Improving X (Twitter) service disruption tweets

[ozbob]

Facebook ...

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

1st September 2019

How TransLink could streamline its Twitter service disruptions

Good Morning,

We have had  a think about how TransLink could do twitter service disruptions.

First, this the present set of hashtags that TransLink uses, sometimes in a very inconsistent manner.
It is too complex and confusing for most.



Our suggestion would be independent twitter accounts using this framework.



This would improve the utility of TransLink twitter considerably, reduce complexity and we think make it easier for TransLink to be timely and accurate with the service disruption tweets. It would also make it a lot better for passengers as they could simply follow the accounts of relevance and interest to them.

Thoughts?

Best wishes,
Robert

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

Attached: http://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=13649.msg226559#msg226559

[ozbob]

How TransLink could streamline its Twitter service disruptionshttps://t.co/66OhMrQP03#qldpol pic.twitter.com/Rbx6ihg76R

— RAIL_BoT_Forum (@railbotforum) August 31, 2019

[ozbob]

HAPPY SUNDAY FUNDAY 🌞

Nat 💃 on the Twitter desk for your PM travels 🚉#Trackwork may affect how you travel today 🛠#happyfathersday 🕺 have a great day 😁https://t.co/1axMKTEl7D📱 https://t.co/rIbLALqHud 🌏https://t.co/9vhTRf4Xlj 🚦

— Trains Info (@TrainsInfo) September 1, 2019

[ozbob]

It is so sad, how bad, TransLink and constrained QR are when it comes to this sort of stuff.

Fuk me dead, we have shown them how easy it is to do the basics.  They struggle with the basics, how in the fuk can they get the big stuff right? 
TELL ME PLEASE !!

I have monitored a lot of this sort of stuff globally.  Two stand out. https://twitter.com/TrainsInfo ( Sydney Trains, they have line specific accounts at well eg. T1 Sydney Trains https://twitter.com/T1SydneyTrains )

ScotRail  https://twitter.com/ScotRail
They have a lot of ' issues ' on their network does Scot Rail, but they do twitter very well. 

Why is QLD so fuked?

ℹ️ Don't forget to claim your Delay Repay compensation if you arrived at your destination 30 or more minutes late. It's simple and convenient to do this online 👉 https://t.co/9wMSQ6vxZj

Got a question on Delay Repay? You'll find the answer here 👉 https://t.co/qXhUe4JjBg ^Paul pic.twitter.com/KA0e5uURg7

— ScotRail (@ScotRail) August 31, 2019

[ozbob]

E.g.

Morning folks just a wee reminder if you're travelling today between Mount Florida and #Newton buses will replace trains. This is due to the below 👇 ^Carrie https://t.co/QL8BOARVYQ

— ScotRail (@ScotRail) September 1, 2019

[ozbob]

[ozbob]

The hashtag approach is going off the rails as the complexity of the networks build ..

See the problems here?

The 2.56pm route 111 inbound bus is delayed 10 minutes due to an operational issue. https://t.co/aJQAWENX6S #TLAlertCairns #TL100s pic.twitter.com/CMRa4Y4PYR

— TransLink (@TransLinkSEQ) September 2, 2019

[Cleveland Line]

 
 

The hashtag approach is going off the rails as the complexity of the networks build ..

See the problems here?

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

3rd September 2019

An example of a confusing TransLink service disruption tweet ...

Good Morning,

To further highlight why TransLink need to restructure how they do Twitter service disruption notices.

Consider this tweet (  https://twitter.com/TransLinkSEQ/status/1168390693179613186 ). Look OK to you?

The 2.56pm route 111 inbound bus is delayed 10 minutes due to an operational issue. https://t.co/aJQAWENX6S #TLAlertCairns #TL100s pic.twitter.com/CMRa4Y4PYR

— TransLink (@TransLinkSEQ) September 2, 2019

No.  A number of things wrong with this tweet.  It's a good example of the present communication failure.

1.  We have TransLinkSEQ tweeting about a bus disruption in Cairns northern Queensland.

2.  The hashtag #TL100s is very confusing.  There is route duplication in Cairns and Brisbane with the 100s bus route numbers.

Specifically route 111 can be either:

111   SEQ    Eight Mile Plains, Garden City, Greenslopes, Sth Bank, City

or

111   Cairns   Kewarra Beach to City via Trinity Beach

3.  The information in the tweet is too brief and forces the user to a secondary web link.

4.  Operational issue is a meaningless descriptor.  What is really the cause of the delay?  Traffic, sick passenger, mechanical issue and so forth.  The term operational issue just makes passengers resentful.  Tell them the real cause of the delays please.

If we had a twitter account such as https://twitter.com/TransLinkCairns the information would be relevant to Cairns, and passengers not wishing to be overloaded in their feed with tweets of no concern to them are avoided. It is also treating north Queensland as it should be, and not part of SEQ!

Haven't received any feedback from the authorities yet.  The changes we propose are in the ' no-brainer ' class.

Best wishes,
Robert

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

Attached:  https://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=13649.msg226627#msg226627

[ozbob]

What's wrong with this tweet?
👉https://t.co/gnTIUMXayR#qldpol
" The changes we propose are in the ' no-brainer ' class. ... " pic.twitter.com/Iiwg3Iiti9

— RAIL_BoT_Forum (@railbotforum) September 2, 2019

[ozbob]

NSW Transport Twitter > https://transportnsw.info/contact-us/social-media/twitter

Good information for passengers.

Also have a useful search function to allow the right accounts to be followed.

[ozbob]

This is the standard that TransLink should be at all the time ..

The 7.27am Ipswich to Central train has been cancelled from Ipswich to Redbank due to a rostering issue. The next Ipswich to Central train will depart Ipswich station at 7.39am. https://t.co/oRsKGPBMmr #TLAlert #TLIpswichline pic.twitter.com/Ck38QE304u

— TransLink (@TransLinkSEQ) September 4, 2019

[ozbob]

ScotRail ... say no more ...

Here's Robert, manning the "GSMR" desk, where we're trialling speaking directly to customers via the train's PA on the Helensburgh/Milngavie - Edinburgh route to keep you up to date. (GSMR is the railway's mobile communications system) pic.twitter.com/jrIV5y8HsX

— ScotRail (@ScotRail) September 6, 2019

https://twitter.com/ScotRail/status/1170078309805412353

[ozbob]

This is the standard that TransLink should be at all the time ..

The 7.27am Ipswich to Central train has been cancelled from Ipswich to Redbank due to a rostering issue. The next Ipswich to Central train will depart Ipswich station at 7.39am. https://t.co/oRsKGPBMmr #TLAlert #TLIpswichline pic.twitter.com/Ck38QE304u

— TransLink (@TransLinkSEQ) September 4, 2019

But it isn't ...   

https://twitter.com/TransLinkSEQ/status/1170469458965651458

This is what should be tweeted:

The 7.07am Central to Nambour train train is delayed 23 minutes due to a signalling issue.
This train is now due to arrive at Nambour station at 9.27am.

[ozbob]

Hello ... we have a decent tweet this time.

I think I have worked out why it varies.  Change of shift.  There seems to a staff member that does good tweets, and the others not so good.

You would think that this sort of thing would be standard.

WELL YOU THOUGHT WRONG  !!   

https://twitter.com/TransLinkSEQ/status/1170588316313509889

[ozbob]

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/ScotRail/status/1170727923520868352

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

9th September 2019

Sorting out TransLink twitter

Good Morning,

Still silence.  How hard can it be Minister Bailey? Lots of low hanging fruit around ...

Couple of twitter examples from TransLink yesterday, Sunday 8th September.

https://twitter.com/TransLinkSEQ/status/1170588316313509889

This is good.  Timely, and conveys the essential information to passengers ( ' customers ' ) without having to go to a secondary web link

https://twitter.com/TransLinkSEQ/status/1170469458965651458

This is poor.  Information is not complete and requires the user to go to a secondary web link.

Why the variation?  I suspect that some staff members do the right thing and others don't.  It is a little perplexing that this is not standardised. So the quality of the tweets depends on who is rostered!  Unbelievable.

We have suggested the region specific accounts be set up.  Have a look here how NSW does it.

NSW Transport Twitter > https://transportnsw.info/contact-us/social-media/twitter

Good information for passengers.

Also have a useful search function to allow the right accounts to be followed.

Twitter is a powerful communication tool done right.  Why is it that most things related to public transport in Queensland are sub-standard?  Time the authorities looked outwards and not inwards.  There are constant delays and cancellations on public transport.  It will help considerably if passengers are properly and promptly communicated with respect to these notifications.

" Give us the tools and we will finish the job. "  Winston Churchill 9th February 1941

Best wishes,
Robert

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

Attached:  https://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=13649.msg226734#msg226734

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/railbotforum/status/1170774788215672834

[ozbob]

Well well .. .last 4 tweets have been full text ( as I call it .. )

E.g.

https://twitter.com/TransLinkSEQ/status/1170850974572920833

&

https://twitter.com/TransLinkSEQ/status/1170848718293274624

[ozbob]

Letter to the Editor Queensland Times 12th September 2019 page 15

Tweets fall short of high standards

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/railbotforum/status/1171855258617671681

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/ScotRail/status/1174458637751861248

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/ScotRail/status/1177984143638110209

[ozbob]

 

In terms of service disruptions the Queensland Rail twitter is on auto-pilot.  As you can note the hashtag for Ipswich has a typo. 
That is enough to kill it though.

https://twitter.com/QueenslandRail/status/1185712927019536385

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/ozbob13/status/1187028151278325765

[ozbob]

^ how hard is it?

Suggestions for sorting out the twitter mess again have been ignored.

They really need to get out of their ' world class ' bubble and see how other jurisdictions do these things with real class. 

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/railbotforum/status/1171855258617671681

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/QueenslandRail/status/1187514798319263744

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/ozbob13/status/1189318084873596930

[ozbob]

Sydney trains do a good job ..

https://twitter.com/TrainsInfo/status/1192155398796656644

[achiruel]

I'm pretty sure the software TransLink is using to tweet allows operators to select from a list of pre-defined hashtags. They should be using this, instead of typing them manually. This would fix the no retweet because of typo issues.

[Cleveland Line]

Translink (attempted) customer tries to advise of issue and get specific response.

https://twitter.com/CameronAtfield/status/1193004867238842369

Translink 'customer service' ignore specifics and select 'appropriate' generic response

https://twitter.com/TransLinkSEQ/status/1193007133845082112


Surprises, that doesn't work...

https://twitter.com/CameronAtfield/status/1193007342398259200

Try again!

https://twitter.com/TransLinkSEQ/status/1193007893018284032

Nope...

https://twitter.com/CameronAtfield/status/1193008304210923520



Having the 'customer service' so disconnected from the actual operations of the network does not work.

[ozbob]

{ when posting the tweet urls strip ' ?s=19 '  from the end, and they will then show.  It is something that comes up on mobile platforms. }

[Cleveland Line]

{ when posting the tweet urls strip ' ?s=19 '  from the end, and they will then show.  It is something that comes up on mobile platforms. }

Thanks! 

[#Metro]

Cameron Atfield is a journalist, right?

I'm sure the Minister for Instagram can fix it! 

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/ozbob13/status/1193539441681260544

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/QueenslandRail/status/1194470855729975296

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/railbotforum/status/1195780940573732865