Sunshine Coast Bus

[ozbob]

Sunshine Coast News --> Bus service improvements stops community's petition in its tracks

A community's petition for a bus service has been suddenly halted after Transport and Main Roads revealed work on new bus stops is underway and the route will soon begin.

Member for Caloundra Jason Hunt said that during the past two years of liaising with the Aura community, locals had expressed that one of the biggest issues was not having a bus route into Nirimba. ...

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/Translink_QLD/status/1659036252820373504

[ozbob]

NEW AND IMPROVED BUS SERVICES COMING TO THE COAST! In a huge win for locals, through continued advocacy we have managed...

Posted by Robert Skelton MP for Nicklin on Monday, 22 May 2023

" ... 615 – additional trips to improve frequency and train connections at Landsborough ... "

[Fares_Fair]

This is great news for Landsborough for the buses.
We will have to see how many train gaps are left now.

[ozbob]

Queensland Parliament

https://documents.parliament.qld.gov.au/tableOffice/questionsAnswers/2023/677-2023.pdf

Question on Notice
No. 677
Asked on 24 May 2023

MR B MICKELBERG ASKED MINISTER FOR TRANSPORT AND MAIN ROADS AND
MINISTER FOR DIGITIAL SERVICES (HON M BAILEY)

QUESTION:
With reference to State Government subsidised public bus services (excluding school bus
transport) on the Sunshine Coast—

Will the Minister advise (a) seated capacity utilisation rate, (b) average patronage per service,
(c) total fare revenue, (d) total subsidies paid to external operators, (e) any additional sources of
funding used to deliver public bus services on the Sunshine Coast including any contributions
from local government or developer contributions and (f) any other costs incurred by the State
Government associated with delivering public bus services?

ANSWER:
I thank the Member for Buderim for the question.

The Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) is responsible for providing a single,
integrated transport network, accessible to everyone. TMR works closely with delivery partners
to plan and deliver passenger transport services across the state. All routes are operated under
service contracts.

The Palaszczuk Government is making record investments into better transport on the Sunshine
Coast. The Palaszczuk Government recently announced several Sunshine Coast bus
improvements that were funded as part of a $27.2 million uplift in bus services for high priority
growth areas in the 2022–23 Queensland Budget. This package included several bus route
extensions, increased frequency, and a new route 608, between Caloundra and Nirimba.
With reference to over 323,000 State Government subsidised public (urban) bus services
(excluding school bus transport) on the Sunshine Coast for 2021–22 financial year:

(a) the seated capacity utilisation rate averaged up to 30 per cent for some routes while the
overall average across all routes was approximately 16 per cent
(b) the average patronage per service was eight passengers per service
(c) total fare revenue was approximately $2.65 million (excluding GST)
(d) total subsidies paid to external operators was approximately $40.65 million (excluding GST)
(e) Noosa Shire Council works collaboratively with TMR for the provision of public passenger
transport in the Noosa area, with council contributions made under a confidential
commercial arrangement
(f) there were no other costs incurred by the State Government associated with the delivery of
urban bus services.

Seating capacity utilisation when calculated over a period can be diluted by off-peak, weekends
and seasonal variations, which typically have lower demand than peak services. Fare revenue
and patronage have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Patronage on all modes was
impacted through COVID in all regions across Queensland, as well as other jurisdictions and
around the world. Changes in work and study from home arrangements has also impacted travel
patterns.

The Palaszczuk Government is also delivering major projects like the $663 million Caboolture to
Steve Irwin Way Bruce Highway upgrade, the $301 million Mons and Maroochydore Roads
interchange upgrade on the Bruce Highway, the $550 million Beerburrum to Nambour rail
upgrade, and the $320 million Mooloolah River Interchange upgrade on the Sunshine Motorway.

[ozbob]

Route 605 and 615 changes

https://translink.com.au/updates/329936

From Monday 14 August, route 605 and 615 will service a new stop at Landsborough station due to the opening of the upgraded park 'n' ride.

If you travel on route 605 or 615, please use stop A at Landsborough station on the Dyer Street side of the upgraded park 'n' ride

[ozbob]

https://x.com/7NewsSC/status/1795371504894701927

[Fares_Fair]

The video makes it pretty clear why.
They were not paying attention or watching out for the bus, neither did they hail it.

A person exited the bus and had walked past the fixed seating nearby before the kids realised that the bus was there.
It is unfortunate for them and the bus did appear to leave quite quickly.
Not the drivers fault at all in my opinion.

[STB]

The video makes it pretty clear why.
They were not paying attention or watching out for the bus, neither did they hail it.

A person exited the bus and had walked past the fixed seating nearby before the kids realised that the bus was there.
It is unfortunate for them and the bus did appear to leave quite quickly.
Not the drivers fault at all in my opinion.

It's unfortunate that the media is implying that the driver may be in the wrong by bringing up Daniel Morcombe's father into the story.  I'm sorry, but in this instance, the kids screwed up by not paying attention.

[Stillwater]

SC bus usage low:

https://www.sunshinecoastnews.com.au/2024/06/18/two-thirds-of-buses-running-with-less-than-10-on-board

[ozbob]

News.com.au --> Queensland Police investigate boy's death after being struck by bus at Buderim

Police are investigating the death of an 11-year-old boy after he was struck by a bus while riding a bike.

An 11-year-old boy has died after he was struck by a bus while riding a bike on the Sunshine Coast.

Emergency services were called to reports a bus was travelling along Jingellic Dr, near Karawatha Dr, in Buderim when it struck a bicycle. about 3.45pm on Thursday.

The boy was taken to Sunshine Coast University Hospital with life-threatening injuries. ...

[Stillwater]

Free bus travel all weekend in Noosa:

https://www.noosa.qld.gov.au/go-noosa-weekends

[ozbob]

https://x.com/Jeffrey_Addison/status/1836230508994531516

[MagicBullets]

Route 605 and 615 changes

https://translink.com.au/updates/329936

From Monday 14 August, route 605 and 615 will service a new stop at Landsborough station due to the opening of the upgraded park 'n' ride.

If you travel on route 605 or 615, please use stop A at Landsborough station on the Dyer Street side of the upgraded park 'n' ride

[MagicBullets]

In regards to the 605 and 615 now stopping on the other side of the rail platform. I was recently arriving at Landsborough Station from Brisbane, the 605 left before I was able to get over the bridge. Prior to the changes buses met the arriving train on the same side as the arriving train which was very convenient for passengers as they didn't have to cross the bridge to catch the bus. This is very inconvenient for people with diability, the elderly or anyone new to the coast. If the bus meets the arriving passengers on the same side as the arriving train it would make the commute that much simpler.   In addition, since the changes many buses don't wait long enough for passengers to disembark from the arriving train.

[Gazza]

You have to cross the bridge at least once on a return trip don't you?

What a silly complaint!

You now get to get off the bus from Caloundra and straight onto the inbound train without a bridge now, why not mention that benefit?

******

That all said, the bus leaving without sufficient connection time is unacceptable.

[HappyTrainGuy]

You have to cross the bridge at least once on a return trip don't you?

What a silly complaint!

You now get to get off the bus from Caloundra and straight onto the inbound train without a bridge now, why not mention that benefit?

******

That all said, the bus leaving without sufficient connection time is unacceptable.

All the more reason to have a bus to Brisbane. Cut the middle bridge out. Heaven forbid should duplication go through.

[Gazza]

Thats a good point. All the people advocating for duplication will be in for a rude shock when they discover every station will now have a bridge you'll have to use once per return trip.

[MagicBullets]

Being dropped off by the bus on the departing side of the platform at the new park and ride facility is good, in terms of practicality and convenience it would be so much simplier for arriving passengers to meet the bus on the same side as the arriving train.  It is a no brainer which I have taken up with Translink. I challenge anyone getting off the train with luggage to navigate the bridge to the other side of the platform to meet an arriving bus, which often give departing passengers very little time to disembark from the train. The obvious solution is for buses to meet the arriving train on the same platform.

[Gazza]

I challenge anyone getting off the train with luggage to navigate the bridge to the other side of the platform to meet an arriving bus

It doesn't matter where the bus interchange goes, eastern side or western side, people are going to have to take luggage across the bridge at some point, so stop complaining.

Like I bet if they had retained the bus interchange in the old location, you'd be complaining how much of a struggle it is to get your luggage off the bus, over the bridge to the southbound platform for the train to the city, and you'd instead be complaining you didn't have enough time to get to the train because the bus arrived late.

[SurfRail]

I can appreciate that the walk between the bus stop and the overbridge is a fair bit longer than it was when the bus stops were all on the western side.  Eventually it won't matter too much when DSCL is in place.

[MagicBullets]

It doesn't affect a fit person like myself there are a hell of a lot of people with mobility issues having to navigate the extra distance. I would not call it moaning, rather an invonvenience which is not necessary. Does anyone on this forum actually catch this train regularly?    If you miss one bus you wait a good hour and bit for the next one in addition DCSL is years away.  Duplication is still a little way off as well.

[HappyTrainGuy]

It doesn't affect a fit person like myself there are a hell of a lot of people with mobility issues having to navigate the extra distance. I would not call it moaning, rather an invonvenience which is not necessary. Does anyone on this forum actually catch this train regularly?    If you miss one bus you wait a good hour and bit for the next one in addition DCSL is years away.  Duplication is still a little way off as well.

Come to Brisbane where most of the bus routes are hourly. Or Warner where the peak bus frequency is hourly. We also have 2 hourly and 2 daily bus services. Missed your 6pm bus? Well, looks like you are walking home. If you are in Strathpine and you get off your slightly delayed train at 6.15pm but you live in the next suburb you have to go to go all the way to the city to get a bus back out. Trips that are 10-15 minutes at the most by car end up being 1hr30 minutes because you have to go via Roma street. How about being on the 350 expecting it to turn right and head to Aspley but all of a sudden it turns left and you are now heading towards Albany Creek? That happens here. Got on your 306 bus to Nudgee beach or Northgate only to find out it terminates at Toombul?? Or how getting the regular 321 Chermside-Cultural centre bus home from work at Chermside only to have it terminate at some random back street bus stop in Wavell Heights? Got to love the seq pt network.

[MagicBullets]

The Brisbane network is something to envy, you have more options. The trip from the Sunny Coast right into Brisbane is a good 2 hours and depending on where you live an extra two bus rides each way on top of that. One of the only positives is 50 cent fares which are getting people on public transport.   

[HappyTrainGuy]

Sandgate to CBD via the 335 is nearly 2 hours aswell Todays 9.30 outbound service arrived at Sandgate after 11am. The morning inbound run was 5 mins late at rbwh but terminated 8 mins ahead of schedule due to school holiday traffic.