Recent posts

#21
General Discussion / Re: MyWay replacement
Last post by Barry Drive - March 10, 2024, 11:58:12 AM
Quote from: triumph on January 16, 2021, 10:52:20 PMWhilst Mark has had a go, like most Opposition pot shots, he has omitted to say what the Opposition would do or recommend be done? Costs, if the tenders/prices given to the buyer are not value for money and/or wildly in excess of a properly developed estimate, why wouldn't the buyer reject them? Does the Opposition want the project (and, for that matter, any project) to proceed when the price is not value for money, just so a date can be met?

While fear-mongering about the 3G shutdown on ABC Radio last week, he did actually state what he would do: "piggyback onto the Opal system".

Which, as I've stated before, is not a next-generation system. While it has an extremely useful app and supports EMV (credit) cards, it still uses a stored value Smartcard.

To basically ditch your current system and replace it with one which is 50% the same seems like a waste of money.

There's also questions about costs, timeframes and whether Opal could even support a different jurisdiction with different concession rules. And whether the NSW Government would allow it.

The better approach that could have been taken (but it's way too late now) was to jointly develop a new system with another state and share the costs. Although it does look like everyone is experiencing some delays in delivering new account-based systems.

There is a new article which details the journey to where we are now with MyWay+ being months away from implementation.

https://www.actbus.net/the-long-journey-to-myway/

#22
The Playground / Re: What PT did you get today?...
Last post by triumph - March 06, 2024, 07:01:35 PM
4th March
710 (R3)
459 (54)
957 (54)
465 (R2)
704 (R3)

Today
436 (R3)
320 (57) Left quite late, arrived near on time, driver on a 'mission' - exhilarating.
376 (57)
731 (32)
414 (32)
549 (R3)
#23
The Playground / Re: What PT did you get today?...
Last post by triumph - February 28, 2024, 10:01:34 PM
26th Feb
679 (R3)
725 (32)
551 (32)
728 (31)
472 (R2)
390 (R3)

Today
667 (R3)
447 (R4) Schedule has R4 leaving prior to R3 at Cohen St Interchange. Often caught up by R3 and I can change to it. Today was such an occasion as R4 and R3 arrived at City Platform 4 together. (Part of journey Spence to Hughes, is usually via Woden as better suited to arrival time needed,)
363 (57)
397 (57) Legislative Council stop is temporarily closed so convenient to divert via Northbourne Ave and London Circuit. Observed an R2 which didn't divert.
001 (R1)
705 (R8) another convenience diversion - continued along Ernest Cavanagh St into Gribble St.
557 (R3)
 
#24
The Playground / Re: What PT did you get today?...
Last post by triumph - February 24, 2024, 03:33:51 PM
18th Feb
579 (R3)
700 (R8)
012 (R1)

20th Feb
725 (R3)
637 (R4)
726 (R4)
450 (R3)

21st Feb
669 (R3)
429 (R4) Two successive no shows, so had to adjust routing via City in lieu of Woden for late destination arrival.
608 (57) At least (and unusually) was spot on time at my destination stop.
494 (57)
453 (R4)
532 (81) Er, umm, visited TC Lost Property  :-[  :-[
347 (81)
801 (75)
631 (R5)
525 (R5)
519 (R5)
462 (R3)
#25
Fleet / Re: Four CD Element 2s (748-75...
Last post by triumph - February 24, 2024, 03:17:59 PM
The 4 Launceston buses are on a 2 year trial and are equipped with telematics to aid data gathering for the trial. Be interesting to know if the 'software issues' are with the buses proper or the telematics.
 
Also Metro Tas is trialling 3 fuel cell buses in Hobart with a view to comparing the different technologies.
Whilst TC is getting on with it in regard to Yutongs, Metro Tas seems to be going about it a more measured way.

The interesting question is whether the issues with the TC Elements are related to the Metro Tas Launceston experiences.

At a recent public meeting a question was asked about the TC Elements and drew a rather vague reply from a Govt representative about commissioning and training. As they are not yet registered one might wonder about the progress of 'training'. I got the impression that service entry was still some time off. So 4 of the Renaults will not be retiring as soon as thought.
 
#26
Fleet / Re: Four CD Element 2s (748-75...
Last post by Barry Drive - February 21, 2024, 04:24:10 PM
Quote from: Barry Drive on January 24, 2024, 10:32:40 AMUPDATE: the 4 Tasmania Elements have been registered and will soon commence service in Launceston.
Further update: the 4 Elements did enter service in Launceston, but have now been taken off the road due to "software issues'.
#27
Photo of the Month / Re: March 2024 - open for nomi...
Last post by Barry Drive - February 17, 2024, 05:15:12 PM
Let's get things started:


Bus 720 at Gungahlin Place


Bus 418 at Tuggeranong Interchange


Bus 391 at Watson (bonus photo == offside MAN 18.320)
#28
Fleet / Re: Renaults a go go: the fina...
Last post by Bus 400 - February 17, 2024, 04:20:28 PM
The below is a quote from the Reforms for the Disability Standards
for Accessible Public Transport 2002
Decision Regulation Impact Statement

QuoteThe Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA) recognises the central role of public transport in everyday life. The DDA
makes discrimination on the basis of disability unlawful in the provision of public transport services, as it does in other
key areas of public life, such as employment and education.

Trains & trams have til 2032. Only Perth is 100%, but AFAIK, someone took the WA Government/PTA/Transperth to court. 

I can only assume low staff has to do with migration. Capitalism needs a set increase in population to function. For atleast 12 months Australia didn't accept new migrants. There's also been about 10-20 years of public & private sector not wanting to pay to train new employees in technical skills. Expecting the young to go into debt to learn skills, with no guarantee they'll get into the industry. Why pay $20,000 to learn to weld (total guess) when you can earn $30,000 a month on OF or other social media. 
#29
Photo of the Month / March 2024 - open for nominati...
Last post by Barry Drive - February 17, 2024, 10:46:55 AM
Nominations for Photo of the Month now open.

The rules:

● two* photographs may be submitted by each member, provided they have not been submitted before

  ◦ * a third photo may be submitted if it meets the criteria shown here. However you may only submit a maximum of 2 photos of the same bus or of the same location.

● photos must be "owned" by the person submitting it (if not, you must have the permission of the photographer to submit the photo - and identify the photographer)

● photos must be have taken legally - ACT Bus does not encourage or condone trespassing

● submitted photographs must prominently feature:

  ◦ public transport infrastructure (such as bus stop, bus station, bus depot, Light Rail line, tram depot) within the ACT / Queanbeyan region (location must be specified)

and/or

  ◦ a bus, tram or support vehicle from the ACT or Queanbeyan (taken within the region or a former ACT/Queanbeyan bus) where -
    ▪ the vehicle is in focus
    ▪ the fleet or registration number is identifiable (or supplied by photographer if not visible in photograph)

● photos narrower than 640 pixels (for landscape aspect) will not be accepted

If possible, please supply date or month of photo.

Refer here for full ACT Bus photo submission conditions.

Photos can be submitted by replying to this forum topic and attaching the image; to ensure consistency, photos must be displayed with a width of 640 (or height of 640 if a "portrait" aspect) - photos larger than 640 are required to use the option width=640 or height=640 in the image tag. For example: [img width=640] instead of [img].

To submit photos from Instagram, you must post a reply with a caption and paste the URL of the Instagram image. Photos not publicly visible cannot be submitted. We will not accept unhosted photos - they must be stored on a photo hosting site (such as Instagram, Flickr or Facebook).

Submissions close midnight 25 February, Australian Eastern daylight saving time unless fewer than 6 photos have been submitted.

Voting will commence on 26 February. Voting will close 1 March.

The winning photo will be loaded to the actbus.net website and posted to ACT Bus on Facebook and Instagram. The winner and runner(s)-up will also be included in the Photo of the Year vote. By submitting a photo, you are giving permission for it to be loaded onto the ACT Bus Gallery, and Facebook and Instagram pages.
#30
Fleet / Re: Renaults a go go: the fina...
Last post by triumph - February 16, 2024, 01:23:54 PM
Another element to complete the picture was when the mandated date for removing non-disability compliant vehicles, etc. was introduced?

To be fair, it should be noted that plenty of other public transport systems are struggling in this space, For example many high floor trams in Melbourne, train station access in Sydney and Brisbane, etc..

The impact of Covid disruption and speed of demand recovery has proved to be much greater than, I think, was anticipated a couple of years ago. It has highlighted the interlocking nature of industry and society both locally and internationally, and the risky and fragile nature of some previously lauded (particularly by conservative elements) efficiency/economic practices - such as 'just in time' delivery in the manufacturing process, reliance on cheaper overseas resources, failure to train and employ school leavers sufficiently, etc..
An interesting question I haven't heard asked and rhetorically 'Why is there now a worker/skills shortage greater than pre-covid, when the then conservative Government provided the generous Job Keeper programme'?