On the Buses

[achiruel]

They really need to sit down and work out a consistent standard for bus stop signage, like every other state has.

Orange and grey appear to be the system colours now (for better or worse), I think we should be moving to a position where everything is in that colour scheme - vehicles, stops, stations, signage, whatever.  Let's not have like 8 different types of bus stop sign, which vary depending on the council area or one of any number of other factors.

8 might be excessive, but I still think there are reasons for multiple bus stop types. Blade types (like that pictured above) are good for the CBD and high traffic areas but are relatively expensive, I don't think they need to be seen at every stop in SEQ. Also there needs to be something that signifies express stops.

[SurfRail]

^ In Perth they put a reflective strip on top of the pole and leave it at that.  Simple.

On our network we have:

- Blue flag
- White flag
- White J-pole
- Blue blade
- BCC yellow
- BCC white
- BCC blade
- Some legacy signage in the BCC area

The idiocy of this set-up is very apparent near the council boundaries where you run into multiple versions of this signage on the same route (eg Old Cleveland Rd between Belmont and Capalaba).

All you need is one all-purpose sign for lightly serviced stops, and blade signs for busier ones, and it should look the same anywhere in Queensland.  Easy.

[City Designer]

Surfside 235 was out and about today.

[verbatim9]

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


Couriermail--------------------------------------->https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/national/pimpama-bus-route-to-get-over-70-new-services-bus-stops-to-double/news-story/c65d20517bad4fa7c73ca5e76d72af3f

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

Brianna Morris-Grant, Gold Coast Bulletin

an hour ago

Subscriber only

STRAIN 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.

[achiruel]

Translation: we were giving you an absolutely woeful, substandard service previously, but now we've upgraded it to what it really should've been three years ago and is therefore still substandard, we'll make a big song and dance about it.

[ozbob]

For Pimpama - Bus Route 722 improvements  see >>> https://railbotforum.org/mbs/index.php?topic=12732.msg219195#msg219195

[ozbob]

Gold Coast Bulletin --> Child misses school bus at Palm Beach Currumbin State High School after leaving school early

"She isn't here, bad luck."

These are the words a bus driver allegedly told the friend of a 14-year-old Gold Coast girl who was just metres away from catching her school bus.

The daughter of Caira Holland had been given an early mark from her Palm Beach Currumbin High School last Tuesday when her friend texted her, saying the bus was early and she needed to come now.

The TransLink Surfside bus, route 760 north bound, is supposed to depart from the school at 3.09pm, but allegedly left four minutes early at 3.05pm.

"She went running flat strap to the bus stop, if he had waited just five seconds more she would have been on the bus," Ms Holland said.

"It's a major problem. How many other kids has he left behind?"

She claims the bus driver saw her daughter approaching, but told her friend who was pointing at her "she isn't here, bad luck" and closed the doors.

Ms Holland said not only was it a safety issue, but the students often had connecting buses or trains they needed to catch.

According to her phone records, Ms Holland's daughter called at 3.07pm, saying she had missed the bus. Ms Holland later picked up her daughter.

"On their first day back at school the bus was 20 minutes late and was 45 minutes late by the time it got to Robina Town Centre," Ms Holland said.

"Every day, the bus is running more than 10 to 15 minutes late or is five minutes early and does not wait for students to get out of school before departing earlier than scheduled."

Ms Holland said she had lodged a complaint with TransLink and made the school aware of the problem.

She said her daughter, along with some other students had asked for the school to implement their own school bus.

However, a spokesman for the Department of Education said "the school does not have the ability to run any additional services.

"Bus services to Palm Beach Currumbin State High School are managed by the Surfside Bus Lines and TransLink.

"To support students the school will be relaying the concerns raised with Surfside Bus Lines and TransLink.

"Parents with ongoing concerns regarding bus services to and from the school are encouraged to contact Surfside Bus Lines and TransLink."

A spokesman for TransLink told the Bulletin they had been made aware of the incident and have "contacted operator Surfside to investigate the matter.

"Any incident reported involving school student travel is treated seriously and investigated thoroughly, including immediate escalation with the relevant service provider."

[HappyTrainGuy]

Major delays to all ccbs. Southbound delayed buses are blocking northbound buses. 30+mins casino to kgsbs.

[HappyTrainGuy]

Someone is about to be in big trouble. Current Outbound 340 just drove the wrong way down the QSBW and overtook to the right turning 130 to turn left and head down to KGSBS. The same driver blocked the entrance for the QSBS outside the casino which caused additional delays as buses couldn't exit the already heavily congested busway. It's officially noted going by the chatter on the radios from multiple drivers reporting 2036.

[red dragin]

"And why did you leave your previous job as a bus driver?"

"Everybody else was holding me back, I felt that I couldn't progress to the timetable I had"

[Otto]

Someone is about to be in big trouble. Current Outbound 340 just drove the wrong way down the QSBW and overtook to the right turning 130 to turn left and head down to KGSBS. The same driver blocked the entrance for the QSBS outside the casino which caused additional delays as buses couldn't exit the already heavily congested busway. It's officially noted going by the chatter on the radios from multiple drivers reporting 2036.

Is 2036 the bus number ? That's a Maroon Glider..

[ozbob]

[HappyTrainGuy]

Someone is about to be in big trouble. Current Outbound 340 just drove the wrong way down the QSBW and overtook to the right turning 130 to turn left and head down to KGSBS. The same driver blocked the entrance for the QSBS outside the casino which caused additional delays as buses couldn't exit the already heavily congested busway. It's officially noted going by the chatter on the radios from multiple drivers reporting 2036.

Is 2036 the bus number ? That's a Maroon Glider..

Probably 2136 in that case. Must have confused it for the the carina driver that announced his name over the radio to report the Virginia driver.

[Otto]

Someone is about to be in big trouble. Current Outbound 340 just drove the wrong way down the QSBW and overtook to the right turning 130 to turn left and head down to KGSBS. The same driver blocked the entrance for the QSBS outside the casino which caused additional delays as buses couldn't exit the already heavily congested busway. It's officially noted going by the chatter on the radios from multiple drivers reporting 2036.

Is 2036 the bus number ? That's a Maroon Glider..

Probably 2136 in that case. Must have confused it for the the carina driver that announced his name over the radio to report the Virginia driver.

Found out the bus in question was 2236. The driver who called it in is a good friend of mine.. 

[HappyTrainGuy]

We eventually got the correct bus number

[City Designer]

I saw Surfside 239 last week. A new Bustech XDi. Presumably means a batch 236-239 was delivered at once.

[verbatim9]

I saw Surfside 239 last week. A new Bustech XDi. Presumably means a batch 236-239 was delivered at once.

I hope it's the model with the centre door. I read the specs it's meant to comply with Current European Emission controls.

[SurfRail]

I saw Surfside 239 last week. A new Bustech XDi. Presumably means a batch 236-239 was delivered at once.

234 to 241 are all either in service or due out very shortly.  240 is a Volvo B8RLE, the rest are the "stock" XDi.

They need to start gearing up for a lot of fleet replacement shortly, something like 100 buses on the books will no longer be available for TransLink work due to their age limit being exceeded in the next 3-4 years - and that is ignoring any expansion of the fleet, and whether any of the older vehicles used for NSW work also need to be retired.

[brissypete]

Nothing on translink yet but major delays on Coro Drive inbound, Milton Rd inbound and Pacific Motorway inbound due crash on ICB.



Sent from my G8141 using Tapatalk

[Cazza]

Kinda scary that the whole city is basically completely stagnant yet the only service update to do with traffic congestion current on the website is something about 15 min delays in Merrimac. By the looks over on Google Maps, this traffic congestion is non existent, compared to the hourly delays I'm seeing with some services back up in Brisbane just by looking at real time info.

Anytrip says it's taken one bus (3:53pm inbound 453) almost 90 mins to get from Toowong (departed on time at 4:21pm) to where it is now at the ICB intersection at 5:43pm.


Edit: first official notification I have seen from Translink has come out at 5:37pm

https://translink.com.au/service-updates/221011

[verbatim9]

Nothing on translink yet but major delays on Coro Drive inbound, Milton Rd inbound and Pacific Motorway inbound due crash on ICB.



Sent from my G8141 using Tapatalk

Kinda scary that the whole city is basically completely stagnant yet the only service update to do with traffic congestion current on the website is something about 15 min delays in Merrimac. By the looks over on Google Maps, this traffic congestion is non existent, compared to the hourly delays I'm seeing with some services back up in Brisbane just by looking at real time info.

Anytrip says it's taken one bus (3:53pm inbound 453) almost 90 mins to get from Toowong (departed on time at 4:21pm) to where it is now at the ICB intersection at 5:43pm.


Edit: first official notification I have seen from Translink has come out at 5:37pm

https://translink.com.au/service-updates/221011

Yeah saw I saw it there was an accident at 1615 on the corner of Hale and Coronation drive. It created a back log of traffic.

[Otto]

The Network Co-ordination Center was keeping us updated on how long it was taking to travel along Coro Drive inbound. Started with 30 minute delays, then 45, 1 hour, 1:20, finally peaked at 1:30 delays.
Frequent calls from NCC asking drivers to inform pax when arriving at Toowong to advise them to change to rail and then for drivers to find whatever way they could to get into town.

[Cazza]

https://translink.com.au/service-updates/216371

New Route 606 (Baringa/Aura to Caloundra via parts of Route 603).

Caloundra bus service improvements

From Monday 25 March 2019, we'll be making changes to improve bus reliability and connections in South and West Caloundra.

We're introducing route 606 - a new bus service between Caloundra and Baringa.

Route 606 will provide more services, increased service coverage and better connections at Caloundra station. Route 606 will replace route 603 services between Caloundra and Baringa and there will be minor route and timetable changes.

Start planning your trip on your new route 606 or check out changes to route 603 using our journey planner.

Stopping locations
Route 606 will stop in the following locations:

McArthur Parade at Paddington Court
Baringa State Primary School (not on weekends)
Bellvista Boulevard near Indigo Road
Latcham Drive near Mark Road
Mark Road near Exeter Way
Caloundra Health Service
Caloundra station
Map of bus route
Route 606 Baringa to Caloundra route map

Stop closures
Route 606 will run along Bellvista Boulevard and onto Aura Boulevard, in both directions of travel. This means the route will no longer service the stops on Indigo Road, Stornaway Avenue, Lomond Crescent or O'Reilly Drive. If you usually travel from one of these stops, alternative stops are located within 650 metres on Bellvista Boulevard.

Route 606 will terminates at Caloundra station. If you need to travel beyond Caloundra toward Currimundi, Aroona, Little Mountain or Bells Reach, you'll need to connect to a route 603 service from the bus station.

Timetables
You can use the journey planner to plan your trip on route 606, or route 603.

More information
Come and chat to us about what your new bus service will do. We'll be at Stockland Caloundra Shopping Centre, 47 Bowman Road, Caloundra on these dates:

Thursday 21 March
Friday 22 March
Saturday 23 March
Sunday 24 March
Monday 25 March
Tuesday 26 March
Need more information? Call 13 12 30, anytime.

Download the MyTransLink app for real-time information for all services. Simply "favourite" the services and stops for easy bus and train tracking and receive notifications about changes to your service.

Map:

[STB]

I'm rather bemused by these changes.  This is almost exactly what I planned over a decade ago at TL behind the Senior Network Planner for the Sunshine Coast's back for which I was reprimand for.  Always figured route 603 should've been two separate routes.

[techblitz]

while this improvement is good....TL still cannot be taken seriously.....they can do this but still cant find resources to plug that sunday gap at landsborough to ensure the 615/605 meets every train...

[Paul B]

wonder why all the bus routes I use have a ton of fat in them
yet the 360 regularly arrives 15 minutes late at brunswick/st pauls stop 5
due 5:14pm, regularly arrives 5:29pm

https://jp.translink.com.au/plan-your-journey/stops/000623

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Centenary Motorway pile-up causes traffic chaos south of Brisbane

Five people have been hospitalised in a multiple-car crash on the Centenary Motorway at Jindalee, southbound from Brisbane, which is causing long delays on Monday afternoon.

Queensland Ambulance Service reported a bus and seven vehicles were involved in the pile-up.

"Following a period of rain, it would appear there was a large amount of diesel on the road from a previous spill, approximately seven vehicles and a bus were involved in a collision that blocked the highway for quite a considerable period," Queensland Ambulance Service senior operations supervisor Adrian Tong said.

By 4pm congestion from the crash extended in both directions along the Centenary Motorway and the Western Freeway, with long delays.

The traffic was banking up along Moggill Road, Milton Road and Coronation Drive as a result of the crash, according to Queensland Traffic.

Paramedics treated almost 20 people at the scene.

We treated on the scene approximately 19 people and we've transported five people with minor injuries to the [Princess Alexandra] and Royal Brisbane," Mr Tong said.

The five patients taken to hospital suffered minor soft tissue injuries caused by seat belts and airbags.

A Queensland Police spokesman said details were still being confirmed but commuters were asked to take alternative routes because of the traffic and the high amount of fluids on the roads.

The Centenary Highway southbound was blocked before the Jindalee Bridge at Fig Tree Pocket, with Queensland Traffic warning drivers to avoid the area and expect delays.

The crash was one of several across Brisbane's road network on Monday afternoon as a large storm played havoc with street lights at suburbs across the city, particularly across the northern suburbs.

[red dragin]

Bright yellow bus, what bright yellow bus (in the vein of the charter boat ad)

[SurfRail]

Nothing surprises me on any Queensland motorways anymore.

I've been spending rather more on them than I am accustomed to, and I would estimate only about 90% of vehicles are doing the limit.  It's like Thunderdome with utes.

[Paul B]

https://www.facebook.com/TransLinkQLD/posts/3132275800131797

Sad to hear a 599 arrived and just dumped passengers and left. Even if it was totally necessary for him to leave like that at least have a spare virginia/EF operator take people stranded there to Chermside... oh wait, they have the lovely 322 !

*remind me again why the 308 was created? (Sunday only loop of 598/9)
was it a band-aid fix for not wanting to actually improve the great circle line?

[techblitz]

https://www.facebook.com/TransLinkQLD/posts/3136452086380835

Not good at all...

Hi Translink, firstly, thank you for all the things you get right on a daily basis. We live in a wonderful, functioning city thanks to your team. I do, however want to mention that it would probably be helpful to have a few more buses around The University of Queensland in the mornings. This morning 3 buses passed by a number of bus stops between 7.30am to 8.15am and a group of us students ended up walking 2.5km from Gailey Rd with heavy bags as all the buses were full (one had a sign stating so). I have an issue with my arm and although it was good to do the walk, it placed huge pressure on my other arm to carry the weight of my bag/laptop for a distance I did not account for today. We also ended up being 30 mins late for an 8am lecture, which in hindsight isn't such a big deal, but it was unnecessary considering we were just a 2 min bus ride away. Thank you for your consideration and for taking the time to read this message.

[James]

https://www.facebook.com/TransLinkQLD/posts/3136452086380835

Not good at all...

No surprise at all. There hasn't been a single service added to UQ Lakes since the 2011 timetable changes were made as part of the 412 BUZing/Sector 1 Rail timetables (in fact the 402 was cut in the off-peak in 2014). In this time, UQ's student population has ballooned, and there has been a focus on increasing international student numbers - people who often don't/can't drive and tend to attend all classes as it is a condition of their visa.

In the past, demand would have settled down by now and the full bus problem would be mostly resolved by about Week 4. It's the end of Week 5 now and clearly, there are still problems. TransLink needs to look at putting on more services ASAP.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/9NewsQueensland/status/1109370425979486209

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/TransLinkSEQ/status/1109922869159624704

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/7NewsBrisbane/status/1116385600670588928

[techblitz]

caught a 218pm ex boggo rd route 29 to gabba after noting a sorry bus full 66(new 3 door Sherwood bus) bypassing boggo rd......to my surprise a medical worker at the next stop who didn't actually intend on going to the gabba but had no option but to board the 29 service.....complained to the driver that 3.......yep that's THREE 66`s in a row went past PA hospital with 'sorry bus full'...

Where is mark bailey/translink on this??....translink have been copping multiple complaints on the fullness of these 66`s for ages.

[ozbob]

^ switched off.  More interested in political selfies 

[Mr X]

I've noticed in the mornings some 66s going towards QUT KG are leaving people behind at Roma St so it's happening at both ends, though at least the northern end has the 330/333 as backups.

[techblitz]

^ switched off.  More interested in political selfies 

Bailey probably needs to realise that its actually insulting to some whenever they read his brag tweets......especially if there has been no increase in services for their local area for years....if he wants to impress people then stop the big-noting and secure more funding for public transport upgrades..

I've noticed in the mornings some 66s going towards QUT KG are leaving people behind at Roma St so it's happening at both ends, though at least the northern end has the 330/333 as backups.

It looks like the 66 has unwittingly created its own personal 'express thru boggo rd' stopping pattern 
And we can safely agree that frequency upgrades of 5 minutes are now needed between 2 -3pm....
If they cant find the resources then they might have to hit the 209/169/139/29 somewhere...or shift some post 5pm 66`s...
PA Hospital staff deserve a better standard of service without having to backtrack via gabba or walk down to Ipswich rd...

[techblitz]

^ cross the 139/169 off that list...

https://www.facebook.com/TransLinkQLD/posts/3199614573397919

Translink, so when is someone going to address the issue of 169 and 139 buses driving straight past the PA hospital station outbound from UQ? it's ridiculous to wait up to 30 mins nearly everyday because buses are full and cannot stop!