On the Buses

[achiruel]

The extended route would also improve frequency around Dean/Miskin St area which is in that category of just a little too far to walk to Toowong Station comfortably (especially on a hot day like today!) or for the elderly/pwd not achievable at all.

Maybe I would change my route to use Dean St instead of Miskin so it uses the 470 stops.

[verbatim9]

Brisbanetimes.com.au---> Possible later buses to Skygate to connect with shuttles to the Airport terminal?

A lack of transport options at Brisbane Airport will be further exposed when the city's new $1.3 billion parallel runway leads to a doubling in passenger movements in 20 years, Brisbane's development association has warned.

Committee for Brisbane executive director Annie Macnaughton said while the new airport facilities would be a boon for the city, accessible public transport was the "missing piece of the new airport jigsaw".

The Airtrain runs to and from the Brisbane Airport every 15 minutes in peak times and less frequently at other hours of the day.

She said those improvements were needed, as the airport's passenger numbers would increase from 23.4 million in the 2018-19 financial year to more than 50 million by 2040.

"I think efficient, fast, 'turn up and go' mass transit in and out of the airport precinct is absolutely essential for Brisbane," Ms Macnaughton said.

The privately owned Airtrain has monopoly access to provide public transport to Brisbane's domestic and international terminals until 2036, due to a contract signed with the Queensland government in 1999. After 2036, the line returns to Queensland Rail.

It was a situation Robert Dow, a spokesman for transport lobby group Rail Back on Track, said needed to change.

"I think there is a need to look at opening it up to normal route public transport in and out of the airport," Mr Dow said.

Lord mayor Adrian Schrinner has asked the state government to revisit Airtrain's exclusivity, floating the idea to have the council's Brisbane Metro buses service the airport.

In addition to passengers, 25,000 people work at the Brisbane Airport precinct - a number predicted to grow to 50,000 by 2040.

As part of the Airtrain contract, the council's buses can only enter the airport precinct as far as the Skygate retail centre, several kilometres from the terminals.

From Skygate, bus passengers catch a shuttle bus to the domestic or international terminals.

Brisbane's new parallel runway opens in mid-2020, but questions are being asked why no CityGlider-type service is allowed to operate.

Airtrain chief executive Chris Basche said he had discussed extra bus services with the council, but declined to provide many details of the talks.

"Airtrain expects to provide a complimentary service to the Brisbane Metro when it commences operations because there will be connections between Airtrain and the metro at both South Brisbane's Cultural Centre and the Roma Street stations," he said.

Cr Schrinner declined to be interviewed on Thursday.

But in a statement, Cr Schrinner said there were "several opportunities" to increase public transport options for workers.

"I had a very positive meeting with the Airtrain CEO today and it's great to already have Brisbane Airport Corporation supporting better connections to the airport, Brisbane CBD and our suburbs," he said.

"...There are several opportunities to increase the public transport options for workers, including the expansion of Metro, and we look forward to working with Brisbane Airport Corporation and Airtrain to deliver the best possible outcome.

"The metro could provide both an economical and efficient way for workers to travel to and from the airport precinct."

Mr Basche said Airtrain negotiated with TransLink and the company running the Gold Coast light rail stage two when it connected to the main Brisbane rail line.

"Airtrain saw an uplift in passengers connecting from Brisbane Airport to Surfers Paradise after stage two of the Gold Coast light rail was opened in late 2017," he said.

"A similar connection will be possible with Brisbane Metro connecting the airport to major universities, hospitals and employment precincts."

Mr Basche says Airtrain's domestic and international stations were well placed to cope with the gradual passenger growth expected after the parallel runway opens next year.

"Airtrain also plans to expand the peak period frequency of trains - every 15 minutes - into the current non-peak period," he said.

Mr Basche said train services every 15 minutes were the "international benchmark".

"That covers between 90 and 95 per cent of all flights that come and go," he said.

An Airtrain ticket costs $19 from Central Station to the airport, or $36 return.

Mr Basche said Airtrain had noticed a 12.5 per cent increase in airport precinct staff using the service after offering a 20-ticket book for $120 for precinct workers.

Workers can travel within the precinct for no extra charge on the Airtrain.

He described Airtrain's patronage as consistent and not impacted by Uber or taxis.

Brisbane Airport Corporation is running tours of the new parallel runway and will hold an open day and a fun run down the runway in the first half of 2020, before it opens for operation.

Work began in October 2013 to gather the sand from Moreton Bay - to let it lay flat for three years - before the runway construction began in 2017.

TransLink did not answer questions about extending bus services to the airport. It said Airtrain had suitable rail capacity.

Possible buses running later to Skygate with connecting shuttles to the the terminals? Maybe a New Skygate Glider might be announced inline with the completion of the Kingsford Smith Drive upgrade? There has always been a plan for a Glider out to Hamilton. I have a feeling that this may go to Hamilton and Skygate.

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

5th December 2019

Route 480 Mount Coot-tha Shuttle Avoids Rail

RAIL Back on Track welcomes the announcement of bus route 480, a shuttle bus service from Mt Coot-tha botanical gardens to Mt Coot-tha.

However, members are somewhat shocked at the anti-rail design of the bus service. The route map clearly shows absolutely no connection to the Queensland Rail Citytrain network at Toowong Station.

How is this even possible?

TransLink's purpose as a public agency is to ensure that the entire SEQ public transport network is integrated, regardless of bus, train, tram or ferry. So how did this service get TransLink approval?

We note that there are connections to bus routes 599 and 471, however, these are insufficient given their low frequency and do not compensate for the fact that there is no direct connection to rail.

Toowong is a transit hub with trains every 15 minutes or better on the Ipswich and Springfield lines, and connects to BUZ routes 412 and 444.

RAIL Back on Track calls on Transport Minister Mark Bailey to request TransLink to connect this route to Toowong station.
Routes 599 and 471 should be considered by TransLink for route and network optimisation following these changes.

Once again, RAIL Back on Track calls on all routes that are proposed to be placed on the TransLink website one calendar month before implementation for mandatory public comment. There have been a number of cases where suboptimal routes have suddenly appeared (e.g. P88, P332 Zillmere-UQ rockets); we want to see this practice change.

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

References:

New shuttle bus for Mt Coot-tha
https://translink.com.au/service-updates/259841

Route 480 Route Map

https://translink.com.au/sites/default/files/assets/timetables/061219-480.pdf

Letter to the Editor Queensland Times 6th December 2019 page 15

SEQ public transport must be integrated

[AnonymouslyBad]

^ It's "FREE", which is code for fully funded by BCC (my interpretation). I agree it's a stupid route, but what's Translink going to do - say no and the alternative is just that the bus doesn't run at all?

Unfortunately we learnt a long time ago that City Hall calls the shots: Translink has no resources and no real power anymore, Campbell made sure of it.

[#Metro]

I think this route is a test to see if TL will approve anything put in front of it by BCC. Not a good result at all.

[James]

The service is free - i.e. entirely BCC funded and without any TransLink input. Kind of like the how the CityGliders started off and what has happened with the 'Flexilink' Maxitaxis out in the Centenary suburbs. Hence, there is no need for TransLink's approval AFAIK.

It would be more useful if the 480 extended to Toowong, but that would push the total run time out to 30 minutes, require multiple buses & integration with the existing network. Given BCC & TransLink aren't talking and the latter has zero interest in network reform, I imagine the response to any better proposal would have been no.

All this is is just a bus to provide access to the overflow carpark midway down Sir Samuel Griffith Drive & the botanic gardens, with the added bonus of connecting to a few walking trails along the way (in one direction only, mind you). Better than nothing, but only just...

[techblitz]

Had a good chat on the 325 today......nice driver named Ron.....he came across a memo today @ virigina depot...stating that the 325 will eventually be using the closer stop to geebung station instead of the further one(nearer to the RSL)....which apparently will be decommissioned. Not sure about the opposite side though...
I'm assuming its related to:
https://translink.com.au/service-updates/260706

[HappyTrainGuy]

God knows why they couldn't make it a proper interchange when the station was redone.

[achiruel]

God knows why they couldn't make it a proper interchange when the station was redone.

Interchange, in Brisbane? What's that?

[City Designer]

Gold Coast Christmas day services for 2019:
700 every 60 minutes (hourly night services, no overnight services between Broadbeach South and GCUH)
704 every 60 minutes (no night services)
740 every 60 minutes (hourly night services)
750 every 60 minutes (no night services)
777 every 30 minutes (hourly night services)

Redland Christmas day services for 2019:
250 every 60 minutes (no night services)
258 every 60 minutes (no night services)
272 every 60 minutes (no night services)

Logan Christmas day services for 2019:
534 every 60 minutes (no night services)
541 every 60 minutes (no night services)
542 every 60 minutes (no night services)
543 every 60 minutes (no night services)
545 every 60 minutes (no night services)

Sunshine Coast Christmas day services for 2019:
600 every 60 minutes (no night services)
605 every 90 to 180 minutes (no night services)
607 every 60 minutes (no night services)
610 every 60 minutes (no night services)
615 every 90 minutes (night services every 90 minutes)
620 every 60 minutes (no night services)
631 every 90 to 180 minutes (no night services)

The 700 is operating more frequently before 4am on Christmas day (every 30 minutes) than during the day (every 60 minutes). Overnight services will be hourly between Tweed Heads and Broadbeach South with no overnight services between Broadbeach South and Gold Coast University Hospital.

[achiruel]

^ Queensland really is a hopeless backwater when it comes to holiday services.

I've just come back from Sydney. Sydney trains is running to a Saturday timetable today.

https://twitter.com/TrainsInfo/status/1209553006448070656

Most buses running to a Sunday/Public Holiday timetable.

Here in Queensland we don't even run the main spine buses in Logan City (545/555) and our largest tourist destination (Gold Coast) has large parts of it's network either missing or at severely reduced frequencies. 

Let's see, a day when we know lots of people like to have a drink, but we won't give them a way to get home. DTMR must be staffed by morons, but at least Uber/Didi etc will make a killing!

[City Designer]

Correction 545 is running. I wanted to point out the details in regions with next to no information. Saying there is a special holiday timetable refer to the journey planner is completely unhelpful.

[Paul B]

no mention of about 20 or more getting left behind at Toombul on the half hourly 590 around midday. Lots of angry people, esp when you consider there were 7-8 "seats" spare,taken up by seat hogs 

[AnonymouslyBad]

Here in Queensland we don't even run the main spine buses in Logan City (545/555) and our largest tourist destination (Gold Coast) has large parts of it's network either missing or at severely reduced frequencies. 

Let's see, a day when we know lots of people like to have a drink, but we won't give them a way to get home. DTMR must be staffed by morons, but at least Uber/Didi etc will make a killing!

Yeah it's pretty bad.

It seems to be a throwback to the pre-Translink era, with every operator being allowed to choose their own schedule on Christmas Day and I think Easter as well. No central standard at all. It's probably some contractual thing, i.e. operators will ask for more funding to cover penalty rates if they're forced to run on Christmas.

But the rules should just be a Sunday timetable across the board like any other holiday - or at the very least every route should run.

That people who rely on PT can't visit family/friends on Christmas day, of all days, is ridiculous.

[verbatim9]

Here in Queensland we don't even run the main spine buses in Logan City (545/555) and our largest tourist destination (Gold Coast) has large parts of it's network either missing or at severely reduced frequencies. 

Let's see, a day when we know lots of people like to have a drink, but we won't give them a way to get home. DTMR must be staffed by morons, but at least Uber/Didi etc will make a killing!

Yeah it's pretty bad.

It seems to be a throwback to the pre-Translink era, with every operator being allowed to choose their own schedule on Christmas Day and I think Easter as well. No central standard at all. It's probably some contractual thing, i.e. operators will ask for more funding to cover penalty rates if they're forced to run on Christmas.

But the rules should just be a Sunday timetable across the board like any other holiday - or at the very least every route should run.

That people who rely on PT can't visit family/friends on Christmas day, of all days, is ridiculous.

This is a prime example of Christmas eve and the introduction of the Part Public Holiday.. If most businesses can't open and smaller businesses  decide not open on Christmas eve, services will be cut. It's has no net benefit to the Public Transport user. Public Transport providers will review their services and most likely to be cut because of costs.

[AnonymouslyBad]

^ The only businesses open on Christmas Eve after dark are the ones open on public holidays anyway and would continue to do so. Restaurants, bars, etc. The entire economy is otherwise shut down by 6pm, holiday or not.

In the hypothetical situation that Christmas Eve after dark goes to a Sunday timetable, I don't think anyone would be too worried. Christmas Day is the issue here because *the public holiday (Sunday) timetable isn't observed in the first place*.

[verbatim9]

^ The only businesses open on Christmas Eve after dark are the ones open on public holidays anyway and would continue to do so. Restaurants, bars, etc. The entire economy is otherwise shut down by 6pm, holiday or not.

In the hypothetical situation that Christmas Eve after dark goes to a Sunday timetable, I don't think anyone would be too worried. Christmas Day is the issue here because *the public holiday (Sunday) timetable isn't observed in the first place*.

A lot of bars were closed this year compared to last year I noticed. Quite dead really. since they made the larger stores close at 6pm back in 2017, It's made the place a ghostown compared to a few years ago. Lnp will likely reverse a lot of these changes. They are not popular with business.

That's what I am saying that Christmas eve likely to go to a Sunday timetable due to pay rates and drop off on demand. This is just the first year of having the holiday. They will review the data from this Xmas eve to make decisions on the next.

[achiruel]

Here in Queensland we don't even run the main spine buses in Logan City (545/555) and our largest tourist destination (Gold Coast) has large parts of it's network either missing or at severely reduced frequencies. 

Let's see, a day when we know lots of people like to have a drink, but we won't give them a way to get home. DTMR must be staffed by morons, but at least Uber/Didi etc will make a killing!

Yeah it's pretty bad.

It seems to be a throwback to the pre-Translink era, with every operator being allowed to choose their own schedule on Christmas Day and I think Easter as well. No central standard at all. It's probably some contractual thing, i.e. operators will ask for more funding to cover penalty rates if they're forced to run on Christmas.

But the rules should just be a Sunday timetable across the board like any other holiday - or at the very least every route should run.

That people who rely on PT can't visit family/friends on Christmas day, of all days, is ridiculous.

This is a prime example of Christmas eve and the introduction of the Part Public Holiday.. If most businesses can't open and smaller businesses  decide not open on Christmas eve, services will be cut. It's has no net benefit to the Public Transport user. Public Transport providers will review their services and most likely to be cut because of costs.

Wow, what a regurgitation of male bovine excrement! I know you have some barrows you like to push, but this is just ludicrous. 
Christmas Eve part public holidays has absolutely NOTHING to do with the level of service provision on Christmas Day.

Christmas Day has been a basket case for PT in SEQ for years, although (for trains at least) it was actually better this year than it has been for a while.

I can remember back to when many BCC bus services didn't run *at all* on Xmas day. That seems to have been largely rectified (at least, those that run on other PHs run), but private operators are still pretty bad.

[Otto]

There should be just 1 timetable for Saturday, Sunday and Public Holidays as a minimum service requirement.
Sunday timetables are irrelevant in todays modern era.

[achiruel]

There should be just 1 timetable for Saturday, Sunday and Public Holidays as a minimum service requirement.
Sunday timetables are irrelevant in todays modern era.

^ I don't agree. For example, retail trading hours are shorter (later opening and earlier closing) than Saturdays. There also tends to be far more people out late at night on a Saturday. For these reasons, you would expect early morning and late night services to generate significantly more patronage on Saturdays

[AnonymouslyBad]

^ Yeah I think there's sensible reasons to have a nominal Sunday timetable, but I also agree that it shouldn't be markedly different.
Things like a 30 minute Saturday service becoming a 60 minute Sunday service (or none at all): this is just the operator trying to avoid penalty rates, and has nothing to do with demand or getting people where they need to go. Very old BCC routes are the worst culprits, which speaks for itself. All operators have gotten away with it here and there though.

[aldonius]

If we want a network that's intended for significant modeshare, weekends should be running basically the same frequencies as weekday offpeak, and Saturday should differ from Sunday only in having more late-night services.

[Otto]

If we want a network that's intended for significant modeshare, weekends should be running basically the same frequencies as weekday offpeak, and Saturday should differ from Sunday only in having more late-night services.

Agree.
My first post was maybe a bit too broad.

My view now that I have given it more thought is,

1. The timetable should be run on the same clock face frequency everyday based on the off peak middle of day timetable Monday to Friday as a minimum base timetable.

2. Monday - Friday peak to run services in addition to the base timetable, eg increase frequency of base routes. Any peak only routes are in addition to increase in base routes. ( Any thoughts on this ? ) ( peak will affect trip times )

3. Saturday, run minimum base timetable throughout the day/night

4. Public holidays same as Saturday.

5. Sunday minimum base timetable but with an earlier finish of around 9pm on non high frequency routes.

6. The above should form part of the en-forcible service contract between Translink and the Provider.

What are your thoughts.

Discussion points, please have your say and add other ideas.

Should Good Friday and Xmas Day be an exception on Public Holidays ?

How important is it to maintain clock face services every day of the week ? ( example, route xyz departs each day at :00 except Saturday when it's :45.  )

[aldonius]

Variations from clockface should be minor IMHO.

The base timetable for the route should be scheduled to an average expected time plus a little bit of padding. If traffic is consistently lighter on weekends then maybe it can start a couple of minutes later and then terminate at the same time as base.

Peak traffic doesn't just slow everything down, it often slows things down unpredictably. Peak timetables should attempt to maintain clockface in the sense of a bus starting at :03, :18, :33 and :48. Since traffic delays mean clockface won't happen down the line, add frequency to compensate.

[James]

Are we surprised that private operators are running an appalling service on Sundays & public holidays when penalty rates are 2x and 2.5x respectively on each day?

To run an hourly service on Sunday costs as much as a half-hourly service on a weekday, and even more than that on a public holiday. It doesn't surprise me that service operators are looking to cut back resources where they can. In the end, the contracted bus operators are all private companies tendering to be paid to run services. They don't aim to run at a loss, so unless TransLink is willing to pay up, I can't blame them for running a poor Christmas Day service.

Really, there are two solutions:
1) TransLink pays operators more - given their reluctance to provide even basic service improvements, I doubt this will happen
2) Cut penalty rates - also unlikely given the political carry-on which occurred after the 5% penalty rate cut.

Personally, I think Saturday & Sunday penalty rates should be harmonised to 150%. The days of 200% Sunday penalty rates originate from a time where everybody went to church on Sunday morning. In 2019, the Lord has varying days of rest - Friday if you're Muslim, Saturday if you're Jewish, Sunday if you're Christian, or no day of rest at all if you don't believe in a higher power. It is ridiculous we continue with this mentality, especially when it only affects small business - big retailers all have EBAs which avoid these heavy pay rate loadings.

If we want a network that's intended for significant modeshare, weekends should be running basically the same frequencies as weekday offpeak, and Saturday should differ from Sunday only in having more late-night services.

Agree - for people working 9-5, the weekends are the time people go shopping, attend events and see friends. Hourly services are just terrible and un-usable.

That's what I am saying that Christmas eve likely to go to a Sunday timetable due to pay rates and drop off on demand. This is just the first year of having the holiday. They will review the data from this Xmas eve to make decisions on the next.

Reverting to a Sunday timetable from 6pm onwards? Explain to the schedulers how that one works. Rescheduling services for the *one* day of the year will be difficult, especially when you're looking at the entire network.

Perhaps we'll see a reversion to a Saturday timetable, but fundamentally Christmas Eve is still a workday, especially where it falls on a Friday. PT will still need to run as normal.

[STB]

Are we surprised that private operators are running an appalling service on Sundays & public holidays when penalty rates are 2x and 2.5x respectively on each day?

To run an hourly service on Sunday costs as much as a half-hourly service on a weekday, and even more than that on a public holiday. It doesn't surprise me that service operators are looking to cut back resources where they can. In the end, the contracted bus operators are all private companies tendering to be paid to run services. They don't aim to run at a loss, so unless TransLink is willing to pay up, I can't blame them for running a poor Christmas Day service.

Really, there are two solutions:
1) TransLink pays operators more - given their reluctance to provide even basic service improvements, I doubt this will happen
2) Cut penalty rates - also unlikely given the political carry-on which occurred after the 5% penalty rate cut.

From my days as a Network Planner at TransLink, the timetables for the private operators were done inhouse at TransLink by said Planners (like myself).  When it came to the budgets and the span of service, that was determined inhouse at TransLink depending on the budget given to us via Treasury and then split up between the different regions (I remember one time we wanted to run route 270 to the City so we took some funding from the Logan pot to our pot via asking the relevant Planner for that region if we could do that - he obliged).

So basically, the span of service for the private operators are done depending on how much money is available from Treasury given to TransLink which then translates to what the quoted $ per km is for a Sunday from the private operator contracted to run the service.  The $ per km factored in the costs to the private operator to run the service on that day which TL pays for.

The lack of service upgrades and network reviews over the past few years, I'm starting to suspect is a budgeting issue happening at TransLink (and possibly other Government departments), ie: I don't think there is as much money being placed into TL's budget as once did a decade ago.

[achiruel]

<snip>
The lack of service upgrades and network reviews over the past few years, I'm starting to suspect is a budgeting issue happening at TransLink (and possibly other Government departments), ie: I don't think there is as much money being placed into TL's budget as once did a decade ago.

There probably is as much, and that may well be the issue. It's not growing.

[Otto]

So basically, the span of service for the private operators are done depending on how much money is available from Treasury given to TransLink which then translates to what the quoted $ per km is for a Sunday from the private operator contracted to run the service.  The $ per km factored in the costs to the private operator to run the service on that day which TL pays for.

I understand how the costs are determined, it's not much different from when I worked in the office at Bayside Buses back in the early 80's. In a nutshell,everything is worked out as a $ per Km with allowances made for OT percentages and weekend / Public Holiday penalties and vehicle maintenance and projected breakdown and repair costs . From this we could construct various versions of proposed timetables and then go through the costings of each along with known existing patronage levels and predicted patronage with an objective to grow. We also had the challenge of doing separate costings for 2 service areas. We operated on License #1 for the Wynnum/Manly area to City servicing all stops along the way ( full unrestricted license ) and on License 112 for the Redlands area servicing all stops to Carindale then dropping off only to the City and picking up only outbound to Carindale, then all stops. License 112 actually allowed us to service up to Jones Rd, Carina, but there was a 'understanding' with BCC re: Carindale.
Note that late 80's / 90's this arrangement had changed.
Pre Translink days, We were on a fixed % subsidy from the QLD government. Audit tapes from all fare sales needed to be tallied to calculate the subsidies.

I was there for the flops in planning and there for the successes. I've learnt from being in the office during planning , on the field driving and from taking customer feedback as to what makes a successful  timetable and what does not.
Many thanks to Neil Smith for his impeccable knowledge and success. My understanding of timetabling benefited greatly from Neil.   ( Neil has a Bachelor of Arts and a Masters of Transport Management from the University of Sydney )

The lack of service upgrades and network reviews over the past few years, I'm starting to suspect is a budgeting issue happening at TransLink (and possibly other Government departments), ie: I don't think there is as much money being placed into TL's budget as once did a decade ago.

That's for certain.
The QLD Govt/Treasury need to fund the Public Transport  budget for the 2020's, not the 1990's as seems to be the Govt mentality. We have become a 7 days a week society, not a 5 and a half day society as it was in the 80's, or a 6 day society as in the 90's.
Funding needs to meet these challenges, or PT in QLD will just continue to flounder in the dark ages.
We need full proper funding for a 7 day a week minimum standard timetabling and this has to be written into the operators contracts and be en-forcible with fines if not met. The operators will then need to tender for the contracts knowing in advance they need to provide the minimum core service every day of the week so there will be no excuse to withdraw service frequency on weekends ( within reason ) as is the practice now.

I can only live in hope !

[AnonymouslyBad]

No question it's about funding. The timetables out of TL (private operators) do have the scent of a decent network, but seriously constrained by budget. In that context, the compromises made are broadly sensible - and the starting point is a consistent Sat/Sun daytime - meaning the only solution is more funding.

As far as BCC goes, and to a lesser extent QR, the issue runs a lot deeper than funding (IMO).

[achiruel]

No question it's about funding. The timetables out of TL (private operators) do have the scent of a decent network, but seriously constrained by budget. In that context, the compromises made are broadly sensible - and the starting point is a consistent Sat/Sun daytime - meaning the only solution is more funding.

As far as BCC goes, and to a lesser extent QR, the issue runs a lot deeper than funding (IMO).

Not sure that there's too much problem with QR regarding Sunday services (the main exception of course being Doomben). On most lines they're the Saturday service without the late night services, and in a couple of cases reduced frequency and later starts in the early am. Springfield is a bit weird though, and could probably do with fixing the early AM Sunday inbound services.

[ozbob]

No question it's about funding. The timetables out of TL (private operators) do have the scent of a decent network, but seriously constrained by budget. In that context, the compromises made are broadly sensible - and the starting point is a consistent Sat/Sun daytime - meaning the only solution is more funding.

As far as BCC goes, and to a lesser extent QR, the issue runs a lot deeper than funding (IMO).

Yo, it is a funding shortfall.  The battle to get Springfield bus improvements has been a big one ...

[verbatim9]

https://twitter.com/railbotforum/status/1202322726502846464

Have you tried out the new free Mt Coot-tha shuttle bus service yet? Jump on to be taken from the Botanic Gardens all the way to the Lookout and everywhere in between. Find out more at https://bne.cc/2P3Ckf1.


https://www.facebook.com/80836222708/posts/10156863288277709/

[Cazza]

Blue CityGlider services now running out of Eagle Farm depot. That should hopefully indicate that artics will begin to roll out progressively onto that route soon.

Side note: having come back from Europe over Christmas, the amount of fully low floor, hybrid and multi door (i.e. 3 double-leaf doors on a standard rigid, 3-4 on a bendy) buses was just incredible. Hopefully the 1 hybrid bus BCC have out (which seems to have been commonly scheduled onto normal routes recently) grows to a large fleet in the very near future. Also fully low floor, 3 door buses need to be introduced onto shorter, high commuter turnover routes such as the 196 and 199. Get more people standing on these routes. Rolling out low floor artics onto more normal routes after the Metro is running should also be a high priority, particularly to the northside. Just my observations anyway.

[verbatim9]

Blue CityGlider services now running out of Eagle Farm depot. That should hopefully indicate that artics will begin to roll out progressively onto that route soon.

Side note: having come back from Europe over Christmas, the amount of fully low floor, hybrid and multi door (i.e. 3 double-leaf doors on a standard rigid, 3-4 on a bendy) buses was just incredible. Hopefully the 1 hybrid bus BCC have out (which seems to have been commonly scheduled onto normal routes recently) grows to a large fleet in the very near future. Also fully low floor, 3 door buses need to be introduced onto shorter, high commuter turnover routes such as the 196 and 199. Get more people standing on these routes. Rolling out low floor artics onto more normal routes after the Metro is running should also be a high priority, particularly to the northside. Just my observations anyway.

[Cazza]

I think I'll just leave this one here...

"From Monday 24 February, we're introducing route 604, running between Caloundra West and Caloundra station.

This service operates seven days a week, providing Caloundra West residents with a more direct route to the Caloundra Health Service/Hospital, Stockland Caloundra, Centrepoint Shopping Plaza and Caloundra station.

Route 604 provides:
- four services a day, with buses running between 9am - 5:30pm on weekdays and 7:30am - 7pm on weekends
- increased service coverage through Caloundra West, servicing Bellvista and Bells Reach estates
- access to Caloundra station where you can transfer to services heading to Sunshine Coast University Hospital, Maroochydore, University of the Sunshine Coast, Pelican Waters or Landsborough station for train services.
View your new timetable and plan your journey today!"
https://translink.com.au/service-updates/266811

Timetable: https://translink.com.au/sites/default/files/assets/timetables/200224-604,606.pdf

At least they have Sunday services? :conf

[James]

^ The 604 seems to be a reaction to the 606 (was the 603) being removed through the Bellvista estate. There was a huge outcry when it was straightened out to run directly to Baringa, particularly at an aged care home.

While DRT (or holding strong) would be a better solution, a 4x daily solution will placate the complaints in the community while not being too costly.

[techblitz]

Looks to be timtabled to allow the elderly residents around 2 hours for shopping etc at stockland/caloundra cbd...
Somewhat similar to the 605.....which picks up eldery shoppers around 9amish on the inbound.......arr stockland 910ish.......pick them back up from stockland 10.30ish on the outbound.

[Paul B]

Noticed a weird thing today (and 2 days ago)
the TL tracker was showing my bus (live, not "scheduled") delayed 15-20 mins.
I thought "fair enough, I'll have a shave"
got out of the shower and it said "departs in 9 minutes"
a minute later it showed " departs in 1 minute..... arriving.... departing" in the space of a few mins.
Thought to myself maybe someone has taken over the late running route.
Started to walk to the train station, and there comes my bus, still 15-20 min delayed.

2 days ago I saw it "departing" its first stop and I sat out and waited and waited and it was 30 mins late!
now i'm used to it changing to "scheduled" when the GPS is down, but to show a phantom route coming and leaving is just bizarre

[Cazza]

Noted S1633 driving around Eagle Farm/Hamilton earlier today with "Driver Under Instruction" as the desto. I'd assume this is training Eagle Farm drivers on bendies for when they come online on the Blue CityGlider hopefully in the coming weeks or months.

[verbatim9]

Regarding bus stop.closures due to the leaking ceiling at King George Sq. I hope the leakages are found and repaired for Bne Metro. It would be very difficult to run the proposed Metro services efficiently if  flooding occurs all the time, from rain showers at King George Sq bus station..