Passenger loading and congestion reports

[HappyTrainGuy]

I don't think I've called it a good route unless I was being sarcastic haha. I'm pretty sure I've said sometime before it could be if combined as a service that goes through BR and then links back into the Fitzgibbon side once the Norris Road extension goes through but its still fairly limited in its current catchment. I've never really seen the current 329 as its only run in one direction during each peak hour. IMO that's how the near by 336/337 should be run (in regards to operating times. Not directions) in the mornings/arvos instead of during the day when no one can use them considering how many stops/interchanges (Chermside/Aspley - 4 buz routes and a host of others/Geebung Railway station with a train every 6-7 minutes)/schools (8-9 of them)/points of intrest (Hypermarket/Westfield/RSL/Gympie Road shops/Homemarket on Zillmere road, Geebung shops, Chermside Markets)/areas not fed by frequent or any other services (Ellison Road/parts of Geebung, parts of Robinson Road, parts of Zillmere road, different parts of Chermside that are opposite Westfield which can be a 10-15 minute walk to the interchange or a couple mins on the bus in the same zone).

[somebody]

I'm thinking of this post.

[HappyTrainGuy]

Yep. Sort of sarcastic post following on from the other remarks It's good that it services a previously unserviced area but it's poorly excuited.

Depending on the traffic I'll try to pop into Carseldine on my way home and have a look at the loadings getting on and then see what the Lacey Road stops are like.

[somebody]

Noticed a pretty decent seated load on an O/B 131 last night around 17:30.  Surprising.  Not sure if its Hellawell Rd (+Algester Rd between Endiandra & Ridgewood) people or others who could use the 130 who find this useful.

[techblitz]

noted a 200 with `sorry bus full` at the gabba.... 5.30ish today with another 200 just behind it with almost full load.
i can honestly say that with 222 + 200 having excellent capacity numbers at peak i cannot see them being reviewed at any time in the near future.

[#Metro]

noted a 200 with `sorry bus full` at the gabba.... 5.30ish today with another 200 just behind it with almost full load.
i can honestly say that with 222 + 200 having excellent capacity numbers at peak i cannot see them being reviewed at any time in the near future.

Yes but the main difference between 200 and 222 is the Wooloongabba/Logan Road/Deshon section which the 200 does but not the 222. How many people on that bus got on/off at Deshon/W'Gabba???

[somebody]

noted a 200 with `sorry bus full` at the gabba.... 5.30ish today with another 200 just behind it with almost full load.
i can honestly say that with 222 + 200 having excellent capacity numbers at peak i cannot see them being reviewed at any time in the near future.

Major issue is the 207 leaving from neither KGSBS or QSBS.  It has half decent loads because it helps out the 206 though.

Also, does the 222 get much action out of peak on the outbound?

[techblitz]

Major issue is the 207 leaving from neither KGSBS or QSBS.  It has half decent loads because it helps out the 206 though.

Also, does the 222 get much action out of peak on the outbound?

every o/b off-peak 222 ive taken has about 10-15 onboard at least by coorparoo shops...come 3.00 thats when you get fullloads.
222 is an air carrier after 9pm on the inbound mon-thu.

Yes but the main difference between 200 and 222 is the Wooloongabba/Logan Road/Deshon section which the 200 does but not the 222. How many people on that bus got on/off at Deshon/W'Gabba???

Both those 200`s i saw yesterday @ gabba deboarded a couple of pax.As for deshon st @ peak...usually same story, only a handful deboard and then once it hits the stop near easts leagues club thats where quite a few seem to get off.I almost always deboard @ coorparoo shops or wiles st camp hill so cant really provide much info after those stops towards carindale.I would assume quite a few get off at carina shops.

Ive also caught the odd 204 peak o/b and quite surprised at how full this bus route still gets up until 7pm with near full loads.As for the 203 @ peak...i avoid it because it gets held up in traffic too much
I find it quite amazing how many people use buses for commuting inbetween carindale & the city.
As i use the gabba & buranda stops a fair bit at the pm peak i always like sussing out the loads on the 200 and 222 and have to say they are doing pretty darn good.
A.M peak i wouldnt have the faintest  but would be interested to see how well the 340 does from gabba to kgsbs.

[Golliwog]

Not sure about in peak, but I caught a 340 from the Gabba yesterday around 11.45am. I was one of 3 on board.

[ozbob]

Inbound 8.57am ex Goodna,  at Toowong.  Estimate 650 pax, good load for this time of the day ..

[BrizCommuter]

07:04 ex-Ferny Grove has approx. 60 passengers standing is car 4 on Monday am peak. So much for the $100m+ duplication. Time to send another overcrowding photo to the CM?

[Fares_Fair]

07:04 ex-Ferny Grove has approx. 60 passengers standing is car 4 on Monday am peak. So much for the $100m+ duplication. Time to send another overcrowding photo to the CM?

and today?
Is it regular (or as regular as it can be on a train)?

[Golliwog]

I'm assuming that probably due to some extent from university going back on Monday. I know from experience that the 7:04 ex-FG service is the last one on the FG line you can catch and still make an 8am lecture at UQ (depends where on campus and how on time the lecturer was), I'd assume it'd be fairly similar for those at QUT? (Walk to Gardens Point or bus to KG).

[BrizCommuter]

07:04 ex-Ferny Grove has approx. 60 passengers standing is car 4 on Monday am peak. So much for the $100m+ duplication. Time to send another overcrowding photo to the CM?

and today?
Is it regular (or as regular as it can be on a train)?

It will be like this until the next Uni/School holidays. It's been like this since the 2008 timetable changes at this time of year, although it seems to be slightly quieter each year due to loss of patronage.

Much door hopping was going on at Enoggera this morning as passengers attempted to board.

[techblitz]

Currently on a 77 from chermside to 8mp

By windsor rail there is about 30 pax on board an virtually all uni students. Half are uq students deboarding at okeefe st

[somebody]

Currently on a 77 from chermside to 8mp

By windsor rail there is about 30 pax on board an virtually all uni students.

But it shouldn't go to UQ. 

[techblitz]

Half of them de boarded at okeefe and headed over to p.a bus stop for the UQ connection.
Rest down to Griffith. Seems to well used by uni students during peak. Prolly wont be enough to save it though.......

[HappyTrainGuy]

Which is a shame as I really like the 77 as its a great little route that bypasses the city. I know there are the multiple buz services to the city to connect with another busway service but the timesavings on the 77 are just f*****g massive when compared to via the city. It needs to stop at the interchange to remove that annoying Hamilton Road stop as that's what burns through the time on the Chermside bound trips. Doing that can easily cut 8 minutes off the Chermside bound services (in peak hour both AM and PM).

07:00 AM    'Chermside (Hamilton Road)' Hamilton Road    07:26 AM    Griffith University Station
04:53 PM    Griffith University Station Platform 1    05:28 PM    'Chermside (Hamilton Road)' Hamilton Road

04:58 PM    Griffith University Station    05:12 PM    Cultural Centre station platform 1   
05:13 PM    Cultural Centre station platform 1    05:46 PM    Chermside Shopping Centre - Platform A

[somebody]

Long live route 79!

[SurfRail]

Long live route 79!

Coincidentally the UWA bus route (or one of them).

[ozbob]

At Ippy, about depart onboard EMU27 Rosewood service ... watched it arrive ex Rosewood 10.26am, 60-70 pax on board ...

Footnote:  Noted turntable is being serviced by the look of things ..

[somebody]

Used the 100 yesterday around 11am I/B.  Many standees, much busier than in peak hour, where 5 minute frequency lasts 6:40am to 7:20am ex-Forest Lake.  Total overkill!

[HappyTrainGuy]

~ 10.45pm. No one... maybe 1 person behind the driver onboard the 340 outbound once again. It did a 680 at the Chermside interchange and went straight through instead of going around to the stop. Had a good old laugh when I went through the lights only to see it slowing down for the same intersection it had been at just seconds earlier just on the opposite side. I got caught at the Murphy Road lights, the tail end of the Chermside entrance lights and then again at the Webster road lights where I laughed even harder when I saw that same empty 340 pulling up at the lights at the same time I was. That thing was just flying with no one onboard! 6 people onboard the 335 from what I could see at the lights for the chermside entrance. 5-6 people on the inbound 333 leaving the interchange. Ah the network review could really have done wonders for the northside by getting rid of all that waste and duplication but that's all been p%ssed  away 

[techblitz]

Currently on a 333 inbound 440pm
9 people turned away due to bus being full by kg qut.
I am noticing a lot of people prefer to just board the 333 after shopping instead of making the walk over the road to catch other frequents.the bus driver said its an issue on saturdays and thur evenings.

[Golliwog]

Currently on a 333 inbound 440pm
9 people turned away due to bus being full by kg qut.
I am noticing a lot of people prefer to just board the 333 after shopping instead of making the walk over the road to catch other frequents.the bus driver said its an issue on saturdays and thur evenings.

Wouldn't that then suggest that the 340's and 330's (though the latter is only useful inbound of RBH) are therefore fairly empty and so having 333's full of lazy people from Chermside isn't such a big deal?

[techblitz]

Currently on a 333 inbound 440pm
9 people turned away due to bus being full by kg qut.
I am noticing a lot of people prefer to just board the 333 after shopping instead of making the walk over the road to catch other frequents.the bus driver said its an issue on saturdays and thur evenings.

Wouldn't that then suggest that the 340's and 330's (though the latter is only useful inbound of RBH) are therefore fairly empty and so having 333's full of lazy people from Chermside isn't such a big deal?

Bus driver was actually rather irritated that it goes on frequently and reckons at least 1 of the others should stop in.

[HappyTrainGuy]

The network review fixed that they need to fix the 330/335/340 and the 332/333 bays.

[somebody]

Noticed a P173 through Greenslopes around 8:50am - 2-3 people on it.

[ozbob]

Presently at Morningside, caught the 9.34am Cleveland ex Buranda, several 100s pax, good load.

About to board the next Cleveland.  Morningside is an interesting station ... 

[ozbob]

Now onboard EMU03 Cleveland bound,  around 60 pax est on the train.

Been busy freight wise, since 9.20am this morning, seen two up coalies, two down coalies and a down grainie ...

[Cam]

3 passengers aboard the Maroon Cityglider at Cultural Centre about 8.20am today inbound.

[Simon Lovell]

Random report: Skitube leaving Perisher Valley for Bullocks Flat at 16:32 today (last day of school holidays).  See poor picture attached.

[ozbob]

Random report: Skitube leaving Perisher Valley for Bullocks Flat at 16:32 today (last day of school holidays).  See poor picture attached.

Simon.  I had forgotten about the Skitube ... neat!

[techblitz]

Just did a headcount @ southbank 7.20pm....of a northgate terminator
43 passengers...6 car set....equates to around 5% full...and its a friday night...

[James]

Just did a headcount @ southbank 7.20pm....of a northgate terminator
43 passengers...6 car set....equates to around 5% full...and its a friday night...

One thing I've noticed about the short-running services is that they are often not very full. I feel Northgate - Cannon Hill suffers from this problem especially.

If you run our rail network like a glorified semi-frequent bus service with no feeders etc., you can expect the same results as if you ran a glorified semi-frequent bus service with no feeders - i.e. loads like that.

Time to get working on some weekend services and a Wynnum FUZ into Cannon Hill station. Not to mention feederising services like the 215 and the 232...

[petey3801]

Running the Cannon Hill trains through to Manly would make them a LOT more useful.

[techblitz]

Luckily the waste finishes around the ideal time of 7-8....some of the 7/8pmish ferny grove line inbounds also get these types of small loads....can you imagine if this 15min freq continued till say 11pm?.....LD would have a field day on train guard costs....most of our buz routes are currently carrying 5-20% loads max after 9pm.
We need a frequency demand responsive network....not to he biased again because its my main route....but the 110 on weekends has it nailed......30 minute frequency inbound mornings....hourly frequency outbound.....afternoons it gets switched....hourly inbound....30 minute outbound...purely responsive.

[James]

Luckily the waste finishes around the ideal time of 7-8....some of the 7/8pmish ferny grove line inbounds also get these types of small loads....can you imagine if this 15min freq continued till say 11pm?.....LD would have a field day on train guard costs....most of our buz routes are currently carrying 5-20% loads max after 9pm.
We need a frequency demand responsive network....not to he biased again because its my main route....but the 110 on weekends has it nailed......30 minute frequency inbound mornings....hourly frequency outbound.....afternoons it gets switched....hourly inbound....30 minute outbound...purely responsive.

The issue with that one is the dead-running factor - for a lot of bus routes (and train routes especially), there is minimal time saving for dead-running vs. the value added to the network by just running the service in the counter-peak direction. Case in point, 444. I really doubt there is demand to run a bus from Moggill to the CBD at 6pm at night, but if we don't run the service it just dead-runs following the route it would have taken anyway. Adding the extra services gives confidence to the service.

Ferny Grove line is another good example. There is no way there is any demand at all for a Central - Ferny Grove service at 4:11am in the morning (I would actually like to travel on one of these services to see whether anybody uses them at all), but this service forms the first inbound service of the day (5:02am dep. Ferny Grove) which no doubt does start to cater to people starting work early and so forth.

In terms of actual useful frequency, inbound has 15 minute frequency from 5am, which is good, yet outbound 15 minute frequency dies on the Ferny Grove line at 7pm. Useless for anybody who stays quite late at work or goes out in the evening. I'd much rather see the 15-minute frequency for both inbound and outbound shift one hour later on the Ferny Grove line (6am - 9pm inbound, 5:30am - 8pm outbound). Would make the service far more useful. There's a lot more open at 8pm than there is at 5am!

In terms of BUZ frequency cuts - large portions of the frequent network could do with frequency trimmings between 9pm and 11pm. TransLink addressed this in their bus review, but apparently having buses running from Bracken Ridge, Mansfield and Pullenvale at 10:30pm on Sunday night is far too important.

[James]

I thought QR monitored the numbers in new or trial services fairly tightly and acted if required, like cutting the trial extra Doomben train at night that was subsequently cut.

Perhaps its also about the bigger picture and getting trains into certain positions.

I think it is because these aren't trial services - this is the permanent timetable. And knowing QR, unlikely to be reviewed in any way until NGR come along...

[techblitz]

7pm ferny grove inbound coming into bowen hills...a whopping 6 passsengers taking up the last 3 carriages