Double decker bus 19th October 2011

[ozbob]

http://www.surfside.com.au/documents/AllaboardGCnewestattraction19OCT2011.pdf

... On Wednesday 19th October 8:30am Gold Coast Mayor, Ron Clarke, will join industry stakeholders, TransLink and staff from Transit Australia Group (TAG), parent company to bus manufacturer Bustech and Surfside Buslines to officially launch the Double Decker Dazzler and celebrate her maiden voyage, along the Gold Coast Highway ...

[Golliwog]

What is so great about the technology?
 It is the first low floor twin steer, wheelchair accessible bus in the world.
 It has a small turning circle of 22.5 metres, suitable for suburban streets
 It is 4.3 metres high, has a fuel tank capacity of 400 litres and sports a 9 litre Cummins engine (think the power of a huge semi trailer)
 Costs less to maintain than a regular articulated bus
 Cheaper to build than a articulated bus, seat 30 more passengers and take up less room on the road

What is great for passengers?
 More room – 96 seats, double that of a normal bus
 Standing comfort - Ceiling height on each level is 1.83 metres
 Easy stairs - The stairwell is one straight flight of stairs, lined with blue fluoro lighting and
 brushed stainless steel panels to reflect light. ( Staircase design is based on the design of double decker Airbus staircases)
 Easy to find a seat - A video monitor on the lower floor shows seat availability on the top deck.

I'm 1.9m tall....

[BrizCommuter]

What is so great about the technology?
 It is the first low floor twin steer, wheelchair accessible bus in the world.
 It has a small turning circle of 22.5 metres, suitable for suburban streets
 It is 4.3 metres high, has a fuel tank capacity of 400 litres and sports a 9 litre Cummins engine (think the power of a huge semi trailer)
 Costs less to maintain than a regular articulated bus
 Cheaper to build than a articulated bus, seat 30 more passengers and take up less room on the road

What is great for passengers?
 More room – 96 seats, double that of a normal bus
 Standing comfort - Ceiling height on each level is 1.83 metres
 Easy stairs - The stairwell is one straight flight of stairs, lined with blue fluoro lighting and
 brushed stainless steel panels to reflect light. ( Staircase design is based on the design of double decker Airbus staircases)
 Easy to find a seat - A video monitor on the lower floor shows seat availability on the top deck.

I'm 1.9m tall....

Well you should be paying the public transport surcharge for passengers taller than 1.8m then.

[Fares_Fair]

I'm 185cm ... darn, hope I don't have to stand.
Minimum building regulation height for a non-habitable room is 210cm.

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

[somebody]

Well you should be paying the public transport surcharge for passengers taller than 1.8m then.

Reminds me of a "The Goodies" episode - apart-height.  This time the other way around.

I don't know how a 1.83m height is OK.  CityRail bottom deck is about the same but the top deck is a bit more.

[HappyTrainGuy]

God I hope the space between the seats is more than the BT busses. The amount of times I've had to go all tetris with my 198cm lanky frame and hoped that the seat infront doesn't snap in half before crawling out along the floor is beyond a joke haha (The tall people on here that get crammed into the seats knows the lower back pain over bumps ).

[Golliwog]

God I hope the space between the seats is more than the BT busses. The amount of times I've had to go all tetris with my 198cm lanky frame and hoped that the seat infront doesn't snap in half before crawling out along the floor is beyond a joke haha (The tall people on here that get crammed into the seats knows the lower back pain over bumps ).

I don't know what you're talking about. There's nothing more enjoyable than having your knees braced against the seat infront...

[HappyTrainGuy]

When I'm fully wedged into the seat everytime the bus goes over a pothole, those stupid speedbumps or clips a kurb/roundabout it goes right through my back.

[ozbob]

Twitter

EvanOnTheGC Evan Davis
@robert_dow @janeofaustralia double decker bus is heading south on the 703 route tonight http://t.co/77RIoFt2

[SurfRail]

Apparently it will be doing various shifts from now on, and will see some weekend usage. 

[ozbob]

http://www.mobypicture.com/user/EvanOnTheGC/view/11381903

[Gazza]

Silly question, but how high will the GCLRT overheads be compared to this?

[SurfRail]

Higher than it. 

Actual numbers I am not aware of, but the decker will fit anywhere with a 4.3m clearance and the LRT catenary will be higher than that (it will have to accommodate trucks etc and anything else which gets that high).

[Fares_Fair]

It has been observed by personnel on my train, waiting just outside Waterfront Place, Brisbane CBD, with Scarborough listed on its destination display.
They described the TL wording down the length of the bus.
They asked me if I knew what it was, I had no idea until this post!

[SurfRail]

It has been observed by personnel on my train, waiting just outside Waterfront Place, Brisbane CBD, with Scarborough listed on its destination display.
They described the TL wording down the length of the bus.
They asked me if I knew what it was, I had no idea until this post!

I've been told by insiders that it isn't doing too well at Hornibrook, so it might not be a permanent fixture.  There are particular issues with this bus, and with running it on the 315 (eg wind when going over the Houghton Hwy).

There are more being built though.

[Fares_Fair]

Also I received word that Varley have finally received their diesel bus last week, ready for its electric motor fitout.

[somebody]

I think the part where a double decker can't fit the QSBS tunnel makes that mode difficult to find a suitable purpose for in the BCC area.

[Golliwog]

I think the part where a double decker can't fit the QSBS tunnel makes that mode difficult to find a suitable purpose for in the BCC area.

So don't put it on a QSBS service? There are still plenty of decent routes that could make use of a bigger bus. Is it just the QSBS tunnel or most of the busway tunnels? Perhaps they could run in on route 29

[HappyTrainGuy]

I think the part where a double decker can't fit the QSBS tunnel makes that mode difficult to find a suitable purpose for in the BCC area.

You know there's a problem when most bus routes go via QSBS

[somebody]

I think the part where a double decker can't fit the QSBS tunnel makes that mode difficult to find a suitable purpose for in the BCC area.

So don't put it on a QSBS service? There are still plenty of decent routes that could make use of a bigger bus. Is it just the QSBS tunnel or most of the busway tunnels?

Oh yeah?  Like what?  169 perhaps?  Not sure if it can negotiate that.

I'm pretty sure that KGSBS at least has the same restriction.  I'm not sure about the rest of the busway.

[HappyTrainGuy]

So don't put it on a QSBS service? There are still plenty of decent routes that could make use of a bigger bus. Is it just the QSBS tunnel or most of the busway tunnels?

Oh yeah?  Like what?
[/quote]

What about on a 314... although there might be a height restriction on the shelters at Sandgate station

[Golliwog]

On a more serious note, it could probably do things like 433, 380, 390, 350, 199? The non-QSBS version of other routes min routes. Melbourne St portal could be an issue.

[somebody]

433 I'll accept it probably can do, but it isn't high enough patronage.

390 probably not as I think the clearances in the Turbot St/Roma St portal wouldn't be enough.
350 as above + isn't high enough patronage.

380/381 is a possibility, as with 199 but requiring people to use an upper deck on such short trips?  Doesn't seem nice.

Only other runs I can really think of as suitable are 331, 341 but they are pretty empty in the PM, and a decker won't help that at all.  There may be some Veolia/LCBS rockets as well.

[Golliwog]

433 (or some route that way) could be higher patronage if they ever sorted the routes out on the Coro Dr/Moggil Rd corridor.

Yeah, 390/350 did think the clearance @ Roma St could be a bit low, but they could just run along Roma St if it's too low (and by that I mean full time, not just the runs by the double decker).

199 could be a bit much, but if they're having the issue with over crowding as discussed in the other thread, it could help, purely based on being able to fit more people on the one bus. Though currently not much point seeing as theres only the one bus.

380 isn't that short and in AM peak can be fairly crowded by the Wardell St intersection, if not sooner. (that is based on one experience on that route, but it was late AM peak and being crowded  that far out from the CBD surprised me.

EDIT: Route 109 could probably use it in terms of capacity. IIRC in the timetable there are a couple of runs that are in the timetable with 2 buses leaving at the same time. (ie:the 7.30am and 8.30am ex Adelaide St runs)

[somebody]

350/390 requiring going around via Petrie Terrace on the outbound?  It isn't pretty.

Yeah, 380/381 seems a valid use.  I think having such a captive fleet would be a bit of a problem!

[#Metro]

I think double deckers will have a problem in this city. There are a lot of low bridges everywhere in the city, particularly where there are rail overbridges. Add to that the QSBS snake.

Route 199 and 196 may be a goer, although TransLink would have to go around with the BCC and figure out where street trees need to be cut / lopped so a proper clearance is maintained.

It would be quite a sight to have a london-style red double deck 199 go through Cultural Centre, with WEST END on it.

[Golliwog]

350/390 requiring going around via Petrie Terrace on the outbound?  It isn't pretty.

Yeah, 380/381 seems a valid use.  I think having such a captive fleet would be a bit of a problem!

You thinking about the turning circle on Petrie Terrace meaning the bus taking up 2 lanes? I wouldn't have thought it would have been much worse than a normal bus.

Edit: Re-read the material at the start of this thread. It states it has a turning circle of 22.5m, not sure how that compares with a standard bus.

[somebody]

350/390 requiring going around via Petrie Terrace on the outbound?  It isn't pretty.

Yeah, 380/381 seems a valid use.  I think having such a captive fleet would be a bit of a problem!

You thinking about the turning circle on Petrie Terrace meaning the bus taking up 2 lanes? I wouldn't have thought it would have been much worse than a normal bus.

Edit: Re-read the material at the start of this thread. It states it has a turning circle of 22.5m, not sure how that compares with a standard bus.

No, just thinking of the indirect nature of Petrie Tce, and the several traffic lights.  That's a real benefit of the busway which you are considering throwing away there.  It's not as significant on the inbound.  It already applies to the 350, of course, but I think being unable to serve Roma St busway on the outbound is a real disadvantage for that route.

[Golliwog]

It should be able to use the Roma St busway station. Just had a look on Google Streetview and you can read the height marker at Countess St where the busway goes under the railway tracks (which IIRC, is the lowest part through there). The bridge is 4.6m and the material here lists the bus height as 4.3m. There isn't a height marker that I can see at the Turbot St exit that I can see though.

[somebody]

It should be able to use the Roma St busway station. Just had a look on Google Streetview and you can read the height marker at Countess St where the busway goes under the railway tracks (which IIRC, is the lowest part through there). The bridge is 4.6m and the material here lists the bus height as 4.3m. There isn't a height marker that I can see at the Turbot St exit that I can see though.

Which is where the problem is.  If I was to bet, I'd say that it wouldn't fit.

[HappyTrainGuy]

It should be able to use the Roma St busway station. Just had a look on Google Streetview and you can read the height marker at Countess St where the busway goes under the railway tracks (which IIRC, is the lowest part through there). The bridge is 4.6m and the material here lists the bus height as 4.3m. There isn't a height marker that I can see at the Turbot St exit that I can see though.

Which is where the problem is.  If I was to bet, I'd say that it wouldn't fit.

Didn't a big red bus get stuck somewhere around Roma Street recently? 

[Golliwog]

Didn't a big red bus get stuck somewhere around Roma Street recently? 

Haha, good old Katter. That was on Countess St wasn't it?

There isn't a height marker that I can see at the Turbot St exit that I can see though.

Which is where the problem is.  If I was to bet, I'd say that it wouldn't fit.

Luckily for me, I'm not a betting man. I must admit I've never really looked up when I've gone through there. Eyeballing it (and assuming the height at the portal is the same as the rest of it), it looks close. On streetview, bus V790 is there, which from &searching=yes]BT Buses is 3.26m tall, and from the looks of it I reakon you could probably fit an extra 1m ontop of that bus.

[mufreight]

It should be able to use the Roma St busway station. Just had a look on Google Streetview and you can read the height marker at Countess St where the busway goes under the railway tracks (which IIRC, is the lowest part through there). The bridge is 4.6m and the material here lists the bus height as 4.3m. There isn't a height marker that I can see at the Turbot St exit that I can see though.

Which is where the problem is.  If I was to bet, I'd say that it wouldn't fit.

Didn't a big red bus get stuck somewhere around Roma Street recently? 

Double deckers were regularly operated into and out of the Transit Centre by Delux on interstate and intrastate express coach services, these coaches were built here in Brisbane at their Acacia Ridge plant, there were also tourist coach services operated by Coachtrans which operated both Denning and Setra double deck vehicles on services between the Goald Coast and Beisbane and tourist coaches on day tours.
These vehicles regulary ran through the old Woongabba bus tunnel which had sufficent height clearence.

[SurfRail]

You only need just over 4.3m for it to get through, so most of the busway would be fine.