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#1
Fleet / Re: Four CD Element 2s (748-75...
Last post by Sylvan Loves Buses - Today at 04:10:42 AMThey're our first bus to have a bloody rear window in forever. That's the only newsworthy thing I can come up with.
The one time I decided to walk by Tuggeranong Depot without my camera on me...
The one time I decided to walk by Tuggeranong Depot without my camera on me...
#2
Fleet / Re: Four CD Element 2s (748-75...
Last post by L94UBbusfan - Yesterday at 05:55:29 PMThey look soooo nice, if only they would enter service. Does anyone have any updates on them as it's been 7 months since they were delivered.
#3
Fleet / Re: Four CD Element 2s (748-75...
Last post by Electric bus - Yesterday at 04:39:53 PM
At the Custom Denning factory, 9/2/'24. Photo is CC-BY-SA.
#4
The Playground / Re: Unusual bus allocations
Last post by L94UBbusfan - Yesterday at 03:53:03 PMQuote from: L94UBbusfan on May 04, 2024, 09:29:45 PMThere are 2 minor changes for Term 2 on the 26 Taylor Loop which I find extremely unusual. one minute before the next service from Gungahlin leaves JPC at 3:45
Was doing some busspotting in Gungahlin, and despite this service being empty the last time it ran, it is being operated by an artic.
#5
The Playground / Re: Unusual bus allocations
Last post by triumph - Yesterday at 12:42:24 AMIt seems I might not now be up to date, as I am no longer focussing on route riding. On the 10/3/20 I was on the publicly scheduled Route 28 which terminated in the morning at JPC. I alighted at the stop within the school access, not the usual stop in Gungahlin Dr.
On the 10/6/20 I boarded a afternoon Route 28 commencing at the same school access stop.
Parental traffic congestion, as elsewhere, may have resulted in this school access stop being no longer used
In the same era most of school diversion and extension services (publicly timetabled) I rode on were very lightly loaded with students. Not infrequently, none at all. A notable exception was Alfred Deakin High School with packed services (R4 and R5).
On the 10/6/20 I boarded a afternoon Route 28 commencing at the same school access stop.
Parental traffic congestion, as elsewhere, may have resulted in this school access stop being no longer used
In the same era most of school diversion and extension services (publicly timetabled) I rode on were very lightly loaded with students. Not infrequently, none at all. A notable exception was Alfred Deakin High School with packed services (R4 and R5).
#6
The Playground / Re: Unusual bus allocations
Last post by Bus 400 - May 05, 2024, 07:49:42 PMAlways better to plan for extra capacity than have people at Casey Shops be left behind.
In the next timetable updates, this school special may be withdrawn. But TC would have to check every day of patronage,.
School special 26 would dead run from somewhere. If that's Casey, Gungahlin or Gordon, only TC work know. But checking regularly can sound stalkerish. Best to do an afternoon of bus photography around Gungahlin & working it out that way
In the next timetable updates, this school special may be withdrawn. But TC would have to check every day of patronage,.
School special 26 would dead run from somewhere. If that's Casey, Gungahlin or Gordon, only TC work know. But checking regularly can sound stalkerish. Best to do an afternoon of bus photography around Gungahlin & working it out that way
#7
The Playground / Re: Unusual bus allocations
Last post by L94UBbusfan - May 05, 2024, 06:30:35 PMThe JPC service leaves from the same bus stop on Gungahlin Drive as the other 26, meaning they do the EXACT same route (if it started in the actual school bus stop at JPC then it would make way more sense). I travelled on this route on Friday and the first bus starting at JPC (which I was on) had a fair amount of people on board, still seats left. The second bus however overtook us a few times and I saw no one on board. I don't know about the Gold Creek 26 bus service, but I believe it would be a similar story. There didn't seem to be a problem with the original route, which I had travelled on many times.
I also know it isn't unusual to see Tuggeranong buses in the north and Belconnen buses in the south, however considering the L94 CNGs are being retired at a pace faster than new buses can arrive, Tuggeranong is down some buses. Another better reason is the amount of dead running. I check anytrip at least 5 times an hour and I don't see the buses that run on these routes making their way up towards Gungahlin, leading to the illusion that these buses are dead running from somewhere. It makes more sense to me to just get a bus from Belconnen depot for the extra routes, to reduce dead running. There are some more services that do very long dead running from Tuggeranong to Gungahlin, but there is probably another topic for talking about that.
I personally don't mind it though, more chances to catch L94s up north!
I also know it isn't unusual to see Tuggeranong buses in the north and Belconnen buses in the south, however considering the L94 CNGs are being retired at a pace faster than new buses can arrive, Tuggeranong is down some buses. Another better reason is the amount of dead running. I check anytrip at least 5 times an hour and I don't see the buses that run on these routes making their way up towards Gungahlin, leading to the illusion that these buses are dead running from somewhere. It makes more sense to me to just get a bus from Belconnen depot for the extra routes, to reduce dead running. There are some more services that do very long dead running from Tuggeranong to Gungahlin, but there is probably another topic for talking about that.
I personally don't mind it though, more chances to catch L94s up north!
#8
The Playground / Re: Unusual bus allocations
Last post by triumph - May 05, 2024, 11:07:09 AMHave you considered that the loading may be more than one bus? With regard to JPC there are two stops, the normal one in Gungahlin Dr which the regular buses from Gungahlin Interchange pass; and the School stop in the entrance to the school area which is used by buses starting or terminating at the school and school only services.
It is not unusual to find Tuggeranong buses in Belconnen area and vice versa. The timetable arrangements include provision for driver breaks, etc. In consequence a single shift usually covers a series of routes and is not confined to one route. Now consider the most obvious example, R4. For the first hour and then added peak buses it has to be provided with buses from both ends. Thus Tuggeranong buses arrive in Belconnen and vice versa, and then go on to other runs. There are other less obvious routes where switching routes as the shift goes on takes place. The end result is a fair mix of buses from each depot across the network. Much of the 'dead' running is caused by this, with the need to return drivers and buses to their starting points. Apparently using the 'dead' runs to provide some limited stop direct services is considered too complex, unreliable, or uneconomic for the likely patronage.
That's my take on the issues you raise.
It is not unusual to find Tuggeranong buses in Belconnen area and vice versa. The timetable arrangements include provision for driver breaks, etc. In consequence a single shift usually covers a series of routes and is not confined to one route. Now consider the most obvious example, R4. For the first hour and then added peak buses it has to be provided with buses from both ends. Thus Tuggeranong buses arrive in Belconnen and vice versa, and then go on to other runs. There are other less obvious routes where switching routes as the shift goes on takes place. The end result is a fair mix of buses from each depot across the network. Much of the 'dead' running is caused by this, with the need to return drivers and buses to their starting points. Apparently using the 'dead' runs to provide some limited stop direct services is considered too complex, unreliable, or uneconomic for the likely patronage.
That's my take on the issues you raise.
#9
The Playground / Re: Unusual bus allocations
Last post by L94UBbusfan - May 04, 2024, 09:29:45 PMThere are 2 minor changes for Term 2 on the 26 Taylor Loop which I find extremely unusual. There is a service starts at Gold Creek school at 3:18pm and then goes past Holy Spirit school before continuing on its regular route to Gungahlin. Then, 4 minutes later, a 26 from Gungahlin does the EXACT same diversion. This happens again with the next 26 service, as there is a 26 that leaves JPC at 3:44, one minute before the next service from Gungahlin leaves JPC at 3:45, meaning 2 buses running the exact same route at the exact same time TWICE within an hour. I get it to probably to get the school kids off the 26 from Gungahlin, however it is (to me) a complete waste of buses. And just to add on to all of this, 3 out of the 4 services are Tuggeranong depot based buses. It all makes very little to no sense, even for TC.
#10
The Playground / Re: What PT did you get today?...
Last post by L94UBbusfan - May 04, 2024, 07:45:50 PMYesterday (3/5/24)
334 (26)
334 (26)