Passenger loading and congestion reports

[Emmie]

It's not only the 109 that is full to bursting. I've been getting the 412, and it's absolutely chockers.  Yesterday at 3:15 the bus had to leave with at least 20-30 people left behind, with no passenger pick ups unless somebody got out, as far as Toowong. It's supposed to be a BUZ these days, but there aren't enough to cope with pax numbers.

As well, there are still many people trying to buy single tickets from the driver. When there were day tickets, this wasn't such a problem in the afternoon, now it slows down loading times, and adds to overcrowding, as more people arrive while the driver is dealing with tickets. I'd make both UQ Lakes and UQ Chancellors Place pre-purchase only - both have ticket machines now available.

[Jonno]

Regarding the Boggo Road development I reviewed the planning study which cantained a detailed traffic study and car parking requirements but ist comment on public transport was in essence 'Park Road Railway and Boggo Road busway stations are nearby, plus some bus routes but public transport planning is the responsibility of the State Government"

This highlights a critical failing of our development control processes.  Detailed traffic plans are made in isolation of the bigger traffic congestion problem whilst no public transport planning is conducted at all.  The process assumes that public transport is a nice add on whilst getting the traffic right is fundamental and the development can not be approved without it.  

It is a mind set that must change. Until this changes our developments will be car- oriented even if the planning intent was a TOD.

[somebody]

I'd make both UQ Lakes and UQ Chancellors Place pre-purchase only - both have ticket machines now available.

I'd agree with this.  There doesn't seem any reason not to do it now.

[#Metro]

This is a great idea Somebody.

[somebody]

This is a great idea Somebody.

I think it was Emmie's idea.

[Golliwog]

I haven't noticed many people buying tickets from the driver on the 109. There are sometimes one or two, but the vast majority are using go card.

As for making them pre-pay only, its a good idea, but if the 412 at Chancellors place is as bad as Emmie says, I would think you would need a 2nd machine at least for peak times.

[somebody]

Saw an outbound 202 passing the Cultural Centre at around 10:30am today with no one on it.  It also non-stopped the station.

Another time I used it with 1-2 other people at a slightly earlier time.

I really don't understand how anyone can argue that there is nothing wrong with this route.  It's a disgraceful route!  It needs to stick to the busway until Cornwall St.

[Golliwog]

Patronage on the 109 has dropped off a bit, but not as much as I was expecting (at least when I've been there). You can't really increase the frequency much more than it is, it may need a bus every 5 minutes in the peaky parts of the day (at the end of lectures, and the end of the day) but you can't really go above that simply because theres not enough space for the second bus. It already occurs at times where the first bus will be filling up, and just before it pulls away, another 109 will pull out from the waiting area to take its place.

[#Metro]

Saw an outbound 202 passing the Cultural Centre at around 10:30am today with no one on it.  It also non-stopped the station.

Another time I used it with 1-2 other people at a slightly earlier time.

I really don't understand how anyone can argue that there is nothing wrong with this route.  It's a disgraceful route!  It needs to stick to the busway until Cornwall St.

I think it is a milk run route. Could be improved no doubt.

[Golliwog]

Biggest line on the 109 that I've experienced was at 4pm today. The queue was back to here when the first bus pulled in, and only shortened to the path intersection just down from there when that bus had filled up. The 2nd bus pulled in as the 1st left, and when that bus was full the line looked the same as it did when the 2nd bus pulled up. Also massive crowds for 139/169 and 209. The platform down that end was chock a block.

And before you ask TT, neither of the 109 buses were artics I think a 169 was though.

[Jonno]

Saw two buses inbound on the busway at the intersection near Gabba Busway Station around 6pm with "Sorry Bus Full" sign. Was so shocked that I did even register which routes they were.  I was on a 230.

[#Metro]

Biggest line on the 109 that I've experienced was at 4pm today. The queue was back to here when the first bus pulled in, and only shortened to the path intersection just down from there when that bus had filled up. The 2nd bus pulled in as the 1st left, and when that bus was full the line looked the same as it did when the 2nd bus pulled up. Also massive crowds for 139/169 and 209. The platform down that end was chock a block.

And before you ask TT, neither of the 109 buses were artics  I think a 169 was though.

As a stroke of chance I had to visit UQ in the middle of the day this week- about 11.30 am.
The bus was full to the gunwales! UNBELIEVABLE.

And this is in the OFF-PEAK!!!  

Was also going to Wynnum, my bus was stopped in a bus jam in front of Wooloongabba intersection - small pileup occurred as we were waiting for the traffic light to change.

[Jonno]

... just further proves our public transport problem is not one of demand but of supply!!!!

[#Metro]

... just further proves our public transport problem is not one of demand but of supply!!!!

meanwhile, Queensland Rail in it's isolated parallel universe struggles to scrape passengers in the off-peak and leaves planners scratching their heads as to why the train system is so under patronised at all times except peak hour.

They are yet to discover the magic word...

FREQUENCY          FREQUENCY            FREQUENCY              FREQUENCY               FREQUENCY           FREQUENCY

[ozbob]

I caught a late running 9.01am down service from Corinda this morning (actual 9.06am).  Was full, about 800 pax all up.

[Derwan]

The service that departed Shorncliffe at 7:06 this morning was already a 3 by the time it got to Boondall.  It was a 5 at EJ with many passengers still standing on the platform as we departed.

[ozbob]

Onboard SMU236, 9.57am ex Goodna.  Around 500 pax ...  noted all the car parks in from Goodna full and choking ...

[Golliwog]

I caught a 109 from UQ last night a bit after 8pm. Not a massive crowd, but the bus was still standing room only for all of the run until around South Bank. IIRC by then the 109 is only running at a 20 minute frequency.

[ozbob]

Just met the 7.24pm service arrival at Richlands.  About 70 pax ... good load for late peak ..

[Zoiks]

7:21 to richlands @ eagle junction was a 4.5. Left as a 5.

Next train was a 3 car express to Roma street. This was again about a 4.5 and left as a 4.8.

The announcer was telling people that didn't get on the first and who had arrived after that the 3 car was a sardine affair and there were 2 more trains within 10 minutes that had plenty of room.

All in all it took me half an hour to get to Roma street

[Fares_Fair]

Welcome to our (so-called) world class rail network ! 

Regards,
Fares_Fair.

[Zoiks]

5:53am from Eagle Junction to Roma street.

Congestion Scale: 0

PS I love living near eagle junction. I don't have complaints about frequency.

I can kinda understand the political reason why they wouldn't want to run very many trains at this time. 7 people jumped on the train at Eagle Junction which more then doubled the passenger load

[ozbob]

 

[Golliwog]

I caught the 175 (or 174?) from CC to Wollongabba yesterday at around 2.45pm, it had a good solid load. Would have been no more than 7 or 8 empty seats.

[Mozz]

Caught the only train for the week this morning - 6.54 shorncliffe desto from Oxley - got there at 6.50am board showing late train at 6.57 which is par for course, then it kept blowing out, until finally it arrived at 7.10 - for a pretty respectable 7.33 arrival at Roma street (driver was really trying between stations to try and not blow out any more in terms of lateness) Some people left behind at Oxley but more a decision on comfort as they could have squeezed in - but from Indooroopilly to Roma street, definitely a derwan scale 5 and not very happy punters. Around Taringa guard announced that it was no longer a shorncliffe but a Doomben train. Announcements also about new timetables, quiet carriage.

[ozbob]

Boarded the 4.50pm Ipswich service at Central - on time.  Only moderate loading, DS 3, few footy punters.  Still relatively early though.  Noted a lot of punters heading in at various stations as train headed out west.

[Otto]

For the 3rd time this month, OH has not been able to board the 5:21 Cleveland Train ex Roma Street due to over crowding.. When she is able to board, it is standing room only till she gets to about Lota or Thorneside before she can have a seat..
The following train may only be 6/7 minutes after, but arrives at Cleveland usually about 20 minutes later.. This service is usually Standing room only at Roma Street but being allstops, a seat can usually be taken by about Morningside..

[#Metro]

For the 3rd time this month, OH has not been able to board the 5:21 Cleveland Train ex Roma Street due to over crowding.. When she is able to board, it is standing room only till she gets to about Lota or Thorneside before she can have a seat..
The following train may only be 6/7 minutes after, but arrives at Cleveland usually about 20 minutes later.. This service is usually Standing room only at Roma Street but being allstops, a seat can usually be taken by about Morningside..

Time to remove some seats from trains and increase train capacity?

[somebody]

Caught the only train for the week this morning - 6.54 shorncliffe desto from Oxley - got there at 6.50am board showing late train at 6.57 which is par for course, then it kept blowing out, until finally it arrived at 7.10 - for a pretty respectable 7.33 arrival at Roma street (driver was really trying between stations to try and not blow out any more in terms of lateness) Some people left behind at Oxley but more a decision on comfort as they could have squeezed in - but from Indooroopilly to Roma street, definitely a derwan scale 5 and not very happy punters. Around Taringa guard announced that it was no longer a shorncliffe but a Doomben train. Announcements also about new timetables, quiet carriage.

CityRail would have made it express.  Next train is likely on its heels anyway.  So long as there is an adequate announcement, I don't see an issue with this.

[somebody]

104 I/B this morning at around 7am I'm told had about 5 people on it.  Could it be due to the lack of a stop at South Bank/Cultural Centre that this route is underutilised?

[#Metro]

I once caught the morning O/B Tennyson service and there were only ever a handful of people on it. Inbound 104 services usually carry air with 1 or zero people on it from my experience... 5 seems like an improvement!


But if you're really curious, perhaps someone can bring it up at the next TransLink PT meetings?

[O_128]

For the 3rd time this month, OH has not been able to board the 5:21 Cleveland Train ex Roma Street due to over crowding.. When she is able to board, it is standing room only till she gets to about Lota or Thorneside before she can have a seat..
The following train may only be 6/7 minutes after, but arrives at Cleveland usually about 20 minutes later.. This service is usually Standing room only at Roma Street but being allstops, a seat can usually be taken by about Morningside..

Time to remove some seats from trains and increase train capacity?

Maybe the cleveland 2 tier service should be express to morningside then all stops/

[#Metro]

I think that duplication is important. It's a bit like the situation out at Ferny Grove for a while that has now been fixed up.

[BrizCommuter]

I think that duplication is important. It's a bit like the situation out at Ferny Grove for a while that has now been fixed up.

It's not quite fixed yet. Another year to go - yawn!

[#Metro]

I've always found the FG Line well patronised, despite its short short length.

[SurfRail]

I've always found the FG Line well patronised, despite its short short length.

The depressing thing is that the FG line apparently carries more people into town than Gympie Road and all its bus services put together, even with its dubious frequencies.  Who knows what 15 minute headways could do all day long?

[#Metro]

The depressing thing is that the FG line apparently carries more people into town than Gympie Road and all its bus services put together, even with its dubious frequencies.  Who knows what 15 minute headways could do all day long?

I think we need radical thinking. The Ipswich-Caboolture line I see as 1st priority for getting up to the 15 minute mark, maybe Ferny Grove can be next- half the trains could perhaps terminate at Rocklea or Roma Street if there are capacity constraints on the Beenleigh line in the off peak or whatever.

[Arnz]

The inaugural early afternoon peak 3:34pm Brisbane-Nambour service (express Northgate to Caboolture) was fairly well patronised, in spite of it being only allocated a 3-car IMU.  

Standees all the way to Caboolture (people standing for 40 minutes), and still a fully seated load (with very few sideway seats) north.  It wouldn't surprise me if that services starts getting overcrowded and a subsequent upgrade to 6-cars within a few months.

On a subsequent note, it's good to see all those 6-car IMUs running from Nambour to Brisbane this morning too.  Also, as I predicted, most of the Nambour starters throughout the morning today were IMU100/120s (hand-me-downs, not that I'm complaining  ) with the odd 6-car IMU160 in somewhere.

[petey3801]

The inaugural early afternoon peak 3:34pm Brisbane-Nambour service (express Northgate to Caboolture) was fairly well patronised, in spite of it being only allocated a 3-car IMU.  

Standees all the way to Caboolture (people standing for 40 minutes), and still a fully seated load (with very few sideway seats) north.  It wouldn't surprise me if that services starts getting overcrowded and a subsequent upgrade to 6-cars within a few months.

On a subsequent note, it's good to see all those 6-car IMUs running from Nambour to Brisbane this morning too.  Also, as I predicted, most of the Nambour starters throughout the morning today were IMU100/120s (hand-me-downs, not that I'm complaining  ) with the odd 6-car IMU160 in somewhere.

169/181 should have been up there somewhere early this morning also.

[Arnz]

169/181 should have been up there somewhere early this morning also.

I'm guessing you were driving those units this morning?