On the Buses

[Cazza]

https://translink.com.au/about-translink/projects-and-initiatives/centenary

"From Monday 19 August we'll be making some changes to bus services in the Centenary and Western Suburbs region."

Finally, something is being done. Albeit, not a full review and change like people have be asking for, but a step in the right direction none-the-less.

Here's the City Council notice: https://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/sites/default/files/20190718%20-%20new%20travel%20options%20for%20centenary.pdf

[verbatim9]

The Northside of Brisbane is fast growing, which is why the demand for public transport is also increasing. But transport experts say there is a lack of connectivity between buses and trains from Redcliffe to Chermside.  @JessMumme #7NEWS https://t.co/sXM3sTvQMn

https://twitter.com/7NewsBrisbane/status/1153583563205251073

[verbatim9]

https://translink.com.au/about-translink/projects-and-initiatives/centenary

"From Monday 19 August we'll be making some changes to bus services in the Centenary and Western Suburbs region."

Finally, something is being done. Albeit, not a full review and change like people have be asking for, but a step in the right direction none-the-less.

Here's the City Council notice: https://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/sites/default/files/20190718%20-%20new%20travel%20options%20for%20centenary.pdf

They are just cosmetic changes. But they need to connect the 454 to Darra station once the Sumner Road duplication is complete. This will ensure the train station at Darra for the Centenary suburbs is properly utilised.

[techblitz]

^^
683 is atrocious......ridiculously indirect....non-clockfaced even though it would have to one of the most clockfacable routes in the state....bad connection windows off-peak..
Dakabin residents are getting short changed bigtime for such a growing area.....absolutely no surprise that dakabin station always overflow`s with parked cars...
Its going to get exponentially worse for that station as more houses go up...
Time to seriously look at changing the 683 route...have it run from Petrie station to Kallangur station instead of Kallangur - Kallangur.
I think the 680 duplication on the small stretch from Anzac ave wont be an issue given the situation...
Its best translink start planning for it NOW..in time for the new uni campus at petrie...

[James]

https://translink.com.au/about-translink/projects-and-initiatives/centenary

"From Monday 19 August we'll be making some changes to bus services in the Centenary and Western Suburbs region."

Finally, something is being done. Albeit, not a full review and change like people have be asking for, but a step in the right direction none-the-less.

Here's the City Council notice: https://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/sites/default/files/20190718%20-%20new%20travel%20options%20for%20centenary.pdf

Rearranging of the deck chairs on the titanic, unfortunately. Good to see the logical changes made to consolidate the network down to two P-rockets, however this ironically creates a problem of the P455/P456 no longer being co-located with their 453/454 equivalents. While these variations improve service to other parts of the CBD, passengers can't wait in two places at once. The issue of this arrangement is already seen in the P343/345 & mentioned by BrizCommuter in many of his old blog posts.

Incredibly disappointed to see minimal service improvement otherwise - combining the 453 & 454 on weekdays to form 15 minute frequency (and improving weekend 450 services) would have been the biggest win for Brisbane's bus network since the opening of the Northern Busway and incredibly easy to deliver, instead it has been chucked in the 'too hard basket'.

I welcome the change, but it is such a shame that this is the outcome we've ended up with. So minor not even the media cares. This is so sad.

[#Metro]

What is the reason for these hail and ride loops? Was this a TransLink idea or a BCC idea? BCC seem obsessed with loops. Passengers generally do not like to travel in a one-way circle!

Looks almost set up to fail...

Amalgamation of the P-Rockets a small win.

Just put buses on a 15 minute frequency as a trial. That should be more than enough to 'prove' the patronage.

No need for 460 to continue all the way into the city. Ending it at a connection point would be good.

[verbatim9]

Long awaited shopping centre revamp for Sunnybank Plaza

Couriermail-------https://www.couriermail.com.au/business/sunnybank-plaza-has-lodged-a-da-for-a-refurbishment-to-improve-the-shopping-centres-dining-and-shopping-experience/news-story/813c276d57e44240eb9a5def0fec52c7

Sunnybank Plaza's plans for multimillion-dollar makeover of dining and shopping experience

A leading Brisbane shopping centre has revealed plans for an extensive multimillion-dollar refurbishment to enhance the experience of diners and shoppers.

Chris Herde, The Courier-Mail


32 minutes ago

An artist's impression of the Sunnybank Plaza redevelopment.

A LEADING southside shopping centre that has been operating for more than 40 years in the middle of Brisbane's so-called "Little Asia" is set to receive a multimillion-dollar makeover.

A development application for the refurbishment of the YFG Shopping Centre-owned Sunnybank Plaza has been lodged with the Brisbane City Council.

Manager Retail First has confirmed that work includes facade and key entry statement upgrade work, enhancing the shopping centre streetscape and creating a high-quality user experience through the redefined laneway dining precinct adjacent to Canna St.

Construction work is proposed to commence in early 2020 with completion anticipated for late 2020 or early 2021, subject to the development application process.

Centre manager Nick Ives said that Sunnybank Plaza had evolved over time within the dynamics of a strong multicultural trade area.

"Our planning is designed to improve the shopping and dining experience and meet the needs of the customers," he said.

"We want to strengthen our position as being central to the local and broader community, while maintaining the multicultural authenticity and unique appeal that Sunnybank Plaza has long established."

"The upcoming centre changes will deliver a contemporary upgrade that connects and resonates with our existing and emerging customer needs and expectations.

"This will be key in making this project a success."

Mr Ives said that, pending approvals, Sunnybank Plaza would remain open during the construction and refurbishment and all efforts would be made to ensure disruption to shoppers and retailers is kept to a minimum.

Sunnybank Plaza is anchored by strong performing major retailers Kmart, Coles Supermarket and HOYTS Cinemas, alongside a vibrant international dining precinct and over 130 specialty stores.

The related. DA (A005246399)  lodged.

^^In relation to this development application and the Mains road bus stop at this location. There is an opportunity for RBOT to write a quick submission to Council (and Translink) in relation to this DA for a improved bus stop solution. The bus stop as it currently stands is over patronised and over crowded. This is opportunity for this bus stop to be upgraded. Preferably to an indented bay stop with double the seating and adequate added waiting capacity. This will ensure safe use of the stop and an adequate covered waiting area for the patronage it receives well into the future.

[SurfRail]

While these variations improve service to other parts of the CBD, passengers can't wait in two places at once. The issue of this arrangement is already seen in the P343/345 & mentioned by BrizCommuter in many of his old blog posts.

Hardly a surprise.  Only in Brisbane do you put the expresses and the all stops routes to the same places in different halves of the city - the west isn't even the most egregious example of that.

[HappyTrainGuy]

The biggest advantage of the P343/P345 was for people wanting to board and disembark in peak hour outside of the city. The 345 is already full leaving Cultural Centre/KGS with people going to Kelvin Grove and the P343 always has capacity to pick people up. It's only of the few in my opinion that actually works.

And FYI Fitzgibbon is south of where BT's transport provisions end. 330 goes north. 328 goes around it to the west. 340 buz stops at the border. P344 goes through it sort of in peak direction.

[Cazza]

2 SNO's jumped on my outbound Route 330 at around 3:30pm today between QUT Kelvin Grove and RBWH Stations. Checked all of our tickets (about 40 or so onboard) in about a minute flat. No fair evaders though. Was tempted to tell them to head down south or out west, they would be more lucky there

[techblitz]

tell them to head down south or out west

Or tell them to stay on the bus....get off at Zillmere station and have an absolute field day at either the train station or the bus stop 
Unfortunately though we will mostly only see them sticking to the busways where they get stuff all evaders...and rarely anywhere else....

There is a heap of school fare evasion happening along the 330 alignment post/pre Chermside and other routes around the area like the 325 of which i noted a school kid fare evading @ geebung today.....scanned her card no money walked on....driver asks 'do you have cash?'...she shrugs shoulder and says nope and continues on...

Here is a selection of complaints on the 330...from the same person albeit.....but she probably aint gonna let up until translink facebook block her.....if translink were actually getting snos out there regularly to teach these kids how to pay for a fare then she may actually let up...

https://www.facebook.com/TransLinkQLD/posts/3473318509360856

Good Morning. It's me again aboard the 330 7.50 inbound from Bracken Ridge. Second stop and a guy just walks past the driver no money. Driver hits his fare evader button. Fifth stop the same three kids that don't pay every day get on for free. The driver only hits the fare evader button twice. TransLink enforce fare payment or make it free for all travellers. Why should people like me subsidise others who don't pay. Everyday it's the same people and because the drivers are different they might think it's a one off. Students in Bracken Ridge expect free travel on the bus. Someone recently suggested that Translnk might have records of fare evasion via the fare evader button on the drivers console, however from what I see - they don't always record all of them accurately. If they did TransLink you would see what I see every day

https://www.facebook.com/TransLinkQLD/posts/3464783910214316

Good Morning it's me again. Aboard the 330 7.50 inbound to the city - bus number E2158. First stop - student with no card or money boards - driver pushes the fare evader button. On Norris road bus stops, the student who didn't pay earlier asks the driver to wait for another three students who are running down the street. They board and tell the driver they have no money - another three fare evaders. Driver does push the fare evader button. TransLink has something changed - are you providing free travel for students.enforce fare evaders or make it free for everyone

https://www.facebook.com/TransLinkQLD/posts/3453441298015244

Good morning it's me again on the 330 inbound from Bracken Ridge, left at 7,40am, Bus no E2093. Two older teenagers board the bus - one swipes his go card (no money on it) and the other one just walks on. Driver doesn't stop him or ask for fare p. Driver does not push his fare evader button. I see the same High schools do this nearly every day - they never have money on their go cards. TransLink are bus fares free for school kids now.

I have used chermiside quite regularly for many years and haven't ever seen an SNO there.....if I have its been so long that I have forgotten what they look like..
Definitely time for one of those 'Goodna style' police/sno ops at either Chermside gardens or the next stop..

[#Metro]

How about prepayment?

Every student ID is also a Go Card

You get a year pass and the bill is debited periodically.

[ozbob]

Brisbanetimes --> Bus routes under scrutiny in new contract between council and state

Brisbane City Council will be subject to a raft of "non-compliance" measures for its bus network under a new contract between the council and TransLink.

The measures will force the council to answer to TransLink if it triggers a threshold for the number of buses missing routes, running behind or ahead of schedule, or if quarterly customer satisfaction falls below par.

After extensive negotiation, TransLink and council signed a new three-year contract that is "substantially similar" to the original, but with additional performance monitoring.

The council's transport division manager, Geoffrey Beck, took councillors on the public transport committee through the new contract at Tuesday's meeting.

The measures will begin in 2020-21 after the council has installed a telematic system on the city's fleet of buses, which will operate for a time before compliance begins to collect baseline data.

The telematic system is a computer that sits on each bus and provides a third way for council to monitor the bus's movements and time between stops, alongside GPS and ticketing data.

The council is in the market for a telematic provider to install the computers on each bus – which could take up to a year.

Greens councillor Jonathan Sri asked if the telematics data from the buses would be published on council's open data website, but public transport committee chairwoman Krista Adams said the data would belong to TransLink.

"Right now we don't get the GPS data either, we would love to put that on open data and see what people could use with that, but it's not our data," she said.

Any more than about 200 missed trips on urban bus routes per week, over two consecutive months, will trigger the "non-compliance" clause.

That number is about 0.5 per cent of Brisbane's urban bus trips.

Mr Beck said there were plenty of reasons why a bus might not complete a trip, such as major accidents disrupting traffic, general congestion, a bus driver not showing up, or a bus breaking down.

"For us, we deliver in excess of three million trips a year, so on a weekly basis we're talking probably in the order of around 200 trips would be the target against which we should not exceed," he said.

On-time running, with buses arriving between one minute earlier than their scheduled stop and up to seven minutes later than their scheduled stop, will also be measured.

The target for on-time running will be the average figure of the previous year, minus a "congestion offset".

That particular compliance trigger, measuring points along the route, will need to be carefully managed, Mr Beck told the committee.

He said the use of measuring points needed to be handled thoughtfully to prevent buses waiting for minutes at key stops such as the Cultural Centre before finishing their trip just one or two stops away in the city, leading to frustrated commuters.

Other measures that can trigger non-compliance under the new contract include customer satisfaction, customer safety,  quarterly reports on breakdowns and damage, and governance - all things the council already measures, Mr Beck said.

[#Metro]

An unenforceable contract.

What will Translink do if serial non-compliance occurs? Sign on another provider? Didn't think so.

[Otto]

Wonder when Translink plan on posting the TfB bus changes from Aug 19 onto their service updates page ? Seem to be leaving it a bit late.

[AnonymouslyBad]

Wonder when Translink plan on posting the TfB bus changes from Aug 19 onto their service updates page ? Seem to be leaving it a bit late.

It's in the projects and initiatives section.

Apparently some minor route adjustments count as a project and initiative now 

[Paul B]

was just onboard a heavily loaded inbound 230, running at the god-awful "every 90 minute" frequency. Bus network is NOT broken i tells ya!

[achiruel]

was just onboard a heavily loaded inbound 230, running at the god-awful "every 90 minute" frequency. Bus network is NOT broken i tells ya!

Indeed. I used to work in Balmoral until 2005, and the timetable has barely changed since then, despite the massive residential growth in the area.

[Cazza]

I would say the UQ open day would have something to do with that. On that note, they were still running 12.5m's from Sherwood on the 66 (instead of artics and TAGs like last year) and no additional services were added to some uni routes with poor weekend frequencies (I'm looking at you 209 with an hourly frequency). At least they were running Route 428 every 30 mins instead of 60 mins between Indro and UQ for most of today.

I also noted (on Anytrip) a bus with a fleet number 1698. With the current numbering system, that would suggest a bendy but with such a gap between 1650 and itself, would it be a trial bus or just a system error in the data source? Here's the run list: https://anytrip.com.au/region/qld?selectedTrip=tripInstance%2F20190804%2Fau4:se:13541425-BT%2019_20-UQ-Sunday-00%2F0. It has apparently done a Route 180, a few 411s and a 234 so I'd assume it would be a Sherwood bus.

[James]

^ I think it would be a trial bus, possibly like the hybrid 1598? An artic would have issues dealing with a number of sharp bends along Swann Road & Hawken Drive, so you wouldn't have an artic or even a 14.5m bus running a 411.

[SurfRail]

It's probably a data error (1998 is at Sherwood)

[Otto]

It's probably a data error (1998 is at Sherwood)

Agree.... There is no 1698.

[verbatim9]

It's probably a data error (1998 is at Sherwood)

Agree.... There is no 1698.

Hey Otto as per your driving expertise could the 412 run the current route with 3 door artics?

[James]

Hey Otto as per your driving expertise could the 412 run the current route with 3 door artics?

I'm open to correction from Otto, but I believe the 412 is restricted to 12.5m buses due to the length of the 'saw-tooth' bus pull-in lengths at Chancellors Place. Keep in mind Chancellors was last re-done a long time ago (10-15 years at least) back when the BT fleet was almost entirely 12.5m vehicles.

Beyond that, I don't see any restrictions.

[Otto]

It's probably a data error (1998 is at Sherwood)

Agree.... There is no 1698.

Hey Otto as per your driving expertise could the 412 run the current route with 3 door artics?

Although I'm not familiar with the 412 route, there's no reason artics could not do 412's. Having just looked at the bus stops on Google Maps, it may be a bit tight at the stops , but could get away with it .
I find that the Artics are capable of being used on any bus route, the limiting factor being the bus stops. The 14.5 tags are a more difficult bus to fit on many routes due to the tail swing needed for tight turns.

[#Metro]

There is a linear bus layover bay in chancellors place which could be repurposed.

It is opposite the usual bus stops.

[City Designer]

The Brisbane City Plan 2014 infrastructure design standards require all new works to be capable of a 14.5m tag axle.

Does not help with current infrastructure but over time new work will be capable of higher capacity buses.

[ozbob]

New name for Skybus owner.https://t.co/S76HFz92hH pic.twitter.com/mbzYC4eM4w

— ABC magazine (@ABCmag) August 8, 2019

[ozbob]

We're so excited to announce the winners of this year's #Queensland Bus Driver of the Year Awards! A huge #congratulations to all!

1. SEQ - John Russ, Caboolture Buslines
2. Regional – Renee-Jade Majid, Sunbus Rockhampton
3. School – Betty Hipwell, Christensen's Bus and Coach pic.twitter.com/ewCJj8X9Uu

— TransLink (@TransLinkSEQ) August 9, 2019

[Cazza]

Noticed that C2037 has now been updated with the new CG wrap style. I would assume they are going to continually update all of the Maroon Glider fleet to this style which is pleasing to see (Otto or others may have more info).

[Otto]

Noticed that C2037 has now been updated with the new CG wrap style. I would assume they are going to continually update all of the Maroon Glider fleet to this style which is pleasing to see (Otto or others may have more info).

2038 is currently having the new wrap applied. All Maroon Gliders will be re-wrapped

[Paul B]

One man effort here trying to get the 310 timetable changed to stop it a) idling for 10 mins during journey and b) sometimes leaving 10 mins early
Turns out the other day when it left stop 59 instead of stop 60, leaving 20+ of us stranded for 45 mins, I was the ONLY person to complain that day. The rest of the idiots were too busy playing with their phones to even notify TL. And while I sat there with my head turned, I noticed the 357/359 seem to have a LOT more buses between 4-6pm for a similar (welfare) service, given that their timetable sometimes runs hourly like mine. they had buses leaving every 10 mins while between 4 and 6pm we get (4:10, 4:45, 5:20, 6:00) something that looks like an "additional rocket" frequency rather than a real route.

[techblitz]

66 bus queue 

[James]

^ Not uncommon, especially if one of the services during the five-minute frequency period is running late (bunching along the busway etc.). Sometimes made worse by the queue stretching into the 29 bus stop, causing the two to messily overlap.

It is impressive how quickly an articulated 18m bus can hoover up those people though.

[verbatim9]

^ Not uncommon, especially if one of the services during the five-minute frequency period is running late (bunching along the busway etc.). Sometimes made worse by the queue stretching into the 29 bus stop, causing the two to messily overlap.

It is impressive how quickly an articulated 18m bus can hoover up those people though.

True! Like any busy bus stop a couple of articulated buses will alleviate the problem.

[SurfRail]

One man effort here trying to get the 310 timetable changed to stop it a) idling for 10 mins during journey and b) sometimes leaving 10 mins early
Turns out the other day when it left stop 59 instead of stop 60, leaving 20+ of us stranded for 45 mins, I was the ONLY person to complain that day. The rest of the idiots were too busy playing with their phones to even notify TL. And while I sat there with my head turned, I noticed the 357/359 seem to have a LOT more buses between 4-6pm for a similar (welfare) service, given that their timetable sometimes runs hourly like mine. they had buses leaving every 10 mins while between 4 and 6pm we get (4:10, 4:45, 5:20, 6:00) something that looks like an "additional rocket" frequency rather than a real route.

Considering that the entire 310 line of route south of Sandgate is basically replicated by the Shorncliffe or Kippa-Ring lines, could you not do yourself a massive favour and just catch the train?

Calling other people idiots is not productive.  Maybe they just don't care, or are resigned to the incompetence of the authorities.

[Paul B]

Surf, there was a time I caught the train exclusively (apart from trackwork when I'd get the 310)
Boondall station is 2.3km, as are Geebung and Zillmere Station. I don't walking it if i'm not carrying heavy bags.
I'm allowed to be disappointed when not a single person notices a bus not leaving the first stop
(btw I was actually FOR the p315 removal, stupidly thinking it was part of bus reform, fixing up 335, 325, 326,327,310 mess)

[techblitz]

btw I was actually FOR the p315 removal,

not me.....i wanted it retained as a peak/school hours prepaid only.....similar pattern but albeit slightly less frequency to the p546..
I didn't just take the deletion lying down though.....apart from popping into some offices @ sandgate.....that 691 24 minute connection gap was one of my main motivations for getting onto facebook &  highlighting #shorncliffelinefail........ozbob reposted some of the observations and we got a result...
P315 users north of sandgate were duped.....promised something better when it was far from it..

Apart from that there was also damage done to the south of sandgate courtesy of the TL vs TFB boundary clash....one deletes their route from sandgate rd and the other doesn't increase the frequency appropriately.....a recipe for trouble....result was people jumping in their cars.....adding further to park and ride congestion.....hence why we are in a predicament with them now...


The figures from just one stop alone @ nudgee college are horrendous.....massive drop in bus patronage..
I'm counting just under 70 boardings per day lost at that stop alone alone Aug 2016/aug2017 (5659 down to 3560)
The figures coming from the north to nudgee college suffered badly too....50% drop.....which brings us back to the deleted route..

The p315/310 combo served a fairly specific chore.....linking nudgee college directly to the north......giving faculty & students quicker access....there was a little more to the alignment than just the train lines..

[James]

^ if school runs are such an issue, simply run a few extra school buses. It's much cheaper than doubling the frequency of a route all day.

P315 users north of Sandgate (the ones who P315 is actually for) are better off, as now instead of getting stuck in traffic on Sandgate Road, they can get on the train and bypass the traffic. The issues with the 691 connection are not a reason for opposing network reform, they are reason for opposing an incompetent operator which didn't think to look at coordinating bus and train connections.

Proper network reform would fix all this.

[techblitz]

Proper network reform would fix all this.

Obviously....but its bus reform that never happened and still hasn't happened...meanwhile thousands of bus trips lost....they didn't just up and walk to the train stations either.....they have done only one thing...jump in a car...which is the absolute maximum of anti public transport.......the payback has been busier park and rides.....and now look what we are faced with....more and more politicians wanting to buy votes by extending park and rides...

Some of the other sandgate rd stops are even worse than nudgee college..

One stop later (Boondall south) aug 2016/aug2017....2871 boardings down to 1453....another 50% drop....
They are drops too big to just pass off as simple collateral damage so that another part of some other network can be reformed...

If there was no proper planned sandgate rd reform by TFB then the p315 should have been retained at the very minimum...peaks......it would have kept the connection past Toombul along sandgate rd as well.....and its not like the peak routes were carrying air either...

Sandgate station is not sandgate rd.......not everyone from scarborough,margate wants to go to the city......yes they can do the city connection at sandgate or even kipparing (theres another story)......but what about the ones needing to get somewhere else??

I'm just going through some of the old p315 stops around scarborough,margate etc......even worse than sandgate rd....including my old stop...1000 boardings down to 400.....Victoria ave drops are atrocious.....75% drops in patronage.....and the 696 stops that were the alternative have gained nothing......once again.....another example of people ditching buses and driving.....is it any wonder we are seeing northern bus network trend lines stalling?? Translink are going nowhere with this continuous cat and mouse rob peter to pay paul game due to their limited budget......times are desperate....if we want to stop park and rides being built then there is no room for errors and that includes trashing patronage that took years to build up along certain corridors so you can introduce a replacement route which doesn't even run on weekends....aka the 691...