

:is-
Negative people... have a problem for every solution. Posts are commentary and are not necessarily endorsed by RAIL Back on Track or its members.

Cazza

Quote from: #Metro on September 02, 2017, 18:16:12 PM
Hi Cazza,

Did you have any thoughts about the Ipswich area? It's one area that I don't think RBOT has any proposals for yet (happy to be corrected).

:is-

Yeah sure, I haven't come across one in my travels. I'd be happy to draw one up in the coming weeks :D

SurfRail

Broadly speaking, I don't think the existing network needs much done to it structurally.  The issue overwhelmingly is lack of resources, and redesigning the current system isn't going to free up much if any. 

There are a number of trip generators, retirement villages, shops etc bypassed by some of these routes.  Also, "peak" really doesn't have much meaning here.  If something can run at half-hourly in the morning it can run half-hourly all day.
Ride the G:

Cazza

Quote from: SurfRail on September 02, 2017, 19:50:21 PM
Also, "peak" really doesn't have much meaning here.  If something can run at half-hourly in the morning it can run half-hourly all day.

I do see what you mean here by peak. But, there are also the commuters to Brisbane, school kids and workers (for example, People that work in shopping centres etc.)

Here's a scenario:
You are a 10 min bus trip away from work (let's say, Helensvale) and work starts at 9am sharp. The buses depart your stop every hour all day. They leave at 6:03, 7:03, 8:03, 9:03, 10:03 etc. (obviously, arrive 10 mins later at Helensvale).
Do you get the 8:03 bus and arrive to work 45 mins early? Or do you get the 9:03 bus and arrive 15 mins late? Same can be said about school kids.

At least (generally speaking) when buses are every 30 mins, there is one that suits everyone's schedule.

Let's face it, hourly buses are a pain in the arse. The good thing about the demographic around the Coomera-ormeau areas is that they generally the "9 till 5 workers" so to speak so people aren't really travelling around those areas very much during the day. So if you run them 30 mins 6-9 then from 3-6, that's really all you need. I was thinking of more 30 min all day services but as you said, Surfside are low on buses (I'm pretty sure. Or is that another operator I'm thinking of?)

Ive tried to make a 30 min service all day within 1 km or so from large groups of houses. The rail line does help a lot north of Helensvale.

Re. Trip generators- I tried to link as many bus routes as possible to shops (e.g. Woolies etc.). I didn't seem to see many retirement villages.

Tomorrow, I'll go back through and look out for them and see if I can make any changes where feasible. I'll also see if any other routes can go 30 mins 7 days.

Cheers

ozbob

Half baked projects, have long term consequences ...
Ozbob's Gallery Forum   Facebook  X  Threads  Mastodon  BlueSky

ozbob

Gold Coast Bulletin --> LNP Currumbin MP Jann Stuckey anger at southern Gold Coast public transport change

QuoteSOUTHERN Gold Coasters face longer public transport trips to get to theme parks under a bus system shake-up now light rail stage two is running.

LNP Member for Currumbin Jann Stuckey is calling it an "integration failure" that disadvantages those in her electorate.

Ms Stuckey, highlighting the extended travel time due to changes to bus services kicking in from today ((MONDAY)), said: "In the past I could have got on at Tugun at 8.56am and been at Wet 'n' Wild by 9.57am."

She pointed out as of today that same trip has ballooned with bus and train transfers.

"Once again on the southern Gold Coast we are being dudded.

"We are a popular tourist destination. We deserve better services not less."

A Bulletin check of the Tugun Surf Club to Movie World trip yesterday shows it would have taken an hour and 24 minutes. Under the new system, as of today, it would take either an hour and 24 minutes, an hour and 28 minutes or an hour and 50 minutes.

Since last month, light rail stage two has linked up to the heavy rail at Helensvale.

Transllink has axed bus route TX1 from Tweed via southern Gold Coast stops all the way to Oxenford's theme parks, citing that customers can now travel by light rail to Helensvale.

But Ms Stuckey said it was now a multi-transport mode hop requiring, by way of example, a bus trip from Tugun to Varsity Lakes, a train from there to Coomera and a bus from there to the theme parks.

A Translik spokesperson said Route TX1 was removed as high frequency buses to the theme parks would now depart from Helensvale Station.

Bus route 700 would provide high frequency services, every seven to eight minutes from 7am-7pm on weekdays, between southern Gold Coast and Broadbeach where the tram then links to Helensvale.

"Passengers across the Gold Coast, including the southern Gold Coast, can easily access Helensvale Station via tram, bus and train.

"Gold Coast residents were supportive of changes to bus services to the theme parks, including removing route TX1, during the extensive community consultation campaign undertaken in 2017," the spokesperson said.

TransLink head Matthew Longland said the bus network upgrades would ensure public transport is fully integrated across the region.

"Timetables across the Gold Coast have also been revised to better reflect traffic conditions and bus journey times."
Half baked projects, have long term consequences ...
Ozbob's Gallery Forum   Facebook  X  Threads  Mastodon  BlueSky

SurfRail

As usual the member for Currumbin has got it completely wrong. 

I was on the last ever TX1 yesterday.  It carried 5 passengers for the whole trip.  Loadings have always been fairly similar.

Maybe spend some time focusing on fixing the inadequacies in timetables like these where her constituents actually have legitimate reasons to be annoyed?

https://translink.com.au/sites/default/files/assets/timetables/180108-763-764-766.pdf
Ride the G:

Cazza

Agree SurfRail Re TX1: I caught it on Wednesday 3rd of Jan (the northbound one leaving Tweed at 8:40am- the second of 2) from Currumbin and it was COMPLETELY EMPTY all the way up the highway. Also note, this is the middle of the summer holidays so it is a bit concerning that buses are running empty to the theme parks. Since it wasn't exciting, I got off at Nobby Beach, transferred onto a 700 which dropped me off at Broadbeach South, then got a TX2 to Movie World (it departed Broadbeach at around 9:40 or so).

When the TX2 started to run express from Main Beach, almost all the seats in the bus were taken.

So, Ms Stuckey, before you open your gob to start complaining about how your electorate is "losing", just remember that the TX1 did sh!t all in the first place, so the whole network is benefitting from this removal. You have the most frequent bus route in the whole Translink network that runs 24/7 still running through your electorate so I'm not sure how the Southern Gold Coast is losing.

You might want to beef up your argument before you start opening your mouth next time.

SurfRail

Today is my last day off before our office reopens tomorrow so I wandered around again for a bit.  I wasn't at Helensvale in the AM but passing through in the PM on the way home there was a steady stream of families popping over from the bus interchange to catch trams south.

Harbour Town is something of an interesting interchange now.  There are only 4 bus routes which go there, but 3 of those run every 15 minutes while the other is only hourly and has a 2 hour gap around midday.

The downside to these changes - if any - is that the next substantial upgrade of this nature is not going to come until light rail is extended to Burleigh Heads and the 700/777/possibly 765 get chopped so there is nothing else running in the GC Hwy between Broadbeach South and Burleigh.  Even then, the push will be to funnel most of the savings into more high frequency routes.  There still needs to be more sustained investment in fixing the gaps in the feeder routes and that does not need to be conditioned on light rail expansion.
Ride the G:

James

First and foremost, who on earth is staying down towards Palm Beach/Tugun with the intention of travelling to the theme parks? Very few I'd expect. Anecdotally, I've never considered visiting the theme parks a destination to visit while staying on the coast, rather, it's a convenient day trip from Brisbane. I'm not going to drive down the coast only to drive halfway home. 8)

Secondly - TX1, during the holiday peaks, RIGHT when you need a decent people moving service, would get caught in all the congestion & associated garbage along the Gold Coast Highway and then on the M1. By comparison, it is now a trip on the 760 (similarly slow thanks to M1 congestion) and then a fast trip on the train up to Helensvale.

As a final point, I don't know where Jann Stuckey gets her figures from. I see 1hr13mins from Tugun SLSC to Movie World, and 1hr8mins to Wet 'n' Wild. This is only a 7 minute increase on the existing no-transfer option - proof that TX1 was a pretty slow way of travelling to the theme parks, taking 2-3x as long as a car would, depending on your location and walking.
Is it really that hard to run frequent, reliable public transport?

dancingmongoose

Quote from: ozbob on January 08, 2018, 03:18:07 AM
Quote
"Once again on the southern Gold Coast we are being dudded.
Well then I'd love to hear the adjectives she uses to describe the northern GC's bus network!

Cazza

^Hahahaha who doesn't love 2 hour frequencies?

ozbob

Gold Coast Bulletin  --> Gold Coast Light Rail stage 3A: new data reveals southern Gold Coast bus routes more popular than ever

QuoteTHE Gold Coast's southern bus lines are more popular than ever before, with new figures adding ammunition to the push for extending the tram to Burleigh Heads.

Patronage has dramatically increased over the past two years, Department of Transport and Main Roads figures obtained by the Gold Coast Bulletin reveal.

The data shows:

* The number of people riding the 700 route from Broadbeach to Tweed Heads has increased by nearly 10 per cent, from 2.08 million passenger trips in 2016-17 to 2.2 million in 2017-18.

* The 777 route from Broadbeach to Gold Coast Airport has seen an increase in patronage of nearly 11 per cent, rising 586,390 in 2016-17 to 649,081 in 2017-18.

Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey said the figures were welcome.

"There is no doubt that Gold Coasters are loving their public transport, whether it is light rail or buses," he said.

"New data on these two bus routes is a case in point and I think it is clear that people on the Gold Coast are putting their trust in public transport like never before.

"The success of Gold Coast light rail has exceeded all expectations, transforming public confidence in public transport."

More than 182 million trips were taken on public transport in the southeast last year, the most on record.

The figures come after the Gold Coast Bulletin revealed on Saturday that support for the light rail extension south was higher than expected.

Among those excited is regular bus user Tom Hollindale who said he was keen to see the tramline extended.

"I catch the bus from Broadbeach to Burleigh and there are lot of people my age getting on and off," he said.

"Burleigh is a great place to go for a swim and extending the tram would be great but they have a lot of work ahead of them.

"It will make getting there far more efficient."

The state project team is accelerating the design for the next stages of the tram track for the $660 million project which Prime Minister Scott Morrison's Federal Coalition has pledged $112 million towards in the next Budget. City of Gold Coast's contribution is expected to top $66m with an understanding State Government will pick up the rest.

Independent research conducted for the State Government showed:

* 86 per cent of residents across the Gold Coast support stage 3A to Burleigh and 91 per cent back stage 3B to Coolangatta.

* 72 per cent living in the future Broadbeach-Burleigh corridor support 3A and 75 per cent approve of 3B.

* 80 per cent of businesses in the future corridor support 3A and 83 per cent back 3B.
Half baked projects, have long term consequences ...
Ozbob's Gallery Forum   Facebook  X  Threads  Mastodon  BlueSky

ozbob

Half baked projects, have long term consequences ...
Ozbob's Gallery Forum   Facebook  X  Threads  Mastodon  BlueSky

SurfRail

Long overdue.  The 722 is probably in a good position to be a high-frequency route one day.

The problem of all the other local feeder routes having poor span of hours and headways remains, and hourly isn't exactly brilliant itself.

This is worth a release - pat on the back for finally addressing it, and calling to upgrade all 56 Gold Coast bus routes not already up to this same minimum standard so they all meet or exceed it.

QuoteFrom Monday 18 February, there will be improvements to Pimpama's route 722 service with more bus stops, a better timetable and a longer span of hours.

The new 722 timetable will now run hourly every day, with weekday services operating between 6.30am and 7pm and weekend services operating between 7.30am and 6.30pm, allowing you more travel options.

We're also doubling the amount of bus stops on this route with new stops at the following locations:

Pimpama Junction Shopping Centre
William Boulevard
Cunningham Drive North
St Joseph's College
Pimpama City Shopping Centre.
This service will continue to connect with some train services at Coomera and Ormeau stations.

Plan your journey on the new 722 by using the journey planner.

https://translink.com.au/service-updates/214586
Ride the G:

ozbob

Sent to all outlets:

6th February 2019

Pimpama - Bus Route 722 improvements

Greetings,

We welcome the improvements to the Gold Coast Bus Route 722 [ https://translink.com.au/service-updates/214586 ].  The northern corridor suburbs around Coomera, Pimpama and Ormeau are all expanding rapidly.  These new services will enable locals to use public transport more confidently during the day, especially on weekends.  We are confident Route 722 will be a good performer due to the number of trip generators it serves such as Westfield Coomera, Pimpama Junction Shopping Centre, Pimpama City Shopping Centre, Coomera and Ormeau stations and local schools and shops.

Only around 1 in 6 of the Gold Coast's 56 bus routes is a high-frequency route with service every 15 minutes during the day.  Many of the other roughly 5 in 6 bus routes on the Gold Coast are problematic:

- Services often have infrequent headways which can be as low as once every 2 hours, which increases the difficulty of planning a trip or making a connection and makes travelling much less convenient.

- Service often commence running too late in the morning (in some cases after 9am) or cease running too early in the evening (in some cases before 5pm), making it impossible for people to make connections outside the Gold Coast or even locally.

- Bus stops often are missing from key locations, not DDA compliant, missing weather protection or placed at irregular intervals.

Gold Coasters should be able to rely on public transport to get home from work, study and play, but it is very difficult to expect anybody to do so when services are not up to scratch.  These upgrades go a long way to addressing these concerns for Pimpama and the surrounding areas.

We expect TransLink, GCCC and other parties to continue to invest in bus routes across the Gold Coast until all 56 routes are operating to at least the same levels of service as the new Route 722.  Waiting for a reallocation of resources from the next light rail extension will not cut it.  Locals have a reasonable expectation these upgrades will continue to be rolled out as a matter of priority so there are meaningful alternatives to sitting in congestion on the M1 each day.

Let's keep the good work rolling on!

Best wishes,

Steven and Robert

Contacts:

Steven Jamieson
Gold Coast Region Spokesperson for RAIL Back On Track

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track http://backontrack.org
Half baked projects, have long term consequences ...
Ozbob's Gallery Forum   Facebook  X  Threads  Mastodon  BlueSky

ozbob

Half baked projects, have long term consequences ...
Ozbob's Gallery Forum   Facebook  X  Threads  Mastodon  BlueSky

ozbob

Half baked projects, have long term consequences ...
Ozbob's Gallery Forum   Facebook  X  Threads  Mastodon  BlueSky

ozbob

Couriermail --> Pimpama bus route to get more than 70 new services, bus stops to double

QuoteSTRAIN on Pimpama's public transport system will ease this month when more than 70 extra services are added to the bus timetable.

73 additional services for the 722 bus line will begin on February 18, along with double the amount of stops.

The announcement was made today by Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey, who said the services were needed because of growing demand.

"We've listened to the feedback from passengers and boosted the frequency of services, and extended the rout to meet local demand," he said.

"The number of bus stops has been doubled with an extra 1685 potential passengers now living within 400 metres of a stop for the 722 bus."

The changes mean the bus will run hourly on weekdays and weekends, with the service connecting to trains north to Brisbane and south to Varsity Lakes.

Weekday services will now start an hour earlier, running from 6.30am until 7pm, and weekend services will run from 7.30am to 6.30pm.
Half baked projects, have long term consequences ...
Ozbob's Gallery Forum   Facebook  X  Threads  Mastodon  BlueSky

ozbob

Letter to the Editor Queensland Times 8th February 2019 page 11

Great to see new services for 2019

Half baked projects, have long term consequences ...
Ozbob's Gallery Forum   Facebook  X  Threads  Mastodon  BlueSky

SurfRail

#31
https://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/business/gold-coast-surfside-buslines-owner-transit-australia-group-sells-to-skybus-operator-in-reported-200m-transaction/news-story/a0c31df4d08379810c6be83290292b1a

Gold Coast Bulletin --> Gold Coast Surfside Buslines owner Transit Australia Group sells to SkyBus operator in reported $200M transaction

QuoteGOLD Coast transportation giant Transit Australia Group has sold to the owner of SkyBus in Australia's largest ever sale involving a private bus company.

TAG announced yesterday its shareholders have agreed to sell the Robina-based operator of Surfside Buslines to AATS Group, which owns and operates airport mass transit operator, SkyBus.

The sale was earlier reported to be worth at least $200 million.

Melbourne-based SkyBus, which employs 500 people and has services at airports across Australasia, has been on an aggressive expansion path in recent years.

In 2017 it expanded to the Glitter Strip after buying the Gold Coast Tourist Shuttle from TAG.

Last year it announced the launch of a service between Byron Bay and Gold Coast Airport.

TAG, launched by brothers Tony and Joe Calabro in 1989 after they purchased Surfside Buslines, today is the largest privately owned public transport operator in Queensland, with a staff of 1400 operating a fleet of 700 buses.

It also runs Sunbus with services on the Sunshine Coast, Rockhampton, Townsville and Cairns and has manufacturing and engineering businesses including ­Bustech.

In recent years it has also expanded its international footprint, particularly in the Middle East where it signed a lucrative deal to provide electric buses for the new city of Dubai South.

In 2017 Bustech secured a $45 million contract to supply Metro Tasmania with 100 low-emission buses, partnering with Tasmanian company Elphinstone to use local capabilities while providing a boost to local manufacturing.

The contract, with the Tasmanian Government's transport arm Metro Australia, is the largest investment in public transport in the state's history.

An alliance with South Australian company Precision Components will build operational electric urban buses for trial in Adelaide's public transport network.

AATS is owned by Canadian pension fund OPTrust and senior management.
Ride the G:

nathandavid88

^^ Was Bustech part of the sale as well, or has that been retained? The article mentions Bustech, but doesn't specify either way.

Arnz

Quote from: nathandavid88 on April 05, 2019, 10:55:11 AM
^^ Was Bustech part of the sale as well, or has that been retained? The article mentions Bustech, but doesn't specify either way.

Bustech wasn't included in the sale.  IIRC Bustech ownership transferred from TAG to the Calabro family directly.
Rgds,
Arnz

Unless stated otherwise, Opinions stated in my posts are those of my own view only.

SurfRail

Bustech is not part of the sale.  Interesting times ahead for them, with potentially no guarantee of future work from the operator running buses past their front door.  Also despite having plenty of work interstate they are not able to compete against other suppliers when their customers need articulated buses (eg Adelaide, Canberra etc).  Maybe that will change if they remain involved in the Brisbane Metro contract.

From the numbers I crunched recently, there are at most 21 buses left in the Surfside fleet which were not built by Bustech either as the coachbuilder or from the ground up.  That 21 includes the oldest 12 buses in the fleet (all at least 21 years old and so probably on death's door), 8 second-hand school buses that are not quite as old, and the last minibus of any kind in the fleet (which came from Sunbus).

The fleet strength is currently somewhere between 380 and 390 buses across both the QLD and NSW operations.  I don't think any Australian bus operator of comparable size or larger has that kind of homogeneity except for Transperth, which has over 1,600 buses all built by Volgren except for 2 once-offs.
Ride the G:

ozbob

Half baked projects, have long term consequences ...
Ozbob's Gallery Forum   Facebook  X  Threads  Mastodon  BlueSky

achiruel

Quote from: SurfRail on April 05, 2019, 15:07:26 PM
Bustech is not part of the sale.  Interesting times ahead for them, with potentially no guarantee of future work from the operator running buses past their front door.  Also despite having plenty of work interstate they are not able to compete against other suppliers when their customers need articulated buses (eg Adelaide, Canberra etc).  Maybe that will change if they remain involved in the Brisbane Metro contract.

From the numbers I crunched recently, there are at most 21 buses left in the Surfside fleet which were not built by Bustech either as the coachbuilder or from the ground up.  That 21 includes the oldest 12 buses in the fleet (all at least 21 years old and so probably on death's door), 8 second-hand school buses that are not quite as old, and the last minibus of any kind in the fleet (which came from Sunbus).

The fleet strength is currently somewhere between 380 and 390 buses across both the QLD and NSW operations.  I don't think any Australian bus operator of comparable size or larger has that kind of homogeneity except for Transperth, which has over 1,600 buses all built by Volgren except for 2 once-offs.

The article suggests 700 buses. Or is that across ask their operations?

ozbob

Half baked projects, have long term consequences ...
Ozbob's Gallery Forum   Facebook  X  Threads  Mastodon  BlueSky

SurfRail

Quote from: achiruel on April 23, 2019, 21:08:45 PM
The article suggests 700 buses. Or is that across ask their operations?

Sunbus as well.  It's closer to 650 depending on what is being counted.
Ride the G:

ozbob

Queensland Parliament E-petition  https://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/work-of-assembly/petitions/petition-details?id=3126

Upgrade to bus services between Ormeau Railway Station and Coomera Railway Station

TO: The Honourable the Speaker and Members of the Legislative Assembly of Queensland

Queensland residents draws to the attention of the House the urgent need to upgrade the bus services between Ormeau Station and Coomera Station which includes services throughout the Pimpama and Coomera area. The latest data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows that Pimpama on the northern Gold Coast has the biggest growth of any suburb in Queensland and is the fastest-growing outside a capital city anywhere in Australia. An extension of hours, more frequent bus services and additional bus routes are therefore essential for the provision of services to the residents of this fast growing area. The Ormeau-Pimpama-Coomera area is already a well located and planned urban settlement and, as such, must be serviced by the appropriate public transport infrastructure.

Your petitioners, therefore, request the House to do all in its power to ensure the essential upgrade to bus services between Ormeau Railway Station and Coomera Railway Station, as a matter of urgency.
Half baked projects, have long term consequences ...
Ozbob's Gallery Forum   Facebook  X  Threads  Mastodon  BlueSky

🡱 🡳